So, tonight I went and played poker for the first time since December. The company I used to play with has had porblmes, and now my local bar has a different company running things.
This one, instead of having redeemable points redeemable for stuff that they only give to first place ( that they STILL haven't sent me since I ordered them in October); gives you a $20 gift certificate (to the bar/restaurant that we were sitting in) for first, or a $10 for second.
That part is cool. Unfortunately they also only start you off with a 2000 stack (I'm used to a 4000 or 5000 stack); which means changing your betting patterns and habits quite a lot.
Oh, and as a bonus, the restaurant has GREATLY improved the quality of their food since I last played. The menu is the same, but they've improved the way they prepare the food.
Anyway, the 7 o'clock session ended up with 4 full tables of 8; though it started a few minutes late (when we started we had two tables of 6 and two of 7).
I started off going up a bit on conservative play, then doubled up to 4000 off a donkey maybe 15 hands in (right at the first blind raise).
I went back and fourth around 4000 for a while, then doubled up again on a double take out when I flopped the straight and slow played two guys with trips to the river.
Then back and forth again getting up to about 12000 just before final table; but I called off 4000 on two pair when the other guy had the boat, a few hands into final table.
Then I pulled one out of my ass, and rivered a flush on a double all in, and tripled up to 24,000. At that point there were just three of us, and I had half the chips on the table.
JohnOC was one of the other guys, and the thrid was a guy I'd never played before. John took half the guys remaining chips, I got the rest on a straight when he had trips; and we were heads up.
Again.
We've been in that position a lot; and Johns normal supertight play style tends to put him at a disadvantage in heads up; so he decides to play hard, and starts making all-in-or-fold plays.
I had a solid play, and he outkicked me, to end up even; and then two hands later we both get queens, but he ends up with two pair, and I don't; for the whole thing.
All in all a good night for a rusty man. It mostly paid for my dinner anyway, which is great.
