Recently I made a Journey to check out the Poker Room I've been hearing so much about in Lake Charles, LA at the L'auberge du Lac Casino Resort. I heard things like you have to get there early just to sit at a table and that the game is always full. I heard they had a 6 - 12 Limit game and a steady 2-5 NL Holdem game (Which this was true) but when I arrived, I just realized I am not rich enough to be there lol. Basically the Poker Room was about 7 or 8 tables and they had a spread of two 4-8 Limit tables and two 2-5 NL tables. I Put my name on both lists and had an open seat on 4 8 limit. So I sat and played until there was a 2-5 seat to open up and that didn't take very long at all.
When I moved to NL, I only brought $300 on me and Minimum buy in was $200. Looking at the table, the average stack was about $500 and there were two players with $1k+ so I just opted to buy in for All $300 and just try to have a single barrel for the day. I really hate doing that but I also drove two hours to play so I didn't want to just leave because there wasn't a 1 2 NL game that I prefer to play and I've heard that there were some juicy games. Well starting out at this table I realize that it is a must move table but the players were extremely tight and timid and it didn't take long for me to start opening up my game as the standard raise was suprisingly $15-20 to get heads up. I wasn't used to this being that other 2-5 and 5-5 games I've played the standard was $25-40. I was loving it and having my way with the table. I went on a 3 hand heater and basically stacked a guy with KK when he made a weak attempt to bluff me off my hand on a Q high board with both the Flush and Straight were showing but with his cheesy smile and the way he was staring me down, I just had the vibe that he was ACTING strong but actually weak. I made the call and he showed Q5os for top pair and I scooped a nice $280 pot. The next two hands added an additional 80 bucks to my stack then the Table broke to fill the other two NL tables and I had $645 and a decision to just Cash out or sit at one of the tables that I recognized multiple solid players and very little fish. This was aggravating and the Average stack went from $500ish to about $800-$1000. Instead of doing the wise thing and just cashing out and taking the $345 profit, I decided to take my chances and sat next to a guy I know to be pretty loose but also pretty good as well. There were a couple others that were loose and I quickly got a bad end of a hand when my QQ was outdrawn by AQ on a 10J5A8 board then another hand where a guy flopped the straight vs. my top pair top kick. I get down to my initial buy in and floated around that spot when I chose to call a guy who has been raising light and betting hard to steal pots with 76os. There was one other caller in Late position with the Raiser in Middle position and I was in the BB. Flop came J54 with two clubs and I bet about 1/3 the pot and was immediately 3bet by the original raiser. I figured him for something like QJ, J10, J9 at best or even a PP but no set. The guy in late position folds and I flat. The turn card brings the Kc and there is about 165 in the middle while I have 235 behind, I just immediately shove and the dealer takes my chips and starts to count my stack. The original raiser tanks for a bit and then makes the call showing 54 off suit for two pair. I hit a 7 on the river that doesn't help and realize I had the guy covered by about $18 bucks. Take my money then get up from the table looking to cash out. I regret making that move just because I shouldn't have played the hand preflop to begin with. Honestly I shouldn't have even sat at the table since it was a bad decision based off Game Selection in the first place. That is a key component from being a Profitable poker player to a losing poker player....Game Selection.
Well Moving on to Friday for the league game I continued to display my great show of bad luck in the tournament by raising preflop with 66 and getting 3 or 4 callers then with the board falling 874 Thinking I'm good I lead out about half the pot, enough to commit myself, and of course my good pal Luckbox Leprechaun strikes again and shoves all in over me (I have him covered by about 2300). I make the call hoping to spike a 6 or 5 and what does he turn over......65 off suit....beautiful timing sir, and I just simply reply "That's how I roll...." as I burn and turn and burn and River two meaningless cards that dont catch me up. The very next hand I deal, I look at Qd9d and shove all in for about 2350 total and everyone but the big blind folds. He looks at me, laughs, and says, "What do you want me to do Matt??" I told him, "Honestly, I don't even care anymore haha." So he calls and I am delighted to see he holds Qs9s. I sarcastically say, watch the spades come out as I begin to burn and then count out 3 cards for the flop.....(Yes I am the dealer, how sick is that) Flop flips 10 of spade, 8 of spade, 6 of spade....FUUUUUUUUUUUUU I just kind of kill the deck then get up to go get something to drink while everyone busts out laughing. They say I have to atleast finish the hand to make it official so I quickly put the turn and river and write myself down as knocked out. I need to do some serious catching up in the next NL game to get back to contention for the top 9.
Well after that whole episode, I wait and continue to deal until we have enough to start a .50 1.00 cash game and I realize I don't have any cash on me. I am fortunate enough to have a guy willing to let me borrow a little and just pay him back tomorrow when I go to the bank and I buy in for $50.00. At first things start out slow and I scoop a small pot here and there and I am in a good spot at the table with 2 or 3 tight players to my left and a loose cannon directly to my right with the other loose cannons across the table from me. I slowly work my stack up to about $180 flopping Q high flush to beat Mrs. Prissy's 9 high flush on a cooler hand. Flopped a set of 2s to beat KK, Just running good for once and having hands hold up and building my confidence for the night. Then there is a hand that absolutely tilts the other big stack at the table that we were all waiting for. Beau Brewer, the guy I complimented in the past for his reading ability called a huge bet to double up with just a pair of 8s (2nd or 3rd pair) on a Qs 8d 3d board vs. the loose cannon directly to my Right who loves to bluff and make loose calls to tilt the table in his advantage. he showed 7d 2d vs. Beaus Qd 6d and it holds. Well the guys are like awesome play Beau and clowning the loose cannon etc. just giving him a hard time in good humor basically, nothing personal, then you can tell it was about to get to the Super Tilt point, Then another guy grabs a decent pot when he goes all in, then another pot......Then I look at Ac 4s in Late position and a minraised pot with about 3 or 4 callers. The flop falls with I think two clubs and maybe a pair of 4s for me and everyone checks. Turn is another club and everyone checks to the loose cannon who looks at his cards then decides to bet 8 bucks into a pot of about 22. I say let me check and see if I have IT too and look then Raise him to 29 and everyone folds and he starts asking me what do I have, and if I have IT, then calls. the River is yet another Club and gives me the nut flush with no possible straight flush or boat on the board so I know I have the best hand and he bets into me AGAIN. This time $20 and I immediately raise another $20. He has about $85 to $100 after the $40 and is still trying to figure out if I'm bluffing or if I really have it, then he shoves all in on me and I snap call showing my nut flush, He tells me he also had it but smaller then tosses his cards in the muck and gets up. I finish off the night for a profit of about $435 and make up for my trip to L'auberge. It was nice to finally run good for a night again. Need to start making more of a habit of that!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Greed shakes up the APP League (Host anyone?)
So Recently the APP League that I have been doing has started back up for its 3rd season, and we had to move locations since I have a baby girl on the way and can no longer host the games in my house. The new place I was going to have it was big enough to add an extra table. We worked out all the details for everything to go smoothly and told the hosts exactly how I ran things at my house. There was a championship Freeroll at the end of the season for the top 9 players and each spot would get paid out. The only way I can supply a payout for each spot, as well as pay for the Trophy, snacks and drinks for each game, and Shirts and Card Protectors for the players is if $40 of the $50 buy in goes to the players that night and $10 goes to the Championship FreeRoll money (CFR$). There was a tight management of this money and I kept track of all the things paid for that benefits the group. Personally, I made no profit from doing this and was fine with that, because I enjoyed playing the game and all of the players were happy as well and enjoyed participating in the league. The few that knew they couldn't make it consistently to contend for the Championship didn't show up and it created a Tight nit group....a League.
The person that agreed to host were very kind and understanding, I have also done personal favors for them as well, given free firewood, earned a free night at Isle of Capri Casino in Lake Charles and told them they could have it since I was going back home. General stuff Friends do for each other. They were also kind enough to have personal gifts made for the baby on the way and I was greatly appreciative of that. I also took home their laptop which was from 2000-2003 and did 3 days of work on it to get it running better again and install a poker clock for them to use at the games which was a headache in a half for no charge. But what happened recently just utterly confused me. It's the type of crap that makes you wonder why the hell someone would want to ruin a good thing.
Anyway, Game 1 of the league comes around and I was notified by the host that they would be late but someone would let us in early. I waited outside for an hour, shivering my ass off and annoyed that I had to set everything up to prepare for the game until someone finally showed up. They informed me that Snacks and Drinks (Which consisted of chips and 6 packs of various can drinks) were paid for and as we agreed I would supply them the funds for those drinks via the CFR$. So we get in there and start setting up for the game. Have everything done and have a spectacular Turn out for 30 people! I collected the money, sorted the payouts and placed the money box in a separate room where only I and the Hosts would go in and out. Maxed out attendance and future of a great game! I got a crappy beat when the hosts finally arrived and sit down to take their seats. My flopped set on a K73 board (I had 33) and 3bet the flop to 1800 against a lady who put in a min bet of 800 with a pot of about 2800 and she snap called. Turn seems like a harmless 6 and she checks to me, I bet over half my stack because the 6 created a flush and straight draw and she puts me all in and I call Immediately....what does she reveal.....Pocket 6's...I am just in shock by how ridiculously lucky she got as I initially put her on KQ or KJ at best. But that's how I roll. So All night me and the luck-box ;) that helped me setup were both knocked out midway through the tournament but continued to deal (It was agreed that we would help run things and they just wanted to host, that was fine with me since I started the League). The hosts sat there and played, but occasionally during breaks and just random times I would see the host go in and out of that room, I would think nothing of it. By the time the tournament was over everyone was paid out and we were picking everything up and saying goodbyes, I grabbed the Money box with the CFR$ and headed home. When I arrived home I counted the CFR$ and realized that $20 was missing from it and sent a mass text to about 8 people stating that I will now hold the money on me at all times because it seems $20 has been stolen. Everyone but the host would reply in shock or questioning.
Then about 5 days before Game 2 rolls around, The host says he wants more than just enough for the snacks and drinks. It was requested before the season started but when I explained to them that It was impossible for me to give that, a simple, "that's fine I understand" was stated and I was under the impression that it was done with. Apparently that wasn't the case...There was no consideration to call me and discuss this or even talk to me in person again about it. No It was sent to me a second time as a demand in a text message....as if he was my boss....and It pissed me off to no end. It was about 11:30 at night on a weekday when I noticed the text and called asking was he serious and there is no way I can do it. I told them that if that's what they want I will not be a part of it and it wont be my league, about 3 or 4 days later I went get my stuff which was a peaceful exchange and he had the audacity to say, "When your games get started up whereever they are, give me a call cause we'd still like to play." I just looked at him with this, "Is this guy freaking serious??" look on my face and just nodded my head and got in my truck in drove away. Since then I haven't had much communication with the guy and been in search of finding a host for the league so it wouldn't crumble apart and multiple regulars of the game wanted to keep it going. A great guy and Best Man said we could hold it at his house and that his wife was cool with it. So I'm thinking, Awesome season back on...lets get it!! We have a catch up game and things are back to normal, but an announcement was made that it is only a temporary solution and we have until end of March to find another location because the wife did not agree to the decision of having it in their house. I just kind of Face-palmed and shook my head but glad she was willing to compromise for a few more games.
I also found out that initially the original host was trying to steal players from my league, basically begging them to come play at his house instead. Whats funny is he had no real idea of what he is doing and it just turned into another lil house game but with a $50 buy in he was paying out a spot for every $100 in the prizepool. so the first game he hosted top 7 were paid out of 15! lol I was kind of surprised by this news. I am glad to learn that he has decided to atleast rotate weeks with me and has had a change of heart about that, but the whole situation is unfortunate and just a pain in the ass. I just wish I could understand what kind of chemicals, electric stimulation, or whatever makes a persons brain tick created that random ass scenario to just completely obliterate and corrupt a good thing all for the sake of greed. When getting all my stuff he did want to talk to me and try to work things out, but I told him, "Even if you didn't want the extra money anymore, I know it would still be on your mind and something would continue to come of it the rest of the season. I know you would be unhappy and just don't feel comfortable having it at your house anymore." That's when he asked to continue to be invited and honestly, if money would not have been stolen out of the CFR$ then I would have most likely allowed him back into the league, because overall he is a good guy from what I can tell. Just some people have their flaws I guess.....I know I have mine.
The person that agreed to host were very kind and understanding, I have also done personal favors for them as well, given free firewood, earned a free night at Isle of Capri Casino in Lake Charles and told them they could have it since I was going back home. General stuff Friends do for each other. They were also kind enough to have personal gifts made for the baby on the way and I was greatly appreciative of that. I also took home their laptop which was from 2000-2003 and did 3 days of work on it to get it running better again and install a poker clock for them to use at the games which was a headache in a half for no charge. But what happened recently just utterly confused me. It's the type of crap that makes you wonder why the hell someone would want to ruin a good thing.
Anyway, Game 1 of the league comes around and I was notified by the host that they would be late but someone would let us in early. I waited outside for an hour, shivering my ass off and annoyed that I had to set everything up to prepare for the game until someone finally showed up. They informed me that Snacks and Drinks (Which consisted of chips and 6 packs of various can drinks) were paid for and as we agreed I would supply them the funds for those drinks via the CFR$. So we get in there and start setting up for the game. Have everything done and have a spectacular Turn out for 30 people! I collected the money, sorted the payouts and placed the money box in a separate room where only I and the Hosts would go in and out. Maxed out attendance and future of a great game! I got a crappy beat when the hosts finally arrived and sit down to take their seats. My flopped set on a K73 board (I had 33) and 3bet the flop to 1800 against a lady who put in a min bet of 800 with a pot of about 2800 and she snap called. Turn seems like a harmless 6 and she checks to me, I bet over half my stack because the 6 created a flush and straight draw and she puts me all in and I call Immediately....what does she reveal.....Pocket 6's...I am just in shock by how ridiculously lucky she got as I initially put her on KQ or KJ at best. But that's how I roll. So All night me and the luck-box ;) that helped me setup were both knocked out midway through the tournament but continued to deal (It was agreed that we would help run things and they just wanted to host, that was fine with me since I started the League). The hosts sat there and played, but occasionally during breaks and just random times I would see the host go in and out of that room, I would think nothing of it. By the time the tournament was over everyone was paid out and we were picking everything up and saying goodbyes, I grabbed the Money box with the CFR$ and headed home. When I arrived home I counted the CFR$ and realized that $20 was missing from it and sent a mass text to about 8 people stating that I will now hold the money on me at all times because it seems $20 has been stolen. Everyone but the host would reply in shock or questioning.
Then about 5 days before Game 2 rolls around, The host says he wants more than just enough for the snacks and drinks. It was requested before the season started but when I explained to them that It was impossible for me to give that, a simple, "that's fine I understand" was stated and I was under the impression that it was done with. Apparently that wasn't the case...There was no consideration to call me and discuss this or even talk to me in person again about it. No It was sent to me a second time as a demand in a text message....as if he was my boss....and It pissed me off to no end. It was about 11:30 at night on a weekday when I noticed the text and called asking was he serious and there is no way I can do it. I told them that if that's what they want I will not be a part of it and it wont be my league, about 3 or 4 days later I went get my stuff which was a peaceful exchange and he had the audacity to say, "When your games get started up whereever they are, give me a call cause we'd still like to play." I just looked at him with this, "Is this guy freaking serious??" look on my face and just nodded my head and got in my truck in drove away. Since then I haven't had much communication with the guy and been in search of finding a host for the league so it wouldn't crumble apart and multiple regulars of the game wanted to keep it going. A great guy and Best Man said we could hold it at his house and that his wife was cool with it. So I'm thinking, Awesome season back on...lets get it!! We have a catch up game and things are back to normal, but an announcement was made that it is only a temporary solution and we have until end of March to find another location because the wife did not agree to the decision of having it in their house. I just kind of Face-palmed and shook my head but glad she was willing to compromise for a few more games.
I also found out that initially the original host was trying to steal players from my league, basically begging them to come play at his house instead. Whats funny is he had no real idea of what he is doing and it just turned into another lil house game but with a $50 buy in he was paying out a spot for every $100 in the prizepool. so the first game he hosted top 7 were paid out of 15! lol I was kind of surprised by this news. I am glad to learn that he has decided to atleast rotate weeks with me and has had a change of heart about that, but the whole situation is unfortunate and just a pain in the ass. I just wish I could understand what kind of chemicals, electric stimulation, or whatever makes a persons brain tick created that random ass scenario to just completely obliterate and corrupt a good thing all for the sake of greed. When getting all my stuff he did want to talk to me and try to work things out, but I told him, "Even if you didn't want the extra money anymore, I know it would still be on your mind and something would continue to come of it the rest of the season. I know you would be unhappy and just don't feel comfortable having it at your house anymore." That's when he asked to continue to be invited and honestly, if money would not have been stolen out of the CFR$ then I would have most likely allowed him back into the league, because overall he is a good guy from what I can tell. Just some people have their flaws I guess.....I know I have mine.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Louisiana has worst drivers, and they are all targeting me.....
Ok so, I have been having the worst luck driving lately. The most annoying part about it is that it hasn't been my fault in most of the cases. Honestly it goes to show Louisiana has the worst drivers in America as soo many polls, studies, statistics have shown and I hate being a victim of it.First back in December, there is traffic coming to a stop on the highway so I easily slow to a stop, look in my rear view mirror and notice the guy behind me notices late and slams on his breaks to avoid me. He almost got me but missed...so its all good, I look back to the front of me waiting for traffic to start moving again then I hear BAM! then feel my truck collide with impact and notice another loud BOOOM! sound.....awesome. I get out a bit shaken and realized that the guy in the middle is concussed and can barely move. I ask him if he can move his arms and he does, then ask him if he can feel his legs, he is fine for the most part but his car....not so much. My bumper got the most of the damage on my vehicle but the other two vehicles behind me had to be towed away. Wreck #1 in the books.
A few weeks go buy and I get the new bumper on my truck and think everything's going good when going to work on the highway yet again. have about a car length away from the Truck in front of me with the roads damp, suddenly I see his break lights and immediately slam on my breaks. This doesn't matter as my anti lock breaks kick in and I am in the twilight zone where time just slows down and about 5,000 thoughts are hitting me all at once, but the loudest one that kept repeating to myself as I get closer and closer to the truck is...."Oh Shit......Oh shit.....Oh shit......OH SHIT.....BOOM! It didn't stop there, The SUV behind me also noticed late, but thankfully she didn't just slam on her breaks but also swerved into the middle median to avoid my truck all together. This would have been a much worse wreck and I probably would have been the poor guy in the first wreck if she wouldn't have done this, so I was very Thankful that she reacted in that way......and kind of wish I would have reacted the same. As I am getting out of my truck to make sure everyone is ok, I am thinking to myself, "Just what I need. Another wreck to start my day off right." I Look at the guy's truck and we both assess the damage. My front bumper is a bit dinged up but nothing I can't adjust myself and his truck shows barely any sign of a wreck at all. He confirms that he is OK and the lady that avoided me was already starting to drive off hahaha. A cop pulls along the side and asks us if we need him to stop and we both kind of look at each other, shrug our shoulders, and I said, "No sir, there doesn't seem to be much damage, we should be fine." The cop looks at me then looks at my truck and says...."well get the truck out the road completely." Then drives away. I apologize to the guy and tell him I'm glad he's OK and we both go on our way.
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| What the idiot in the black truck probably looked like. |
This morning was the 4th freaking experience in the matter of a month and a half and yet again, I was not the one at fault. I am just about to get onto the highway (Which also had a wreck due to idiot drivers and made me late for work) and sitting at a red light when I feel my truck pounded from behind and hear WHAM! Yes.....I love it.....I punch my seat in frustration and yell some sort of explicative loudly in my truck then try to collect myself before I go out to talk to the guy. He tells me he's sorry and wasn't paying attention and I am thinking...well it helps to do that once in a while when you're driving huh....and notice that there isn't really much damage to MY BRAND NEW BUMPER. He basically described the same scenario that I went through with the man on the highway but this was totally different since it was a complete stop...not a sudden stop. I just blew it off, look at my bumper and say its fine, don't worry about it. He thanks me and apologizes again and we both get on the highway. So yet again, I am a bit shaken from another stupid fender bender and aggravated that my truck is acting as a wreck magnet all of a sudden. Especially since I need to update the tag and want to pay it off with the upcoming tax return, just being an awesome time for all of this to keep happening out of my control.
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| Pretty much my reaction after each occurrence. |
Matt S.
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