Harrahs New Orleans (I Hate Suckouts)

After getting lost looking for the hotel (post signs on every street please) I checked in and headed right over to Harrahs at 5pm. The poker room is VERY nice with a separate area for higher stakes games, plenty of plasma screens and a plasma for the waiting list. They had 3 1/2 and 1 2/5 NL games going. There were four people on the 2/5 list and there was no list for the 1/2 game. I decided to play 1/2 and got a seat within 10 minutes. In Louisiana you can buy in for $200 or half the largest stack at the table, which was around $750. I sat down with $300.

I played 2 laps with nothing to play with. I finally got bored and raised it to $12 with 7,4 off and $20 c-bet a flop of J,9,2 and took the pot down. About one lap later I was cought bluffing a pot so I guess I will have to earn pots now. I won a couple smallish pots to get back up to $290 when I took a major hit.

There was a straddle in the hand. Why you straddle in a 1/2 game is beyond me. I was in the big blind and 6 people had called before it got back to me. I had already decided I was going to raise this hand with any two cards. I actually picked up a decent hand, A-10 (aka The Cosenza) and raised it up to $25 and got 3 callers. What can you have to limp for $4 and then call $25???? The flop comes A,Q,9 rainbow. I lead out for $35 and get one caller. The caller hesitated for around 10 seconds before he called. I put him on a Q after that delay. The turn is a 7 and I bet $55. The other player shoves for a total of $86 and I call the other $31. He tables Q,J. Sweet. Well, my 90% favorite goes in the shitter when the J falls on the river. After the hand I am down to $125. Nice call sir. After the hand I could just shake my head. I overheard him justify the shove to his neighbor. "I haven;t had noting and this was the best hand I have had in 2 hours." Lovely.

The next interesting hand I played I was on the button. There were 4 callers before me and I called the $2 dark. 7 handed to the flop and it came 9,5,2 rainbow. The BB lead out $15 and its folded to me. I look down at 9,9 and call. The turn is a Jd bringing a second diamond to the board. I call a $20 bet. The river is the Kd and the BB bets out $20. I put her all in for about $40 more and she slams her cards down on the table and folds.

I got in one other hand with her the next lap around the table. I was on the button in a straddle pot. Its limped 4 ways to be and I look down at J,J, show everybody $25 and put it in the pot. The lady in the BB calls and we see a K,x,x flop. She checks to be and I bet out $30 and she slams her cards to the table again and leaves the table. Nice game maam.

What had seemed to be the week of very tough decisions continued. I get 10,10 on the button and after 2 limpers I get 10,10 and make it $15 and get 2 callers. The flop comes QdJs8d. Its checked to me and I bet out $20. One of the checkers shoves for $90. If he has 2 pair or a set there is no way he is shoving here. He must have some kind of a draw here. The lilelyhood of a straight is remote since I hold 2 of the 10's. After a good 2 minutes or so I think I have 10 outs ( the straight draw and both 10's) if I am behind and decide to call. The best words you can here from a player, good call. He tables 10h9h. The turn and river brick off and I win a big pot.

I played a little longer and ended up cashing out up $92 for the short 2 hour session. After dinner I wanted to play some 2/5 but there was still only 1 table and the list was like 7-8 long so I gave up.

Overall a winning trip to Louisiana. When I got back Friday I was able to play some at the horse track and play a tournament at Paboo's house. I will post those up tomorrow.