Any gamblers here?

I go to Vegas 2-3 times a year. If I could stick to poker I'd probably make a killing, but it's usually with people I don't see often and its not as social, so blackjack and lapdances always seem to wipe out any wins I put together.

Gambling is the greatest thing ever - ask my casino hosts.

When hanging with friends, it's usually poker, which I almost always come out ahead at. When going to a casino, roullette's my drug of choice, though I usually only play for enough money to pay for my night.

My stories are pretty boring, since I only take money I can afford to lose...

But my last trip to Vegas was at New Year's, and sandwiched around the party was some poker. I hadn't played much recently, so was pretty awful, and got down a couple hundred. The last night before the flight out, my friend lost his wallet (we were seriously wondering how he'd get home, not realizing the airlines aren't completely rigid on ID), and I was down another hundred. This one guy was bullying everyone left and right with what had to be mediocre hands. I got sick of him, which made me more aggressive (in a good way), and despite the chill running down my spine, I shoved my last $200 in on 2 pair. He scanned me for a year and a half, then finally folded. We went head-to-head anumber of times after that, and through a combination of good bets and nice cards (flopping a straight never hurts) I ended up ahead $300 for the trip, nearly all taken from 1 jerk. That felt nice.

(My friend found his wallet too! Although he lost it again a week later... some things can't be fixed by good luck!)

I live in a state in which a casino is never far away.

When going, I usually play blackjack and slots, although I'll sit at the poker tables infrequently. I usually prefer playing poker with friends on my own time, though.

This is probably just a coincidence, but whenever I play at one of the Indian casinos in Marksville or Kinder, I always leave up. Whenever I play at Harrah's or Horsehoe, I always leave down. Especially at Louisiana Downs. I blame the white man.

I like the track the best. I get bored when playing poker and throw hands.

I used to feel that way, but I started playing them while waiting for some space at a table to come open, and I made 100 bucks in about five minutes. They're a decent time killer, but if you aren't careful you can lose everything really quickly.

I love gambling. When it comes to casino gambling I only play Blackjack and Craps. Craps is probably the most fun game ever invented. I enjoy a good friendly game of Texas Hold'Em with my friends as well even though we rarely play. I also play Fantasy Football and put the occassional bet on a sports game too if I'm feeling lucky. But I prefer Fantasy Football with some serious stakes for sports betting as I love the analytical side of it and think it takes so much skill.

Vegas is one of the greatest places on Earth. You just can't beat Vegas if you like to gamble. It is so damn pretty and there are countless things to do. My wife hates gambling but she loves shows and good restaurants so she's up for Vegas trips. Hell, if you hate gambling you can still spend a day people watching/window-shopping at Ceasar's and then hang out at the Hard Rock pool for a while and still have a great time. I really enjoy old Vegas too down on Fremont for a more laid back experience and cheaper food. Oh, and if you've never done it spend a day in the Vegas Hilton doing sports book during March Madness. Awesome.

Atlantic City is old, dirty and smelly but they have some decent tables game. If you want to vacation or have a ton of fun skip AC and go to Vegas. AC is only worthwhile if you're local and bored. I learned to play Craps at AC while working in Philly so it does hold a special place in my heart.

Carribbean casinos are generally shitty little holes with the exception of Atlantis which has a fine casino. And one with sunlight and windows too which was unusual but pleasant. Casinos on cruiseships are lousy in my experience.

I love gambling. I fucking hate slots.

When I do gamble, I stick to the Indian casinos around the Twin Cities (there are a ton of them). I have decent luck in those, and I usually leave up (not by much, but up nonetheless). I went to Vegas a few years ago and only ended up down $200 for the entire trip, but I spent most of the time doing the shows and whatnot.

When I do gamble, it's strictly on blackjack tables. I like the game because it involves alot of actual thinking, not just blind luck like slots or roullette. I rarely gamble anymore, though. I hate to lose MORE than I like to win.

I play poker. My weekly poker night is a really mean game. Counting myself there are three players who are Pro level players, and three or four other who are really good. It not like I don't play a lot of flops, in an average night I only with about ten or fifteen hands in five or seven hours, but I almost alway come out ahead. anyone who says luck is not a big factor in poker is a moron. That said skill can make up a lot for a lot of luck, in the long run. We play hold' em and Oklahoma. hold' em is a easy game compared to Oklahoma. The only poker game harder then Oklahoma is five card stud. Also the pot size in Oklahoma are huge three hundred dollar happen quit a bit, and we also get one five hundred plus hand or more in a night, and that is with just hundred dollar buy ins.

Yesterday Pokerstars started their Spring Championship of Online Poker. Being a degenerate with no self control, I decided to take what's left of my online poker bankroll and put it all forward. This will probably be gibberish to most folks, but figured I'd track my progress on here.

Note: these are both rebuy events, meaning that players get a specified amount of chips for one buy-in, say 2000, but can pay to receive another stack any time they have equal or less than 2000 left. This is allowed until the first break, usually 1 hour in, where one "add-on" is allowed. There is hardly ever a reason not to take the add-on, as it usually gives out more than original 2000 for the same price and is available regardless of stack size.

What this means is that for competent players, the buy-in a rebuy tournament is at least 3 times the stated price, and frequently 7-10. It's becoming more and more popular for players to go absolutely nuts during the rebuy period, buying in over and over until they win a couple hands in a row and have a huge stack to play with. It's not a half bad idea; 2 years ago pro Daniel Negreanu placed 3rd in a $1,000 rebuy event at the World Series of Poker after buying in 48 times, and still managed to clear $90k in profit!

Event 1: $5 Rebuy event
Runners: 27,134
Finish: 13, 541st

An inauspicious beginning, but I had to take a stab at this absolutely insane prize pool, with over $40k to the winner in an event where the average runner dropped less than 30 bucks. I got in for the minimum, but couldn't get much going after the first break. I had a healthy stack, but then I got into a small blind vs. big blind confrontation with 99 on a 10 7 10 5 3 board and lost to aces, taking a fairly big hit. It's always tough to put someone on a hand that big in a blind/blind scenario, which was compounded by the tables being 6-handed rather than the full 9 or 10. The very next hand I picked up QQ against KK and that was that.

Result: -$15.50

Event 2: $55 Rebuy
Total Runners: 4057
Finish: 102

First of all, there is absolutely no excuse for my playing this event. I completely did not have the funds to play it correctly, but decided I'd see how far I could get off just the initial buy-in. Turns out it was pretty far, as there were 600 people paid, and I made it through almost 98% of the total field. I'm really happy with the quality of my play; good cards had absolutely nothing to do with how far I got. In fact, there were 3 different times when I put over half my stack in as a 3-1 or better favorite and lost. Any one of those beats could easily be enough to end a tournament, but I persevered. I also never drew out on anyone in a significant way. All in all, this was a real confidence builder, although if my opponent hadn't rivered an inside straight against my flopped top 2 pair on the last hand, I would've had a good shot at a serious goddamn payday.

Result: +$647

Now I have the money to play in some of the events over the weekend, and I'm feeling predatory.

Typically if I go to a casino (which is almost never), I play Blackjack or Roulette. To any roulette players, how do you approach playing?

I've just started to play poker. Any tips for a newbie?

We have a free weekly game at a local bar (for no money though) that I've been going to to practice/learn. It's nice, because everyone takes it serious and typically plays as if it's real money.

I used to play a ton of online poker at Doyle's Room, Bodog, and Full Tilt. I played really intensely for a few years, but have settled down in my old age. I played a lot of Sit n Gos, and still play micro buy-in Sit n' Gos at PokerStars a few times a week. I did pretty well, but probably could have made more hourly by working at Hardee's. I go to Vegas about once a year and sit some at the poker tables. But usually get pulled over to the Blackjack tables by my cousin and lose fast and furious. He has a shaved head like Vin, so I guess it fits. I love Poker - esp games like Razz and 7-card Stud. That's why I still have a little money at PokerStars - you can actually find people there that want to play those games. I won almost $3 in a PL 5-Card Draw game the other day. On my way to riches.

I could wax on for hours, but basically, if you're playing NL tournaments, you need to keep in mind that the blind structure and stack sizes are at least as important than your cards after a while. Generally, you want to play pretty tight early one when the blinds are small and loosen up and start raising a lot when they get big. Hopefully, your opponents won't realize that your standards have changed for awhile and you can steal some pots/blinds that are bigger than the early ones without resistance.

I'd recommend stopping by a bookstore and browsing the Harrington On Hold em books, particularly Volume II, for a NL tournament crash course.

It might sound silly, but this is what i usually do: I start off betting corners (5 chips or less). Once I've won twice, I start betting splits (9 chips or less) and once I've won that at least once I start playing straight up (17 chips or less). I almost uniformly double or triple my money. It's when I start betting like a madman that I end up losing all my chips.

And as far as poker goes, I'd go with what Schwartz says. Pay to see the flop with any promising hand, but other than that play as tightly as possible until the blinds go up. It also allows you to bluff people who think you only play with monster hands.

Thanks, guys. That's the perfect small time poker advice for me at the moment.

I had been playing fairly conservative and just folding when I didn't have anything great and had no blinds out, then stealing some blinds later. I've been establishing a reputation for only playing when I really have something good, so that I can then bluff some people out of big hands later when I only have something like a good pair or two pairs. Probably not smart, like I said, I'm a total noob. Tuesday was my 6th poker game ever.

Typical story: My first game was a house game, tournament style for money. I won the whole thing ($350) from a $10 buy in. Me = hooked.

Thanks for that. You think your's sounds silly... I usually just play red/black and pray I win more than I lose. I actually do pretty good most of the time. I bet corners sometimes too, but have no real strategy.

And by 5 chips or less, you mean you bet 5 different corners? Or 5 chips on one corner?

I mean 5 corners. Those first couple of spins are just to warm up, 'cause nothing's worse than losing all your money on the first roll of the night.


One other thing about poker - and this has probably been one of the most useful things I've learnt: Know when to raise pre-flop and not just see the bet! Knocking people out of a hand early is one of the surest ways to win later on.

Went to Vegas about two weeks ago.

Came out up around 150 total in gambling. Down with everything else around 50.

I play blackjack and roulette. With roulette, i put one chip on 0, one chip on 00, and two chips in between em. If the table is 5 minimum, then i put the fifth dollar in the middle.

Went 26 rolls without a 0 or a 00. Lost 100. Took another 100 out and played in 3 rolls and hit it. Made 69. Two rolls later, hit it again. Won another 69. Hit it five rolls after that, made another 69. Lost another 100 after it didn't hit again for 25 or so rolls. Then with my last six chips, I threw down 2 on each and hit 00. Pulled in around 105. Lost another 60. Then, put 9 chips down and hit 0. Won 150 or so. Ended up around 150 up for the night.

I dig the 0 and 00 route, but you could technically pick any two numbers next to each other and get the same odds. I just like 0 and 00 cause they stand out.

Well, when would be a good time to do that? If it's before the flop, I guess you just want to make sure you have something good (i.e. a pair, suited, or a possible straight-suited?)


Another thing, I know basically NONE of this poker lingo, and people get irritated (not all, most are nice) when I just look at them like, "huh?" when they start talking about rivers and boats and tilts, etc. Haha. It actually works to my advantage most of the time. Though, I'm trying to learn it all (not asking for that education here, I can look that stuff up).

Not always about the cards you have. Position plays a big part, too. Basically if you're going to act after someone after the flop, you have position on them, so the closer you are to being behind the button or being on the button - the better the position.

And if we're talking before the flop, don't raise or re-raise unless you have pocket queens, kings, aces, or ace-king suited until you get past the first several levels. There's no sense in overcommitting yourself to crackable monster hands when blinds are cheap.

Regardless of your knowledge of pot odds, strategy, poker-facing, player-reading, etc., you will never be really good at poker until you don't give two shits about losing the money/chips in front of you, regardless of how much is there.

Took me too long to learn that lesson. When I finally did, I quit playing poker for anything more than the chumpest of change for the purpose of a few hours of entertainment.

Stupid question... is "on the button" when you're the last one to bet?

It's the seat right before the small and big blinds. And then last to bet post-flop.

Micah has retired from poker. Which makes me sad, because he was formidable.

Today's batch of events just started. They're all turbos today, which are total crapshoots, but I've done well in them in the long run. We have a $16, a $162, and a $1575 (which I won a seat into through a $33 satellite tournament). Wish me luck, cuz it takes a boatload to win one of these things.

Event 3: $16.50 turbo (2x chance)
Runners: 14496
Finish: 8550

This is a 2x chance tourney, which differs from a rebuy in that for the first 90 minutes, you can buy in one more time, and only if you go all out. This being a turbo, however, there's not much point since the blinds will already have outpaced the starting stack by so much.

Couldn't get anything going in this one. Next!

Result: -$32.50

What would you gents say to a little CHUD tournament on PokerStars? Even if it's just five bucks, it might be cool to destroy each other at a private table one Sunday. Or every Sunday.

Event 4: $162 turbo (2x chance)
Runners: 2887
Finish: 729

This one paid 414 places, so I came up a bit short. No real story, just didn't get much to play and the blinds kept sprinting up until I was short and had to jam preflop with a9, a hand I wouldn't play at all in a normal game. That's turbo tourneys for ya.

Result: -$162

Kimbell, I'd definitely do that, although I've never played private tables, so you'd have to tell me how it works.

Event 5: $1575 turbo (2x chance)
Runners: 552
Finish: 102

This was basically a free ride, as I got a 1500 buy-in through a 33 satellite. The minimum payout of $5500 would've pretty nice if I coulda made it to 63rd, but I took my shots when I had to. Never got in as a significant underdog, but just couldn't win the races when I needed to, which is all turbos come down to after the first 40 minutes or so. Last hand had 22 shove into my AQ and couldn't improve.

Result: -$33

Tough day today, as I was fairly close to cashing in both the bigger games and went out of both of them almost simultaneously. But that's the nature of the beast, and I certainly wasn't expecting to win any of them. Skill can't get you through turbos (although it doesn't hurt), so I consider playing them like buying a lotto ticket. When things go right, they seem like the easiest things in the world, but they'll drive you nuts if you let them.

Fairly easy, Schwartz, you just input a password (posted here or PMed or whatever) that one of us has set, and after that it's a regular one-table tournament. I've never started one, but I'm sure I'd be able to figure it out.

Used to bet quite a bit on the dogs and horses. Can't recall whether I finished in credit or not. Probably not.

Had a brief but nasty encounter with slot machines.

I'm...not that retired anymore.

I'd love to play a CHUD tourney on PokerStars. $5 + .50 sounds about right.

Let's rock & roll...

Today is shootouts. These are basically a series of 1 table tournaments, with the winners of each table going on the next round, where the blinds and stacks reset and they play another single table tournament

Event 6: $162 Triple Shootout
Runners: 1000
Finish: 842

Really unhappy with my performance here, as I gave away a big portion of my stack on a bluff that I made not because I had any reason to believe it would work, but because I'd put a lot into the pot already and I had no chance of winning otherwise. I should've cut my losses, but now its just a reminder that it's not enough to know better if you do the stupid thing anyway. The upshot of this mistake was that a bit later when I picked up JJ and the chip leader raised in front of me, my stack was so small that calling and evaluating the flop wasn't an option. I had to go all-in and hope it held up against his AK, but of course the A was the first card out.

These "finishes" are a little misleading. It's more accurate to say I finished 7th out of 10. Which is still shite.

Result: -$162

Event 7: $16.50 Quadruple Shootout
Runners: 9058
Finish: 4261

I went to an early lead, then went one of the worst runs of cards I've ever had. It wasn't that I was getting crap every hand, it was that I was getting good starting cards and just couldn't connect them to the board to save my life, which is actually far worse than getting 72 every time. I lost 7 straight showdowns, and when you play as aggressively as I was, that's not something you can survive. Finished 4th in the first round.

Result: -$16.50

The good news is that in the meantime, I won a seat in tomorrow's $3,150 event from a $125 satellite, so it's hard to imagine I won't end the day way in the black. I don't think I'm going to play it, since I can basically return it for store credit to buy into a bunch of smaller games. Eggs in one basket and such.

When is a good time for everyone? My first guess would be Sunday afternoon.

I generally spend all afternoon and evening playing the big Sunday tournaments anyway, so whenever works for me.

I might be going to a movie show and then some other things - but I'm down. Hopefully, I get back in time. Please let me know PM or this thread.

Thanks.

Night-ish may be better both for dudes with lil' taters (Justin, myself) and degen poker pros hitting every Sunday tournament in existence. Sunday after 8?

James, how does making it work? Is it standardized, or can you tweak starting stacks, round length, etc.?

Schwartz, I can choose the game and limits. (And I'm assuming we'll stick with NLHE, at least on the first try.) After that, it's time, price, name, etc. but nothing else about the actual play or tournament structure.

Micah, I do have class early on Monday, but 8:00 would be fine, especially since we don't have a huge group and the game shouldn't take too long.

Okay, if no one objects, I will start the table tonight at 8 and give people 24 hours to sign up.

Sounds good, just post the name and password here. I wouldn't be surprised if we get a full table; there seems to 5 of us up for it already, and there hasn't been much time at all for the word to spread.