Lessons Learned

Visited the Horseshoe in Southern Indiana this Saturday for their grand opening. Poker room has been completely remodeled, not sure though that it's any better. Tables have a different logo in the center and the color of the room is different, not a big deal.

Arrived around noon and waited about 30 minutes for my table. As I was waiting and people watching a noticed a mature man walking to the counter holding a seat cushion. I make mental note that if someone brings a seat cushion to the casino then two things are for sure: 1) he plans on staying awhile, 2) this isn't his first rodeo and he probably knows how to play poker VERY well. My mental note was to not play at his table.

Horseshoe was running a grand opening special to give $5,000 away every 30 minutes from 1-6pm. 10 minutes prior to the first drawing they make an announcement that you had to swipe your Rewards Card in a special promotional card reader in order to qualify. I immediately start running toward the Rewards Counter to put my name in the hat for the drawing. When I get back to the poker room, my name had been called and I go to my table and who is sitting immediately to my left, Mr. Mature himself.

I get my chips and sat down and within the first few hands I find myself in a big pot with another older gentleman. I had Ace / Q suited and someone had already straddled the pot for $10 so I pre-flop raise it to $20 total, had two callers. Flop comes 9-Q-9 and I bet another $20 and one person reraised me another $40 making the bet $60. My gut told me that he had trips but I then thought that maybe he was trying to pull one over on me. Push the little lady at the table around, I won't stand for that, so I make the call. Turn comes some blank card, I check, he bets, I call. River comes another blank card, I check, he bets, I call. As I'm calling I say "You have trips right" he shakes he head yes and turns over J-9. Maybe my pre-flop raise of $20 wasn't enough to begin with. Why would someone call a $20 bet at a new table, new players, couple hands in with J-9 off suite?

Needless to say, this hand hurt not only my bankroll for the night but my confidence. I played for the next 5 hours like I was a beginner poker player, folding to raises, limping into pots with hands I should have been raising with. It was pathetic. It was a lesson for sure.

At around 7pm I left to go to the Barenaked Ladies concert and got back to the poker room around 10:30pm. During my 3 1/2 hour escape I managed to enjoy a few adult beverages which helped to get my mind back where it needed to be to make some money. I sat back down at the same table and oh by the way, the same mature guy with the seat cushion was still there!!! I played for another 4 hours and managed to make a profit for the entire day up around $250. Overall it was a good trip. Came home with more then I left with.

I learned allot about poker this weekend. I learned about how I play poker and what style of poker I play my best at. I learned to stick to my gut, even if I was wrong on that first hand, losing $40 is way better then losing $200.

I love live play, wish I could do it more often.

PEACE!