Way TL; Absolutely NC; third rate trip report. DR

[Bona]

Given the absurdly high standards set by BBB and Marchron for trip reports, it scares me to post any kind of trip report. The two things I do worst are play poker and post. This is not a trip report (yet) anyway it is a scouting report. I expect to continue it through the actual trip next week subject to the limits of my memory and my ability to do so.

In 10 days my brother in law and I will go to “The Horseshoe” in Tunica. MI. I haven’t played poker in casino more than 5 or six times, lifetime, always stud, and the most recent was about 15 years ago. I feel the need for reconnaissance so I intend to make a few, brief forays into our local casino before we go. Yes we have three, including a “Horseshoe.” Not in Nebraska though because our state unicameral is doing a fine job of protecting its citizens from the wages of sin. That is, unless you count the state owned lottery and keno parlors. Iowa has done its job though and is steadily siphoning off the monies from Nebraska. So they may have all our money on the East end of Nebraska, and Colorado has the West end covered. But we own them both at football. Perpetually, universally, and unarguably own them. I digress.

Today’s scouting trip was not to include any poker. I intended to scope out the room, the rules, the stakes available, and see if things worked as I envisioned they might.

They spread 3/6, 4/8, and 10/20 LHE. The also spread Omaha 8/B limit 4/8 and 5/10. They have 1/3 and 5/10 NLHE, Controlled buy in. They also offer PL Omaha when they have enough players.

The crowd was thin ( Mon 2 PM) so I chatted with the room mgr a bit trying to find out if I could deposit a bankroll in the cage and draw and redeposit at the tables. No. Iowa is a cash in and cash out state only, or so I am told. For that same reason, I can’t have an account here and play on it at the Tunica property. Fine. Question answered. It seemed to me the whole thing could be simpler but, whatever. Iowa apparently has a legislature as well. I digress again.

I did discover Horseshoe offers a radical one time, “safety net” bonus in the casino (poker not included). If you join their “Rewards Club” for the very first time (lifetime first), the day you join, and that day only, they will refund up to $500 in losses. Some nitty rules, I got them down, It appears I can warm up a crap table for a few passes and, if I win, fine, if I lose, they refund the $500. I expect to be doing a banzai charge on and behind the pass line soon. I have to play for at least ½ hour though so 26 minutes at nickel slots and 4 minutes at a crap table should do it one way or the other. It can’t include poker, obviously, because if you spew chips in the card room the casino only gets a few of them. If the dice run over me a little, since I am indemnified against loss, I think I am perfectly capable of building a healthy bankroll for the poker. Might pick up a comped meal or two with my first or second pass line bet as well

All questions answered. Time to go back across the river. Wrong. The poker room waiting list was 8 for 3/6, I would make 9 and they would start a table. What could I do? Disappoint my new friends? Hardly.

So we all bought in, sat down and shuffled up. I bought in for 50BB. Didn’t know anyone. The other players all seemed to know each other and the dealers. Monday afternoon regulars I guess.

To my left, nice gal 35ish deals on the casino floor. She buys in pretty short for about 6+BB, as it turns out she is clearly a poker degenerate. When I left a couple hours later she was stuck about 60-70 BB after several rebuys and for obvious reasons. The rest of the table was 3 “mature” guys about my age and older. Three others are late 20’s- early 30’s “kids,” there is a guy in a wheelchair but I couldn’t guess his age, and a professional hockey player on my right. Must be a good hockey player or a bench warmer. He has teeth.

The game was loose but not aggressive. 4-7 to the flop. Preflop raised less than ½ the time. An occasional but infrequent straddle. Rake is 10% capped at $4. Typical toke is a buck or two. Pot is dragged $1 for bad beat pool. I had a very hard time counting the pots but I would say average pot size 8-12 BB. Sweet.

First hand, in MP1, 2 limpers, Expecting a crowd, I decide to establish my stupidity early and limp my K8d along with ‘em. Flop comes 8c, Ad, Td . Hockey player on my right fires, I call and 2 behind me call. The rest fold. Turn is a black 6, Hockey player fires I call. Others fold. River is 2h. Hockey player fires. I should fold this but I didn’t, I call. He shows me J6o and says “thought you were on a flush draw NH”. A little free advertising and a decent pot as well.

I think that may have been the last hand the dealer lady on my left folded before the river. Probably not but it seemed that way. I tighten right up from there. No more flyers.

As the game progresses and I am busy folding bad cards it becomes obvious there will be no iso raising and no bluffing by me. This game is very reminiscent of .05/.10 or .10/.20 on Stars. Value betting and early folding only. TYVM. About 20 or so hands later I pick up AdAc in the pocket and raise preflop. 4 stay with me. Three ugly hearts on the flop. Checked to me, I bet, two callers. Turn is another freakin heart!! Why am I in here? Where is my pot going? I bet, dealer lady calls. River is a diamond 6. I check. Dealer lady bets, I make a crying call. She shows me As6c. Nice pot, ship it, and by the way could I have some oxygen please. And bring some paddles to start my heart again. TYVM. Dealer lady says “do you have a heart? I was trying a bluff” That crying river call was 12BB in my normal on line game and the pot was about 150 or so. I didn’t count it. The dealer lady and I are chatting it up now. I like her but she is 1-800 BETS-OFF sick. It’s not up to me to save the world but I’d rather she were on my right.

I played a few more hands in the next 30 or so but nothing past the turn since I wasn’t hitting anything. I whiz away a few chips though and I’m up but not as much as I was.

Then after a while my hockey player buddy on my right calls out straddle and I look at 2 black kings. This is interesting. Isolate the straddle? Not likely. Value bet anyway? I don’t know but I have visions of a red K or two in the flop so I raise the straddle. Miracle of miracles; all fold to the hockey player who says with a frown “that wasn’t what I had in mind” I sez ”what are you gonna do? I was just funnin’ with ‘em like you were” he looks sick but calls. Flop is TA3 rainbow. Hockey player bets I raise, he calls. Don’t remember the turn card but it was a brick, he checks, I bet, he calls. River card is a black six. He bets, I choke a little and call. He paired the six on the river. Nice pot. I didn’t count it. I lied and told him he made a nice bet and how could he know I had pocket kings. The dealer said I had played that too “hard” with an ace on the board. I thanked him and toked him. ROFL isolated straddler.

Played about 2 ½ hours. Didn’t see many flops, only won 4 pots. Nice finish though up about 11BB. Start of a bankroll for Tunica.

I’m going to try to get away for another scouting mission or two before the trip. I’ll try to report on them if you wish. If you’d rather I didn’t just send me your cats and bumper stickers please. I have a collection of them now.
[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[MrWookie]

A solid TR. I'm surprised you bought in for 50 BB. I did that the first time I played live, too, but then I realized I looked utterly ridiculous. Most people grossly underbuy for LHE live, so if you buy in for more than 25 BB, you stand out, and that's usually not a good thing.

[Bona]

Yeah. I didn't know. I had one guy ask me about it as we were setting up. I said I didn't like to reload more than once an hour. Table laughed. Good ice breaker. I'll buy in less next tine probably. I am so green I didn't even know I could rebuy at the table.

[Brain]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah. I didn't know. I had one guy ask me about it as we were setting up. I said I didn't like to reload more than once an hour. Table laughed. Good ice breaker. I'll buy in less next tine probably. I am so green I didn't even know I could rebuy at the table.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good line!

Gonna pretend you don't like Nebraska football. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[bennyhana]

[ QUOTE ]
A solid TR. I'm surprised you bought in for 50 BB. I did that the first time I played live, too, but then I realized I looked utterly ridiculous.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol, you have onviously forgot the pictures of shadow with his 200bb buyins. I was quite impressive. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Point Blank]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yeah. I didn't know. I had one guy ask me about it as we were setting up. I said I didn't like to reload more than once an hour. Table laughed. Good ice breaker. I'll buy in less next tine probably. I am so green I didn't even know I could rebuy at the table.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good line!

Gonna pretend you don't like Nebraska football. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG ... that must have been soooo funny ...

I did the same the first time I played live ... came over with two stacks of chips (trying to fit them on the table of fun ... they kept falling over - one of them rolled across the table)
then I didn't get a playable hand in an hour and a half (maybe two), then to guys limped in before me i raised with KJs or something (folded around, one called the other folded [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] ... i won on an ace high flop)
wow, exciting stuff - up one SB (noticed the time, and had to go) ... can't believe I went back to play again

[MrWookie]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
A solid TR. I'm surprised you bought in for 50 BB. I did that the first time I played live, too, but then I realized I looked utterly ridiculous.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol, you have onviously forgot the pictures of shadow with his 200bb buyins. I was quite impressive. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

No, I don't forget it. 2+2 games are the exception to every rule.

[Bona]

Second scouting trip: HorseShoe Casino 8/21/2007

7PM I checked in, two on the list, I sign up. There is a small tournament registering, ($75+10). Looked like three tables. I was tempted but I decide to stick with the plan and play 3/6 LHE.

The plan is to get comfortable at stakes that are 6X higher than I play on line ( really 12X higher than my comfort zone) and build a B&M bankroll from nothing. I am ahead 11BB from yesterday and pretty confident I can play in this game successfully with a basic strategy of low variance play. i.e. no marginal starting hands preflop, no iso raising, no peeling,

I am called, buy in for 25BB, and sit down. The table is pretty quiet and so am I. They turned out something like this:
All players are male.
Seat 1: Oriental, large stack of chips, he turns out to be the loosest and most aggressive player at the table.
Seat 2: Middle aged, quiet, not extremely loose but he plays some marginal hands and seems to call too far sometimes.
Seat 3: Younger guy, quiet, loose, passive.
Seat 4: I forget who was here at first but within a few hands he leaves and is replaced by “CalTech” so named for his T-shirt. He uses an MGM grand chip as an avatar: Note He comes into the game raising and reraising a few hands preflop and playing the flop very aggressively. Never saw him show down anything too weak. I believe he was a stranger to the game, probably an internet player, traveling thru, and was likely confounded by the 4-7 people drawing out on his good starting hands. Not sure though but I kept an eye on him. I asked him what that chip was he was using as an avatar and he tossed it to me. Friendly enough guy but I couldn’t draw him out. Mid to late 20’s.
Seat 5: Bearded guy about 40, looked like a blue collar worker somewhere. Not loose but maybe card dead. Didn’t see anything radical from him but he was pretty short stacked and eventually busted out.
Seat 6: Huge younger man in bib overalls and red T shirt. Loose, aggressive. Eventually busted out.
Seat 7: Mechanics work clothes, neat and clean, probably playing after work, the only African American at the table. Played a credible game, though he didn’t seem to push his winning hands very hard.
Seat 8: About 55-60. Passive player. Calling too frequently with marginal hands IMO. Friendly.
Seat 9: Our hero. Tight, weak, card dead. Getting a no contact lap dance from Lady Variance. Hero made the absolutely stupidest play ever. Inadvertently open folded T3o with 3 limpers in his BB. Would have missed and folded the flop so no damage except to self esteem. (Image issue? Not likely in this game!!) I can’t believe I did that though. Pay attention idiot you are supposed to stay at least semi-conscious while playing poker.
Seat 10: Traveling businessman/salesman from Kansas City. Aggressive player. Likes to straddle. I like that he does that but I never got the chance to use it against him.

Dealers: Fine. Varying personalities and styles in and out every 20 min or so. The gal dealing when I open folded razzed me about it for a few hands. I went along with the joke of course, but I was mortified inside.

Played about 2.5 hours. I think about 80-90 hands but I’m not sure about that. A remember a few hands these may not be in order though.

Hero is dealt 77 in UTG+2, one limper, I limp. Four limpers behind. Six to the flop. Flop is AK7 rainbow. Hola. I bet, OG raises, seat 2 calls 2, Hero reraises, all call.
Turn is 9, I bet, both call.
River is J I bet, OG raises, seat 2 calls. I call
I win third place money at showdown both players show QT. LOL gut shot draws and raises.
_______________________________
I am dealt AQo UTG, I bet, 3 callers
Flop is Qxx, I bet, 1 caller
Brick, Bet, call
Brick, Bet,call I show. Ship it. Taped to a post card is fine.
________________________________________________
I am dealt AJs in UTG+1, one fold, I bet, oriental guy raises, 1 caller, I call.
Flop is QT4, I check, Oriental guy bets, fold to me, I call.
Turn is 8, I check Oriental guy bets, I call. (FWIW I really believe I could be ahead here HU with this guy)
River is a forgotten brick. I check, OG bets, I call. He shows down Kx. I win with A high. Lots of conversation from the players. Players are reminiscing old wars and dealer joins the fray. Small pot, hero is a loose calling station, but ship it anyway. TYVM

I am UTG with AKs , I bet, salesman calls, oriental guy raises, all fold, I three, salesman calls, oriental guy caps, both call.
Flop is JJQ, I check, salesman bets, OG raises, Hero folds.
Turn is 9, salesman bets, OG calls
River is some kind of useless brick. Salesman checks, OG bets, salesman raises, OG calls. OG shows 88 (LOL preflop cap), salesman wins with Q9. Salesman apparently had a pretty good read on OG. Couldn’t get a comment from him though.

I am dealt TT in MP2, UTG folds, UTG+1 bets, call, call, I raise, fold to UTG+1, he calls, all call.
4 to the raised flop. Flop is T97 all hearts. UTG+1 bets, call, I raise, call, fold, call.
3 on the turn, turn is Ks, check, check, I bet, both call.
River is Jd- UTG+1 bets, folds to me, I call. He shows Q8, I muck. NH sir but dying inside. I’m sure Lady Variance still loves me but she is just being coy.


To wrap up. I didn’t play particularly well. The deck was a little mean to me as well, and I lost 12BB. So total of 2 days= ~200 hands played and down 1BB. Bankroll is not building.
It doesn’t matter though. I play well enough to be fine in this game so next time… ya know? Today I won some small pots and lost the big pots. Not a recipe for success although given the errors I noticed and assuming a few I didn’t notice, I think I was the sole author of my losses today. It’s hard to estimate stats but I think I am playing about the top 15% of starting hands and raising about half of those. Post flop I am only raising for value and with one or two exceptions, (once in a large pot and once HU with OG) I am not drawing to marginal draws. I am starting to like live play better than on line. We’ll see if I can learn to play it better [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img].

[bravos1]

[ QUOTE ]
I am UTG with AKs , I bet, salesman calls, oriental guy raises, all fold, I three, salesman calls, oriental guy caps, both call.

[/ QUOTE ]

Did you LRR here w/ AKs?? Or does "I three" to you actualy mean 4-bet?

[marchron]

Also, same hand, I might be tempted to take a flyer on that AK with JJQ flop getting, what, 8-1? Salesman probably has no better than a Q and OG doesn't need cards to raise, so our overcard outs are very often good and we still have Broadway and maybe a BDFD (you didn't specify suits) to bail us out.