Horn High Yo!

Saturday afternoon my buddy swung by the house and off we went to Foxwoods. I've been jonesin' for Foxwoods. We meet up with Buddy 3 (we'll call him Jerk- fyi he's not a jerk, but it's a nickname), and we all get on the list for 2/4 limit. They quickly call all of us and we get put at separate tables. But only one table away from each other. I am the youngest person at my table, by about 30 years. A few times I waited extra long to make a call or bet, hoping the person would die. I figure that means they fold. But alas, they all lived... and they took my $60.00. That didn't bother me. As live $2/$4 can be, it was a chasing game, and a lot of those chases caught. Which whittled down my funds until I had only a few bucks left and got AK. 3 bet preflop, missed the flop, only had about 6 bucks left so made sure I got it all in.

I walked away without any ill feelings. Still rarin' to go. After a 2 hours, my buddies were hungry (This was Jerks first time at a casino and he was feeling self-conscious, like people were talking about him at the table). We decided to hit Fuddruckers.

Jerk didn't feel like going back to the poker tables so we walked around a bit. He played some slots then decided to head out. Left me and my other buddy. We saddled up to a Craps table and threw down some cash. Now I know a little about craps, but my buddy knows a lot. I started off somewhat conservative and slowly built up my chips. I took my initial buy-in off the table and was playing with pure profits. I loosened up a bit, throwing some money on doubles, and occasionally betting High Hand Yo.

This one guy (Yankee Cap Guy)managed to hold on to the dice for 20 minutes. He could almost roll 6's and 8's at will. After a while I pressed some bets on 6 and actually had $56 on it. Luckily I hit the 6 once with that kind of money on it, before he crapped out. I was up about $175 at that point. My buddy and I stuck around another orbit, until Yankee Cap Guy had the dice again. His first roll... a 6. Bunch of money hit the table. Next roll 7. Adios. We left the table, I was up about $125. My buddy was up about $250.

Back in April, Foxwoods upgraded their poker room, making it a World Poker Tour poker room. They added more tables, more tournaments, and even Sit n Go's. We decided to check out the $100.00 SnG ($80+20, yes their rake is high, but their the only game in town). About halfway full. We wait around 10 minutes and they call us. WOO HOO.

I get involved in a couple of pots early, but never really hit anything. I actually folded JJ preflop, when I called an UTG raise, but then a guy after me RE-RAISED, I figured I might be beat. I was disheartened when a J came on the flop. Hand never made it to show down so I don't know if I was beat preflop or not. I think I was. After all that I was down to 1000 chips (starting with 1500). I managed to stick around 1500 for a while. My buddy got bad beat early. There were 8 players left (started 10 handed) my buddy was pushed out of a couple of pots by this one guy. My buddy raise, the guy re-raised all-in (he had my buddy covered). My buddy almost threw his hand away a few times. He said if it was anyone else he would have folded. He finally calls and flips over AJ. His opponent shows AT. My buddy is ECSTATIC! Until the flop comes A-X-T. Rivered another T just for good measure. My buddy stomps off to find a crap game on mega tilt.

I was hit with a smiliar fate when I had JJ later on. Got all my money in preflop (with a slight chip lead) against one opponent. He shows sometimes like QT, I don't even remember. I just know that by the river, I'm screaming for no JACK! As a set for me gives him a straight. Obviously there would be a more cheery tone if the Jack didn't spit in my eye on the river. I can't remember for the LIFE of me what he had. I remember worrying about the jack, but not any other card. And I think I remember someone saying it was a two outer, so maybe he was 10-9 or something, but how could he have called an all-in with 10-9. I know there was an A and a K on the board, the Jack came on the river, but I don't remember the two other cards on the board. I'm pretty sure one was a rag. That frustrates me more than the beat.

Anyway, I picked up A8 in the next hand in the cutoff. There are a couple of limpers so I push my remaining stack in. I get one caller. He flips over A5. My hand holds up. And I'm still alive. On life support but still alive. I get a bunch of junk and a few orbits later. I'm in the big blind with Ac5c. I have a 3rd of my stack in there, no real choice but to push. I'm called by an Qd7d. No drama, the flop comes Q-x-7. The to kill ANY chance, a Q on the turn gives him the boat, and I'm sent to the rail. I finished in 5th. Next one out is the bubble. I stick around for a bit and watch suckout after suckout keeping people alive. I finally head off to the craps table to find my buddy. Again, I left feeling OK about my play. I never got in with the worst of it (or even an actual coin flip for that matter). And sometimes that's the best you can hope for.

I find him at a different craps table with only a couple of chips left. He's betting against the dice and losing bad. At one point he has money on 10 and 4, and the guy rolling this 4 twice than a 10. My buddy goes on mega Craps Tilt. He's down about $110, and that's after winning $250 (plus he was up from original poker foray about $40). I'm down only $40 for the night. We decided to see how the list is for 1/2 no limit. Me? I'm fine, I'm on an even keel. Having a great time. But the entire walk to the poker room you can tell my buddy is not focused. I suggest we just head out (we've been there 7 hours). He says no, we'll just check out the list. But as we got closer to the top of the escalator, he must have felt his impending doom, he turned off and looked at me sheepishly, "You mind if we just head home?"

And that ended a great time at the casino. I was sad that the Jerk didn't have as much fun. But with some more experience I think he'll enjoy it, and he's gotta be willing to bring some more cash. As much fun as poker was (even when not winning), and me and my buddy (my buddy, my buddy... my buddy and me!) doing well at the craps table, the best time was just sitting at fuddruckers shootin' the shit. I've been in Connecticut for almost two years now and everyday I miss my solid group of friends back in St. Louis, I have yet to make any real close friends like that here. These two are the closest friends I have here and outside of work I only see them at the monthly home game (and those have been on hiatus for awhile). It was just nice to sit around a table, chowing on some good food and just talking about whatever. Good times... Good times.