Ameristar

I decided last night before bed that I was going to get up with the kids. Get them off to school and go and play poker. I live about an hour away form the nearest poker playing casino. I was getting up there once a week, but I had only been up there a handfull of times in the last six months. The construction of a new casino at Kansas Speedway is almost complete. It is only twenty five minutes away. My trips should increase February one when the Hollywood Casino is slated to open. But I digress.


Harrahs is about five minutes closer than the Ameristar. The Ameristar's bad beat is about a million dollars better than Harrahs. Based on the miniscule chance that I may win my share of $350,000, I chose the Ameristar. Its main and secondary jackpot both sit at $350,000. The tertiary jackpot is $240,000.

I show up and there is a 4/8 and a 3/6 limit game going. I put my name on the list for both and a 1/2 nl game. I get sat at the 1/2 game by 10 a.m. I went there today with the idea in mind that I would just be happy seeing flops. There is a Zen aspect to the game for me in that regard. I can look at flops all day sometimes and not be so result oriented. The upshot of this approach on this occasion was an extremely tight table image. I got crap for cards. I played some hands in the blinds and with suited connectors in late position. Nothing ever hit. I did not see a pair of AK in the first two hours. I had AQ once but had to lay it down pre flop to a raise and reraise. I finally get my first pair after two hours of basically folding and watching my $200 buy in fall to $140 or so. I look down to AA under the gun. Normally I would raise here, but I had not raised a hand or played past a flop in two hours. They all think I am a monster rock. They are all regulars. They know each other. I decide to limp raise. Only one caller and the button come along. The big blind had folded out of turn and went to smoke. Not horrible for AA. Also, I must tell you they have five Aces cracked every day. There were still three left, so I had that for back up. The flop was ten high. I bet at it small. $5. I do not know why. I think the obvious play here is to check call it down and hop someone catches up. I won the small pot. I do not like playing AA in no limit when there is an aces cracked promotion. It messes with my head.

A couple rounds later I get AK utg. I just limp with the idea of check raising the right raiser. Once again it is limped in but this time we are six handed. The flop is gin. AK7 rainbow. I check. A middle position player bets $10. One caller and it is back to me. I bump it to $45. This bet would basically commit the initial bettor. He only had $71 behind. He thinks a second and moves in. The other caller folds and I call. My AK beats his A7 and I am up $80 for the day.

I slug around up and down for a while and get AA again. Under the gun, again. I limp, again. Three of us see the flop. Q72. The big blind bets out. I just call the $5 and the other guy calls as well. The turn is a J rainbow board. Big blind checks as do I. The button makes it $15. Call and call. The river is a ten. It gets checked around. The big blind is upset, he had rivered a set and wanted to check raise. I flip over my cards and the dealer pushes the pot to the set and starts to muck the card. I speak up about the aces cracked. He did not even know there was one left. It was close to gone, but I got my $100 for my $78 profit. I ended the session soon thereafter up $120 for the day. Not bad for the four hours work. It was nice to get back out there.