So I took a week off from work and went on vacation. My mom rented a cottage, and I stayed there with my mom, wife, daughter and sister. While the weather was a little rough (rainy and cold), it was very relaxing and I had a great time. I did some sightseeing, shopping, eating, reading, relaxing, and just really enjoyed myself.
About halfway through the week, I went to an Indian casino in the area. They have nightly tournaments, and some cash games in a small poker room with about 10 tables. There was only one cash game being played at the time, and that was $2/$5 NL with a minimum buyin of $200. I promised my wife I wouldn’t blow a bunch of money, so I signed up for the nightly tournament – a $40 buyin + $5 add on + a single $20 rebuy. I planned on blowing all $65. The tournament structure was horrendous, it was basically a turbo with the blinds doubling every 20 minutes and a starting stack of T1000 in chips, with blinds at T25/T25, then T25/T50, and doubling from then on out.
I planned on playing it like I would a standard online turbo. There were about 65 people in the tourney, and it was only paying the top 6, so you have to play fast, steal, and push your big pairs hoping to get paid off.
The table appeared to be made up of all regulars that knew each other’s names. A couple were decent players, but mostly, I felt that I could outplay the table if I got any cards at all, which wasn’t happening. At one point, I got Q3 4x in a row. Because I was so card dead, I was able to steal the blinds a couple times.
After about 45 minutes, with blinds at 50/100, I got KK in MP with about 1150 in chips.
UTG calls
MP1 calls
I make a smallish raise to 250
I was trying to get someone to come over the top so I could get heads up and get some value. There had been a couple hands with some aggressive betting with questionable cards, so I felt I had a good opportunity to get reraised by UTG or MP1, who had both been aggressive. Instead they both call. I plan on pushing the flop if no A comes. If an A comes, I’ll bet 1/3 the pot with position.
Flop comes 732 with 2 diamonds. I’m going to push.
UTG checks.
MP1 pushes
I put MP1 on a flush draw and instacall. We have about equal stacks. The surprise is that UTG instacalls saying he’s priced in. I’m excited, because I think he has a flush draw too, which puts me way up front.
The dealer has us turn up our cards.
me – KK
UTG AdTd
MP1 QdJd
I’m excited but nervous because MP1 is drawing nearly dead, and UTG has 10 outs (3 aces and 7 flush cards). I’m about a 3-2 favorite over the ATs.
Turn Kd
Well, a diamond comes, but at least it gives me boat outs. I’m about a 4-1 dog. The dealer takes some time with the cards for some added suspense once everyone realizes I have a boat draw.
River is a blank.
Oh, but wait, I forgot to rebuy…
I rebought for the extra $20 and 1000 chips. I pushed once and everyone folded, I got a walk, and then with an M of 2, I pushed with K3o and got called by KJo and was gone.
-$65
I went to the desk, and they had the $1/$2 NL game started and seats open. The minimum buyin was $50, but I opted to buyin for $100. The players were terrible. It was no different than .01/.02 online. People calling all 5 streets with A high regardless of the bets or stack sizes of the players around. People pushing pocket pairs when they were clearly beat by an A on the flop. Tells abounded. Everyone was relatively easy to read. I was lucky enough to get it all in with a nut flush and get called by who knows what. At one point I was up to about $300, but after calling some raises with small pairs, and raising a couple high card hands preflop without hitting, I cashed out at $214, which paid for more than my tourney buyin. I maybe played 10 hands over the 3 hours at the table.
Overall, it was a good night and a great trip, and a great vacation.
