JJ's Blog

So I left work a little early on Friday and met a friend at the beautiful MGM poker lounge (first time for me). They spread a little deeper game ($1/$2 blinds - $300 max).

First, the poker room is very comfortable and clean. The dealers and floor were noticeable nicer (except when they were issuing a warning to Skalony about his table talk during a hand). Plus, the players were a rich mix of aggressive young internet poker punks, middle aged pseudo-intellectuals (me), and a few “wanna have fun” retirees. This is different than the NL game a Greektown where the entire table is made up of poker pro apprentices in training who can quote the drawing odds% within decimal precision for every all-in situation.

I played for like 3 hours, won $174, all is good!

I had to grind it out though. I really only had 1 good pre-flop hand and 2 good post flop hands. The rest of my wins were made just by playing aggressively from late position.

Unfortunately, 3 out of my 4 interesting hands came up against Skalony.

On the first hand, the pot is limped in 5 spots to me in the big blind. I have 3-5 and check. Flop come J-3-5. I bet $15 into a $10 pot. Only T calls. The turn is sort of blank 7 [J-3-5-7]. I bet $30. T goes all in for like $65. I call and fill up and win.

Then, there’s this young aggressive internet poker punk (YAIPP) to my right. He has been uber-aggressive from the blinds/early position. On one hand, he raises a 5 way limped pot from the BB. He continues his aggressiveness all the way to showdown and then shows a K-10o. So I start to thinking that he may be a bit of a manic.

So, on this one hand, the YAIPP raised to $15 from UTG. This smelled like a scared bet to me (i.e., AQ or 44), so I raise to $45 with Ac-10c. The table folds. YAIPP calls. The flop comes 6-9-5. YAIPP checks. I ask for his chip count ($115). I bet $75 and win it. Nice play me….at least it worked.

Then toward the end of the session, I’m in middle position with 4s-7s. I think I had been playing kinda tight, so I raise to like $8. I get the pot HU vs. Skalony. The flop comes 4x-7x-X. I bet. T calls. The turn looks like a blank. I bet. T folds. I show 4-7 for a flopped 2 pair, win the pot and some “crazy player” equity.

Then on the next round, I’m UTG, and pick up AA. I raise. Only Skalony calls. The flop is something like J-4-6. I bet. T calls. Turn is a 7 [J-4-6-7]. I check. T bets smallish (1/2 pot). I was planning to check-raise, but I seriously considered taking one off and letting Tony bluff the river. My better sense took hold, and with a draw heavy board, I check-raise but only 2.5x (dumb, I know). Skalony calls. My plan is to check/call just about any river. A 3 comes on the river. The betting goes check-check.

Good fun. I’ll play at MGM anytime! Such a nice contrast to Greektown.