Sorry for not posting in so long. It’s not because I haven’t had anything to say, or haven’t been playing poker. I’ve been playing far too much. I just haven’t gotten around to writing anything.

Last weekend was my brother’s party. It wasn’t a typical bachelor party. No strippers, and not that much drinking. Just a lot of poker. We took a limo (supposedly a ten person, but we learned that that includes the driver and passenger seat, apparently) down from Manhattan to Atlantic City. The ride down was interesting, but I won’t go into any details, to spare certain people from unneeded drunken embarassment. You don’t really want to know anyway, trust me.

We arrived at the Tropicana and checked in. Before we got to the rooms, I put one quarter in a slot machine, doubled my money, and cashed out. I was already up for the weekend. We dropped all our stuff off in the rooms, and then grabbed a cab (well, two) to the Sands to play in the Friday night tournament. Turns out it was limit hold ’em, with no rebuys. None of us did particularly well, though my two brothers lasted the longest. I got absolutely zero good starting hands, and the guy to my left would never fold to a blind steal. I didn’t even try, actually, as I don’t think I ever saw him fold a hand preflop. He must have been doing something right though, because he got a whole lot more chips than I did. I finally ended up all in with an A7, and lost. It was only $35, though, and it was fun.

The Sands poker room is pretty bad. I tried for 20 minutes before the tournament to get a seat at the 2/4 table. There were names on a list in front of me, and they called the first one. No one ever showed up, but I had to let them know, and ask them to finally call the next name. I eventually sat down and got to play for 13 minutes before the tournament started. I got one flush draw that missed, and lost $22. That would be my last losing session of the weekend. (Thanks to Poker Journal for all these numbers.) After I busted out, I played 3/6 for 25 minutes and made a whopping $1. The Sands poker room is not a non-smoking room (though there was no smoking in the tournament area), and I don’t think I’ll be going back any time soon (not that I’ll be in AC again any time soon, either).

We went to Hooters for dinner, and then sat down at the Trop poker room. It was much bigger, much nicer, and much better run than the Sands. It was also completely non-smoking, which is a good thing. I played 2/4 for about 2 hours and made $11. I guess that’s not too bad in BB/hr. My first hand, I get dealt AA. I raise it up, and get a few callers. The flop and turn are 3467, and there’s a bet and a raise before me, so I figure I’m beat. Someone has to have a 5. I fold. At the end, they turn over KJ and Ax. Ace high wins the pot. Oh well. I get AA again two hands later, and it holds up (and I don’t fold, this time). I don’t think there were any other terribly interesting hands

We took a break from playing the live game to run a small tournament in the room. I took second place, and got my money back. I don’t really remember much of it, but one hand I do remember: I get AQo UTG. I raise it up my normal 3xBB. It folds around to my younger brother, who looks at me and says, “Ace-Queen, huh?” and pushes all in. I knew he probably didn’t have me beat, but I folded and showed my AQ. He turns over T8 or T7. I still don’t know how he knew. I make that same raise with any hand I want to raise with.

After the tournament, most of us head back down to the poker room. I don’t remember too many hands from the session. In fact, I only remember one. I’m dealt Q9o in the big blind. Someone in early position raises, and enough people call that I pretty much have to. Flop comes QQx, and I bet, and get two callers. Turn is another Q. I bet the turn and river, and get two callers. They pretty much know what I have, but are calling me anyway. At showdown, I turn over my cards and say, “Is four queens good?” The preflop raiser shows his AA. I finish this session (2/4) up $67.

Unfortunately, at almost 6am I decide to sleep. Even more unfortunately, everyone lets me sleep until almost 2:30. What a waste of time I could have been playing poker. I get up, get showered, and head down to the poker room again, where everyone else is. This time, I sit down at 4/8. I only remember one hand from this table as well. I get K8s in late position, and call. Flop comes T8x, none of my suit. There’s a bet before me, and I call. Turn is another 8. same guy bets, I raise, and he reraises. I figure he could have T8, or TT, so I just call. River pairs my K, giving me eights full. He bets again, and figuring he could have tens full, I just call. He turns over A8, and I rivered someone else for a change. I apologize to him as I’m collecting my chips. This session ends at around 5 (+$59) and we all head over to the Borgata.

At the Borgata, we first head over to the Old Homestead to see if we can get in early, even though our reservation wasn’t for another two hours. That fails, so we go check out the poker room. It is by far the nicest poker room I’ve seen, and they have an all electronic waiting list system. It’s very cool, but it’s also a three hour or so wait. Unfortunately, we instead go and play regular table games, and I drop $100 playing Caribbean Stud, which I swore I’d never play again after I played hold ’em for the first time. It was mildly entertaining, but I’m still upset with myself for doing it. About 7:15 we go back to the restaurant, and in my boredom I put $5 in a slot machine. I prefer the https://www.aw-gaming.com/casino-wizard-vip-table-games/ gambling machines. I finish with $7, and then it’s time for dinner. I came out +$2.25 on slots games like irish luck slot for the weekend. The steak at the Old Homestead was quite possibly the best (and biggest) steak I’ve ever had. Also probably the most expensive. If you’re craving for delicious steaks, then order premium Texas meat online now at We Speak Meat. We pass on dessert, and head back to the poker room. The wait’s now only an hour, but we decide to skip it and head back to the Trop.

We play another tourney in the room, and I bust out third (top two pay) when my 96 two pair is beat by Brad’s K6 two pair. I hang around until the end, and then head back down to the poker room. I sit down at 2/4 for ten minutes, waiting for the big blind to get to me when I seat opens up at 4/8, so I switch. One nice hand from this session: I’m dealt JJ in early position, and raise. It gets reraised, so I cap. Flop comes QJx. I bet, get raised, reraise, and the other guy raises and says cap. It’s just the two of us left, so the dealer says there’s no cap. I just call, anyway, figuring he could have QQ. Turn is a J, and I checkraise. River is a blank, and I bet and get called. I flip my four jacks, and he shows me his aces. Twice in one weekend, I crack aces with quads. Not bad. I finish the session +$146 in 3.5 hours.

At 4am, we break for dessert. We go to Horizon’s, where Brad has a rematch with their Strawberry Tall Cake after six years, and loses again, not even finishing half of it. I eat about a quarter of my chocolate cake, and we eventually head back to (where else?) the Trop poker room. I play an uneventful 2/4 session for three hours (+$7), and then head up to the room to pack up. I sleep the limo ride back to Penn Station.

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