Two Plus Two Newer Archives - Live Feed Trip Report -- Casino Arizona Part 1 of ? [With Cliff Notes]

Live Trip Report Casino Arizona November 14 to November 19. This includes a time line of events. I hope you enjoy it. Cliff Notes on the bottom.

Stats:
Number of days for this trip (including travel days): 6
Hours of poker played so far: 34
Number of 2+2ers met/seen: 0
Number of poker rooms played in: 1

I finished exam FM, and decided to reward myself by taking a trip to Casino Arizona where the action is (hopefully).

November 15: I return after getting some good sleep at around 8:00PM. I find I can get into a must move $20/$40 game right away. It’s only 3 or 4 handed, but it suits me just fine.

I play a few unremarkable hands until we are moved to the must move game.

Hand #1:

I raise UTG with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] and am called by HJ, button and a blind. The flop comes J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. I bet and am called by HJ and button. Turn comes 5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] I bet, and am called only by button. River is 4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], and I bet again and button throws in a crying call. I show my KK, he exhales a sigh of relieve when he turns over J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. I’m thinking “welcome to Arizona, Garland”.

Hand #2:

Hyper-aggressive loose white kid opens in HJ, and I 3-bet with T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. All folds and he calls. Flop comes A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. HJ checks, I bet, he calls. Uh, oh. I smell a slow-play. Turn comes a 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. HJ checks, I check behind to catch my 6 outer. River comes 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. HJ now bets, I raise and he calls. He shows 77.

Hand #3:

Loose UTG raises (Villain in Hand #1). Hyper-aggressive UTG+1(Villain in Hand #2) cold-calls, I 3-bet in MP with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], all else folds and UTG and UTG+1 calls. Flop comes J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] UTG checks, UTG+1 bets, I raise my gutshot+overs, UTG folds, UTG+1 3-bets, and I call. Turn comes K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] UTG+1 checks, I bet, he calls. River is a blank, and he check-calls and he shows AJo, while I table the nuts.

I order a calzone from the players menu, and it’s pretty good.

Hand #4:

I have my first experience with “Kill Pot” after I win one leg, and then attempt to isolate HJ (Villain in Hand #2) when he limps and I find 22 on the button and then BB calls. The flop comes 844. All check to me, I bet and only BB calls. Turn comes a J and brings a flush draw. Check to me, I bet, and he calls. River is a blank and it goes check-check. I show my 22 and it’s a winner. BB turned a flush draw and missed everything. So I cannot avoid activating the kill pot because I won over $200.

Hand #5:

I’m in Kill in HJ and have 87o. There are several people in the pot with no raise. Flop comes T96 2 clubs. Ok, I like, I like. BB leads out, all fold to me, and I raise and he is the only caller. Turn is an offsuit 3, and BB check calls me. River is a Q. He check-calls and shows KQ. Nice kill pot.

Hand #6:

I raise UTG with AA and the only caller is laggy BB villain from Hand #1. Flop comes 776r. He checks, I bet, he check-raises, I call. Turn is a blank, he bets I call. River is a blank, he bets, I call. He says “and you win” and tables 89o.

Hand #7:

Loose young Korean limps UTG, I raise with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] in CO and he is the only caller. Flop comes J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. He checks, I bet, he raises. Turn is Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. He bets, I raise and he calls. River is a blank. He checks and I make the obvious value bet only to be shown 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].

Hand #8:

There a couple of limpers including MP and LP, and I make a relatively loose call with Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] in the CO. SB calls, female middle-aged Chinese player raises and everybody calls. Flop comes 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] SB checks, BB bets, LP calls, I raises, SB calls 2 cold, BB 3-bets, LP calls 2 more cold, I cap for value and all call. The turn comes A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Everyone checks to me, and I take my free card. River is 6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] !@%@!#%@. SB bets, BB calls, LP raises, I fold, SB calls, BB turns over KK and folds. SB had 56 and LP had 6T.

It gets short-handed eventually into the wee hours of the morning, and I make up what I lost and a little more.

I go home around 8:00AM and finally get some sleep.

November 16:

I get up around 2PM or so and do some surfing and such. Get to casino around 4:00PM and start with $10-$150 spread. The first table is pretty dry, so I put up for a table change. I am not disappointed by the table change. And my fortunes are now changed. There’s a lesson to be learned here (my me!)

Hand #1:

Interesting observed hand. UTG straddles for $20. I fold UTG+1, UTG+2 (I will refer to him as Tiltboy) calls, UTG+3 raises to $120, folds to SB who re-raises to $270 and is almost all-in. BB calls! UTG+2 calls, UTG+3 also calls. Flop comes 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. Check to UTG+3 who bets max $150, SB calls all-in for $70 or so, BB calls and UTG+2 calls all-in for $80 or so. Turn comes another K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Check to UTG+3 who bet $150, called by BB. River is nothing. BB checks, UTG+3 checks KQo!!!!!! UTG+2 had T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. BB had JJ, SB didn’t show. It’s true what they say: Straddle creates action.

Hand #2:

Interesting observed hand. CO (Tiltboy with T9o in Hand #1) raises to $35 and Button (Villain with KQo in Hand #2) re-raises to $150 more and it folds to CO who calls all-in. Flop comes A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]4[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Turn 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] River A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] CO shows 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Button re-sucks with QQ.

Hand #3:

My first important hand: I raise UTG+1 to $55 with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and am called in one spot, then SB re-raises to $200. I get “big pair shivers” from SB and have a feeling it’s not just AK. It comes back to me, and I immediately max re-raise to $350 and SB just calls. Now I’m praying for a rag flop, but that doesn’t happen: K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] This is bad news on a couple of levels. (a) I don’t get paid off if I have a winner or (b) I just got outflopped. SB checks, and I check behind for pot control/deception. Turn is J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. He checks again, and I’m pretty sure he has QQ now, and I bet $150, and he folds QQ face up. Tiltboy laments about not being able to see my cards for 4 hours, and it’s driving him crazy for some reason.

I order a nice salmon dinner with cranberry juice.

Hand #4:

In BB with Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] and there are two limpers including SB. Flop comes Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. SB bets $25. I make a questionable call, all others fold. Turn is 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] giving me a flush draw. SB only bets $25 again, and I make the easy call. River is 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] SB now checks, and I check behind. SB had QTo for the winner.

Hand #5:

Two limpers including very loose aggressive villain on button, SB completes, and I find A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] in BB and raise to $60 and button is the only caller. Flop comes KK2 rainbow. I lead for $75, and button hesitates and then max-raises to $225 total. He either has the case K, and he’ll never get off of it anyways or he’s making a move on me. I play both ways and throw in a confused call to check-raise the turn. If he has 22 so be it. If I let him hit his pocket pair, so be it. Turn comes rainbow completing 3. I check, button bets $150, and I max-raise to $300, and he turbo mucks. Button starts to shoot daggers at me, and I simply say “What? You raised first.”

Hand #6:

Observed hand: There’s a limp and MP raises to $65. Button max re-raises to $215, and it folds around to MP who max re-raises to $365. Now button max re-raises again to $515 and then MP folds QQ face up with about $300 behind getting around 900:150. Button showed KK.

Hand #7:

There’s a straddle and 3 limpers to me in the BB and I find A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and I raise to $120. Tiltboy straddler who always complains about not seeing my cards on my left calls and all others folded. The flop comes A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. I bet $150 max. Tiltboy raises max. I see that he has only around $500ish after calling the raise, and I 3-bet him. He only calls leaving him only ~$50 behind. Turn comes 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] and I put him in. He calls. River is a blank, and tiltboy gets to see my cards, and he goes home.

Hand #8:

There are two limpers including button (villain in Hand #5). SB completes, and I check the mighty 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] BB option. Flop comes 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. SB checks, I bet $25 and I’m called by button and SB. Turn comes 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] SB checks, I bet $55, and button and SB call again. River comes a low blank. SB checks, I bet $75. Button calls, SB folded what he claimed to be K8. Button showed 97 for the straight draw turned pair. He said he just wanted to see my hand.

Hand #9:

Loose passive UTG raises to $25, and it gets called in 3 spots to me with 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] on button and I make the obvious call. SB calls and away we go. Flop comes Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Check to “the one with no clue” who shove in for $107. It folds to me, and I decide to mini-raise in case anyone had any ideas about drawing. This eliminates everyone else, and I lose to 66.

I ordered the shrimp fried rice, with the extra large shrimp and ice coffee.

Hand #10:

The fun hand of the night: I limp UTG+1 with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], UTG+2 calls, UTG+3 (Winning villain with KQo in Hand #1) loose, loose pre-flop raiser raises to $40. Called by loose passive button, called by SB, I limp-reraise to $160 total. UTG+3 calls and button calls. The flop comes K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. I bet, UTG+3 calls and button calls. I’m thinking they both have a K. Turn is a T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. I bet $150 and they both call. I put button on exactly AK, but UTG+3 is likely to have a hand like KQ or KJ and we can split his money. River is 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] I bet $150 and they both call. I show my AK and then UTG+3 starts to talk: “Can you beat that?”, which always signals bad news. Button tables A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], and UTG+3 tables K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] for the winner.

Hand #11:

There’s a loose limper, and I raise to $55 with AQo. Loose passive SB (who sighs every time he has a monster and doesn’t get action) re-raises to only $110 total ($55 more), and I refuse to make the donkey call to the obvious AA.

Hand #12:

This is the worst hand I played all night. I limp UTG+1 with AKo and Aaron on my left UTG+2 raises to $50. Called in two spots, and I don’t learn my lesson and limp re-raise to $200. Aaron tries to re-raise to only $300, and I probably should have gotten the hint. He is forced to raise to $350 and I call. Flop comes Txx. Check, he bet $100 and I call. Turn is a blank, check, bet $100 and I call. River is a blank: I check, he bets $100 again. I make the crying call hoping he has AK for a chop, but he shows AA, and I was drawing so, so dead.

Moral of spread-limit at Casino Arizona: Don’t limp re-raise with AK [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img].

Cliff Notes: Playing at Casino Arizona and provided lots of hand histories.

Day #1: Lost my initial buy-in at $5-$150 spread.

Day #2: Played $20/$40 limit. Started short-handed, and ended short-handed (even heads-up). Was up a little and down a lot. Down as much as 2, but settled down to a very small win.

Day #3: Played $10-$150 spread limit. Lost a little after more than doubling the buy-in. Moral of the day: Don’t limp re-raise with AK.

Next up: New Jersey. Minnesota. Tunica. Any suggestions for the next trip?

Garland

Live Trip Report Casino Arizona November 14 to November 19. This includes a time line of events. I hope you enjoy it. Cliff Notes on the bottom.

Stats:
Number of days for this trip (including travel days): 6
Hours of poker played so far: 43
Number of 2+2ers met/seen: 2 (that_pope and Howard Beale)
Number of poker rooms played in: 2

I finished exam FM, and decided to reward myself by taking a trip to Casino Arizona where the action is (hopefully).

November 16:

I leave around 2:00PM for lunch, and on the advice of a poster, I went to KO’s in Scottsdale. This bar and grill is owned by Kevin O'Donnell who made 2 consecutive final tables at the Legends (message said 3, and I can only find 2). So I decide to go there for lunch. I had a Chicken Club with Potato Corn Chowder on the side. Very tasty. On the way out, I actually see the owner, Kevin and he nodded at me on the way out. I feel honored [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

At about 3:30 PM, I arrive back to Casino Arizona. The first thing I see is a new table for $20/$40, but they sold the last seat. On the $40/$80 game, I see “pope”, so I think that_pope is in the house. I go to the other board and find there’s an open seat in the $10-$150 spread instead, so I take it to test the action. The first 3 hands were very telling of how things were running.

Hand #1:

I’m waiting for the button to pass as I don’t have to post and can get free hands. Guy (to be referred to as Tiltguy from now on) on button raises pre-flop to something. Called by someone in EP. The flop comes AA9. Check to Tiltguy who bets and is called by Passive EP. Turn is a T, check/check. River is a blank. EP checks, Tiltguy bluffs $150 and is snapped off by 55.

Hand #2:

Very next hand, Tiltguy raises in CO to $90 and is called by Button and called by same EP player (to be referred to as super-passive from now on) as before. Flop comes T85 rainbow. Check to Tiltguy who bets $150, CO flashes AQo to our side of the table and folds, EP calls. Turn is a blank. EP checks, Tiltguy bets $150, EP calls. River is blank. EP checks, Tiltguy checks his 99 and EP shows ATo for the winner. So now we’ve established a love/hate relationship between Tiltguy and super-passive. Tiltguy loves to hate super-passive.

Hand #3:

The very next hand, there’s a limp or two and Tiltguy raises in HJ. Called by CO and it’s folded to one of the limpers who looks at Tiltguy’s dwinding stack and sees he only has $200 or so left. The limper max re-raises to $150 more and Tilt-boy goes all-in, CO goes all-in and limper calls. So it’s 3 ways and the board comes Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] Turn: K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] River: 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. CO had A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] for thw winner, limper had TT, while Tiltguy claimed JJ.

2+2er That_pope comes up to me and introduces himself and points me out to Howard Beale playing $20/$40. That_pope is also involved in a $20/$40 game. We chat for a bit and he goes back to his table. Make that one 2+2er.

Hand #4:

Observed hand involving an angle. UTG mini-raises to $20 and is called by UTG+2. The flop comes A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]5[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] It goes check-check. Turn is A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. UTG bets $20 and UTG+2 just calls. River is a T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. Now UTG bets $20 by throwing 4 red $5 chips in. UTG+2 throws in 4 green $25 chips and feigns ignorance when he does it claiming he actually meant to only call, but dealer says “too late, cannot take back the bet. It’s a $100 bet”. UTG+1 actually falls for it, calls the $80 more with QTo and sees UTG+2’s AK.

2+2er Howard Beale comes up to introduce himself and chat to me for a few minutes. I’m ignorant to the fact that “Howard” isn’t his real name and it’s only a character from a movie called “Network” (1976).

Hand #5:

Interesting observed hand. Passive MP raises to $60 or so. And it folds around to BB who calls. The flop comes 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. BB checks and MP says “just heads up? I check”. The turn comes K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] So BB checks, and MP bets his obvious AK $150 and BB calls. River is 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] BB leads $150 and MP thinks for a moment and makes the loose call with AK. BB shows JTo for a rivered straight. But then MP tabled KK, and the table gawks at the hand.

Hand #6:

Interesting observed hand and a good lesson to be learned for no-limit/spread limit players. There are 3 or 4 limpers to see a flop of TT5 rainbow. Check to CO who bets $20 and it’s called by SB super-passive and Tiltguy calls. So we know there’s at least one T in the house. Turn comes 5. That checks through. The 7 appears on the river. Super-passive SB says “I hit my 7” and bets $70. Now I’m going to stop here and say if you only have a T, you cannot raise in this spot. Your kicker is no longer in consideration, and you will at best be called by a hand that you tie with, and at worse you’ll get re-raised by a better hand. You can only call. Tiltguy is oblivious to this, and can only see an “unbeatable” full house. He proceeds to re-raise to $220. Now CO flashes his cards to our side of the table before he mucks, and everyone should have picked up on the obvious: CO had the underboat. Super-passive re-raises max to $370. Then Tiltguy again re-raises max to $520 with only $60 or so behind. Super-passive says “quads?” missing the easy read he should have gotten from CO and only calls and obviously tables T7o for the winner while Tiltguy tables K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. CO made a small mistake by not felting Tiltguy. Tiltguy made several horrible mistakes (a) Slow-playing trips (b) Twice re-raising far from the nuts and (c) ignoring SB’s “I hit my 7” warning, which I picked up right away.

Hand #7:

I limp after a few limpers with Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] on the button and the flop comes T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]6[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. Check to loose aggressive HJ (CO in Hand #6 and winner of Hand #3) who bets $40, for a change of pace I decide to slow-play it a bit and just call. SB calls as well with his obvious heart flush. I decide that if the flush comes, I’ll dump if there’s a bet large enough that I don’t have odds to draw to a boat…self-punishment for slowplaying. Turn is the perfect 6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and it checks to CO who bets $50, and I call again and SB folds. River is a blank, and CO checks to me and I bet the max $150 knowing he can’t get away from his 6 and he called with 56s. SB claimed 8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], so I actually had more hidden outs to worry about.

Hand #8:

There are several limpers and I complete $5 in SB with Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. The flop comes J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. Due to the draw-heavy nature of the board, I wish to attempt to get more money on the flop by check-raising and hopefully getting action from two pair, set, diamonds or pair+straight draw. Checks to aggressive UTG+1 (notes: he often over bets the pot and cannot get away from top pair or draw) who bets $40, called by CO, and I check-raise to $165 total and all folds. Oh well.

The game slows down a lot and I cash out a little bit ahead.

I elect to drive to Fort McDowell to see what it’s like over there. I went in through one building where it looks like the smoker’s convention and people are playing BINGO in two rooms. I walk through and find the poker room and to see what the board is like:

$3/$6: 4 tables
$4/$8: 1 table
$4/$8: Mix 1 table
$4/$8: Omaha Hi-lo 1 table
$5-$150 spread 3 tables with a must move.

In other words, not much for a player who doesn’t like to play small stakes. I jump to the “big game” at $5-$150 spread with a $350 buy-in.

Hand #1:

Because a new mix game opens up and many players are must-moved to the main game, we get down to 4 handed. Button limps, and I find Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] in SB and raise to $20 and he calls. Flop comes A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] I bet $30 and he calls. Turn is the 3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] I bet $40 and he calls. River is 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] I bet $60 and he calls again with his obvious A, and I win.

Hand #2:

UTG raises to $20, UTG+1 calls along with 2 others, and I call from BB with 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]5[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. Flop comes 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Check to UTG who bets $50, UTG+1 raises immediately to $200. UTG calls. Turn is 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. Check to UTG+1 who bets $150 and UTG calls. River is a blank. And it goes check/check. UTG shows A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] for his missed draw, and UTG+1 tables A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] for the win. UTG+1 will be known as super-lag from now on. Super-lag made me fold the best hand *sob*.

I order Gnocchi Droga w/ Chicken from the Italian Menu. (Can someone help with the translation, please?) Dealer recommended it to me, so I tried it. It’s potato dumplings with Grilled Chicken and a cream tomato sauce with Parmesan Cheese. It was only ok.

Hand #3:

There are several limpers and I complete the $5 with Q[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. 4 Players and then the flop comes K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and it checks around. Turn comes Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. I bet $15, and get called by UTG+1 and then Button raises to $45!!!. I take stock, and decide re-raising isn’t going to do anything good because it reeks of a slow-played monster or a bluff. I elect to just call and UTG+1 calls. River is a 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] I check to button who bets $45, and I quickly match it and UTG+1 folds. Button shows KTo. Ship it!

Hand #4:

Limp and LP raises to $30 with only $112 behind. I find KK in the SB and re-raise to $90 total, LP goes all-in, and I call and win against his AJo.

Hand #5:

It gets down to 7 handed or so. I find A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] on the button and raise to $25, and am called by super-lag in SB. Flop comes A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. Super-lag leads for $50, and I see he only had ~$380 when the hand began and decide to play for stacks and raise to $150. Super-lag re-raises to $300, and I re-raise to $365 and all-in. SB actually pauses and thinks about folding for his last $55, and he declares “I have a great kicker” and he finally says “F it -- I’m this far in” and forcefully shoves his last chips in. The turn is Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], and I’m going #$%#$%#$% inside. River is a 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. SB shows ATo, and this hand ends up being the last few hands before the game breaks down.

I more than tripled my buy-in all told.

Cliff Notes: Playing at Casino Arizona and provided lots of hand histories.

Day #1: Lost my initial buy-in at $5-$150 spread.

Day #2: Played $20/$40 limit. Started short-handed, and ended short-handed (even heads-up). Was up a little and down a lot. Down as much as 2, but settled down to a very small win.

Day #3: Played $10-$150 spread limit. Lost a little after more than doubling the buy-in. Moral of the day: Don’t limp re-raise with AK.

Day #4: Played $10-$150 spread limit at Casino Arizona and won a little. I moved on to Fort McDowell where I won some more at $5-$150 spread.

Next up: New Jersey. Minnesota. Tunica. Any suggestions for the next trip?

Garland