L.A. Mini Trip report

So Mrs. 2BA and I were in southern cal this past weekend, enjoying some nice weather, and good company with friends and family. Mrs. 2BA has baby 2BA in the oven, and is due in April. So both our friends and family had baby shower's festivities for us, and it all turned out really well. Of course, I managed to get in a little poker, and since I had a good accomplice in my brother in law (referred to as BIL going forward), we were able to get out to the 3 ring circus...errrr...poker establishment known as Hawaiian Garden's. Clearly not the Bike or Commerce, but convenient to were we were staying in proximity, we headed out to play the 4pm $155 ($35 being juice!) tournament on Friday. It is quite clear that poker is still booming, as even in this dump, the place was packed. Since we got in around 1pm, we decided to play a little NL cash, while we waited for the tournament to start. My BIL sat at a $500 buy in, $5/$10 blind game, while I waited for the $300, $3/$5 game. We both got lucky in that we got on fresh tables, meaning we didn't have to face some bully who had amassed a ton of chips, as that can be disadvantages for any of the new player's buying in.

My cash game table got started 5 handed, and remained that way for and orbit or two, as there seemed to be some 'confusion' on the house's part sending player's here and there. When seats open up, it trigger's a mass request from player's wanting to hop from one game to another, so we had to wait for that to settle before we got the rest of our players. To say the game was loose, would be a huge understatement. 2nd hand out of the gate, the Asian fellow in the #1 seat limps into the pot, and so does everyone else (me too!). Flop comes out Ten high, and #1 leads out for about the pot. Now recall all still have there starting stack of $300. Folds around to the Asian guy in the #10 seat, who now raises....well ALL IN! #1 hems and haws, then says, and I kid you not " well, I'm COMMITTED, so I call!", and tables JT. And what did #10 have? T9 of course! So #1 stacks #10, and off we were.

Very next hand, #1 decides to sit out and order food (another annoying feature at L.A. clubs) to be consumed at the table, and the Asian guy in the #3 seat raises the pot up to 5x. Folds to #10 again, who has rebought for 3bills, and reraises to $100. #3 flat calls, and they see a flop of KKJ. #3 checks, and #10 bets $100. #3 moves in for the rest of his chips, and #10 FOLDS! #3 then proudly tables THE HAMMER! Nice play buddy!

This is just a small example of how the play was, which apparently after talking to my BIL, is the norm, and even looser at the higher tables. Unreal and so unfortunate that I couldn't do squadoosh, since I never got dealt any cards to go up against these numbknocks (sp?).


Anyway, I managed to leave the table only down about $50 or $60 bucks, and off we went to register for the tournament. This tourney carried a $30k guarantee, which was met, IIRC they got around 300+ runners. No rebuys.

I can only assume that since BIL and I bought in at the same time, we wound up sitting at the same starting table. I was in the 4 seat, and he was in the 6 seat. Here was the lineup for reference:

1 seat - Cowboy Donk
2 seat - Hippie Fish
3 seat - Really Lucky Asian Donk
4 seat - Me
5 seat - Asian Fish #2
6 seat - BIL Fish (haha)
7 seat - Elderly Fish
8 seat - Rotund Blow Donk
9 seat - Unlucky Mexican Donk
10 seat - Distracted Asian Fish #3

I can probably give you specific examples as to why all these were classified as fishies and donks, but take my word, they were collectively the worse bunch I've ever played with. Now to be fair, my BIL is normally a TAG, however, he proceeded to play about 10 of the first 12 hands, so at the time, he was at least playing the part. It really surprised me, but he later told me about how he was 'setting' up the table. So, if he wanted to project being a crazy LAG donk, he definitely got that message across. So needless to say, his starting stack of 3k was on an E ticket ride, getting down to as little as 1k. However to his credit, he chiped back up, and almost got it all back when he made a boat on the river, and led into his opponent (9 seat) after check calling the whole way. Once having his image established, he waited for the right time, which happen to come right before the 1st break. I don't recall if he limped or put in a small raise (I think the latter), but it folded around to #2 who called, but then #3 moved in. I then saw BIL flip over 2 red aces as he called, #2 folded and #3 flips AK offsuit. Now we all know the math here, so I remember thinking what a great time for bullet's as AK is a 90%+ underdog, and before I could even complete the thought the dealer dealt a flop of QJT, and in an instant sent my BIL to the rail in 'knee to the groin' style! And trust me when I tell you that the bad beats were alive and well, and this was just at our table. We saw #8 river a two outer on #10 to drag a huge pot, and later on #3 pull in the biggest pot of the night with the all might KT offsuit! Thats right folks, it went down something like this. #9 opens in late for 4x raise. #1, 2 and 3 all flat call the raise. The flop comes KT9. Checks to #9 who bets pot, #1 moves in, #2 folds, #3 reraises all in and #9 calls the all in's! Fun stuff! #1 had a set of 9's, #3 had KT and #9 had Aces........and of course, the river brings another T and ce la vie. If nothing else, it helps to see these things happen live, to only remind me that #45 is alive and well in live play as well!

So BIL goes back to Cash games, and I continue on. One other interesting situation happened while BIL was still at the table. In a previous hand, I got dealt AQ UTG, and raised it up 3x. Folded around to #10 who flat calls, and I think maybe one of the blinds calls as well. Flop comes Q high, and I'm in the process of thinking about what to bet. All of a sudden #10 decides to bet, before I had made my action known. Now I will confess that I had my Ipod on, so I was not really hearing what was going on, but others at the table were quick to note that I had not acted. So unaware this was going on, I make a pot size bet, and then #10 pulls back his money and mucks. The dealer pushes me the pot, and I that's when I realize something was going, as I was seeing finger pointing and arms flailing etc etc. So I took my buds out, and realized what had happened. Everyone at the table was in agreement that the since #10 had put money out, he had to at least call my bet. The rule however, at the HG is that I needed to make the objection, and call the floor over. For whatever reason, I decided I just wanted the game to move on, however the other player's had other ideas. They called the floor over, and gave a 'hypothetical' situation, which of course described in living color exactly what had just played out. As it turns out, the floor said that it would have only given a warning to the player who acted out of turn, and that any further occurrences would result in the bet being binding. I don't think anyone was happy with the ruling, but oh well, I suppose it's good to know all the local rules before playing. Mea culpa.

The structure for this tournament was pretty fast. The blind levels were 20min, and by the start of the 2nd hour, we were already at 100/200 w/25 ante. Needless to say, you couldn't sit around and wait for a hand, not that it would have mattered, as I was dealt nothing, so I had nothing to choose from. I did try and wait it out some, I had about 4k going into the second hour, but it dwindled down to 3k and I was first to have to post at 400 when the blinds went up to 200/400 with 50 ante. So right after I got past the blinds, I was in the highjack with Q8 suited. It folded to me, so of course I moved in for about 2300ish, and was instcalled by the (new) donk on the button with JT off. I also got called by the BB shorty with 83 off. Board came 338xT and IGHN.

I went back to the cash game area to look for BIL, and arrived just in time to see him milk some poor asian dude and double up ($500 bucks worth) when they got it all in on a flop of Q55, with PAD holding AQ and BIL with the might PRESTO! He later told me how lucky he is with presto, and I've suggested he read another PRESTO loving blogger.

I hit one more session at the cash tables, which was another $300 buyin, 3/5 game. Nothing of note except for one hand. Basically, I had been folding for about 30 min, and then I picked up KK in the CO. The guy in the HJ had limped in, and I raised to 4x. Blinds fold, and flop comes out A9x. He checks, and I put a C-bet out of about the pot. He quickly raises $150, and I go into the semi-tank. Why do I say the semi-tank? well, I had only contemplated my options for about 90 seconds, when the impatient moron, with only $50 bucks left to his name, (who btw was in the game only because he luck boxed a back door flush on a board he was obviously beat), calls the fucking CLOCK on me! Man was I peeved! I looked at him, and I said some 'choice' words to him (probably something that would have definitively banned my chat at FT), as the flipping floor person starts the countdown! JFC!!!!!!! I folded the cowboys face up, and my opponent showed me his top 2. So maybe the moron saved me some $$$, but man I was pissed.

Ok, thats about it, I think next time I'll go to the Bike, and complete the L.A. poker house Trifecta. I will be back on the virtual felt this week, where it will be nice to be at home, both mentally and physically.

2BA