Warning Tilt danger!!!

Sunday 11 A.M. Crystal Casino, Los Angeles, California

Woke up and stumbled down to the poker room to find there were only 3/6 & 6/12 limit games going. There was a list just starting for a no-limit game. I have to admit, this is a very friendly card room. Once they know your initials or name, they address you by them every time they see you.

That reminds me of an incident at Commerce Casino that occurred about 2 weeks ago.

When I lived in the L.A. area, prior to 1999, I used to play stud at the Commerce Casino.

I was just getting into Hold-em, but never played it there. Like the majority of players back then, I still felt more comfortable with stud. So, that was all I played at the Commerce Casino. If you don’t know, Commerce is allegedly the largest poker room in the world! Of course, during the World Series of Poker, at the Rio in Las Vegas, when they set up the tournament room, for the month, with 220 tables, I guess that poker room has more tables. But, not by much, and Commerce would still have more square feet of poker space and 24/7 action every day of the year.

I had only stopped in one-time on a trip back from Central California to play a little hold-em for a hour or so. Beside, that time, I had not been in there, since we moved to San Diego in 1999. So imagine my surprise, when two weeks ago I stopped in on another trip home from Fresno, and saw a familiar “floor man” I remembered being there back before 1999.

Here was the shocker, he greeted me by my first name and asked if I was still playing stud? Wow, what a memory. There are literally thousands of players that come and go through that place and somehow he remembered me. What a skill. It also benefited him, because I slipped him a red chip later that evening when I told him how impressed I was with his greeting.

Well, back to Sunday morning at the Crystal Casino. I thought, not having the game I want to play here, is no problem. I am 10 minutes away from the Bike, Commerce and Hawaiian Gardens. Between the three of them, there must be 50 N/L games going, even on a Sunday Morning to choose from. Like a “kid in a candy store” I excitedly tried to decide which one I wanted? Hawaiian Gardens was closer. Commerce would have more games. But, the Bike was also hosting the “Legends of Poker” event and maybe I could watch some the “legends” play. So the Bike it was.

Ten minutes later I parked and walked in and was set down right away at a 2/4 No-Limit table. I would check the “Legends” out later. I bought in for $200 and after playing about ½ hour I realized this was a “rock garden”. (A rock is a person who plays very few hands and only with the “nuts”, the absolute best hand.) I wanted a friendly, action, table and I heard them calling a brand new N/L game so I jumped up and moved my chips over to that new table and took my favorite seat #8. This was the dream table. Three novice players, a couple of loose players, two that appear to be more experienced and a friendly, let’s us fun, kind of atmosphere right from the first hand. I should get an “A+” for my table selection for this one.

What a disaster occurred in the next two hours! I still am recovering from it. I fold the first few hands I am dealt. This is more like it. People are chatting, and there are 5-6 people calling to see the flop and at least 3 or 4 to the river each hand so far.

Wonderful, I am dealt A/K. Four people have already called the big blind and seat 6 raises it to $15. I decide to just call because I think others will call this bet. Sure enough all 4 call. I am in with AK and 5 others, how favorable is that? The flop comes Ks, 7h, 9c,. My Kh with a Ah kicker is looking pretty good. The check is to seat 6 and he bets $40 into a $90 pot. I decide to just call, because I want a call behind me and three people call behind me. The pot is now almost $300. The turn is a 2c. Seat 5 bets out $75. Still not seeing any real danger I call the $75. We get one caller behind us. The river brings a Qc. Seat 6 throws in his remaining chips, I do the same and we lose the other player. My entire buy-in is in the pot with a pretty good hand and seat 5 turns over KQ for two pair on the river queen.

Well, that happens in Poker, but what almost made me crazy, is he announces to the table “I only play real tight cards that’s why I win a lot”. Then he proceeds to advertize his ignorance even more, by saying he doesn’t hold back from teaching others because he has learned a lot about poker. Over the next few hands he wins three hands, apparently unaware he is catching 2 and 3 “outers” on the turn or river.

And I can’t wait to get into a hand with him again. He now has $500 in chips and I am looking for a hand to play against him. I find a 7/8 spades. That is a good hand to play at this kind of table. We end up with only 3 of us seeing the flop.

It comes 9s, 6s, Jd. Seat 6 bets out $25 I am looking at an open-ended straight flush draw. How great is that? I have at least 15 outs and two cards coming to hit one. I raise it to $75, still a little shaky from that river card beat seat 6 gave me. I am thinking maybe I can win it right here. He is the only one who calls. The turn is a Qc. He looks at my remaining chips and says “I put you all in.”

In goes the rest of my 2nd buy-in of $200 and the river is a 4 of hearts, missing my straight, and my flush, and my straight flush possibility. He proudly turns over Jh,Qh and announces to the rest of the table “I knew they would be good because they were suited!”.

I am seeing red flashing lights & Sirens are going off in my head. I am hearing inside my head police radios squawking, “investigate possible 187, code 3 at 7301 Eastern Avenue, get a move on it”! Then I realize the dealer is asking me if I want in for the next hand. I feebly mutter, “lock it up”, and I walk away from the table in a shell-shocked fashion.

Usually I quit for the day after I lose two buy-ins, but I am 120 miles from home, still have a free hotel room for the night and this can’t keep happening, I think. (I was never more wrong.)

But, at least I am smart enough to know I have to “settle down. So I decide to take a walk over and see some of the “legends”. I am hoping to gain a little inspiration, to get back emotionally, to a place where I can play well without going on tilt.

As I approach the tournament room I am met by a burly security guard who won’t earn today what I have already lost and he demands to see my “day pass?” “What’s a day pass” I ask? “You must have a pass for today to get in” he announces, in that, (I am the official club bouncer, and you are part of the unwashed masses, I live to keep out, kind of voice.)”

But, I just want to watch a little tournament play”. “No spectators today” he drones in an official manner, “there are a lot of poker pros in there”. Apparently, it had been decided by the WPT officials that spectators would not be allowed in until at least day 3.

Further adding to my “shrinking self-image, I can’t even be a poker spectator today, let alone a “winning player.” Well, at least my homicidal urges are gone. They have been replaced by self-destructive thoughts.

Maybe, I should get drunk? Heck no, I don’t even like to drink. That won’t work, and I will feel worse afterwards. Maybe, I could throw myself in the Los Angeles River, out behind the Casino, and be swept out to sea. That won’t work, it is the summer and the L.A. river is an inch or two of sewage slowly seeping toward the ocean.

I know! I could walk out into a Freeway lane and end the suffering. Nah, I couldn’t do that to other drivers, it would cause a traffic snarl ruining thousands of people’s day off.

Oh, well, I guess I will get a cup of coffee, read a poker magazine that I saw in the lobby and go back and get even at the table.

Well, the coffee was good, and I enjoyed the latest issue of CardPlayer Magazine. But, about winning my money back?

That story continues in the next blog entry.