Goodbye Scottsdale and On to Reno
I was all set for my final full day in Scottsdale to be a big one. The plan was to play some poker, visit the Arizona State University campus, then play a final round of poker for the day. What was that song Meatloaf sang -- "Two out of three ain't bad?"
My afternoon session saw me booking a small win, thickening up the ol' sock ... ummm, bankroll. It was a good time to leave since the particular table I was at wasn't spewing anyway.
As for ASU ... it was not quite like I thought. It seemed a bit more urban than I imagined. Still, going to school in Tempe would be awfully sweet. In my neck of the woods, ASU has a big rep as a party school.
I got back to Talking Stick for my final sessions of the trip. To put it simply, it was not good. I was seated at a table with two agro guys to my left. I got involved in some pots but never got the kind of flop I needed. I dropped part of a buy in just doing dumb stuff and once getting outkicked on a hand. I asked for a table change, but things only got worse. I got pocket Jacks and raised preflop to $10. I got two callers. The flop came 10-rag-rag. I don't remember it exactly, but the other cards were two lower unconnected numbers. The two callers checked and I bet $20. Surprisingly, one opponent raised me. And then, even more surprisingly, he was re-raised. Did I have the worst hand of the three of us? I was guessing that at least one or maybe two were ahead of me, so I folded to the two check raises. They ended up getting it all in. The guy who pushed flopped two pair -- or at least he said so. He was a pretty solid player, so I believed him. The other guy, unfortunately, flopped a set of 10's.
Later on I was getting frustrated with a number of things, as was the player to my left, who was losing chips in a hurry and getting pissed. He straddled my big blind a few times and always raised the straddle, and finally I got pissed. He was down to under $100 when I saw A-9 sooted in the big blind which, of course, he straddled. I called the straddle and, on cue, he raised $10 or !15. I was almost sure I was ahead with an Ace so I just thought "screw it" and immediately put out a big stack of chips. Didn't even count. Then, to my surprise, he called. Ummmmm ... I wasn't expecting that. There was a 9 on the flop, so I was thinking I was good. Turn was a blank but the river was a King. Did I just get rivered? I announced that I had a pair of 9's and flipped over my cards. He mucked and left the table.
So ... was that a foolish play on my part? It came from frustration, but I also knew he was frustrated and didn't believe his straddle bet. I didn't expect the call, however, but I might have been good even without catching the 9 on the flop.
The evening ended when I was in the small blind with 9-6. There were a few limpers and I completed the blind to $3. The big blind then raised to $8. He was a relatively new player in the game and I had little information on him. I decided to throw in a redbird since I was already in for $3 and there were others n the hand. The flop: 7-8-10! I flopped the ass end of a straight. Unfortunately, the big blind flopped a set of 8's and wasn't going anywhere. He called a big bet on the turn ( a 6 -- and I thought that he had the same straight that I did now) and the river, unfortunately, paired the board. I pushed my remaining chips in the middle only to see that ... he quaded up on the river. Boom - one buy in plus and I was felted. Nothing seemed to be going right that evening, so I figured it was just time to leave and prepare for the next leg of the trip. I still finished ahead for the trip, but surely didn't like the bite that was taken from my profits on my final session.
In about five hours I leave for Reno, where I am sure to have some poker stories to tell as I hit the tables there with Tony Bigcharles. I have never been to Reno before, so this should be kind of fun.
Just in some miscellaneous news, I need to make a decision on a beard. I had a beard for 30 years and shaved it off a few years ago since I didn't like all the white hair in it. I started growing it back but am thinking the same thing again. My wife, however, like me with a beard. What to do ... Also, I had put on some weight and thought that I looked like a whale in my pictures from Las Vegas. When I got back home, I started doing the Ideal Protein diet. I basically have had few carbs in the past 2+ weeks and have radically changed my diet and am drinking tons of water. Pissing every five minutes also, unfortunately. But ... I dropped some weight and am feeling pretty good. I think I'll keep on this direction for a bit longer, at least.
Next post: Reno, baby!
My afternoon session saw me booking a small win, thickening up the ol' sock ... ummm, bankroll. It was a good time to leave since the particular table I was at wasn't spewing anyway.
As for ASU ... it was not quite like I thought. It seemed a bit more urban than I imagined. Still, going to school in Tempe would be awfully sweet. In my neck of the woods, ASU has a big rep as a party school.
I got back to Talking Stick for my final sessions of the trip. To put it simply, it was not good. I was seated at a table with two agro guys to my left. I got involved in some pots but never got the kind of flop I needed. I dropped part of a buy in just doing dumb stuff and once getting outkicked on a hand. I asked for a table change, but things only got worse. I got pocket Jacks and raised preflop to $10. I got two callers. The flop came 10-rag-rag. I don't remember it exactly, but the other cards were two lower unconnected numbers. The two callers checked and I bet $20. Surprisingly, one opponent raised me. And then, even more surprisingly, he was re-raised. Did I have the worst hand of the three of us? I was guessing that at least one or maybe two were ahead of me, so I folded to the two check raises. They ended up getting it all in. The guy who pushed flopped two pair -- or at least he said so. He was a pretty solid player, so I believed him. The other guy, unfortunately, flopped a set of 10's.
Later on I was getting frustrated with a number of things, as was the player to my left, who was losing chips in a hurry and getting pissed. He straddled my big blind a few times and always raised the straddle, and finally I got pissed. He was down to under $100 when I saw A-9 sooted in the big blind which, of course, he straddled. I called the straddle and, on cue, he raised $10 or !15. I was almost sure I was ahead with an Ace so I just thought "screw it" and immediately put out a big stack of chips. Didn't even count. Then, to my surprise, he called. Ummmmm ... I wasn't expecting that. There was a 9 on the flop, so I was thinking I was good. Turn was a blank but the river was a King. Did I just get rivered? I announced that I had a pair of 9's and flipped over my cards. He mucked and left the table.
So ... was that a foolish play on my part? It came from frustration, but I also knew he was frustrated and didn't believe his straddle bet. I didn't expect the call, however, but I might have been good even without catching the 9 on the flop.
The evening ended when I was in the small blind with 9-6. There were a few limpers and I completed the blind to $3. The big blind then raised to $8. He was a relatively new player in the game and I had little information on him. I decided to throw in a redbird since I was already in for $3 and there were others n the hand. The flop: 7-8-10! I flopped the ass end of a straight. Unfortunately, the big blind flopped a set of 8's and wasn't going anywhere. He called a big bet on the turn ( a 6 -- and I thought that he had the same straight that I did now) and the river, unfortunately, paired the board. I pushed my remaining chips in the middle only to see that ... he quaded up on the river. Boom - one buy in plus and I was felted. Nothing seemed to be going right that evening, so I figured it was just time to leave and prepare for the next leg of the trip. I still finished ahead for the trip, but surely didn't like the bite that was taken from my profits on my final session.
In about five hours I leave for Reno, where I am sure to have some poker stories to tell as I hit the tables there with Tony Bigcharles. I have never been to Reno before, so this should be kind of fun.
Just in some miscellaneous news, I need to make a decision on a beard. I had a beard for 30 years and shaved it off a few years ago since I didn't like all the white hair in it. I started growing it back but am thinking the same thing again. My wife, however, like me with a beard. What to do ... Also, I had put on some weight and thought that I looked like a whale in my pictures from Las Vegas. When I got back home, I started doing the Ideal Protein diet. I basically have had few carbs in the past 2+ weeks and have radically changed my diet and am drinking tons of water. Pissing every five minutes also, unfortunately. But ... I dropped some weight and am feeling pretty good. I think I'll keep on this direction for a bit longer, at least.
Next post: Reno, baby!
posted by lightning36 at 9:03 AM
8 Comments:
As we discussed, your best strategy is probably to try and steal Tony's sock roll in your rental car. Eliminate witnesses . . . increased mobility for escape . . . Dropping him off at the end of night probably best.
Only question now is whether to drug his food or to take the roll by force. Either plan has its merits. Good luck!
Good luck in Reno. Be sure to play poker at Eldorado, I hear its the best room in town.
Have fun in Reno.
I second the El Dorado recommendation. My highest profit ever session was there four years ago. Reno in general was full of awful poker players who paid off every made hand. Hope it hasn't changed!
Protect your valuables. Cheeseburger anyone?
Good luck Sir..................
although I took it on the china few times
I always knew you had a porcelain jaw.
Wow, Mojo's cooler must be contagious.
@KenP -- It is just that I expect to win EVERY hand. I am just that way. lol
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