MGM $1-$2

I played at the MGM for the first time ever. Everyone asks me where i play, and I choose the room with the most tables (showing in bravo) becuase thats the room that has the best chance of holding a game all night.

One thing i noticed quickly was this table was one of the tougher tables i've played at. with a majority of players being confident "experienced" players and maybe two or three "inexperienced-to-little experienced" players. I played considerably tighter than normal.

One big attribute a winning player has, is not getting married to a hand. Its super straightfoward. You have aces, you feel obligated to pay the person off who has been telling you, "i know you have aces (or top pair, etc) but i have better." Money saved is money earned.

Another attribute is thinking the hand through before making a decision. Always have a plan.

Playing where ya work.

I work at a poker room on the strip, and i enjoy my job... most of the time. We spread mostly micro limit (as far as live cash games go) so the job consists a lot of babysitting players. letting them know action is on them, being extra thorough in explaining situations so everyone knows what's going on in the hand, etc.

Often times, co-workers will sit down in a game, and obviously try to win. I'm conflicted by this. Obviously the easiest place to play is there. The game is there, I dont need to leave the casino to find a different game, etc. The problem is, I feel guilty trying to take these people's money after they've tipped me for dealing to them for a few hours.

This last Saturday however, I decided to go after one of the great promotions we offer, as the prize had jumped up to several hundred dollars. I didnt win any promotions, but I did run well, and cashed out quite a bit. I had a fantastic time, had lots of fun, but the next night when i went into work, one customer made a comment about "well at least you can't take my money from that seat." Obviously tongue in cheek, but it made me reconsider playing there again.

I like my job, and the people I meet doing my job, but I'm gonna have to find a different pond to fish in.

Treasure Island Tourney/Mirage $1-$2

Interesting day of cards. Started off at Treasure Island for their 2 pm tourney. Ran like God, and took it down. Interesting thing though was how much play you actually get for $65. You start off with $10,000 in chips and 25/50 blinds with 20 minute levels. Only complaint i really had was that they are eager to get chips consolidated into two colors, yellow (1k) and white (5k). Prize pool was about 25 entries and final table had small stacks with 12bbs, structure was nice, i'll play again.

But as good as I ran at the tourney, i ran bad at the mirage cash game. I would flop middle pair and get raised on cbets, or I'd whiff the flop entirely. I am thinking that I may have put myself in a bad position, because of game selection. I can't just write it off to bad luck. Bad play, bad luck, bad game selection isn't going to net very many wins.

Thats what i love about the game of poker. It teaches you real life. In anything you do, you need to put yourself in a solid situation to succeed. And if you're prepared, and with the right timing, "ANYTHING IS POSSSOOSOOBOOOOLLL" (Kevin Garnett voice)

The craziest hand ever. Bad decision? Ballys $1-$2

Crazy interesting hand. Five handed. Button straddles for $5. UTG blind raises to 15, action starts on me. I call the $5 button straddle, big blind shoves all-in for $140. UTG pulls his bet back and folds. So now the big blind flips out, floor rules that because the action changed, UTG was able to take his bet back. So now BB throws his cards face up on the table, picks up his chips and starts to walk away.  As he's walking away, dealer takes his hand, and places it on top of the muck. I tell the guy "that money is in the pot, he cant take it off the table." So he walks back throws the money on the table and button folds. Action gets back to me. I say, "I'm the only one with a hand, that money is mine." Floor decides that because the hand was tabled, and is 100% retrievable, his hand is live. I argue that his hand was dead, because it was in the muck, and he left the table. After a few minutes of arguing, I decide to let the guy have the pot. (I ended up stacking him two hands later. Karma.)

I'm back!

Its has been a while since I've blogged any poker. Kinda forgot, but i hope to keep these going.

Went and played the 1pm tourney at Planet Hollywood. $75 entry fee, $55 goes to prize pool.

Finished fourth, paid 3 spots. Chip leader refused to take $25 from 3rd to pay the bubble, i ship it with AK get called by the entire table, and busto.

Also. . . Can you ship one big blind? Or are you limping all in?