New Table and Home Game Trip Report

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Hey guys,

Been working on this table for the past four weekends with my dad. I'm very happy with the results. The Scottkeen forum is owed much props for all the help and information. Invaluable for someone who has never done a wood project before.

First the pics, which aren't great due to a camera phone.







Now to the game which was our standard $10 +$5 (bounty) Rebuy tourney.

We had 14 for this game, which is about average, but a bit down from the last two games (19, 21).

I get seated at the new table, which I rigged (just kept randomly seating until I was there. First seating actually worked in my favor anyway), but everything else was still randomized so it was still fair. I would not ever want to have an advantage and since it was the first game on the table, I wanted to sit at it. I'll take what the computer generates in all subsequent games.

True to the curse of having a new table, my results were horrible and I went out earlier than I ever have playing with these folks over the past three years (11 of 14).

It was a lot of fun though and everybody loved the new addition. It's a big step up from square card tables covered with an octagon topper.

Some hands of note.

I decided to play more aggressive this game and go for building a big stack since I didn't care if I had to rebuy a lot. They last for the first four rounds or two hours.

I had already rebought once due to not following my read and pushing into a better hand. At least those chips were still at my table.

There is a limper in EP, cutoff to my right calls, I call w/ 88. The flop comes Q86 all [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]s. I drool, but hate that it's a mono board. EP player goes all in. I put him on top pair, two pair, a big [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] or a made baby flush. I'm ahead of the range I gave him. The CO hems and haws for a lot. I also put him on a big club. At least one of these guys has to have it anyway. He calls, then I go all in willing to take my chances with this hand and ready to rebuy if necessary.

EP turns over QQ (what the hell) and CO has the ace of [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]s. CO and I both brick out and EP wins a massive pot and we rebuy.

The whole night was strange because so many people at my table were limping big pairs, and not seemingly with the intention of reraising. It was like being at the casino where old nits limp w/ aces and kings because they don't want to invest a lot until they see the flop. Sick.

Another hand involving the EP from last hand whose nickname was "two pair" because he always loses with two pair.

He calls blind UTG and it folds around to the BB who both take the flop. "Two Pair" checks and calls a bet, he does the same on the turn and river and never looks at his cards.

The final board is Q4827. The BB turns over Qx for top pair and "Two Pair" slow rolls because he likes to be dramatic which is the reason he played the hand the way he did. This is the first time he's seeing the cards as well so he's not being a jerk as he is so much for the attention.

He flips a 5....then a 6! He has the "blind nuts," which is now his nickname. I hate when attention hogs get lucky like that so they'll always tell that story, but I still always want him at my table if he's going to gamble like that. The BB was sick of course.

I busted out on another strange hand.

Folded to the CO who limps, folded to me in the small blind w/ TT. I raise to about 4BBs and he calls. The flop comes 469. CO leads into me for about 1/3 of the pot (not an experienced player btw and he plays hands really oddly). I push because my stack requires it. He talks to himself about how I might do that with 6s and 4s and eventually calls w/ JJ. I'm shocked I'm behind. I brick out and I'm done out of the money for the first time in four games.

So it was an odd night of hands where time and time again I thought I was getting my money in ahead and curse the table, I wasn't. It was comical and still fun. I can laugh at myself about it.

I can't wait for our next one which will be our championship event $40 + $10 bounty freezeout. We'll start around 2pm and have long levels like the WSOP to allow lots of deep stack play for a while. Our numbers will likely be in the 9-13 range since the price is much higher for our crowd. We'll see though. Some may just prefer a no rebuy tourney. It certainly rewards more patience.

[philr]

Nice post and fantastic table.

[tuq]

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EP turns over QQ (what the hell)

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LOL, brutal.

Good post, enjoyed it.

[Mazzinger]

Great post. Awesome table.

[pismeyer]

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True to the curse of having a new table, my results were horrible and I went out earlier than I ever have playing with these folks over the past three years (11 of 14).

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I know the feeling all too well. Trust me, it gets much much better. Good things come to those that wait.

Very very nice table!

P [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Befolder]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
True to the curse of having a new table, my results were horrible and I went out earlier than I ever have playing with these folks over the past three years (11 of 14).

[/ QUOTE ]

I know the feeling all too well. Trust me, it gets much much better. Good things come to those that wait.

Very very nice table!

P [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

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Not worried at all Pis. Long term, I own their monies. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[gusmahler]

You weren't joking about your camera phone [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]. But really nice table. How hard was it to build? I've seen the Scott Keen board and it looks doable. But it also looks like it would take a while. Did you or your dad have a lot of woodworking experience before building the table.

[Befolder]

[ QUOTE ]
You weren't joking about your camera phone [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]. But really nice table. How hard was it to build? I've seen the Scott Keen board and it looks doable. But it also looks like it would take a while. Did you or your dad have a lot of woodworking experience before building the table.

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My dad definitely has the woodworking experience, but he hadn't taken on a furniture project like this before so I was definitely directing everything.

He hadn't built a jig to cut circles with before and neither had I, but after telling him how we could do it, he was pretty impressed with how great it worked.

So I was project manager on design and stop/go stuff. He was the pro who had far more experience working the tools. It was a pretty good mix and probably took about 30+ total hours to do over many days, but after doing it once, I think we could pull it off in 20 or less.

The process was satisfying too. There was a lot of problem solving along the way which felt good to figure out.

[Ricky_Bobby]

Question about the table.

I built one very similar to yours back in January. It's a little smaller but the same design, except we put in a dealer cutout. How do you like that speed cloth and do you recommend it over other alternatives? I was in a rush and had to buy from Hobby Lobby so I could get it ready for new years. Where did you order the material?

[Befolder]

I've only played on it once (last Saturday) so I can't speak to a long term opinion. Here is what a lot of guys on the Scott Keen forums say.

Pros: Looks nice
cards slide well
Very durable
Spills clean easy (coated w/ teflon), just dab up w/ a paper towel, don't scrub.
Great variety of colors
doesn't pill

Cons:
Not as soft as other materials
If you have a dedicated dealer or are one, you might not like constantly rubbing your fingers against it all night when shuffling

For the most part, it's the most popular choice among the builders. I probably read about 40 pages of posts there and got lots of repetition on the points above.

Velveteen seems to be another popular choice.

If you're even thinking of building one, you NEED to visit that forum and do some reading. It is absolutely invaluable.