MOHEGAN SUN TRIP

ROOM

I came to this Groton Super 8 because it was the cheapest alternative for my one night Saturday stay. I had a few points and with under $35 I got a room when others were quite expensive.

My leaving home this weekend gave my wife and her best friend from Rochester some sister time without me in the space. It was a good time to go gambling.

One fellow at my poker table had priced a room at Mohegan Sun at the last minute. It was $900. I just don't understand that kind of pricing. Another told him that he might be about to arrange it for about $200 if the fellow was willing to buy out another guy's points. I don't get it. For $900 I can fly to Vegas.....Twice!!.

Since I usually go solo, just driving down the road for 20 mintues to Groton is a good choice for me.

For the Super 8 I read the mixed reviews at Trip Advisor. I read the last reports of bed bugs at the registry. That was in 2010. I think the word is out and most places are pretty good at monitoring infestations.

The reviews mentioned poor upkeep. I saw that in my room in the broken lights by the bed. I said something on the way out, but I did not want to have folks coming in to fix things for a one night stay.

I also see some burn holes in the bed covering. However, it was clean and I don't use the top covering anyway. The blanket was pretty flimsy. The mattress was not those in the upscale hotels. But I did not need a blanket and I slept very well.

The bed was easy to inspect for bed bugs; I could get right down to the mattress and check the ridge. Both of them were very clean of anything.

It was quiet. Out my window there is a parking lot, but from the second floor there is only the look of green trees. Very nice.

When I arrived the AC was off and the window was open so the room smelled fresh. I put the AC on, closed the window, and by the time I had unpacked the car, the room was very comfortable. It was a quiet AC. It went off when the set temperature was reached.

The refrigerator was cold and the little freezer area refroze my little ice bags for my cooler and a quart plastic milk carton fit there as well. I stocked it with seltzer and food. Too much really for just one night, but I can't depend on the free breakfasts because they are all carbs. This one did not have even one piece of fruit. They did have some English Breakfast tea and good coffee. I made good tea in the room. I carry my own tea cup and my own green tea.

There was very accessible electrical plugs for my computer and for my sleep apnea machine. The wifi was just grand, fast and with no passcodes to mistype.

A long desk table easily held my computer.

There was an elevator, one cart that no one else seemed to want, and so I got all my things up and back down without incident.

Folks were pleasant. Some guests were not quiet and I heard them in their rooms ranting as I walked the hall, but once in the room I heard nothing. There was no AC in the hallway or the rest of the hotel. That made it a muggy walk in.

The bathroom was very nice. It looked newly painted and there were no issues with plumbing. There was a tub, but I forgot my epsom salts. The shower head adjusted to two settings.

The television did not have Turner Classic Movies, but did have a number of good choices. I don't watch much television. It was an old style television.

The clothes hanger was mounted on the wall and convenient. The little coffee pot worked fine. For the tea I put hot tap water in the cup and ran the water through twice with the bags in the little pitcher on the second run. It worked great.

I was very comfortable just spending a quiet early morning in the room and I was rested enough that I played until 9 PM and drove 3 hours home that night.

The Super 8 was very easy to find from Mohegan Sun. No twisting and turning. It was right on a main road. Nearby are little diners that would entice me for breakfast if I had not brought a cooler of food with me.

Going solo, I like just hanging in the room and eating with the television or the computer and drinking all I want of coffee and tea as there is little to do in the poker room until about 10AM.

So, I get that there are some minor issues with this place, but I'd come again.

THE BUFFET AT MOHEGAN SUN

I had $4 off Saturday's buffet and $11 off Sunday's , so the food expense was very low. There were no Facebook or Twitter deals; those are only M to F.  In the poker room I earn a dollar an hour for 2-4 and 1-1 play.  Perhaps my $4 was left over from last November and the $11 accrued on this trip.  Compared with Vegas buffets, this one is a bit overpriced, but using the points brings it down to a pretty decent deal.
I was thinking of going to Springville to a restaurant I like there called the Student Prince, but I was just not in an adventurous traveling mood and I wanted to keep playing poker as long as it was good.

I enjoyed the food, but did not relish it as much as I usually do. That was disturbing because the food was as good as it usually is. There was still the no sugar cheesecake and one night there was a no sugar chocolate almond mousse. I wish they would bring back the little melting fluffy meringue cookies in no sugar format.

I am not avoiding meats lately, so the meatballs with marinara were my favorite and the sausage and peppers was good as well. I liked the baked pollock although the cajun spice needed a good bit of help from Frank's hot sauce.

I liked the succotash and collard greens. Both were tasty. The steamship beef had good flavor. I had just a small bite because I could get an end piece.

One nice thing about this buffet is plenty of hot sauce: Frank's, Tabasco, Cholula, and one green.

The iced tea that was good as was the one cup of coffee before driving back the 3 hours to home. It worked to keep me awake.

I ate one buffet a day and filled it with food I brought along. I do like having breakfast in the room in the early morning, writing, watching the news, having coffee and tea.

GAMBLING

I was up and down both on video poker and live poker. I played a 9-5 DDB and an 8-5 Bonus and ended $100 down with a few close possibilities but no royals or Aces and only one quad, Kings. The Bonus machine said it did not give points. I did not notice if the DDB gave points.  The poker room allows a dollar per hour. 
Points matter less to me at Mohegan Sun than in Vegas because I don't go enough, but I am curious to know more about it. Perhaps Momentum $ are different than points.

I played the 1-1 live poker which I love and some 2-4 when the 1-1- was unavailable or I did not like the table.

One interesting hand was my A-4 that flopped 4-4-7. Two players were all-in before me. I thought that no on else was in and turned my cards, but a fellow stopped me because there was a guy behind me who was still live.

The turn came another 7. I checked, thinking that I could not win since he had seen my hand and would only call with an 7.

He checked.

The river came and I checked again, but he went all in for $23. I was puzzled. I called and he had nothing much, perhaps a pair. He had not seen my cards, so he perceived my checking as weakness that he might exploit. So I took down two other players for a healthy pot.

I had pocket Aces in fairly early position. A fellow before me bet all in for ten dollars. I made it twenty-five. Everyone folded. No high hand, but I did win the pot.

I had one nice royal in clubs draw. I needed the queen on the turn or the river. The turn gave me a queen of spades and so I won the hand, but sadly no royal.

Generally, here the high hand awards went for straight flushes. They paid every three hours. However, today I think they pay every 15 minutes, as they do at Foxwoods today also. The crowds are just crazy in line for seats when they offer that promotion, so I expect it will continue. Of course, since I play that promotion in Ocala every Saturday with $500 going every half hour, and plenty of seats, I am not so attracted.

My worst table was a table full of young men who all were joking with each other and playing a strange and very aggressive game. This was late Saturday night. I lost the last of my $60 buy in when I called pocket kings all-in when I had A-9. It was not a good bet, but it was time to go home.

My best run was actually on a 2-4 table where I had a very lucky streak. Often the 2-4 games there are looser than those in Vegas, and a new table, opening late in the evening will bring the passive callers who pay off top hands. My K-K held up for a huge pot my last night. I like the 1-1, but in this case the 1-1 table was just dead rocks and I had not made a bet in a long, long while, so I moved to 2-4. I knew that were I to bet, I'd not get called. They called me on the 2-4. I was in a seat where seeing was hard and I held 3 jacks with a possible diamond flush on board. I kept betting into the flush because I did not think anyone had it. A guy with J-K folded because he thought I had the flush. When I showed my hand, it turned out that the river 8 had given me a full house. I had seen it as a 6. And yes, someone had called my river bet without either a flush or a jack.

At this same table I am nervous betting my Ace because I only have a 6 kicker. However, the guy who stays with me has a seven for a pair of sevens. The river gives him another seven, but he checks to me and is very disappointed that I don't bet out, but check as well.

The dealers for the most part are very good, but every once in a while there is a dud, and I got one at this table for a while. I explained that I could not see to know when the bets were over or sometimes to know the cards. It did not matter to her. When she was relieved, she heard me tell the fellow next to me that I was happy to be getting a new dealer because she would call the game. And she did. If I was in the hand, she read out the flop to me. That was very helpful.

I drank some wine called Copper Ridge. It was good. It sells for about $7 a bottle. This just proves that casinos can offer drinkable inexpensive red if they look for it. This was a cabernet.

It may have affected my play. It did on one hand, although I thought my healthy $30 bet would push off my opponent. On other plays, having a bit of wine and getting a bit talkative seems to encourage folks to call when they should not call.

There was only one high hand at any of my tables, and he did not get paid. His quad 9's were beat. There were a few full houses, but I don't really count them. They won't hold up over 3 hours.

In the end I lost $266 over the two days. This was not too bad for the hours of play. But it was not too good either.

Some of the people were interesting and funny. Some were boring. There were few story tellers. One woman named Merrill from NYC (with a strong accent) was just delightful and attractive. We had some good time. Her husband was there and he was the most grumpy unsociable guy. Such a contrast. She consoled me when I lost with trips twice within a few hands. I liked her. She left because she felt a migraine coming on. I could not remember the new medicine I take for those. Sumatriptan.

None of the players were very good at stories. The best I got was just good joking and humor, most of it centered on the cards and the game.

Some of the players I have seen before and I think they play every day. Two old cab drivers, Neil and George, did tell some stories but nothing really dramatic.

Vegas is much richer in players and variety.

Perhaps I am staying too quiet lately, but the noise of the casino and the crowds on Saturday night did not absorb my interest. And while I liked the poker room, I did not engage my aesthetic senses in the abstract lighting as I usually do.

I did enjoy one blues piece on my way out by a band I think is Nick Forte. It was a BB King tribute song. “The Thrill is gone” and very well done.

In general I was not up to music or shows this weekend. I would have bought a cheap scalped ticket to see Bette Midler, but she is not my favorite and there were none in the lobby anyway nor would they have been very cheap.

The ride home was a bit of a hassle. Just minutes out I got stuck in a half hour delay due to an accident. The rain made it hard to see. The glare bothered me more than usual. I would just get something interesting on the radio and the station would fade.

One of those was a show I did not know was on live radio. It is hosted by Dan Akroyd as Elwood Bluesbreaker. The show I heard featured this fellow. It is now your usual blues.

http://thebluesmobile.com/pokey-lafarge-takes-a-spin-in-the-bluesmobile-this-weekend/

It was ironic because a Blues Brothers impersonation was at the Wolf lounge the night I was at Mohegan Sun. I regret not going to that.

Some shows are streamed, but I can listen live here on Sunday night : WPYX 106.5 8-9 PM  I managed to drive the 3 hours home without a break.  I'll need my nap today.

Gregg's game

Hmmm.  There was no real discussion of the newest rule consideration.
​

Well, the game today was well attended: Dewey, Peter, Ezzy, Gregg, Jim, Charlie.

Gregg and Charlie split the high hand with Aces full of Jacks.  it was an early catch and it held up. 

Both Ezzy and Dewey had pocket Aces, but both won the hands, so the Cracked Aces Bonus money went back to each player. 

Gregg brought some fine cookies, including those almond windmill cookies of our youth.

I can't eat cookies.  All I can do is drool.

Ezzy left with over double his buy-in, so he had a good day.

Charlie had the best day with a win of over $50.

Peter won $4.

I lost $52, a pretty steep hit for this game. 

I think Jim made some money.

Gregg lost again.  He has had tough luck this spring, but he is a good sport about it.

I can't remember too many dramatic hands, but that may be because I was never in many. 

I did win a good pot from Gregg when my Club flush draw caught on the river. 

I also remember losing three hands with trips to straights.

And I split about a half dozen pots.

no quads, no straight flushes.

Charlie made one good call against Peter's 40 chip river bluff.  Nice, Charlie.

It was a fine, long afternoon  of play, ending at 6 PM.  Nice. 

We had a good bit of trouble with cards.  So many are marked with black, even some that we took right out of the box, brand new.  Disappointing. 

The music was just great.  Peter was singing along to Blues Traveler.  Plenty of conversation around music history with Jim filling in the details.  Ezzy wants to play "Name that Tune" and he was pretty accurate on just a few notes.   Plenty Johnny Cash,  Erik Clapton, and some songs with lyrics that will go unrecorded here.  Jim is can be quite unique and unconventional.

This was the last day of the Chinese museum.  The walls will be newly decorated next time. 

Well, I wish my memory was better. 

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OTHER CASINO NEWS

Turning Stone poker room apparently is under new management.  One change may be the opening of a 1-1 game.  Another will be the games being followed by Bravopoker, an app for your phone  that will let you know what they are playing and where there are seats before you go to the casino.  Currently, the app will show that information for Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun and really all the casinos within 1000 miles.  It is a very amazing tool.  I'll be trying mine out in Vegas this fall. The poker room told me Turning Stone would connect to Bravopoker sometime in June.

If you have the Turning Stone poker room mailing, you may have $20 for June that is good to offset the $85 poker rate for a nice room.  $65 is not too bad for Saturdays.   That is what it is all this month.  No longer can you get a better deal at the Inn. That used to be about $35 with the coupon.  Perhaps weekdays that would be possible.  The difference in price was just about $6 on Saturdays in June.

Then for the very adventurous there is The Landing

http://thelandingcampground.com/

I've gone up there and slept in the van.  For $25 I got a site with electricity just steps from the hot showers.  In the morning I would have a bit of breakfast at the picnic table and use the wifi.  They did not mind me coming in at 1 AM, but I did try to be quiet.

Of course, if you are really frugal, you can sleep in your car at Foxwoods in the parking lot.  I tried it, but I can't use my apnea machine, the lights were on all night, and then workmen came to clean up in the very early morning.  For me, although it was free, it was not my favorite camping adventure.

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When heading to Foxwoods and Mohegan, if you don't get a comped room, it is pretty expensive.  Foxwoods is pretty lose with weekday comped rooms and there is a pool that opens at 7AM.  However, I have not been playing there because I like Mohegan Sun and their 1-1 game better.

So, I've stayed a few places in Groton.  That seems to be where the cheaper rooms are.  If you can get the Groton Inn at a cheap price, the free breakfast is a sit down and order from the menu breakfast.  That is a good breakfast.  Most of the others I can't eat with my diabetes.

Scott and I once got a good deal on the Microhotel near Mohegan Sun (with shuttle) but I don't see those deals showing up so much.  Anyway, I like the weekend nights for the poker games.  More tourist-like players.  Better shows and music. 

At both Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun I have gone and looked for ticket scalpers and gotten seats for less than half the price.  Generally, these are the good seats, comped for some of the higher rollers.  It is worth a try if you are not dedicated to going to a show, but would when the price is right. 

My last visit to Turning Stone, last Fall,  I just lucked into the Steven Wright comedy show, so it is worth looking to see what is offered.  There I did not find scalpers but paid the low entry rate, but I have seen some around the box office on other trips.

I got a two free night offers in the mail from Resorts in Atlantic City today.  Tempting.  I love riding my bike on the boardwalk.

I have not gone anywhere  recently.  My bankroll is low, and I'm saving for two month long trips to Vegas.

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Speaking of Vegas, I had a huge hit on the MyVegas free slot game.  I hit for 6 million chips.  I ran them hard and actually finished the last challenge with only 80,000 chips left.  That gives me 2 million back to play with.  In the course of the play, I pushed my LP's from below 100,000 to above 170,000.  That is enough for quite a few free buffets, especially at the Red Rock and Palace Station casinos where I have 5 free MyVegas nights coming this fall.  I don't even have to pay resort fees at the Station Buffets, but their LP price is high.

If you decide you'd like to play, let me know and "friend" me on Facebook because there is a way to add chips to each other's bankroll.  Also, I have a few sites with free chips that are available.

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I got hired to write the Resorts Fee article again for the 2016 American Casino Guide.

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Here is an interesting note from John Grochowski, a professional gambling writer, on taxes:

Provided you keep adequate records, the IRS does allow you to deduct gambling losses up to the amount of your winnings if you itemize deductions on your return. If you plan to itemize, you should keep a gambler's log, noting casino name and location, date, time, game played, amount of buy-ins, amount of cash-outs, and net win or loss on each game you play. Some casinos will provide you a record of your wins and losses for the year through their player rewards systems, but it's best if you have your own detailed records.

This is becoming more of an issue, since the IRS wants now to make casinos issue paperwork for every win over $600.  There is quite a bit of anger in the gambling community.  The paperwork expense alone would be a head ache for the casinos, and the projection of loss of income because of wasted time is huge.

It would change quarter VP games so that any royal and many 4 Aces payouts would require filling out a tax form and often having part of the winnings withheld.  http://www.accountingtoday.com/news/tax-practice/casinos-worried-irs-proposal-change-rules-reporting-gambling-winnings-74807-1.html

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Gregg's game

It was another grand day at Gregg's poker room, photographic gallery, eclectic musical concert hall and tomato plant greenhouse.

Great attendance.  A full poker table:   Dewey, Peter, Gregg, Jim, Ann, John, Charlie, Bill, Ezzy.

It was fine to see John and Ann back in the poker game again.  They seemed to enjoy the day.  We certainly enjoyed having them.

Once again Peter proved the master of the river and before the end of the day, on just two buy-ins, he had assembled a vast majority of the chips in play. 

 

 Check the differences in our chip stacks.

 

He collected $152 in profit.  Dewey lost $30 and all to Peter.  Gregg lost enough to quit before the game ended.  Most folks lost this week. 

Ezzy had the high hand, quad eights until just ten minutes before the competition ended, when Jim ruthlessly popped up four queens to capture the $16 award.  There were more quads in this game than I have ever seen before.

NO one seemed to have pocket Aces, however, either  as winning cards or as busted Aces.

We gave back that busted Aces award dough. (Ezzy, remember I owe you a dollar)

Along with the poker was some good conversation on the coming of casinos, on the new high hand awards at Mohegan on certain days when such a promotion attracted long  lines of people waiting for seats, (I felt really pleased to have all winter to play such 1-1 games at Ocala, Florida and always able to get a seat,) There were  on building inspections and smoke alarms.  Rumors also said that Turning Stone was considering a 1-1 NL game.   That might attract me back.

There was talk of the horses once again and some stories including Jim's story of being there when a fan ran on the field and started punching a horse and jockey.

Although folks want a run down of hands, as usual  I left without much of that detail.  I do know that deuces were often on the flop and sevens were a constant card coming in trips.  I remember taking one hand against the odds when my Ace of diamonds made runner-runner flush.  Multiple times two pair were on the board.  Once Charlie took me out with the higher full house with two pair on the board.  Once I took Ann out with an eight when she had a seven with eights and sevens on the board.

Peter beat Bill from way behind when he pulled a Jack on the river to make a flush in an all-in hand. 

Peter took me way down on a hand where I held two pair and the river gave him a flush.

I remember Ann lost a pot to me when she chased a straight flush and did not catch.  That would have taught Jim a lesson. 

No royals like mine from last week. 

There were plenty of split hands due to identical hold cards.  Peter and I had at least three. 

Perhaps others can remember some of the hands that made them winners or hands lost by small bits or unlucky rivers that turned the odds.

Charlie brought a trunk load of tomato plants and just gave them away.  Perfect for me, as I had space in my planter.  Gregg took a bunch. 

Gregg gave a tour of his Chinese photos.  Our museum. 

Jim did another wonderful collage of sounds with a focus on blues, but a spattering of Donna Summers and other odd bits. He had the information as always to answer any questions and tell stories of the performers.

Gregg brought some tinned cookies.  Fancy stuff.

I shared that Southwest has a flight sale right now.  It may end tomorrow.  Elizabeth and I rebooked our upcoming flights and saved about $200 this morning.  That was a very good game of plane "poker"

for us. 

I brought along a dozen new card protectors and played with different ones at different times and lent some around.  I guess the table favorite was my wine glass base topped with an old rapella fishing lure.  We boys have to play toys sometimes.

The mirage in Vegas is up and running, but reports are not too ecstatic.  Basically, they made it into a smaller space.   There are some photos in this thread.

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showpost.php?p=47042639&postcount=10

Folks did not seem too disappointed, but to me it just seemed part of the trend to downsize poker or eliminate it altogether.

By the way, the most frugal poker is on electronic machines at the Plaza.  They are still running cheap tournaments there.  You can't win much, but you can have the fun of playing for a couple hours on just $15.  Any time spent in Vegas beyond the in and out visit threatens the bankroll, so it is a grand game for stretching gambling dollars.

We quit at five thirty and I'd like to thank Gregg for letting us play that long.  For one thing, after Peter and I had our supper at the Dragon Buffet, the rush hour traffic was over and the ride across the construction on the bridge was much easier. 

See many of you next week.

PS from Ezzy
Don't forget the one in a million chance of a card attached to my body! Ann is dealing and my card flies off the table and the card sticks in my belt buckle face down! Jim looks down and cracks up as he plucks the card out. I say I wish I took a picture of that and Bill replies," you are always taking pictures down there!" LOL

Gregg's Game yesterday

Dewey's recap:

Well, Ed Forner finally came to a game and left all the treasure he had found at beaches and old fields in the hands of his buddies. Good to see this old treasure hunter and his treasure.

Ed reports that the water at Galway is greatly improved. He told a grand story about dropping a john bar off his dock, trying to fish it out with a sparkling cat collar and catching the interest of a huge bass instead. No hook in the collar, so he missed the fight, but it was an experience.

There was one hand when I might have had a flush or a straight and Ed had three treys. In the end, a huge pot could have been won by one of us, if Ed had called my all-in for twenty four more chips. He folded a very good pot. Even now he'd like to know what I held. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

Ed left a bit early.

Jim had a good day. He was in the running for the high hand when I beat him out, and then he finally took it back with queens full of jacks.

He almost forgot to claim it because everyone had folded.

I took the cracked Aces when Gregg beat mine. They did not develop into anything more than a pair and Gregg caught on the river. But I won more money than he got after the head to head competition, mildly bet.

Peter actually beat me in a big hand with 2-3 offsuit. He had a good time with that at the game and all through supper. Peter was the big winner of the day.

About $80 profit.

Nice.

Robin came after a long hiatus, and it was grand to see this old college chum. He lost money, but had fun. He went to supper with Peter and I at the Dragon buffet. Peter and I are tending to go there after the games. Perhaps others are interested. All are certainly welcome.

Gregg broke about even. He seemed to be playing well.

Charlie, where were you? I had pepper questons?

Jay!! Oh, Jay!!!!! The Beatles were playing. Were your ears ringing? I have forgotten what Jim remembers whenever he hears the opening of Sgt. Pepper. Was it a cook in the military? Sorry Jim, I can't remember hardly anything any more. I am always reminded of Kathy Duzen, the last girl I dated before Peter's mother. She introduced me to the album and I still remember having a grand time naming all the faces on the front. Plenty of musical memories.

Jim even played the Politics and Poker I sent earlier. And he played this raunchy beach song, turned it up actually. Very funny. He has quite a collection.

So, we were five. Ezzy was at the Cape. Ed T was cooking. It was a fine game, but I'd like to see seven.

I lost quite a bit, but caught a hand when all-in after four buy-ins. Then with the help of cracked Aces, I ground it back up to a loss of $27.

Jim had the funniest hand. After the flop, Jim needed a ten for broadway, but he bet like he had flopped the straight by pretending a board nine was his ten. He went all-in on that imagined card.

Cards were turned for “the drama. “

He groaned through the turn and then, well, y'all know what the river was, an actual ten which beat Peter's high pair.

Nice feat of prediction, Jim.

I mentioned this radio show, so I'll include a link. Great old music and good background while on the computer. About ten current shows are collected here

Dewey's recap:

Well, Ed Forner finally came to a game and left all the treasure he had found at beaches and old fields in the hands of his buddies. Good to see this old treasure hunter and his treasure.

Ed reports that the water at Galway is greatly improved. He told a grand story about dropping a john bar off his dock, trying to fish it out with a sparkling cat collar and catching the interest of a huge bass instead. No hook in the collar, so he missed the fight, but it was an experience.

There was one hand when I might have had a flush or a straight and Ed had three treys. In the end, a huge pot could have been won by one of us, if Ed had called my all-in for twenty four more chips. He folded a very good pot. Even now he'd like to know what I held. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

Ed left a bit early.

Jim had a good day. He was in the running for the high hand when I beat him out, and then he finally took it back with queens full of jacks.

He almost forgot to claim it because everyone had folded.

I took the cracked Aces when Gregg beat mine. They did not develop into anything more than a pair and Gregg caught on the river. But I won more money than he got after the head to head competition, mildly bet.

Peter actually beat me in a big hand with 2-3 offsuit. He had a good time with that at the game and all through supper. Peter was the big winner of the day.

About $80 profit.

Nice.

Robin came after a long hiatus, and it was grand to see this old college chum. He lost money, but had fun. He went to supper with Peter and I at the Dragon buffet. Peter and I are tending to go there after the games. Perhaps others are interested. All are certainly welcome.

Gregg broke about even. He seemed to be playing well.

Charlie, where were you? I had pepper questons?

Jay!! Oh, Jay!!!!! The Beatles were playing. Were your ears ringing? I have forgotten what Jim remembers whenever he hears the opening of Sgt. Pepper. Was it a cook in the military? Sorry Jim, I can't remember hardly anything any more. I am always reminded of Kathy Duzen, the last girl I dated before Peter's mother. She introduced me to the album and I still remember having a grand time naming all the faces on the front. Plenty of musical memories.

Jim even played the Politics and Poker I sent earlier. And he played this raunchy beach song, turned it up actually. Very funny. He has quite a collection.

So, we were five. Ezzy was at the Cape. Ed T was cooking. It was a fine game, but I'd like to see seven.

I lost quite a bit, but caught a hand when all-in after four buy-ins. Then with the help of cracked Aces, I ground it back up to a loss of $27.

Jim had the funniest hand. After the flop, Jim needed a ten for broadway, but he bet like he had flopped the straight by pretending a board nine was his ten. He went all-in on that imagined card.

Cards were turned for “the drama. “

He groaned through the turn and then, well, y'all know what the river was, an actual ten which beat Peter's high pair.

Nice feat of prediction, Jim.

Okay, hope to see you next week. As Gracie's old postman always said, “Keep Smiling!!”

Gregg's game May 13

Well, it was another fine day at Gregg's poker game. Jim brought music again. He is passionate about putting together the best mixes that I've ever heard. Every one is different. If I did not play poker, I'd come just to hear the music and the stories he has that back it all up.   It is so superior to anything musical they do in the casinos for background music.

Without going into great detail, there were perhaps a dozen songs that were not only great to hear, but had those kind of emotional flashbacks that go back to my early days and made me feel emotions and even smell long lost scents scents, long gone and past.

Peter loved the musical numbers. He knows plenty of the words and he sang along to some that are from shows he acted in. With all that Peter has endured this last year and a half, it is a thrill to see him connect again with such songs and lyrics and stories of his past.

Jim gave us all that music and most of his money. Poker doesn't get much better than that.

Add to that the change in decoration. The room now is a museum of rare and one of a kind Chinese photographs taken by Gregg's dad in WWII. These get some grand attention in China with tens of thousands of people going to see them and there they were just a few feet from our game. Vegas has nothing like this, no poker room in America has anything like it.

http://www.greggmillett.com/

So, yes, we play poker, but actually it is a much richer aesthetic experience than just a card game

Gregg gave us the museum experience and all of his money time and time again.  There is real artistic poker devotion.

I was the big winner of the game, ending up with a profit of $86 on the poker and $10 on the high hand bonus for my Aces full. This is an amazing win for this small game. I bought in for four times for a total of $40, lost most of it, and then had some great hands to crawl back to my winnings. We played until about 5:30 when our host had been flogged enough and wanted to go home and eat garden dirt for a while.

In one hand Peter and Gregg both held A-K when an Ace came on the flop, and they pushed the betting while I called with my A-7. Unfortunately for them the flop also had a 7 and my two pair held up.

Later a huge pot developed and Peter tried to bluff me off my pair of Aces with a 40 chip bet, a huge attempt to overpower. We were head to head. I called and won with just a pair of Aces.

Others will have to mention other detailed hands because I don't remember them very well. I know Gregg lost big today and one loss was when he held a flush but the River put the fourth diamond on the board and his were just too low. Peter had a 3 that won on a river flush. I had a 2. Bill was not so lucky. He held A-X of clubs and pushed all-in on a draw, missing clubs on the turn and the river. I took that pot with my 9-6 two flopped two pair.

Bill was back after a long time away from us, but not very happy. Sorry, Bill. He bought in once and finally lost it all chasing that flush, so he went home.

Ezzy and Charlie made up the table. I think both lost. Ezzy promises to reply to all here and add hands he remembers.

His Ace high flush high hand for a while. Then my Ace high flush beat his out and then my Aces full won. Unlike last week I was unwilling to freely extend the high hand award past 4 PM which is the agreed upon time. Good thing. Peter would have beat me with his four 6's at 4:23.  Peter did take the cracked Aces pot of $7 when his pocket Aces were beat. 

Peter was up and down and ended down $15, one of two losses in about seven sessions of no limit poker in Florida, Mohegan Sun and at Gregg's. I took that money from him today.

It was an exciting game. See you next week. Bring a friend.

Gregg's game

Gregg asked it I would write up the game this week, and I agreed.

I'm afraid that my ability to remember detailed hands is gone now, but perhaps I can offer a sense of the experience.

The venue has changed. The original expensive art is gone and in its place are huge 6 foot high slot machines on wall paper (or perhaps wall plastic) covering the entire room, so it is now more like being in a casino than an art museum. Those of you who have not been to a game in a while need to get over on Wednesday because SOS is a bit like Vegas. Just as the old Riviera will implode one of these days soon, the slot machine decor will certainly be replaced with some other creative venue invention, and you will have missed the experience.

The music Jim writes about each week is really amazing, a professional collage of all sorts of music, from opera to rock to country to blues to those old funny favorites we laugh about, all spiced with a few Sinatra classics.

Each week is different.

I wish the Vegas casinos could have such a blend of music. I've often written about just that issue since so much of the background music of Vegas is a new sort of whinny music that I intensely dislike and it is the same stuff over and over.

http://vegasbirthdaybash.blogspot.com/2013/11/tr-snippet-music.html

http://vegasbirthdaybash.blogspot.com/2014/11/tr-snippet-music-in-vegas.html

Every Vegas visit the music gets worse.

In fact, I've bought a couple of industrial ear protectors at Harbor Freight to wear the next time I play the video poker at the Four Queens.

http://www.harborfreight.com/hearing-protector-97849.html

There was some good talk of Vegas. I tried to talk Charlie into going with his wife and offered to help him find affordable and pleasant casinos with decent plays. He might go too during one of my next two upcoming trips, one in September and one starting at Halloween and going to November 20.

Charlie always has some interesting notes on Foxwoods or Turning Stone. He may go to Aruba to play there.

Well, back to the poker game.

Peter came along with me again and played well too. He was a bit tougher on his old dad this time, taking quite a few hands away from me. I don't quite see how he could have that many straights.

A newer player to the group, the second guy named Ed, came. He is a very pleasant fellow with a quiet, good sense of humor. The whole interaction of the players is just easy and delightful.

More of you should join us.

I knew that the old guy named Ed was not coming because it was a nice day. He was probably fishing or looking for buried treasure, or racing his motorcycle up and down the Galway country roads.

We missed Ezzy who is generally a regular now.

Jay Fowler should come and he wants too, but he is busy rebuilding America. Now that my kitchen is done, he has the rest of the Greater Capital District to rebuild.

I knew that Wild Bill was not coming because I had called him to see what was up. He was bowling in El Paso when I called. He said maybe next week. Bill works harder now bowling and coaching and picking horses than he did when he was a teacher.

Bill would have enjoyed the talk of the Derby. Everyone at the table who bet the race had won money. Jim had won $300.

Slink did not come. I think he still works. He needs to get himself retired. We even had a brief talk about religion between hands. Slink has a favorite theology taken from the verse about, “Faith, hope, and charity”. Slink's take is that if one loses “faith,” he can still have “hope.” My spin is that this ignores the third virtue, “charity.” You could bring some of that to the game, Slink, and cover all the Biblical bases.

Blowers did not come. But that did not mean we lacked plenty of action. In fact, there were so many double straddles and so many all-in hands that it was rather like a John Blowers Memorial Poker game except no one wore a hat and Blowers is as far as we know still alive somewhere in America and playing perhaps like “a gorilla” as that famous woman poker player once remarked. I know he went to Tampa. SOS is much closer than Tampa, John.

We missed others who come now and again. Basketball Jim was not there. John's wife Ann has been facing some serious sickness and we think and talk about the two of them every week, wishing them well and hoping they will be back soon. Pat who often comes missed this week.

Ron rarely comes anymore.  

Gregg says that Bruce and Phil have dropped off the map, but they would both enjoy this game. Bruce would find comfortable space for his knees, and we need to hear the old, “God hates a coward” as Phil makes some questionable call.

Scott Rice is just a shadow in my distant past. Too many children, too much work. You have been neglecting your decadence, Scott! I know you came once when I was in Florida. Not nearly enough.

And speaking of old decadent teachers, where is Mike Karp?

And there are others perhaps on Gregg's mailing list who I haven't mentioned.

The room will accommodate whoever comes, even two tables.

The game started with Gregg losing about seven hands and four or five buy-ins in a row. I took most of Gregg's money and I played with it the rest of the afternoon, going up and down and then losing much of it back in the last hours of the game as is my pattern.

That had to be one of the worst streaks Gregg has experienced in recent times. He even had to go “upstairs” or as it is now “in the next room” to replenish his cash.

At the end of that time I also had a high hand of jacks full of kings which held up until 4PM. Only this week we played until 6 PM, and I recklessly agreed to extend the time, and old Charlie managed to turn his pocket Aces into quads.

There went that dough.

We may do an Aces Cracked bonus next week for those interested. The high hand is optional too, but many join in. It is just a side amusement and there is no pressure.

Gregg made a grand comeback and quit about even. I played on one buy-in and ended up $25. Peter bought in three times and ended about $30 up. Jim lost pretty big. The cards just did not come. The new Ed lost a couple buy ins and left early. I think Charlie broke about even with the high hand money.

I wish I remember more particular hands. Perhaps others can fill in what they remember.

There was plenty of action and plenty of poker drama.

I played Peter's favorite 6-9 and flopped a straight.

Peter bluffed Gregg off a pair of queens when old Peter had absolutely nothing except one of the queens Gregg wanted.

Since often Gregg was first straddle and Peter a double straddle, with me next to play, I often raised to push out the other players and just be left with only folks playing blind. Once I bet 20chips on A-4 preflop, trying to steal the $8 blinds. The blinds all called me. On the river I made a wheel. No once could believe that I put 20 chips on an A-4.

It was a grand pot!

I put Jim all-in preflop on one hand when I held pocket kings.

He held pocket Aces.

They held up.

Peter once held 4-6 and caught a straight that beat the wheel. On that hand I had 4-7 of spades but had folded it. It would have yielded a higher straight and the flush.

Peter was once behind in a well bet preflop hand with Gregg when both went all-in. Gregg had two pair. Peter had an Ace of hearts with some other high card, and four hearts came on the river to give him a very good pot.

Perhaps others remember some other dramas.

Thanks to all for helping me keep this pulled back muscle from getting reinjured. Each day that I baby it, it seems to get just a bit better.

I tried sitting on the new water spurting bidet toliet seat, but it did not do the job for me. Those of you who have not come lately need to show up just to see this new innovative technology in waste elimination.

You never know what you will experience when Gregg arranges the venue.

http://www.cardschat.com/poker-hand-nicknames-rankings.php

Ocala

They stopped having the high hand awards on Sunday, so I missed going last week and will miss next week.  This week I managed the trip.
I started my game at about 2 PM.  I quit a bit after 5 because we were down to just five or four.  I ate my sandwich in the parking lot and took a drive down the road toward Ocala, but I was not impressed.  Pretty rural stuff.  I stopped at one Seafood restaurant just to see what they had.  No one knew where the seafood came from other than Jacksonville.  They thought I was odd for asking.  They are new.  I don't think they will last long.
We are spoiled here on the coast for seafood.

When I got back Christine, the loose aggressive player was bullying her way to large winnings.  She had two followers too.  I won't play with her again.  It is more like bingo than poker.  She left. Another left.  And that left Mo who took about $300 and lost it all and more.  She could not bully a table of short chipped players.
She took me out once when a river heart gave her king power to beat my flush.  But gradually I got that back.

The room was underattended, so it was a grand day to look for high hand awards, $500 every half hour.  Most of the time Aces full was paid.  This did me no good as I had one pair of pocket Aces and had to fold them on the turn.
Once I had a good draw with trip kings on the flop.  Once I needed the 4 of hearts for a small straight flush.  Once I held J-7 of clubs and thought the 8 would give me a straight flush, but had it come, I would have not gotten the high hand because my 7 would not have played in the straight flush.  As it was, a very good player put me on less power and bet into me twice with just a straight.
Once I had pocket jacks and a flop with two 7's.  A loose player bet ten on the turn and I called.  It was a bad call, but the river gave me a Jack.  I checked, he bet, I raised all-in and he called.  Lucky hand.

Overall I enjoyed the game.  I was up and down.  I was ahead $104 when I quit the first session, then down with Christine and then up again to perhaps $150 for the day, but a couple second bests cost me.