Monica and I just got back from a week in Orlando and Atlantis in the Bahamas. Thus no poker in a while.
Orlando was same old same old. Saw the family, went to Disneyworld, bought a bunch of stuff for Monica's nephew and nieces. But we had never been to the Bahamas.
Atlantis was beautiful and while the weather wasn't perfect - it rained Wednesday and was very windy Thursday - it was nice to get away from Seattle winter. That said I think we were both dissappointed. The prices were pretty outrageous; we were essentially paying "ballpark" prices all week. $4 for a bottle of water, $28 for the breakfast buffet. To me, everything was inflated about 100%. I wondered if I missed an exchange rate but I didn't. That said the food was excellent almost eveywhere we ate.
But I don't think we were disappointed as much by the prices as that service was disappointing almost eveywhere we went except for fine dining for dinner. The spa, the activities, the casual dining by the pool, housekeeping and maintenance all left something if not a lot to be desired. Our room was $$$$ and came with a cracked toliet seat.
One thing we did consistently notice was that the high prices did lead to a higher class of people. While Disney is expensive, you get visitors from almost every walk of life and lack of courtesy and common sense is the default. Can't remember the last time I didn't see a parked stroller with a camera in it begging to be stolen.
At Atlantis people had brains, were thoughful, nobody rushed to be first and it wasn't until breakfast the last day that we saw kids that weren't well behaved.
Sunday, February 28
Bahamas
Monica and I just got back from a week in Orlando and Atlantis in the Bahamas. Thus no poker in a while.
Orlando was same old same old. Saw the family, went to Disneyworld, bought a bunch of stuff for Monica's nephew and nieces. But we had never been to the Bahamas.
Atlantis was beautiful and while the weather wasn't perfect - it rained Wednesday and was very windy Thursday - it was nice to get away from Seattle winter. That said I think we were both dissappointed. The prices were pretty outrageous; we were essentially paying "ballpark" prices all week. $4 for a bottle of water, $28 for the breakfast buffet. To me, everything was inflated about 100%. I wondered if I missed an exchange rate but I didn't. That said the food was excellent almost eveywhere we ate.
But I don't think we were disappointed as much by the prices as that service was disappointing almost eveywhere we went except for fine dining for dinner. The spa, the activities, the casual dining by the pool, housekeeping and maintenance all left something if not a lot to be desired. Our room was $$$$ and came with a cracked toliet seat.
One thing we did consistently notice was that the high prices did lead to a higher class of people. While Disney is expensive, you get visitors from almost every walk of life and lack of courtesy and common sense is the default. Can't remember the last time I didn't see a parked stroller with a camera in it begging to be stolen.
At Atlantis people had brains, were thoughful, nobody rushed to be first and it wasn't until breakfast the last day that we saw kids that weren't well behaved.
Orlando was same old same old. Saw the family, went to Disneyworld, bought a bunch of stuff for Monica's nephew and nieces. But we had never been to the Bahamas.
Atlantis was beautiful and while the weather wasn't perfect - it rained Wednesday and was very windy Thursday - it was nice to get away from Seattle winter. That said I think we were both dissappointed. The prices were pretty outrageous; we were essentially paying "ballpark" prices all week. $4 for a bottle of water, $28 for the breakfast buffet. To me, everything was inflated about 100%. I wondered if I missed an exchange rate but I didn't. That said the food was excellent almost eveywhere we ate.
But I don't think we were disappointed as much by the prices as that service was disappointing almost eveywhere we went except for fine dining for dinner. The spa, the activities, the casual dining by the pool, housekeeping and maintenance all left something if not a lot to be desired. Our room was $$$$ and came with a cracked toliet seat.
One thing we did consistently notice was that the high prices did lead to a higher class of people. While Disney is expensive, you get visitors from almost every walk of life and lack of courtesy and common sense is the default. Can't remember the last time I didn't see a parked stroller with a camera in it begging to be stolen.
At Atlantis people had brains, were thoughful, nobody rushed to be first and it wasn't until breakfast the last day that we saw kids that weren't well behaved.
Monday, February 15
Tournament at Hideaway
I played the 2-5 game at Snoqualmie last Wednesday and had some huge swings. Was down two buy ins at one point. Quite honestly I wasn't playing well -- too loose and too passive. I got "fooled" on a big hand where my opponent took a lot of time to make his decision on the flop and looked like he was going to fold and I pegged him for weak. Instead he had flopped the nuts and I guess was pondering a raise.
I shaped up my play, hit some draws, made a couple of hero calls in big pots and wound up cashing out up a buy-in. That gets me close to even for the year.
This morning I decided to check out Hideaway with Meier. We'd popped in a couple of time since it re-opened a couple of years ago, but it never seemed inviting. Was the same four to six regulars and a couple of dealers hoping to get a 3-6 game started. But recently they've been advertising a pretty good structure for their daily tournaments so I figured I'd give it a try. I had the day off today for President's Day (yes really) and Meier is always happy to play in Shoreline casinos. It turns out we know the casino manager there. Mooske used to be the poker room manager at Treasure Casino and then Rascal's before both places removed their poker room; and while there ran the best low buy-in tournaments in town.
Unfortunately it was a bit of a last minute decision and we were both alternates. I didn't get in until the middle of the third level which put me at a disadvantage. After the break, it was push fest time -- my chip stack was so small my only choices were to go all-in or fold. I stole the blinds with 54s, then raised with KQs and was called by a shorter stack with 44 -- a really terrible play as he's either a slight favorite or a 4.5:1 dog if I have a pair -- flopped a king and knocked him out. Then I shoved with AK and took the blinds and had my M up to 9 and we broke to two tables.
From this point on I ran over the table, shoving liberally to pick off blinds which is the only way to play. Sometimes I had hands, but a lot of times I just had position. I believe of the perhaps 15-20 times I pushed all-in pre-flop the KQ v 44 hand was the only time I got called. In a key hand, a decent shack shoved, I found KK and re-shoved and didn't get unlucky against 66. At this point I finally had enough chips that I could raise without having to go all-in.
At the final table, the big stack was on my right and I continued to accumulate chips once he was out of the hand. I think we started the table with 165K for him and 120K for me. Key hand of the tournament. Blinds are 10K-20K and big stack (now #2 stack) is first to act min raises to 40K, I ask what he has left and he counts 150K. I shove for 230K total with AK, the BB tosses in her last few chips and #2 guy thinks a long time before folding JJ. BB shows QT (or something silly), I flop an ace and we're 5-handed and I have almost half the chips in play. It was easy from there especially since no one wanted to tangle with me.
Last hand I limp on the button with A7o, trying to trap. Flop is K-7-4 and my opponents pushes for about the size of the pot. I think a bit and can't believe he has a king and call. He shows 54 and doesn't suck out.
If only they were all this easy. Turned $50 into $565 in about 2.5 hours.
I shaped up my play, hit some draws, made a couple of hero calls in big pots and wound up cashing out up a buy-in. That gets me close to even for the year.
This morning I decided to check out Hideaway with Meier. We'd popped in a couple of time since it re-opened a couple of years ago, but it never seemed inviting. Was the same four to six regulars and a couple of dealers hoping to get a 3-6 game started. But recently they've been advertising a pretty good structure for their daily tournaments so I figured I'd give it a try. I had the day off today for President's Day (yes really) and Meier is always happy to play in Shoreline casinos. It turns out we know the casino manager there. Mooske used to be the poker room manager at Treasure Casino and then Rascal's before both places removed their poker room; and while there ran the best low buy-in tournaments in town.
Unfortunately it was a bit of a last minute decision and we were both alternates. I didn't get in until the middle of the third level which put me at a disadvantage. After the break, it was push fest time -- my chip stack was so small my only choices were to go all-in or fold. I stole the blinds with 54s, then raised with KQs and was called by a shorter stack with 44 -- a really terrible play as he's either a slight favorite or a 4.5:1 dog if I have a pair -- flopped a king and knocked him out. Then I shoved with AK and took the blinds and had my M up to 9 and we broke to two tables.
From this point on I ran over the table, shoving liberally to pick off blinds which is the only way to play. Sometimes I had hands, but a lot of times I just had position. I believe of the perhaps 15-20 times I pushed all-in pre-flop the KQ v 44 hand was the only time I got called. In a key hand, a decent shack shoved, I found KK and re-shoved and didn't get unlucky against 66. At this point I finally had enough chips that I could raise without having to go all-in.
At the final table, the big stack was on my right and I continued to accumulate chips once he was out of the hand. I think we started the table with 165K for him and 120K for me. Key hand of the tournament. Blinds are 10K-20K and big stack (now #2 stack) is first to act min raises to 40K, I ask what he has left and he counts 150K. I shove for 230K total with AK, the BB tosses in her last few chips and #2 guy thinks a long time before folding JJ. BB shows QT (or something silly), I flop an ace and we're 5-handed and I have almost half the chips in play. It was easy from there especially since no one wanted to tangle with me.
Last hand I limp on the button with A7o, trying to trap. Flop is K-7-4 and my opponents pushes for about the size of the pot. I think a bit and can't believe he has a king and call. He shows 54 and doesn't suck out.
If only they were all this easy. Turned $50 into $565 in about 2.5 hours.
Monday, February 1
Hunny Bear climbs into bed
For a blog named for Hunny Bear, there's not actually much about Hunny Bear in the blog.
But yesterday Hunny Bear did something we've been trying to get him to do for years. And we're very proud of him! A few years ago we got a Tempur-Pedic bed and found that with the thicker mattress and his advanced age, Hunny Bear could no longer jump on the bed to sleep with us. So we got some pet steps and put them next to the bed. (They don't quite look like the picture but you get the idea.) He wouldn't go near them. Emily immediately ran up them. Every foster dog or dog we've dog sat ran up them into bed. Hunny Bear wouldn't touch them. If you put his front paws on the first step, he stepped off.
We tried off and on to teach him, but finally we put the steps away. But in the new house we have them out. For the first time yesterday, Hunny Bear used the steps to walk into bed without any physical assistance. I patted the bottom step and once he stepped on, I patted the second step, and he stepped up and figured the rest out from there. And he just repeated the behavior tonight.
I only wonder what took him so long to try it.
But yesterday Hunny Bear did something we've been trying to get him to do for years. And we're very proud of him! A few years ago we got a Tempur-Pedic bed and found that with the thicker mattress and his advanced age, Hunny Bear could no longer jump on the bed to sleep with us. So we got some pet steps and put them next to the bed. (They don't quite look like the picture but you get the idea.) He wouldn't go near them. Emily immediately ran up them. Every foster dog or dog we've dog sat ran up them into bed. Hunny Bear wouldn't touch them. If you put his front paws on the first step, he stepped off.
We tried off and on to teach him, but finally we put the steps away. But in the new house we have them out. For the first time yesterday, Hunny Bear used the steps to walk into bed without any physical assistance. I patted the bottom step and once he stepped on, I patted the second step, and he stepped up and figured the rest out from there. And he just repeated the behavior tonight.
I only wonder what took him so long to try it.
Wild poker action last weekend
I played at Snoqualmie last Saturday night. Weekends are usually good games because everyone is out having fun and thus the play is more relaxed. You don't often get "drunk tourist" locally like to do in Las Vegas, but on Saturday night there's a lot more drinking.
It was one of the wildest sessions I've had in a while -- up a bit, down a lot, back to ahead, and finally down a bit. In a short four hours I had a ton of hands. AA, KK, QQ, JJ twice, AK at least three times, KQ, AJ, 88, probably some others I forget.
That said, a lot of medium pots but no huge pots. I don't think I saw the turn with any of the big hands.
I'll never understand why people enjoy getting plastered while playing poker. A social drink sure, but what's the fun in paying $30/drink because you're so out of it you're giving away your money. That said, I'm happy to relieve stupid people of their cash; that's much of why I play poker.
It was one of the wildest sessions I've had in a while -- up a bit, down a lot, back to ahead, and finally down a bit. In a short four hours I had a ton of hands. AA, KK, QQ, JJ twice, AK at least three times, KQ, AJ, 88, probably some others I forget.
That said, a lot of medium pots but no huge pots. I don't think I saw the turn with any of the big hands.
I'll never understand why people enjoy getting plastered while playing poker. A social drink sure, but what's the fun in paying $30/drink because you're so out of it you're giving away your money. That said, I'm happy to relieve stupid people of their cash; that's much of why I play poker.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
