Eleven Hours of poker

With less than an hour break for lunch, Greg sponsored an eleven hour game yesterday with three sessions of poker. We started at one and played until midnight as different people came and left at different times. We cashed out and started over twice. It was great to see some of those in the group who we rarely see in the daytime. And then, just as we were about to quit, John Blowers called and wanted to stop by with Oak who he was getting at the airport. I'll bet Greg did not expect to see the day when players would fly in to play at his house.

Of course, we expected some bracelet winning, well experienced player who would take us down. Instead we welcomed Oak who was brand new to the game, so green that he needed the term "full house" explained.

We let John help him. That was really fun. John would talk this banter to him, trying to help him play his cards and at the same time bluff to us as to what he held. This was really funny.

I lost in this section partly to a gut shot draw that John used to take one of my all-in bets.
John is amazing.
He put me on hands perfectly. That time he put me on pocket 8's or 9's and I had the 9's. That is a skill I don't have even a small part of.

In the middle session Chuckmonk came with food and beer and his general good nature. For a while Greg, Charlie and I played. I liked playing with three. It seemed easier. I think he left some money with us.

Bruce did not leave any with us this week. He left with a profit. Peter left with a small profit the first session but with nothing in the second. Greg lost money. That is rare. the Pokermaster actually having to pay to play.

Silver, the rule czar, came and lost money. He really more enjoys finding every error or irregularity or ridgedly enforcing each correct playing pattern. and he enjoys debating the fine details of each, reasoning out his position until anyone who dares to point out anything esle just tires out. Perhaps that is his table strategy.
There were plenty of irregularities to keep Poker Czar Jerrry occupied this week including a flop that included two fours of clubs. Apparently one of the Colorado Belle decks did not have a three of clubs and instead had two four of clubs.
Perhaps now I can get people to actually check the new decks before they use them.
Nah. that ain't gonna happen.
In this case Phil had a high hand with the fours so I surrendered the pot.

Each of us has our own set of favorite patterns that we like kept as rules, and Jerry likes to collect all of these and make them all his rules. He is then the enforcer, or failing to manage enforcement he becomes the "rule nag."
Greg generally stays out of the fray, but this week Greg came out with two of his pet peeves:

Don't cover your cards.
Don't deal so that you see the cards before the rest of us.

Slink offered his favorite pattern of randomly assigned seats. Generally, we sit whereever.

Bruce has yet to get Greg to stop squeaking the trays across the table so that we all cringe when he goes all in.

Mike was annoyed that people left with winnings. He prefers a game where everyone play the full time unless they lose, more like a tournament. We allow coming and going at will like the casino cash games. Play when you can.
I think Mike misses the old tournament games, but they were so hard to make happen as few people could commit to long stretches, no one much liked coming and losing a hand and going home, and few showed up on time. It was hard to determine who was playing. Chips were more difficult to arrange before the game and often we ran out of what we needed. So most of us who are hosting have evolved into this game.

Jerry added his new rule, "don't be rude" this week.
This was the most ironic rule of the year.

We definitely need a sense of humor to play at the Greg Casino.

Last week I lacked that, and I was tired and playing very badly. This week I did tire, but I seemed to manage to play well nonetheless. I did get some fine cards and exceptionally good flops. I had four flopped straights which all held up to win.

I slow played flopped trip tens when head to head with Greg and got more money on the river after two rounds of checking around. He had poocket kings and never bet them up very big.

No quads this time. Peter took me down when I had a king high heart flush and he had a straight flush.

I had a fine time except for my hand acting up again. coffee spilled down my front as did some of our snacks. I fumbled and broke one of Ann's drinking glasses. I dropped and fumbled chips.
However, I seemed to be able to deal cards much better than last week when I got so frustrated with my performance I just wanted to go home. I was in the middle and that helped. Also, instead of ruffling as much as I would like, I do the more traditional shuffle all the while I wait for the cards. So I drop fewer cards.

Once, when it was my deal, Mike Karp dealt out a flop, but I caught it in time. Charley was mad and wanted to bet the flop Mike dealt. Luckily the cards were of very distinct colors. This error is one of the problems with each of us dealing our own decks.

Sunday Blowers has a game at his place to celebrate progess on the movie. A few of us will go and play. I am looking forward to that.