I am going to be doing a series of blogs about the different styles of players that you will see when you play bar poker. I hope this will be entertaining and also educational. Maybe you will see yourself in one or more of the styles.
Tight to the extreme!
This style you will see in several different type of players. One is the person that is coming to bar poker for the social outlet and doesn't want to get knocked out. Another is the new player that doesn't want to make any mistakes and bring attention to themselves. The last is the ultra conservation person that is playing in a points league and just wants to make it to the points. Play with extreme caution. If they are in a hand then they have something. Generally only play top 10 hands and pairs and only to small raises. They will fold the best hand to a continuation bet if they feel you may have a better hand. If they call once then you had better stop firing or have the nuts! Downfalls to style. They rarely win because at some point they will not get great hands and they don't change their style to the blind structure. They can be bet off medium strong hands. You almost always know where you are in the hand with them. They generally only win small pots and when they lose it is a big pot as someone cracks their big hands. Up side to style! You get to play longer into blind structure and in a points league you will generally make to the low end of points. Players that don't play regularly with you will pay you off.
I would not recommend this style to anyone expect maybe to a beginner to hold-em, but in the flows of a poker tournament every player must go through a stretches of this style to survive.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
WTF! Did that really just happen!
Just when I think that just maybe I have seen it all in bar poker an incident will happen that makes me say WTF! I am running my Tuesday game and things are going very well. There is a great turnout. They have a new bartender that is giving us great service. It couldn't get much better. Then it happens! Anytime that you are in charge of a group of people that come from different backgrounds it can always get interesting. Talk can be of sports, politics and even sometimes poker. People don't always agree and most times it will take care of itself. Sometimes as the director you have to step in and calm the situation down. I have even had to kick players out before for their behavior. This incident left me speechless. One of the players that comes very regularly can be at times a very nice man and other times can be very loud and abrasive. He believes that he is a great poker player and knows it all when it comes to rules. He will take over a table if the players let him. He is on the table behind me on Tuesday and is being a little louder then normal, but nothing out of the ordinary. As you know the President was giving the State of the Union address and it was on most TV's in the bar. The TV by where we were playing had a basketball game on but the volume at the bar was loud enough that we could hear it. Very loudly this guy starts tell a joke. Everyone on all tables can hear it. It is about President Obama. In the short the punch line is that he is a dumb (insert the N word)! Our table literally stops playing. My mouth is wide open and I am looking around table as I am floored by what just happened. The guy that told the joke is laughing very loudly and I can tell that the other players are being very quiet. One guy on my table looks at me and says very loudly. "Well that wasn't very politically correct". I am just shaking my head not sure how I should deal with the situation. Then he start into another joke and I am thinking that I am going to have to get up and say something, but to be honest this guy kind of scares me. This time it is more of an appropriate joke and most people on the table laugh and the games goes on without incident again. This person is a guy that I have very little respect for and what little I had is now gone. I am going to have to talk to him about it and am not looking forward as I am sure that he will see nothing wrong with what he did. I am only hoping that he didn't do any permanent damage and cause players not to come and play my games.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
What's the point anymore!
I am starting to wonder if running all these poker games and organization is really worth it. Back in 2003 this all started as a promotion to try and get new people in my bowling center bar. Since then the law has been changed, I have organized and sold a bar league company (Free Poker Tour), owned a poker magazine (FultTilt Magazine), kind of owned an online poker site (Redfish Poker), sold my bowling centers, and now have formed a local poker organization (CMPPA). I have played in many poker events for various buy in amounts and played countless hands of bar poker. I consider myself to be a slightly above average poker player with good people reading skills. Poker has been good to me. Lately, I have been feeling like there is no purpose to my poker play and running tournaments. At first running bar tournaments was a great way to introduce new players to hold em and my goal was to create a casino like experience at the bar, so players would feel comfortable if and when they wanted to make the jump to cash tournament play. Later it became more of a second job as income to my family. Not that it is a big amount, but it would pay for one small trip per year or a tournament buy in. I suppose that all go though a period where they question what they are doing and why. Lately my bar games in Clearwater have had declining attendance. Some of it I blame on the lack of customer service from the bar itself and some on the tightness that I run my poker games, but mostly I blame the poor quality play and players that the game has been attracting. As a person that tries to teach players to be better it is difficult to believe that after over 2 years that the play is worse there then it was at the beginning. I do understand that over time players lose interest in bar poker or their lives change and they must change what they do with their free time and disposable income, but come on. No one seems to want to improve their play. On top of that the low numbers and lack of spending by the players that are showing up is making the bar consider whether it should continue with Texas hold-em as a promotion. I also question whether I want to continue the games because of the lack of quality of play. Last night as an example, was won by a women that we call one of the Sea Hags, I know it's not nice to call people names and she is a very nice lady, but she has played holdem for several years now and has no interest in improving her game or change her style. She is the type of player that will play any suited cards or any ace or king to the river and she is definitely a card catcher. At the beginning of 1st break I made a comment about her playing every hand and of course she denied it. I had kept track and she had only folded 3 times preflop for one hour and managed to win enough hands to keep a big stack. Late in the tournament, she called a big raise preflop with 8-3 off and took a player out. At the time she was far from pot committed to play, so she had only played because she likes that hand. Another women with almost the same style ended up taking me out when I had raised preflop from under the gun with K-Q off. Flop was K-Q-6 rainbow. I move all. Next player calls and she calls. Turn is a spade, both check. River is also a spade bring 3 spades ob board. 1st player checks, she moves all in and he calls. I have two pair, he has a set of queens and she turns over a flush with K-J of spades. She went runner runner to win. I can't believe that a set of queens didn't bet her out after he had flopped it. When I asked her why she had played the hand she said that she thought that she had the best hand after the flop. I am seeing this kind of play get rewarded week in and week out over in Clearwater. I believe that it is because if so many player play that same way that one or more will be catching on any given night. So, what does this do for us that are trying to improve our play. I think nothing. As a player you always need to change your game to the table that you are on and I think that I do. It's just not that much fun to always have the best hand and always come up on the losing end. The options for me are to go there and make the best of it each week, stop playing and just run the tournaments or try and find a new location with new or better players. I am just not sure if my interest level is still there. The CMPPA is still growing and the play at these events is much better and most of the time fun to play. The problem I see is that it grows so does the amount of members that are the type of players that I am growing sick of playing with in Clearwater. It may just be time for me to move on to another form of entertainment and 2nd income. It is painfully obvious that there is not enough income from bar poker anymore for my to do this for a living. Had I not owned two bowling centers at the beginning I think that the Free Poker Tour could have grown into a large organization such as the Free Poker Network and been my long term future job. Had the government not chased a whole bunch of online poker sites out of the US, most of which were Fult Tilt Magazine advertisers, such as Party Poker and Poker Host. They left owing the magazine thousands of advertising dollars and put it out of business. Who knows where that could have lead. Now it is the CMPPA. Is it just another missed opportunity or is it just the beginning. I am not getting any younger and the ambition level is fading. So we will see what happens. Maybe all will become clear soon or maybe I just need to go and play a casino tournament with higher skilled players or maybe just a good old fashion night of intoxication! Sorry this has went so long! Thanks for listening!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Interesting Sunday
Had a nice turnout for my Sunday game this week. Took my seat and went "Oh my god" what a table I had. It was very weak and unpredictable. It was clear from 1st hand that I would have to play careful. I had some very nice hands early. It didn't take long to realize that raising was futile. There was a minimum of 3-4 callers no matter what size the raise. Early in the second blind level, I was thinking about raising under the gun with K-J suited but decided to just call and see how it played out. Almost everyone on the table called and then BB raises to 600. It is a big raise and I am thinking they probably have me dominated so I fold. Everyone else calls. Flop is 3 of my suit ace high. I would have flopped the nut flush and the way the betting went I could have won a huge pot until the river paired the board. Initial raisers turns up a full house. So, I would have flopped the nut flush, but would not have been able to bet out the flopped set and would have been knocked out on the river. Nice fold. Later I called preflop with A-2 spades. Flop is two spades. I bet out and get two callers. Turn a blank. I check and so do other two. River is a spade giving me the nut flush hand and it also brought four cards in a row to hopefully give someone the straight. I check. Then both players move all in! Perfect! I call and take both out. Things go well after that and make final table with a nice stack. We are down to 5 players and I get 3-3 in early position. I can tell that BB doesn't have a hand, so I move all in for 27,000. Blinds are 4000-8000. it's folded to SB who says call and then puts out 4000 more because he doesn't realize that I had raised. He would have folded and I would have taken the blinds. I really didn't want a call but am now stuck with one. He turns over K-10 off and has me covered by 1000. Flop brings a 10 and I am out in 5th! Ouch! We get to heads up between the player that took me out and another player that never raises and only calls. For over half an hour the SB call and then it is checked down and whoever has the best hand wins. No raises or bluffs. I am thinking that this is never going to end. Finally one person wins 3 hands in a row and forces the other all in on the blinds and wins. Thanks God! I was starting to think I was going to have call it a tie to end the evening! That's what you have to love about bar poker. It doesn't matter how poor of a player that you are, eventually you will win a tournament
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Misdeals
It has been brought up that I have not been following the TDA rules when it comes to misdeals. In part that is true. I received an email from the TDA talking about misdeals and that they were changing and I must have misinterpreted it.
The actually TDA rule is
#27 In stud-type games, if any of the players’ two down cards are exposed due to dealer error it is a misdeal. In flop games, exposure of one of the first two cards dealt is a misdeal. Players may be dealt two consecutive cards on the button.
I believe that it is less complicated for the average bar poker game to just call any exposed card not a misdeal. It saves time when blinds go up quickly and it saves arguments about if it should be a misdeal or not. The TDA does state
#1 Floor people are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as the top priority in the decision-making process. Unusual circumstances can on occasion dictate that decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over the technical rules. The floor person’s decision is final.
I have sent an e-mail to the TDA board asking for clarification on why the rule is written the way it is. Roberts rules of poker also states the same but goes much farther about what must be declared a misdeal.
1. The following circumstances cause a misdeal, provided attention is called to the error before two players have acted on their hands. (If two players have acted in turn, the deal must be played to conclusion, as explained in rule #2)
a.The first or second card of the hand has been dealt face up or exposed through dealer error.
b.Two or more cards have been exposed by the dealer.
c.Two or more boxed cards (improperly faced cards) are found.
d.Two or more extra cards have been dealt in the starting hands of a game.
e.An incorrect number of cards has been dealt to a player, except the top card may be dealt if it goes to the player in proper sequence.
f.Any card has been dealt out of the proper sequence (except an exposed card may be replaced by the burn card).
g.The button was out of position.
h.The first card was dealt to the wrong position.
i.Cards have been dealt to an empty seat or a player not entitled to a hand.
j.A player has been dealt out who is entitled to a hand. This player must be present at the table or have posted a blind or ante.
2. Once action begins, a misdeal cannot be called. The deal will be played, and no money will be returned to any player whose hand is fouled. In button games, action is considered to occur when two players after the blinds have acted on their hands. In stud games, action is considered to occur when two players after the forced bet have acted on their hands.
In a bar game if we followed all these rules about every 3rd or 4th would be a misdeal and those of you that play bar poker know we get very few hands per blind level as it is.
So the question is. Should all TDA rules be followed to the letter in a bar game?
It's tough to answer. I try and follow the TDA rules but also have made exceptions for a bar poker games such as chips races and people calling the big blind when the pot was actually raised and they weren't paying attention.
Maybe what we need is BPTDA? (bar poker tournament directors association)
The actually TDA rule is
#27 In stud-type games, if any of the players’ two down cards are exposed due to dealer error it is a misdeal. In flop games, exposure of one of the first two cards dealt is a misdeal. Players may be dealt two consecutive cards on the button.
I believe that it is less complicated for the average bar poker game to just call any exposed card not a misdeal. It saves time when blinds go up quickly and it saves arguments about if it should be a misdeal or not. The TDA does state
#1 Floor people are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as the top priority in the decision-making process. Unusual circumstances can on occasion dictate that decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over the technical rules. The floor person’s decision is final.
I have sent an e-mail to the TDA board asking for clarification on why the rule is written the way it is. Roberts rules of poker also states the same but goes much farther about what must be declared a misdeal.
1. The following circumstances cause a misdeal, provided attention is called to the error before two players have acted on their hands. (If two players have acted in turn, the deal must be played to conclusion, as explained in rule #2)
a.The first or second card of the hand has been dealt face up or exposed through dealer error.
b.Two or more cards have been exposed by the dealer.
c.Two or more boxed cards (improperly faced cards) are found.
d.Two or more extra cards have been dealt in the starting hands of a game.
e.An incorrect number of cards has been dealt to a player, except the top card may be dealt if it goes to the player in proper sequence.
f.Any card has been dealt out of the proper sequence (except an exposed card may be replaced by the burn card).
g.The button was out of position.
h.The first card was dealt to the wrong position.
i.Cards have been dealt to an empty seat or a player not entitled to a hand.
j.A player has been dealt out who is entitled to a hand. This player must be present at the table or have posted a blind or ante.
2. Once action begins, a misdeal cannot be called. The deal will be played, and no money will be returned to any player whose hand is fouled. In button games, action is considered to occur when two players after the blinds have acted on their hands. In stud games, action is considered to occur when two players after the forced bet have acted on their hands.
In a bar game if we followed all these rules about every 3rd or 4th would be a misdeal and those of you that play bar poker know we get very few hands per blind level as it is.
So the question is. Should all TDA rules be followed to the letter in a bar game?
It's tough to answer. I try and follow the TDA rules but also have made exceptions for a bar poker games such as chips races and people calling the big blind when the pot was actually raised and they weren't paying attention.
Maybe what we need is BPTDA? (bar poker tournament directors association)
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
One of those ruts!
This is starting to look like a trend for me. In the last week my big pairs are getting cracked. I realize that it does happen sometimes, but it almost seems crazy. Last night was no exception. Early I have QQ and 10-10 flops a set. The board is all unders. I was able to fold the river so I wasn't taken out. Late in the tournament, I have KK and lose to A-5 when an ace comes on the river knocking me out a few spots before the points and I was in need of the points, but if you can't push in with kings what are you waiting for. I don't think they is really anything I am doing wrong just one of those streaks. My time will come, so watch out, I may have a big pair waiting to take all your chips!
Monday, January 10, 2011
1st CMPPA Event
Saturday was the first tournament of the CMPPA season. It was an open event to try and get membership. There were 33 members and 38 non members. Members started with a double stack. It was a fun event with members taking 8 of top 10 spots. I over all had a good day of poker with really only one miss play. It was a day with lots of inteeresting hands. Here are a few.
Early in the tournament I look down to see AA. I raise and get a couple of callers. Flop is K-10-5. I bet and get one callers. Turn is an A. I bet again and get reraised. I call. River is a 9. I check. He moves all in. It is a bigger size bet but not enough that I can fold. He turns over Q-J. Two hands later I have QQ and call a raise by a decent players. Flop is 10 high and stays ten high the whole way. He bets flop and I reraise. He calls. I bet turn and river. He has a set of tens. I have know lost 3/4's of my chips. Soon I have kk. LOl! Maybe I should fold. Pot is raised and reraised. I move all in and get called and double up. Yeh! I then play some good poker and move my stack back way above starting amount. I look down to AA. I raise. Another player moves all in. I call. He has 66. Flop comes A-9-? all hearts. He has only heart. Here we go again! Turn is a heart. LOL! River is a 9 to five me a boat! Finally one goes my way.
It was a fun time with some good poker play. It was nice to see. Congrats to winner Steve Kennedy. Next event in two weeks. Maybe next time!
Early in the tournament I look down to see AA. I raise and get a couple of callers. Flop is K-10-5. I bet and get one callers. Turn is an A. I bet again and get reraised. I call. River is a 9. I check. He moves all in. It is a bigger size bet but not enough that I can fold. He turns over Q-J. Two hands later I have QQ and call a raise by a decent players. Flop is 10 high and stays ten high the whole way. He bets flop and I reraise. He calls. I bet turn and river. He has a set of tens. I have know lost 3/4's of my chips. Soon I have kk. LOl! Maybe I should fold. Pot is raised and reraised. I move all in and get called and double up. Yeh! I then play some good poker and move my stack back way above starting amount. I look down to AA. I raise. Another player moves all in. I call. He has 66. Flop comes A-9-? all hearts. He has only heart. Here we go again! Turn is a heart. LOL! River is a 9 to five me a boat! Finally one goes my way.
It was a fun time with some good poker play. It was nice to see. Congrats to winner Steve Kennedy. Next event in two weeks. Maybe next time!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
State of Bar Poker
As the new year is just beginning, I would like to talk a little about the state of Bar Poker. I have said this many times on this blog, but it needs repeating again.
Bar Poker - a bar promotion that establishments use to create revenue and new customers.
If there is no revenue then there will be no bar poker. Now I know that many of you that read this blog are not the problem, but you can assist in helping to make changes by reminding players to purchase something. One of the first questions that many players especially new ask is what are the prizes. In the beginning of bar poker prizes were much higher then they currently are. In it's current state a bar can hardly spend more then $100 in a night towards a poker game. This includes paying the person or company to run it, money towards final prizes and the nightly pay outs. Most local bar games here get between 20-40 players a night. A soda cost about $2. if half the players only purchase a soda with 30 players that is only $30 of 100. That means that the other 15 players have to average $5 just for the bar to break even. How many businesses do you know that only want to break even. I once had a wise bar owner tell me that for every dollar he spend on a promotion he needs seven in sales to make it worth his while. Now I don't totally agree with his statement, but he would need $700 revenue for him to run bar poker. That is over $20 per person. It's been a long time since I have seen money spent like that at a bar poker game.
The state of play.
It seems that as bar poker evolves that the quality of play should improve, but is seems that the opposite is happening. I don't know if it is because the better players have become frustrated with bar poker and now only play on-line or at Casinos. I have always thought that if a person played several nights a week that eventually they would have to improve. Instead what I am seeing is the any ace player and I was on draw players playing more and more hands. And you know if you have 3 of those type players in every hand one of them will hit. It can be very frustrating for a better player. The other thing is betting compared to pot size. Even a raise of 10 times the blinds will usually end with several callers. At the end of the hand they will turn up K-10 suited because it's a big hand they had to play! Or even better yet is the raised, then reraised pot that two other players will join into because it's going to be a big pot so they couldn't fold.
Lack of rules at games.
All games have a standard set of rules. Pokers are controlled by the Tournament Directors Association (TDA). Why would you want to play in a game that doesn't follow the rules. There are several games in the St Cloud area that very loosely follow the TDA rules and yet they get some of the bigger turnouts. Then when they play a game run as mine are they get mad because we do follow the rules. A few of the big ones are rabbit hunting, pulling cards out the muck, and maybe the worst one talking about a hand that is still in play. Every sport and game needs rules, so come directors start using them.
This has turned into kind of a rant, but I am a person that has put a lot of my own time and money into the bar poker industry and I hate to see it ruined by a few.
Would love to hear your comments on the State of Bar Poker or your stories and I am sure that I have forgotten a few things.
Here's to a great 2011!
Bar Poker - a bar promotion that establishments use to create revenue and new customers.
If there is no revenue then there will be no bar poker. Now I know that many of you that read this blog are not the problem, but you can assist in helping to make changes by reminding players to purchase something. One of the first questions that many players especially new ask is what are the prizes. In the beginning of bar poker prizes were much higher then they currently are. In it's current state a bar can hardly spend more then $100 in a night towards a poker game. This includes paying the person or company to run it, money towards final prizes and the nightly pay outs. Most local bar games here get between 20-40 players a night. A soda cost about $2. if half the players only purchase a soda with 30 players that is only $30 of 100. That means that the other 15 players have to average $5 just for the bar to break even. How many businesses do you know that only want to break even. I once had a wise bar owner tell me that for every dollar he spend on a promotion he needs seven in sales to make it worth his while. Now I don't totally agree with his statement, but he would need $700 revenue for him to run bar poker. That is over $20 per person. It's been a long time since I have seen money spent like that at a bar poker game.
The state of play.
It seems that as bar poker evolves that the quality of play should improve, but is seems that the opposite is happening. I don't know if it is because the better players have become frustrated with bar poker and now only play on-line or at Casinos. I have always thought that if a person played several nights a week that eventually they would have to improve. Instead what I am seeing is the any ace player and I was on draw players playing more and more hands. And you know if you have 3 of those type players in every hand one of them will hit. It can be very frustrating for a better player. The other thing is betting compared to pot size. Even a raise of 10 times the blinds will usually end with several callers. At the end of the hand they will turn up K-10 suited because it's a big hand they had to play! Or even better yet is the raised, then reraised pot that two other players will join into because it's going to be a big pot so they couldn't fold.
Lack of rules at games.
All games have a standard set of rules. Pokers are controlled by the Tournament Directors Association (TDA). Why would you want to play in a game that doesn't follow the rules. There are several games in the St Cloud area that very loosely follow the TDA rules and yet they get some of the bigger turnouts. Then when they play a game run as mine are they get mad because we do follow the rules. A few of the big ones are rabbit hunting, pulling cards out the muck, and maybe the worst one talking about a hand that is still in play. Every sport and game needs rules, so come directors start using them.
This has turned into kind of a rant, but I am a person that has put a lot of my own time and money into the bar poker industry and I hate to see it ruined by a few.
Would love to hear your comments on the State of Bar Poker or your stories and I am sure that I have forgotten a few things.
Here's to a great 2011!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Really, Twice in one week
>Just when you think you seen it all a new thing happens! I am playing my Sunday game in the first blind level. It is raisedbper flop by a weak player. I call with J-8 suited in the big blind. Flop is 8-7-2. Bettor checks. I bet out 600. He calls. Turn is a 6. He bets out 1000. I think he has a pair of some type so I call. Turn is 3. He bets out 1500. I thinkl awhile and decide I want to see his cards so I call. He says nice call and I turn up my cards. He turns his up and has 9-5 off. He turned a straight and doesn't even know it and bets it the whole way. Lol! That's twice in less then 10 days this has hbapened to me. Why can't these people just muck their cards! This year is not off to a great poker start!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
New Years Eve 2010!
Happy New Year!!!!!
2010 came to quite a halt last night! I was running the regular Friday game at McCann's and wanted it to be a fun night for all. I decided to give extra chips and run longer blinds and have tournament last until after midnight. It was a fun night and disappointing all at the same time. I wasn't sure how many players would show up on New Years Eve and also had two regulars in Vegas getting married with lots of poker players invited. Congrats by the way! Turn out ended a little low with only 22 players, so I gave out 15,000 in chips and had 1/2 blinds to start then 20 minutes there after. I am making my announcements thanking everyone for coming out and said even though we had a poor turn out that we would have a good time. That is when a player lets me know that my competition was giving out extra cash prizes tonight, so now I know why the turn out is so low. Oh well, on with the tournament. Most of you that play bar poker know what happens when you give players more chips! Yes, they can chase even more! LOL! Overall my table was very solid except for a play every hand guy and that raises were pretty high for 25-50 blind levels. I am on the button with 10-6 off. Guy under the gun raises to 200. Several callers to me, so I call. I flop 2nd pair. A continuation bet is made by original bettor. I am thinking he might have hit top pair or he has a smaller pair. Bet is 600 with one caller ahead of me. I decide to see one more card and call. River is kind of a blank and he bets again 1200. For some reason, I am feeling like I am ahead. The other player folds. I decide to call. River is a 6. BINGO! He bets out 2500. I think about raising, but decide to just call in case he had a set. He turns over 8-5 suited. He had flopped a flush draw and bet it the whole way and went runner runner for a straight. It's ok. I still have plenty of chips. I am in mid position and have pocket kings. There is a raise to 200 and two callers when it gets to me.I raise to 1200. I get two callers. Flop is 4-6-6 two hearts. I bet out 6000. Women behind me pushes all-in to put me all-in. Other player folds. I am thinking she has aces or queens, because I was surprised by her call. I mull it over for a while and decide she must have aces and fold my hands and announce that I had a big pair but couldn't beat aces. She turns over KK. Damn I would have split. Good read and bad read at same time. Later in the evening the same women makes an announcement that the other bar was still allowing people in until 9:30 if anyone wanted to go. I look at her and say " Did you really just announce to all that they should leave this bar and go to it's competition!" I told her that it was the right thing to do and in the future let me decide on that kind of announcement. Just before this she had lost a big hand and still had plenty of chips but was a shorter stack. She then starts to play every hand. It is very clear what she is doing. I am about to say something after the next hand. I have K-4 suited and the button. 8-5 guy raises to 600. There are 4 callers before it gets to me. I call. Flop is K-10-6 rainbow. It is checked to her. She moves all in. One player behind me thinks a long time and must have a king with bad kicker and decides to fold. I was going to fold if he calls, but he didn't so know what to do. I am sure she is dumping chips and the original raiser must not have anything because he checked. I think about it a while and comment several times that I am sure that you just want to go. The call is all but about 600 of my chips. I call. Other player folds. I turn up my K-4. She has a 10. Turn is a 10 of course! She wins. I make a comment that it you want to leave just turn in your chips rather then go all in and actually take out someone that wants to play here. She picks up her chips and throws them all over the check in table and storms out. I make sure and thank her for taking all my chips and leaving. I did manage to double up several times and made a good come back but came up a little short of points. Overall it was a good night with the tournament ending at 1 am with a bunch of fun people at the end!
Moral is - If you are playing bar poker and you want to leave. Please just get up and give your chips to the directors. Trying to give them away doesn't always work and we don't want you there if you don't want to be there. It's more fun without you.
2010 came to quite a halt last night! I was running the regular Friday game at McCann's and wanted it to be a fun night for all. I decided to give extra chips and run longer blinds and have tournament last until after midnight. It was a fun night and disappointing all at the same time. I wasn't sure how many players would show up on New Years Eve and also had two regulars in Vegas getting married with lots of poker players invited. Congrats by the way! Turn out ended a little low with only 22 players, so I gave out 15,000 in chips and had 1/2 blinds to start then 20 minutes there after. I am making my announcements thanking everyone for coming out and said even though we had a poor turn out that we would have a good time. That is when a player lets me know that my competition was giving out extra cash prizes tonight, so now I know why the turn out is so low. Oh well, on with the tournament. Most of you that play bar poker know what happens when you give players more chips! Yes, they can chase even more! LOL! Overall my table was very solid except for a play every hand guy and that raises were pretty high for 25-50 blind levels. I am on the button with 10-6 off. Guy under the gun raises to 200. Several callers to me, so I call. I flop 2nd pair. A continuation bet is made by original bettor. I am thinking he might have hit top pair or he has a smaller pair. Bet is 600 with one caller ahead of me. I decide to see one more card and call. River is kind of a blank and he bets again 1200. For some reason, I am feeling like I am ahead. The other player folds. I decide to call. River is a 6. BINGO! He bets out 2500. I think about raising, but decide to just call in case he had a set. He turns over 8-5 suited. He had flopped a flush draw and bet it the whole way and went runner runner for a straight. It's ok. I still have plenty of chips. I am in mid position and have pocket kings. There is a raise to 200 and two callers when it gets to me.I raise to 1200. I get two callers. Flop is 4-6-6 two hearts. I bet out 6000. Women behind me pushes all-in to put me all-in. Other player folds. I am thinking she has aces or queens, because I was surprised by her call. I mull it over for a while and decide she must have aces and fold my hands and announce that I had a big pair but couldn't beat aces. She turns over KK. Damn I would have split. Good read and bad read at same time. Later in the evening the same women makes an announcement that the other bar was still allowing people in until 9:30 if anyone wanted to go. I look at her and say " Did you really just announce to all that they should leave this bar and go to it's competition!" I told her that it was the right thing to do and in the future let me decide on that kind of announcement. Just before this she had lost a big hand and still had plenty of chips but was a shorter stack. She then starts to play every hand. It is very clear what she is doing. I am about to say something after the next hand. I have K-4 suited and the button. 8-5 guy raises to 600. There are 4 callers before it gets to me. I call. Flop is K-10-6 rainbow. It is checked to her. She moves all in. One player behind me thinks a long time and must have a king with bad kicker and decides to fold. I was going to fold if he calls, but he didn't so know what to do. I am sure she is dumping chips and the original raiser must not have anything because he checked. I think about it a while and comment several times that I am sure that you just want to go. The call is all but about 600 of my chips. I call. Other player folds. I turn up my K-4. She has a 10. Turn is a 10 of course! She wins. I make a comment that it you want to leave just turn in your chips rather then go all in and actually take out someone that wants to play here. She picks up her chips and throws them all over the check in table and storms out. I make sure and thank her for taking all my chips and leaving. I did manage to double up several times and made a good come back but came up a little short of points. Overall it was a good night with the tournament ending at 1 am with a bunch of fun people at the end!
Moral is - If you are playing bar poker and you want to leave. Please just get up and give your chips to the directors. Trying to give them away doesn't always work and we don't want you there if you don't want to be there. It's more fun without you.
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