2021 Poker: Raising Covid with the nuts!

[AUS-97HORN 11,813]

Lets kick Covid's ass this year with the vaccine and get back to our live games.    

Post thoughts, recaps, hand histories, questions, bitching, cheering, rage -or in the case of TxSooner, curling into a bawling ball,  losing the 1 outer on the river to crush your dreams yet again

[AUS-97HORN 11,813]

first post originally in the 2020 thread:

guessing Lurch is really thankful he wasnt playing this specific day on the stream .... yikes

 

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

Last time I played live poker I think was around January 2020. Looking forward to getting back to it in 2021.

Poker room still closed at Winstar. Assume they will re open at some point in 2021.

Texas has a budget deficit and the legislative session is starting. Legalized poker? Haha. I heard at least there could be another attempt to make it happen again. Definitely not holding my breath. I would think the odds are stacked against it like usual.

[Lurch 5,931]

first post originally in the 2020 thread:

guessing Lurch is really thankful he wasnt playing this specific day on the stream .... yikes
 

Yeah that’s wild. I lose everything with 44 there

[CBT 1,282]

gotta know when to foldem

[Bookman 4,639]

I don't know if I ever folded a set on the turn, but with the 3-better leading out on the turn, call, call, raise, all-in, how often is bottom set good?

[youdunnf'dup 2,147]

Had the worst beat of my life last night when I was the 2nd biggest stack against the biggest chip stack. I started with pocket As and I had a boat with aces full over 2s on the flop. My opponent had pocket 2s, so he had quads on the flop. I swear, I hate this game sometimes. I know there’s no algorithm on pokerrr2, but man that was brutal. 

[CBT 1,282]

shits rigged yo

[youdunnf'dup 2,147]

8 minutes ago, CBT said:

shits rigged yo

I try to tell myself that shit happens, and that flop is just gonna happen sometimes. But considering the size of both of our chip stacks, I feel like they set me up last night. 

[Lurch 5,931]

I know it’s not very comforting now, but he’s only catching that 4th card 1/25th of the times you both flop set over (otherwise) set, and you’re stacking him probably 20 of those other 24 times.

Really underscores how much bankroll matters so you can play enough hands for these suck outs to not really matter.

[BillyGoatHill 4,312]

On 1/12/2021 at 10:03 AM, AUS-97HORN said:

first post originally in the 2020 thread:

guessing Lurch is really thankful he wasnt playing this specific day on the stream .... yikes

Dirty....Way I've been running last two months, I'd have been the guy with 65.

[Lurch 5,931]

See TCH is streaming tonight and they’re seating 10-handed!

Bestbet is doing 8-handed and that seems too risky to me... 10 is nuts

[BillyGoatHill 4,312]

1 hour ago, Lurch said:

See TCH is streaming tonight and they’re seating 10-handed!

Bestbet is doing 8-handed and that seems too risky to me... 10 is nuts

I've been playing at all the card rooms in ATX (probably since July), to include a couple in SA recently....all at least 8 handed tables, some 9. No issues at any of the rooms.

[Bookman 4,639]

Learned an expensive PLO lesson. We were both 360 big blinds deep, I turn Broadway and we get it all in when I 4-bet. I play with the guy a lot and he's dumb enough to call with two pair.

Anyway, he didn't have two pair or a set. He had the same straight but was freerolling with a flush draw.

Goodbye chips.

[CBT 1,282]

On 1/21/2021 at 8:49 PM, Lurch said:

See TCH is streaming tonight and they’re seating 10-handed!

Bestbet is doing 8-handed and that seems too risky to me... 10 is nuts

10 is dumb even without covid. 

[Lurch 5,931]

Heading to Vegas for a golf tourney

https://www.bluegolf.com/amateur/events/usamtour20100/index.html

Staying at NYNY, so will prob walk down to Aria each night to get in some poker. I think they do partitions, so that will be interesting to see. I’ve not played live since March. I’ve read it’s almost all local pros, so expectations are set accordingly

Also considering a run to Bellagio to see if I can sit at a table with Brad Owen

[Lurch 5,931]

Aria is dead. I’m playing the only $2/5 and it’s dumb tight

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

Pop over to Bellagio? They have 3 games going of $2/5 maybe you’ll have better luck over there

[Lurch 5,931]

Yeah that’s tomorrow nights plan for sure.

Now I’m playing loose and getting killed

[Lurch 5,931]

I gotta say, the dividers work nicely. No impact to visibility and I do feel more comfortable with them

[chitwood 155]

How's the golf tourney going?  What did you shoot today?

[Lurch 5,931]

Today’s round was a 2-man scramble. Partner and I are both 12-13. We shot 75 which is middle of the pack. Leaders in our flight posted a 68, so a lot of work to do to get back in it. Tomorrow is best ball. Alt shot is Friday

Just arrived at Bellagio. About to start a 5th $2/5. MUCH more action than Aria

[Lurch 5,931]

Interesting observation on day 3 of playing w plexiglass: players no longer keep their stack in front of them on the rail. Rather, they keep them on the side against the glass since you no longer need to worry about stacks mixing.

Grabbing chips to bet feels foreign.

[AUS-97HORN 11,813]

so legit question Lurch....  how the fuck can you figure out how much the other players have in front when you are betting?

 

that seems like that could be a bit of a problem 

[Lurch 5,931]

I didn’t see it as an issue in our game, but I could see it being a problem if two guys were deep and shared a divider. At our game last night everyone had it on their left divider except one guy who used the right side.

[Lurch 5,931]

Waiting lists are insane, so giving MGM a shot

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

Super Bowl weekend. Gonna be the most crowded in many months. Good luck.

[closetohumping 17,456]

I live in LA now and am just itching to play.  I think a Vegas weekend is coming soon.

[workswithseed 2,109]

Where did you live before hand? NY? Ha, isn't there gambling houses in California?

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

Not sure if poker is operating currently in CA but check out Commerce and Bicycle when they are open and report back

[pearlandhorn 3,274]

On 2/19/2021 at 10:44 AM, bigup2dahorns said:

Not sure if poker is operating currently in CA but check out Commerce and Bicycle when they are open and report back

Yes, they’re open in CA. Mainly outside tents (at least at Commerce). Probably one of the biggest action venues in CA. Fuck bicycle casino.

[Bookman 4,639]

Say you're in a 9-handed $1/2 NLH game with a $300 stack. This is on the Pokerrrr2 app.

You sit down and for the first 45 minutes there's this guy a couple spots to your left with $1,000+ who is raising 1/3 of his hands preflop. He's opening to $50 or $75 and if there's an open to $10-$15 he's raising it to $100 to $200. He's calling with 1/3 of his hands and he's folding his other 1/3. You haven't seen him showdown postflop because with one or two exceptions he's either folding the flop or betting so much on the flop or turn that everyone's folding. The one time he was all-in preflop he had A-Q. He opened to $50+, someone shoved A-J offsuit for around $150, and he called.

I've had K-K twice and opened both to $15, but both times everyone folded.

It folds to you in the hijack and you get J-J. You raise to $15, and he raises on the button to $175. What do you do?

To me that was either a shove or a fold. I decided to fold.

Anyway, a bit later I managed to get a cheap flop calling a raise multiway with J-10 suited on the button. Pot was $50 Flop was 6-J-J and the madman leads out into four people betting $60. I call. Turn is a J. He bets $75, I call with my quads. River is a 10. He bets $100, I shove and he calls with 6-8.

[Lurch 5,931]

Please don’t fold the 4th best starting hand in poker to a maniac. It’s a shove all day.

[Lurch 5,931]

This is a situation where you have to be playing the long game, totally comfortable getting stacked 40% of the time knowing you full double 60% of the time. Proper bank roll management’s value is really highlighted here.

If you’re not comfortable in this situation, change tables. In a live game, there would be a waiting list a mile long wanting to get on that guys table.

[workswithseed 2,109]

Play is allowed in Oregon.

[Bookman 4,639]

20 hours ago, Lurch said:

Please don’t fold the 4th best starting hand in poker to a maniac. It’s a shove all day.

In a cash game I don't know if I've ever stacked off 150BB preflop with J-J. At that moment I knew he was a maniac but had no idea what he'd continue with.

[Lurch 5,931]

In a cash game I don't know if I've ever stacked off 150BB preflop with J-J. At that moment I knew he was a maniac but had no idea what he'd continue with.

He’d be calling $125 to win $600. He has to call with everything.

[CBT 1,282]

I'll never forget back in back when I finally had a roll to play the 2/5NL at the local casino, almost 20 years ago. I had been playing there over a year and knew all the characters. I had taken a few shots but usually just grinded out 1/2.  First week this 'kid' shows up that everyone starts eventually calling Richie Rich. I say, kid, he's older than I am but still younger than 80% of the room. Biggest game was 2/5 and he asks to buy in for 25k.  That was against house rules, but after a long discussion with the room manager, they open another table playing 10/25 and the kid goes around begging for action. A couple of regs sit down with him and he proceeds to play about 75/40/5 with a 3! around 33%. Now, he wasn't a total whale, he knew how to play, but he was there for the juice, no doubt. He actually coolers one of the regs in first two orbits, and wins $5k. He plays there all day short handed with whomever will sit with him, crazy ass swings up and down. That was way above my bankroll, even though I seriously considered buying in for half my roll. Eventually thought better of it, and went home.

I get a text from one of waitress I'm friends with and she says Richie is pulling an all nighter and sitting with 10k at 2/5.  I get a ton of money together (like I'm going to the Taj) and head up there. And I get a seat a couple of seats to his left. I play tight mostly, just waiting for a spot. And then it happens. The details aren't real important, just needless to say I FIST BUMP SNAP CALLED SHOVE MY CHIPS IN THE MIDDLE HELLMUTH STYLE when I heard him say all in with his 5bet. I had JJ. And 500bbs in the middle. It doesn't matter what he had, I was so far ahead of his range.

He obviously won the hand cause shits rigged yo.  I was so sick to my stomach I had to leave (and I had no rebuy obv). It took a few days before I could look at cards again. If that shit happens today I just shrug it off and make sure I can rebuy to stay in the juicy game. It would still hurt, but you play cards long enough you lose your emotions/soul. 

[Lurch 5,931]

Pics of waitress?

[Bookman 4,639]

On 2/27/2021 at 12:26 PM, Lurch said:

 

He’d be calling $125 to win $600. He has to call with everything.

 

That's a good point.

[closetohumping 17,456]

Speaking of maniacs did anyone watch wsop last night?  Old Argentinian lawyer bought pits with 6 high.   Awesome player.  Thin his name was Salani

[ocugolf 1,214]

Not sure if this fits here but I was in Vegas last month playing Ultimate Texas Hold Em’. Glance at my cards. Think it’s AK of diamonds. 4 bet it and have 25 on the trips bet. Flop comes QJT of diamonds. I lose my shit. The jackpot is 357k. Pit boss comes over because I’m causing a scene. Turn them over and it’s at AhKd. FML.

[Lurch 5,931]

Lulz

I have a recurring dream where I play a “dream hand” perfectly to get everyone’s money on the table only to turn over the cards and they’re no longer the nuts but some random shit instead

[CBT 1,282]

fuuuuuuck, what a beat. I've definitely played A4 like it was AA more than once. 

[closetohumping 17,456]

On 3/5/2021 at 9:51 AM, Lurch said:

Lulz

I have a recurring dream where I play a “dream hand” perfectly to get everyone’s money on the table only to turn over the cards and they’re no longer the nuts but some random shit instead

I don’t need to dream that.  Has happened often to me

[bigup2dahorns 3,343]

Las Vegas Sun:

When casinos reopened in June after the coronavirus shutdown, a number of poker rooms in Las Vegas remained dark, and it seems likely some will never return to action.

The pandemic has wiped out about a third of an already dwindling number of poker tables in Clark County, mostly in Las Vegas.

“I’m actually surprised that more rooms haven’t closed,” said Justin Young, a professional poker player who lives in Las Vegas.

In January 2020, just before the pandemic hit, 35 casinos in Clark County reported revenue from 418 poker tables, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. This January, 21 casinos reported earnings from 282 tables, a drop of about 33%.

The closures are part of a continuing trend only hastened by the pandemic, which has drastically cut into Las Vegas tourism. In the summer of 2010, Las Vegas had over 1,000 poker tables.

The 28-table poker room at the Encore has reopened, but has been temporarily moved to the casino floor at the adjacent Wynn Las Vegas with half the number of tables.

Ryan Beauregard, the director of poker operations, said the company plans to reopen the Encore poker room, but no timetable has been established.

“That 14-table number has worked out well to meet the demand, even on weekends,” Beauregard said. “Demand is slowly starting to creep back up. We’re just now seeing poker play about to outgrow what we’re offering now.”

Beauregard said he expects poker to remain a draw at the Wynn properties on the Strip, but he wondered aloud whether all the closed poker rooms in Las Vegas will eventually reopen.

“Maybe in some places where poker was more of an amenity instead of a draw at a property, that will have to be addressed. But the demand for poker will come back,” Beauregard said.

Poker rooms at Strip casinos like the Mirage — once the center of the poker universe — Mandalay Bay and Excalibur remain closed. All three are MGM Resorts International properties.

At the Excalibur, the rails surrounding the poker area remain in place, but all seven tables have been removed. The room’s popular cash prize wheel for high hands remains perched in a corner.

MGM officials said they had nothing to report about its shuttered rooms. But last year, the MGM Grand hosted a series of free poker tournaments to give away more than $120,000 in promotion money collected from players at those rooms.

Off the Strip, locals card rooms at places like Green Valley Ranch, Palace Station and Sam’s Town also remain closed.

At Green Valley Ranch, the poker room’s 22 tables were removed and replaced with chairs so people could watch football and basketball. An official with property owner Station Casinos had no information about when or if the room might reopen.

In August, Station reopened three poker rooms, including at Red Rock Resort, which is operating with 20 eight-seat tables. Players are separated by plastic dividers and must wear masks.

“We’re seeing more and more of our regulars come back,” said Scott Nelson, general manager at Red Rock. “I think the plexiglass shields create confidence for the guests that they can play while remaining safe.”

Casinos have also established more stringent disinfecting protocols.

At the Orleans, poker chips are regularly sprayed down with a heavy-duty sanitizer, and cards are swapped out every couple hours, a Boyd Gaming spokesman said. Whenever a player leaves a game, an attendant wipes down the area.

Cliff Kelley, a regular at the Orleans, said he’s noticed some of the other players have stayed away during the pandemic, but he’s not too concerned.

“Poker will always be popular,” Kelley, 77, of Las Vegas said.. “It’s different now — you have to wear a mask and they’ll be sure to remind you if you take it off — but it’s still poker.”

As he spoke on a recent weeknight, several dozen people were at the tables, some wearing protective face shields and all wearing face masks. In an area adjacent to the poker room, more players were competing in a poker tournament.

“It’s even busier on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays,” Kelley said.

At the South Point, poker room manager Jason Sanborn said there is still a strong demand for live poker.

“I know there are still restrictions, and I know some rooms have yet to open, but I do think we’re seeing a resurgence,” said Sanborn, who oversees a busy 30-table room.

[AUS-97HORN 11,813]

kind of tough for the WSOP to hire poker dealers for the WSOP if 50% of the available dealers no longer have real jobs in vegas...

[Lurch 5,931]

kind of tough for the WSOP to hire poker dealers for the WSOP if 50% of the available dealers no longer have real jobs in vegas...

Will be interesting to see how this plays out nationwide. How many dealers were able to find other gigs and will they ever return, or will it take several years of newcomer dealers to build it back up?

[Bookman 4,639]

I’m thinking of trying my hand at low stakes Omaha Hi-Lo. Any advice?

[ocugolf 1,214]

7 minutes ago, Bookman said:

I’m thinking of trying my hand at low stakes Omaha Hi-Lo. Any advice?

Get ready for a LOT of the players to not understand the rules of the low hand and getting sucked out on and/or awful calls because they don’t understand the rules. However, you can exploit the new players weakness and make a ton of money.