Fallsview Trip Report

I was heading back from the cottage, and was going to play poker at Casino Rama on the way home, but the wait time was crazy when I arrived. I decided to head to Niagara instead and got there about midnight last night.

I finally had a great result after a fairly frustrating summer of poker. I got on a 2-5 table about 1:15 a.m. Blondefish was playing at another table and playing a couple of WPT satellites (with success). It was reasonably slow, but I was patient for the first time in a long time. I hovered around starting stack for about five hours. I got pocket queens twice and I can't remember another pocket pair the whole night. I don't even think I got A-K all night either. I played position and had some good reads on most of the people at the table. My only "bad beat" was A-9 vs. A-5 where I ended up all-in on the turn with two pair, but was counterfeited on the river for a chop. Overall, it was a pretty mundane session for most of the evening - no big highs or lows.

By 7:00 a.m. I had managed to grind my chip stack to about $550 when I found K-Q offsuit in the big blind. The player on the button had been tilting for about an hour. I think there were five limpers in the pot when I bumped it to $25. I got two callers. The flop came down K-Q-x with two clubs. I bet out $50 hoping it would look like a continuation bet. The loose player in MP min-raised and the button called. I hesitated and called. The turn brought a Q for my full house. Hoping that I wasn't shaking too much, I checked. Player in MP bet $100 and the button went all-in for less. I called and immediately checked in the dark hoping that MP had a queen or a flush draw that he would catch or try to bluff if he missed. The river was a brick and MP bet $150 and I check-raised all-in. MP called (he had me covered by $10) with Q-J. After six hours of very little action, I managed a very nice pot and a worthwhile day. I played until the end of the session and walked away up $800 for the session.

I took a break and had breakfast and played a little blackjack. I managed to win $100 at blackjack and decided to buy back in for $200 at 2-5. They opened up a table with a bunch of young, aggressive players, half of whom were waiting for 5-5 to become available. I can't say that I played my best poker, but I finally hit some big turns and rivers myself. The first one was A-2 vs. A-K. I had the A-2 in position against a passive player. Flop came down A-x-x all spades. I had the 2 of spades. I had raised preflop (Mario would be proud) in position against a table full of limpers. A player two seats to my right bet out and I called with the intention of stealing the pot on the turn. Fortunately the turn brought a 2 to give me two pair. MP bet about half his stack and I pushed all in. He thought for awhile and finally called. He showed A-K. The river was the king of spades. He briefly thought he had rivered me, but my 2 of spades made me a flush.

I made a bad read on a player when I had pocket jacks. The flop was 10 high with three of us in the hand. Two of us ended up all-in with the chip leader betting. I rivered a J and the chip leader showed pocket kings. That brought my chip total up over $800. I played Q-J suited later in the orbit. Flop came down Q high. I bet out and got two callers. The turn brought a K, but it gave me a gut shot draw. I bet out again and got one caller (pocket kings guy from the earlier hand). The river brought a Q and I bet again and he called. He showed K-10, he had called the flop with a gutshot draw and the overcard - again the river paid off.

My last memorable hand was a hero call with pocket 7s in a four-way pot that had been raised to $25 preflop. I was in position and the flop came down Q-10-10. After being checked around the turn brought a 6. It was checked around again and the river brought a 3. Small blind bet out $75 and the other two players folded. I made a hero call and the small blind said he had ace high.

All-tolled I ended up leaving the table up $1100 after just a couple of hours of play. Ironically I didn't think I played as well during that session as I had earlier, but it paid off better. Just what I needed to get out of my summer slump. I saw Animaux arrive just as I was leaving. I grabbed a Red Bull and headed home after an exhausting, but profitable trip.

Sorry for the long report, but I needed to vent/brag after my frustrating losing/bad play streak.

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