The Perfect Bluff

It has been way to long since I posted last. I managed to survive Lent without playing online poker. Holy Thursday I immediately cranked up Check and Raise poker and played for several hours. Nothing exciting to report since it is just grinding away to try and increase the bank roll. It is definitely a grind at low stakes tables.

Being baptized at the Easter Vigil was an amazing experience, but you will have to indulge my other blog for more detail (not posted yet).

I am sitting at DFW airport on my journey home from St. Louis. Man 6:00 AM flights are way to darn early. I am now sucking down a Grande Carmel Machiatto. So I arrived in St. Louis Friday morning. I was quit bummed that the Cardinals were on the road, but I was excited that there were some casino’s near by. I attended a meeting with a client in the afternoon and worked from the hotel room for a few hours. I zipped down to the bar for a couple of bottles of Guinness. I met a co-worker for dinner and we went to a place I believe called Charlie Ghetti’s (I will need to double check the spelling). I was having a tough time deciding what to order, so I asked the waitress. She suggested the Oso Boco. Again my spelling leaves something to be desired. Accompanied by a couple of glasses of Chianti it had to be one of the most wonderful meals I have ever enjoyed. The mushrooms in the sauce were awesome. Needless to say I cleaned my plate.

Next we went for a walk around St. Louis. I had to getting a closer view of the arch and of the Stadium. The arch was a total trip. Amazing piece of architecture! I am not sure I could go up in it after hearing some stories, but standing underneath it looking up made me dizzy. I assure you it was not the wine. We made it back to the hotel and I decided it was time to head to the casino.

I originally set out to go to Harrah’s. The signs leading to Harrah’s were not straight forward and I drove past the exit. Next thing you know I see the Ameristar. What the heck it is time to check it out. I started to enter the casino and security stopped me. Have you registered? No Sir! You will need to show your identification and register before you can enter. OK! As I register I am explained that the reason I had to wait in line to register was because of the “Old Lady Law”. That is what the lady said. Clarifying she stated that the casino had to track player losses, because the Missouri law states no player can lose more than $500 in a two hour period. I will not debate this law on this post, but it was interesting.

The poker room was upstairs. They were spreading several games, but my only interest was the low end. They had $3-6 limit and $1-2 No Limit. I preferred the $1-2 No Limit, but the buy-in was $100. I did not have that with me. I was willing to lose about $60 of my poker mad money. I put my name on the list for $3-6. My name was called after about 15 minutes, because they opened up a new table. I sat down thinking I could buy –in at the table. WRONG! I had to go to the cashier to get some chips.

I sit down at the end of the table. Let’s see if I can briefly describe the fish. I mean players. To my right and next to the dealer was this lady named Ruby. Ruby was trying to win some money to help pay for her floor replacement due to a flood. Next was a 20 something drinking Crown and Coke. Why the coke? Then you had Chrypto. Next to me was another twenty something who was constantly talking out loud analyzing the players. He was nice enough and the analysis was reasonable accurate; however, obvious. Next was a gentleman with a European accent and he was tight as a nats ass! The next three players knew what they were doing. Then there was another twenty something playing rather loose. Finally next to the dealer was an elder gentleman who was difficult to read, but reasonably tight.

Second or third hand into the evening I made a set of sevens and won about $14. I decided that I also was going to create a table image of being extremely conservative. The fourteen dollars went toward blinds. Occasionally I had cards worthy of seeing a flop. I got up from the table for a little while to call the family. Our son was talking my ear off about his t-ball game that I missed. I made it back to the table. There was a bit of controversy as to whether or not I owed any money. The dealer decided that I did not. Fairly uneventful for the next hour, but I kept donating the blinds. It was approaching 11:00 PM and I knew I had a 30 minute drive back to the Omni. I decided it was time to make my move. I was dealt AJo. The flop completely missed me, T27. A solid player bet $3. I just called! The turn brought a jack, giving me top pair with an ace kicker. Solid player bet out $6. I raised it $6. I think we had one other player chasing. Solid player raised again, so I popped back another $6. The river was a blank. The solid player checked. Of course I bet $6. The solid player was trying to gain a tell. I set there with a Cheshire grin. “I know you have a set” he said. I sat there with the grin. He folded, showing that he had two pair tens and twos. I raked a nice $60 pot. This was set up by playing extremely conservative for a couple of hours. The perfect bluff was set up and well timed. I needed to leave soon, but of course they did not know that.

The very next hand I had KJs. The flop brought AKx with 2 spades. The payer to my left bets, the same solid player calls, and I call. The turn brings something uneventful. The river gives me the nut flush. The player to my left bets out. The solid player calls. I raise. The player to my left raises all-in. Solid player folds his pair of aces. The player to my left and a ace-jack flush. I won about another $50. I was ahead a Ben Franklin, so it was time to rack up and head to the hotel.

Thank you Ameristar for giving me a flexible bankroll to take to the charity golf tournament on Saturday. I will not elaborate, but at the charity golf tournament I drained a put for an eagle. It gave us one of 2 skins and the team won $170 to divide. Thank you St. Louis because I ended up about $150 ahead.

Later I will post about how much I despise Party Poker!