Foxwoods Trip

Didn't work on Tuesday and 4 of my buddies and I decided we would go to Foxwoods, which is about a 2 hour drive, and play in the daily tourney. Website said registration starts at 7am and the tourney starts at 8am. $60 a head ($45+$15) and they have a capacity of 250. None of us really had any illusions of winning but just having a few hours of fun at the casino.

We left the house at about 5am and got down to the casino at about 7:10am. Rushed over to the line and saw that it was as long as the eye could see. For whatever reason, we jumped in the line, figuring we might still be ok. About 5 minutes later, one of the tournament organizers came by to tell us that it was already full but they were taking alternates. Alternates would be taken for the first 20 minutes as people busted out. They apparently starting registering people at about 6am because of the holiday week. Bummer. Forget that, we ain't getting in.

Once we found that out, it was like every man for himself. We all scattered with 2 guys going to play blackjack, 2 going to play 1/2 NL, and me plopping down at the nearest 2/4 limit, suckout city table.

It was about 7:30 and open seating almost everywhere right then. By 7:45, after everyone realized they really weren't getting in to the tourney, the list for 2/4 limit was about 30 people deep.

My first hand dealt to me was pocket 8s. Board came with an Ace and 2 unders so I called a bet. Turn and River, both unders but nothing too scary so called it down. Both the other 2 in the hand had aces. Good start. Btw, I probably haven't said this yet, but I am still learning. After the first hand, I am down about $14 bucks. Folded a couple and then looked down at some sweet bullets. Just called, bunch of callers followed then a raise, I reraise, couple folders and the raiser caps it and I call.

Flop comes rainbow, with a K and some trash. I bet, get raised, reraise, he calls. Now at this point, I probably should have realized I might have a problem, but I didn't. (Have I mentioned I am still learning?) I bet and got raised each round and then showed my Aces to his set of Ks. Yeah, I know, you already knew that but I am such a dumbass, I was still pretty confident I had the hand?? Hello, I am not only learning, I suck.

So down to about $40 a little while later, I am in the bit blind with K6 of hearts. I check and see 2 more hearts on the flop. Nice. Plenty of players and some action on the table. I call the post flop betting and the turn is a blank for me. At this point, I am close to the end of my initial $100 buy-in and figure I will just have to go down on this one. There is bet and raise but I call, just in case (I think this is another case of me sucking). I am praying that the Ah falls on the river...and there it is. Oh yeah, I am the suckout fish king of the table. A bet, a raise, and I reraise (well kinda, my last chips). The original bet pays it off and so does the raiser. They both knew it though. I swept the pot of $105 and I am back in business.

I went on to play for 4 hours and ended up making FOUR DOLLARS. That is better than losing it all of course but almost like kissing your sister too. I would have played on but my buddies had made a steady stream by me so I knew they were probably getting ready to go anyway.

I found them at a $5 craps table. I love craps and a $5 table at Foxwoods is unheard of. One of our crew was playing at it so I dropped down by $100 and got my chips. Just as I put them in the rack, the pitboss says that the next roll will be $10, noone is grandfathered. Think that is a sign? I cashed in and off I went, hoping we were ready to leave. If not, I knew I would find a way to donate to the fine American Indian nation somehow. There was no way to get back on a poker table since the wait was about 2-3 hours at this point.

I found out that, at that point, I was the big winner at $4. One was down $500, one $300, and other 2 about $90. Of course, on our way out, the 2 big losers want to throw just $20 each at a roulette table, just for funzeys. While they are getting their $20 in chips, I decide, what the hell, $5 on 2 and 16 for the wife's b-day. "No more bets", and buttkiss. I walk over to the table that they are acting like idiots at and decide, I'll try it one more time. "No more bets" and again, buttkiss. I have now very quickly thrown away $20 but my 2 loser buddies have turned their $40 into about $100 somehow in 1 or 2 rolls. I fight the urge to do my bet again but say to my buddy, "I know I am going to stand here and see those numbers come up". The next roll, "No more bets". Huh, imagine, 16! Oh, well, I didn't really need the $175 for that anyway.