No Casinos Just home game

I have not made it up to KC to play at the Casinos in the last couple of weeks. Friends and vacation have been occupying my time. That leaves me with home games.

One of the regulars at our home game recently purchased a poker table. It is pretty cool. It seats nine. It is pretty much a cheaper version of a casino table, repleat with cup holders, dealer spot with locking chip tray, and leather chairs. The chairs swivel and adjust vertically. The only slight negative is the base of the table. It protrudes our around the three end chairs more than at a casino. It is a minor drawback though. The table is pretty cool.

We are playing .50/1.00. I buy in for $100. My fourth hand I am dealt 87os. It is a family pot to me so I limp in the cut off. The button raises to $8. Calls around so I call. I say out loud to the cards, "Pick me flop". It does. A-7-7. Bingo. It checks around to me and I check it to the button. He checks. The turn is a J. The button seemed to stiffen up a bit. It checks around to me and I bet $15. The button min raises me. I am pretty sure I am beat here. I have played with the button a lot and I just sense it. I call anyway. The river blanks. I check call the $25 bet. He shows JJ for the turned boat. My fault. I should have bet the flop. There was enough money in there to just take it down. I re buy and resolve to play better.

I tread water a bit. I flop trips again with a six and lose to a flush draw that won't fold. I flop two pair and lose to a straight and flush draw that would not fold. I flop trips again with 4-3os after I call a smaller pre flop raise. I check and the bettor checks. The turn is a 3. I check/ call a smallish bet. The river is an ace. I lead out with a "value" bet. I get raised about my stack. I push and lose to.....99. Nice. I was pretty sure I was behind after the re-raise, but could not find the fold. Busto again.

I get ready to leave and Prasad asks if I want to borrow cash. I scrape together another $100. Chip up and down. I call a small raise while on the button with Jd9d. The flop is Jh-Kd-Js. Gin, right? For the record this is the fourth flopped trips. I have to win, right? The bettor checks and I check behind. I put him on a big ace. The turn is the 5d. He bets and I raise him. He comes over the top. I can't be behind here, can I?. Fuck. I push all in and he calls, instantly. The river is the 4d. I tell him I have a jack and flip it over. He says he does too and flips over JT. FUCK!!!!!! Really? Four fucking times? This is coursing through by brain. I dejectedly tell him the ten plays. He says yeah and starts to rake the pot. And then, thank goodness for Prasad. He speaks up saying, "Isn't there a diamond flush draw on the board?". We both look and sure enough, I win. The pot is pushed my way. The interesting tid bit to this hand is the other player was the same guy who screwed Prasad out of a big pot at my last home game. A little justice I suppose. Ironically, he was dealing this hand as well. I think there was a fifty shot he saw the flush and was not going to tell me. Rule is at our home game is the board talks, no matter what hand is called. He was visibly upset with Prasad. I thought this guy was stand up. Got keep my eye on him now.

Drunk/ high Tony shows up after the bars close. Each of us are hoping we are the one that gets to bust him. It is just a matter of time. He is poor sober. Drunk, he is an ATM. He chips up. Nice. I see a flop with A5os after Tony raises it a bit. It comes 2-3-4. Bingo. Other guy bets. Tony raises. I re-raise. Other guy goes away and Tony pushes. Board comes 2-3-4-6-8. Tony triumphantly yells "straight" as he tables 7-7. We all laugh at him and I win. He sits down, embarrassed. That hand put me up $9 to that point. I ended up losing $3. Not bad for where I was.