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BY:
S. Shylo
Road
Trip :
Earlier
this month I had the privilege of going
to Calgary to take part in all the Stampede
festivities. It's one of the largest if
not the largest rodeo that comes into
town. The whole city gets behind the event,
as there are social events, big bands,
pancake breakfasts the whole works! If
ever you have a few weeks off in the beginning
of July I seriously suggest you go down
and have a look for yourself, it really
is a fantastic time!
While
in Alberta I had the opportunity to play
poker in two casinos. The Elbow River
Casino in Calgary and the Yellowhead Casino
in Edmonton. I must tip my hat to those
running the show in both joints. The dealing
is fast, the atmosphere is nice, they
try to get you into the game as fast as
possible and there is a lot of action
on the tables. They also provide a complimentary
late night meal, which really impressed
me. In both poker rooms at around 4 a.m.
the Elbow River Casino cooked up some
fantastic pizzas and the Yellowhead Casino
provide a small buffet with fruit, Shepard's
pie and some other little fixings. I must
say this service goes a long, long way
especially since there really is no place
one could even possibly get food at that
hour.
On
with the report. While I was at the Elbow
River Casino they offered a 4-8 and 10-20
Texas Hold'em game both with a full kill.
I can't be 100% sure but I do think they
also play Omaha and a pot limit game as
well. I found myself in the 4-8 game waiting
to get onto the 10-20. Both games were
filled with action, the players were polite
and the staff was very friendly! If you're
ever in Calgary try looking them up, I'm
sure you'll have a good time there.
In Edmonton, the Yellowhead Casino offers
a wide variety of games and limits depending
on the night. While I was there they offered
3-6 Texas Hold'em, a 4-8 game � hour of
Texas Hold'em and � hour of Omaha, as
well as a 15-30 � & � game. The 15/30
game broke up before I actually had a
chance to sit down in it. And I thank
my lucky stars for the coincidence. I
was having enough difficulties playing
Omaha at the 4-8 level. The transition
between the two games was really enjoyable
and it was interesting to watch how some
players did modify their play depending
on which game they were playing, while
others still seemed to have the same playing
style throughout the two games.
Eventually
I became sick of the game of Omaha so
I sat down to play 3-6 Texas Hold'em.
The game was pretty decent given my expectations
for 3-6, but there is one hand I played
that I would like to share with you in
hope to teach you all some sort of lesson.
I
was in Seat 4� Seat 1 was a rookie, young
kid who overcalled many hands and had
little aggression, Seat 3 was a marginal
player who understood good starting hands,
but would still play any two suited, Seats
7 & 8 were some old timers, one was pretty
tight and aggressive the other would overcall
the turn and fold to the river. I was
impressed with Seat 9's play, a young/middle
aged guy who just started playing. He
played pretty conservatively for starting
requirements but I watched him buy the
occasional pot (that's a move that definitely
impresses me at the 3-6 level) and he
wasn't afraid to go over the top with
a marginal hand if he thought he had the
best hand. In Seat 10 was the ROCK! With
his thick yellow glasses and motionless
body, I watched him toss hand after hand
away, he'd literally only play premium
starting hands and would only re-raise
with the all time nuts.
I
wanted to chat up the table, giving a
friendly image, while I started to juice
the pots a little. My intention was to
get people to start overcalling more frequently,
sit back and start playing a tad tighter
and capitalizing on the image. I had been
raising with almost every Ax suited, pocket
pairs, and suited over cards. Needless
to say the table was starting to warm
up a little bit. I was dealt Ac8d while
2nd to act. I simply smooth called which
caused a few people to become suspicious,
since my current starting hand play was
either to raise or fold. Seat 7 calls
(didn't doubt that he would) then Seat
10 raises! (Well thanks for letting me
know you had Aces!) This guy would probably
only raise Aces or Kings, in fact I'm
sure he'd just smooth call Queens to see
the flop and then decide from there. I
give the guy a little look like I'm concerned
and call along with Seat 1 and Seat 2.
The flop comes down 8,9,4. Typically in
this game it has always been checked to
the original raiser, not this time, I
bet with two Seat 7 calls, Seat 10 raises
and both the blinds fold. I call, Seat
7 thinks � a second and calls. Turn card
is a 9, I immediately bet, Seat 7 folds
his over cards and Seat 10 starts to think�
I give him a little look then look away;
I'm trying to look passive but acting
strong so he doesn't put me on the 9.
He doesn't, he raises, and I re-raise.
At this point that was my only play that
could've won the pot. A smooth call and
he would've called the river bet regardless,
and had I checked he would've bet believing
he was best and wanted to see the river.
The re-raise works as I watch him call
with despairing body language. The river
is of no help to him and I bet once more�
the rock folds and I start to take in
a big pot. My neighbor then asks, "What
was your kicker." I say, "You could take
your pick, either a two or a three." With
the rock now on tilt, and the table calling
me down I felt I had a decent edge to
play out this table.
Aces and Faces
Shylo
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