TR: Great Blue Heron Casino
Hey folks.
First of all, I should point out that I don't play a lot of live poker. I usually only get a chance to play live when the family is out of town. Since they were out of town for most of the weekend, I decided to drive to GBH to play a few hands to kill some time. I haven't been here in over a year and I haven't played limit poker since my Vegas trip last year. So, I called ahead and got myself on the 5-10 and 5-10 full kill lists and made the 30 minute drive.
The games on the board are the usual sort that I saw the last time that I was in the place:
- 5-10
- 5-10 Full Kill
- 10-20 1/2 kill
- 20-40 Omaha Hi 1/2 kill
- eventually a pineapple interest list went up as well plus another game (but that one eludes me right now)
Anyway, here are some observations:
1. Like I expected, there were a lot of familiar faces that were there the last time I came around. Some of these guys must live at the casino. One of the older guys at my table mentioned that he comes to play about 4 or 5 hours a day...almost every day. He looks like a retiree so I guess this is his "social club" of sorts. Being a recreational player, I can't see myself playing day after day after day like that.
2. I've come to the conclusion that there are no fish at the table...they are just psychics. For example, I raise pre-flop with AA....and a guy calls two bets cold with 63o. I guess he knew that he was going to flop two pair. Another hand, my set of nines got beat on the river by a straight. I guess this psychic kept calling with his gutshot as he knew he would hit it on the river. Lol. In all seriousness, these are the guys that I would want at my table when I sit down as, in the long term, they will be the ones to go broke (as the 63o guy did later on.....twice) and I should get their money long term. Fortunately, I got some of my money back from him beforehand. These kinds of hands lost me a fair bit of money...but that is how the game is I guess.
3. Another cold-deck hand...but this guy was a decent player so no complaints. He raised in LP and I called in the BB with KK. I could have re-raised I guess but it was heads-up so I just called. Flop came jack-high and he kept betting without hesitation. I was beginning to suspect I was up against at least top pair, so I just check-called the hand down. Sure enough, he had aces. I just showed my kings and mucked them. He actually complimented me in saying that he would have been more upset than I was if the situation was reversed. I guess I've learned to let this stuff roll off my back and get on with the next hand.
4. This isn't a "woe is me" post...as I won some decent pots as well...but this pot is one that I (along with the rest of the table) was hoping I would lose. It was raised in MP, I called in the BB with AK...4 callers to the flop. Flop came KKx. I bet out, got called by the initial raiser plus one other caller. Turn brought an A. I bet, initial raiser called, other guy folded. River brought a 10. I bet out....and got raised. I can honestly say that I re-raised hoping that I was against AA (as that would have trigger the smaller bad beat jackpot). The guy thought for a bit...but called. My "Kings full" beat his "tens full". Ah well, no bad beat but I won a decent pot (it was a kill pot). Kinda amusing when all conversation at the table stops when a potential BBJ board exists with that kind of river action. Sorry guys.
5. Overall, everyone at the table was friendly. However, I really didn't get it when the 63o guy left his last two bucks on the table, said he would be back in a bit...and disappeared (his two bucks were removed and the seat was freed after a couple of big blinds are missed). A lot of the guys were pissed off that he couldn't have the two chips removed earlier. Ah well, I guess they didn't realize that it is a guy like this that will make you money over the long run. I was disappointed when the seat was freed up.
6. The "Lucky Lucky" side bet is still running. After my last trip, I sent off the payoff table to another discussion board (wizard of vegas) to ask what the house edge of the game is. In case anyone cares, the house edge is around 2.6%. Anyway, towards the end of the session, a guy sat down and played $20 on that side bet every hand. I've seen mostly a $2-$5 bet mostly on this thing. Apparently, the bet size is a little unusual as one of the dealers jokingly said to the guy "y'know, most people when they sit down here use their chips to play poker" which got a couple of laughs. I don't play that side bet.
7. One bit of etiquette to bring up. There was one hand where 3 people went to the river, the winning player tabled his hand...and the other two guys folded...pretty standard. Then, one of the other older guys (not in the hand) asked the dealer to turn over all the hands that went to the river as they were retrievable. I didn't say anything as (a) I consider myself a visitor here...this guy was a regular and (b) I wasn't involved in the hand either. I just think it is bad form to do that sort of stuff. Am I wrong here?
Anyway, I won some good pots....and lost some good pots. So, I made a big grand ole profit of $20 after about 5 hours of play. Probably enough to pay for the gas plus a few snacks at 7-11 on the way home. Ah well, I had fun. I might have another opportunity to go up again in a couple of months.
First of all, I should point out that I don't play a lot of live poker. I usually only get a chance to play live when the family is out of town. Since they were out of town for most of the weekend, I decided to drive to GBH to play a few hands to kill some time. I haven't been here in over a year and I haven't played limit poker since my Vegas trip last year. So, I called ahead and got myself on the 5-10 and 5-10 full kill lists and made the 30 minute drive.
The games on the board are the usual sort that I saw the last time that I was in the place:
- 5-10
- 5-10 Full Kill
- 10-20 1/2 kill
- 20-40 Omaha Hi 1/2 kill
- eventually a pineapple interest list went up as well plus another game (but that one eludes me right now)
Anyway, here are some observations:
1. Like I expected, there were a lot of familiar faces that were there the last time I came around. Some of these guys must live at the casino. One of the older guys at my table mentioned that he comes to play about 4 or 5 hours a day...almost every day. He looks like a retiree so I guess this is his "social club" of sorts. Being a recreational player, I can't see myself playing day after day after day like that.
2. I've come to the conclusion that there are no fish at the table...they are just psychics. For example, I raise pre-flop with AA....and a guy calls two bets cold with 63o. I guess he knew that he was going to flop two pair. Another hand, my set of nines got beat on the river by a straight. I guess this psychic kept calling with his gutshot as he knew he would hit it on the river. Lol. In all seriousness, these are the guys that I would want at my table when I sit down as, in the long term, they will be the ones to go broke (as the 63o guy did later on.....twice) and I should get their money long term. Fortunately, I got some of my money back from him beforehand. These kinds of hands lost me a fair bit of money...but that is how the game is I guess.
3. Another cold-deck hand...but this guy was a decent player so no complaints. He raised in LP and I called in the BB with KK. I could have re-raised I guess but it was heads-up so I just called. Flop came jack-high and he kept betting without hesitation. I was beginning to suspect I was up against at least top pair, so I just check-called the hand down. Sure enough, he had aces. I just showed my kings and mucked them. He actually complimented me in saying that he would have been more upset than I was if the situation was reversed. I guess I've learned to let this stuff roll off my back and get on with the next hand.
4. This isn't a "woe is me" post...as I won some decent pots as well...but this pot is one that I (along with the rest of the table) was hoping I would lose. It was raised in MP, I called in the BB with AK...4 callers to the flop. Flop came KKx. I bet out, got called by the initial raiser plus one other caller. Turn brought an A. I bet, initial raiser called, other guy folded. River brought a 10. I bet out....and got raised. I can honestly say that I re-raised hoping that I was against AA (as that would have trigger the smaller bad beat jackpot). The guy thought for a bit...but called. My "Kings full" beat his "tens full". Ah well, no bad beat but I won a decent pot (it was a kill pot). Kinda amusing when all conversation at the table stops when a potential BBJ board exists with that kind of river action. Sorry guys.
5. Overall, everyone at the table was friendly. However, I really didn't get it when the 63o guy left his last two bucks on the table, said he would be back in a bit...and disappeared (his two bucks were removed and the seat was freed after a couple of big blinds are missed). A lot of the guys were pissed off that he couldn't have the two chips removed earlier. Ah well, I guess they didn't realize that it is a guy like this that will make you money over the long run. I was disappointed when the seat was freed up.
6. The "Lucky Lucky" side bet is still running. After my last trip, I sent off the payoff table to another discussion board (wizard of vegas) to ask what the house edge of the game is. In case anyone cares, the house edge is around 2.6%. Anyway, towards the end of the session, a guy sat down and played $20 on that side bet every hand. I've seen mostly a $2-$5 bet mostly on this thing. Apparently, the bet size is a little unusual as one of the dealers jokingly said to the guy "y'know, most people when they sit down here use their chips to play poker" which got a couple of laughs. I don't play that side bet.
7. One bit of etiquette to bring up. There was one hand where 3 people went to the river, the winning player tabled his hand...and the other two guys folded...pretty standard. Then, one of the other older guys (not in the hand) asked the dealer to turn over all the hands that went to the river as they were retrievable. I didn't say anything as (a) I consider myself a visitor here...this guy was a regular and (b) I wasn't involved in the hand either. I just think it is bad form to do that sort of stuff. Am I wrong here?
Anyway, I won some good pots....and lost some good pots. So, I made a big grand ole profit of $20 after about 5 hours of play. Probably enough to pay for the gas plus a few snacks at 7-11 on the way home. Ah well, I had fun. I might have another opportunity to go up again in a couple of months.
Comments
Photo of member's first-place trophy, just like mine.
glad I stopped by anyway. I found the tourney to be a lot of fun with a lot of nice chaps, and the final table was very lively and friendly. I really enjoyed the entire day.
I've been an online player mostly over the last decade or so, but now with Buddy's nagging, I'll try to make an effort to play Brantford, Rama, or GBH when I can, and my schedule allows. Unfortunately I still have that thing called a job that prevents me from playing more than occasionally!
I haven't been active on the forum for quite a while, but I'll try to be more active going forward and perhaps meet some you you'all in the process!
Cheers
DirtArse
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