So there's a new poker game at the Tropicana. Trying to capitalize on the popularity created by the tv's shows, they've started a no-limit holdem. $60-$300 buy-in. $1/$2 blinds. I played for a few hours yesterday. Now I know what Matt Damon meant by "swings" in Rounders. I lost the $200 I bought in for in about 90 minutes at the first table. I bought in for $200 at the second table and won $490 in about 4 hours.

The game itself is sorta whacked. The blinds are so low compared to the possible bet, that we are very divided on the best strategy (I changed my strategy between games after rethinking the structure through). I felt like the blinds were so small, there was really no reason to put chips at risk. I was really only playing mid-high pairs, face cards and Ax-suited. I was rarely playing low-pairs, Kx-suited & 10-9/9-8 suited connectors and then only for the minimum. Even if after the flop, I felt like had the best hand if there was risk I folded, opting to wait (in one hand I had pocket queens and the flop was lousy. I still folded when the betting started). Eric and his friend Wendell (the best player of the three of us) felt that because the blinds were so low, you could afford to see lots of flops. They were calling the $2 with any suited cards or any connectors down to 4-5. It seems to me, like that’s just going to get you into trouble on most flops and you’ll never know where you stand. We debated it over lunch and again after the game, with no real agreement.

It's attracting a lot of amateurs, which increases volatility, but presents lots of opportunities for huge pots. I had A-K in late position. A guy with a pinky ping (who was not a good player despite the pinky ring) made a small raise ($10) and 3 of us (Bland Guy in the middle) saw the flop. Flop was Q-10-x rainbow. PR bet again. BG and I called. Another 10 comes on the turn. I’m ready to fold because I’m pretty PR has trips, but much to the surprise of BG and I, he checks. We check behind him. River is a J with no flush possible. I’m pretty sure I’m good, but PR bets $40, which really confuses me. BG calls. I raise $50. PR calls with trips (A-10), which he checked on the turn allowing two people free draws which both hit. BG calls with 9-8 for the lower straight. Those are the kinds of funky things that were happening even when people weren’t playing K-7 offsuit, which plenty were.

All in all, it seemed like a pretty good game for the patient player, but obviously risky. So when’s the next trip to AC or Foxwoods?
- posted by Roger @ 11:26 AM (0) comments