Low Limit Lounging

Had an enjoyable lunch with a new friend over at JJ’s Boulangerie at the Paris. I have another engagement for dinner, and so I decided in the interim to squeeze in a little low limit hold ‘em this afternoon. Like I said, best to do this now, before all them thousands of WSOPers come roaring into town.

I went back to the MGM, where I’ve been starting things the last couple of times I’ve been to Vegas. The last time I played there was April of last year (wrote about it here). Not really superstition carrying me back, but simply a desire to play my first session in a familiar place.

Got on the list and within a few minutes had my seat at a game of 2/4 LHE. Everything was pretty much the same, other than the new brown felt they’ve laid down on the tables. First hand was dealt 9-7-offsuit in the big blind, got to see the flop for free, and flopped top two. Easy, this game. One fellow paid me down and I was up about ten bucks right off the top.

That would actually be my high point. I held even for a while, then lost a chunk on a hand where I turned two pair with K-Q on the same card that gave my opponent Broadway. Climbed back after successfully sucking out an open-ended straight draw, then fell down again a few chips at a time until after two-and-a-half hours or so I finally decided I was ready to leave. I was around ten bucks down and already had the chip rack in my lap when I was dealt my last hand. I was UTG, and looked down, prepared to push the cards back to the dealer and be on my way.

Pocket tens.

A couple of months ago I was writing about this very situation -- yr just about to leave, and dammned if you ain’t handed a situation from which you cannot reasonably walk away. I raised it up, and two players called from late position. And so did the small blind. And why-the-hell-not so did the big blind. Ugh. Five players, twenty bucks in the middle, and I have pocket tens.

How is this possibly going to work . . . ?

How about a flop of 6-6-10?

Sweet sassy molassey. I checked it, as did the rest of the table. The turn brought an eight and I slowly pushed four chips out. All folded. (Sorry for the anticlimax, folks.) “I’m out,” I said, sticking with the original plan. Walked away six bucks in the black.

Am really hoping to play some mixed games and get away from hold ’em, if I can manage it. Would love, of course, to play PLO, but I can’t imagine I’ll find any game with a limit low enough for my comfort level.

Will keep my eyes open, though. Am gonna be here awhile.