The end of Day 1 of Poker Month.....

Well, I made it to Kelso, Washington. I am just up the road about 30 miles from the last casino I played in. I had noted on the Internet, that there was an Elks Club/Casino here in Kelso. When I stopped in to check it out, I found the 6 p.m. tournament was ready to start in 5 minutes. I bought in to the tournament for $16 and played for the next hour. The level of play was awful. I would guess about ½ of these players only exposure to No Limit play is watching TV.

I was able to steal a couple of blinds and won one pot with pocket Jacks unchallenged. We started with about 40 players and were down to about 27 when I picked up pocket Aces in the Big Blind. The “know-it all, big-mouth, went all-in with pocket tens and I called. The flop came giving him a third ten. He said he knew when he saw my Aces he would catch the third ten. He was right. How come I can’t be that good a player. And how come the biggest loudmouth at the table often catches the biggest suckout? Actually, I was able to congratulate him. He had no real choice in his position with pocket tens, he made the right play to go all in, and I just got unlucky. (Again,) Nothing, wrong with his play, only his mouth and his poker etiquette.


I got to play an hour of tournament poker for $16. I went all-in with the best hand. I will not always be unlucky.

Pokey and I are back on the road again going north to the next rest stop where we can stretch our legs.

Then we make another rest stop, another walk, and another wireless connection.

I see a billboard on the side of the road announcing that Lucky Eagle Casino is off exit 88B.

Well, I could use a little luck that sounds good. It is now about 9 p.m. and I think this just may be where we spend tonight. I turn off onto the exit and a sign indicates Lucky Eagle is 8 miles ahead on US12. There is a quarter moon out, but everything on both sides of the highway is dark, as far as I can see in all directions. After 8 miles there is a wooden sign that says turn left for Chehalis Tribes Reservation and Casino.

This is the first indication this will be an Indian Casino. Back at La Center I was told the Indian Casinos of Washington are better places to play poker because they are not restricted from betting limits like some of the licensed places. In La Center the restriction was no more then $20 per bet. That may be a state wide limit.

Now we are definitely in the Northern Woods. Another left, and I see some lights ahead through the trees. I come to a 4 story hotel that looks like a large lodge and a pretty good size casino across the street. It is a very attractive setting, with a heavy forest of pine trees all around. I see about 20 RV’s parked in a parking lot across from the hotel. I have found my place to spend the night.

After walking Pokey, I head into the Casino and find I am just a weekend too early to see Mel Tillis… (grin) As I walk through the Casino I am a little concerned because I don’t see a poker room. After stopping a security person I found out it is located outside the main casino room, past the buffet, and down by the Bingo room.

Sure enough, there are three poker tables in a little room that looks like a private dining area of the buffet. There are two ten handed games of middle aged “Branson-Toursit type folks playing 3/6 limit. There is an empty table with 3 names on the wait list. I become number 4. I stroll down to the deli and after a week of very healthy eating with Caren, I really want something not so healthy. Hot pastrami, on grilled sourdough, with pepper cheese, that will do the trick. It was great and about 30 minutes later, well lubricated with grease, I buy in for $50 at the table.

An hour later I re-buy for about $40 more. The level of play here is not bad, but there are a couple of “calling stations” playing and if I can hang on I think I can get my money back. Finally, I pick up an A4 diamonds and the flop comes 8d, 10,d, 7s, I bet out with two callers, the turn is a Qc, and I check, and get bet into, I call, and the river is a beautiful Jack of Diamonds. I bet out, thinking I won’t get called. I checked the turn, and now I bet the river after the third diamond hit. Instead, I get “raised”? I do a double-take at the board and sure enough I have the “nuts”, so I re-raise and get called by the river straight. I scoop a nice pot for a 3-6 game.

I play a couple more hours and then by 12:30 I am yawning and thinking I better go before I make a mistake from playing tired. The same bettor and I get tangled up in a pot where I have an open ended straight draw. I catch it on the river and realized I am now about even. In fact, I have made $4 for the night. Well, technically the Pastrami cost me $4.25 so I am down 25 cents for the evening. But, that sounds like a good time to head for the RV and sleep.

Pokey the dog is excited to see me. We go for a walk and then wrestle in the RV and play tug of war for a while. It has gotten quite chilly out so we both crawl under a heavy quilt and after a few more attempts to play tug of war with my hand, pokey settles down, and I drop off to sleep dreaming of playing poker.