To start the night, I was ready to play the 7:00 tournament ($20 with 1-$20 rebuy/add-on). But since I got there a little early, I decided to waste some time at a cash game. There were only 3 tables going, but they were a $400 max Omaha table (where each person already had almost $1000), a $200 max Round-by-Round and a $100 max Hold'em table. Since I only brought $200 to lose that night and I needed to keep $40 for the tournament, I decided to take $80 to the hold'em table.
Not a whole lot exciting happened there, I wasted some time and lost $10, but only because I wanted to see a flop on my last (pre-tournament) hand. The guy to my right had made it $10 pre-flop and I had Q-J offsuit. I didn't hit anything on the flop, folded and went to play the tournament.
The tournament did not go very well at all for me. We start with 8000 in chips and after the first 2 hands, I was down to 7300. On the first hand, I called the 50 big blind, then someone raised it to 350 and with 4 other callers, I decided to see a flop with my J-10 suited. The flop completely missed me and I folded to a bet. Virtually the same thing on the 2nd hand, 'cept I had 4-4.
After that, the cards went completely dead for me. I was at a very active table, but I couldn't even get 2 cards to see a flop with. The good news is I was in a patient mood and was okay folding a lot. But, I don't think I've seen cards that bad for that long in awhile. I called a few times before the flop and never hit. I don't think I saw a turn card (with cards in my hand) in the first 45 minutes of the tournament. With the break coming up, I was getting a little impatient and started called with stupid cards and still not hitting. With 2 minutes to go before the break, I went bust and decided to re-buy. My re-buy 8000 chips didn't last me very long into the tournament, I lost a decent hand and then just bled chips until they were gone.
Oh well, out of the tourney and back to a cash game. Since I love Omaha, I really wanted to play the $200 max round-by-round game but I didn't think I could afford it and I didn't want to sit down with only one buy-in. Although looking at the table, there weren't any real big stacks. I think 1 person had about $400 and 2 people had around $250-300. The rest were below $200. I knew I had enough money for two buy-ins, just in case I go broke with my first.
I sat down at the table with $130 before 8:30p. The short version is that I left the table when it closed at 1:30a. And, I ended up cashing out with $978. Whether or not I was making money, it was one of the most fun times I've had at a poker table. People were all in a good mood, talkative and mostly good players. I don't expect I'll ever be able to repeat it though, because there was 1 major factor that kept the players re-buying and the keeping the game from breaking when someone left.
At about 9:45, the charity ran out of chips to sell. Small explanation: in a charity run poker game, the charity is limited, by State regulations, to sell no more than $15,000 worth of chips total. The reason that became an advantage for our game is because the big stacks, would sell of some of their chips to new players and players who had just gone broke. Normally that is forbidden at a poker table unless the cash stays on the table. However, it was tolerated by the other players because it was the only way to bring new money to the table. And, since you can't play with cash at the table, any money you got from selling your chips would go into your pocket, saving you from losing it in any future hand. This kept people coming to the table since buying in for $200, or $100 didn't make you that much of a short-stack when you first sat down.
There were lots of big pots I was involved in, but mostly they were forgettable. I do remember at least 2 different hands where I had lost $200+. Now, I just dream about having cashed out with $400 more. :)
One couple memorable hand was:
Probably my 4th Omaha hand, I had flopped top 2 pair, but there was a flush draw and a straight draw. There was probably $100 in the pot and I bet $35. Everyone else folded 'cept for a player who I knew was a regular player. He thought for a long time and then showed me 2 of his cards (the nut flush draw) and said "If you let me take $20 back, I'll fold. I thought for a minute, but it only made sense, so I said "yes. Besides, I was too new to know whether that was smart for me and I was just happy enough winning the pot and some money.
Needless to say, I'm hooked on playing Omaha and adding the Hold'em round back in, is a nice change of pace.
If I continue to have nights like this, who knows what might happen. :)
Given to Family ($108)
Poker Fund (+650)
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