-96 @ Casino Arizona

I can already hear your question: "Arizona? What's Jason doing playing poker in Arizona?" I was in Scottsdale for a workshop and before I went I asked the Internet about poker rooms. Unlike Austin where there was nothing to be found, I was happy to find that Casino Arizona was only a few miles from the hotel and could satisfy my needs. The room was nice, the chairs were comfortable and there was lots of space between the tables. In addition, the tables had automatic shufflers and another little device that I hadn't seen before; a small panel with buttons for chips, floorperson, service, and seat open. No shouting "service" or "floorman" at this place, just push a button and the appropriate person magically appears. The crowd was almost entirely Caucasian, as were the dealers. They do have a jackpot there and the small blind went right into the hopper, but the rake was 2 to 4 chips depending on the size of the pot. An interesting thing at Casino Arizona is that you don't have to post; you can come in at any time. This was the first time that I had played in a kill game and it wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be. I was never the "killer" but there was a kill pot three times in a row when I was the big blind. Darn it! There went three hands where I'd probably get to see a flop.

Overall the cards were not too bad. Occasionally decent starting cards and they sometimes hit but I was not able to translate that into good pots so the night ended up being slow stack attrition.

• K,J late and it was two bets to me. I called and a king appeared on the flop. It was bet and a few of us called. The turn was blank and a fellow went all in with $4 on the turn. Everyone else folded but I called. The river was a blank and the all in fellow showed A,K.
• I had 3,4 suited in late position twice in a row. The first flop brought me a pair of 3s and I folded when it was bet. The second flop brought rainbow rags but that was exactly what I needed and I now had two pair and another of my suit. The flush never appeared and the rest of the cards weren't very interesting, so I kept on betting all the way to the end. I lost to a higher two pair: 4s and 8s.
• Pocket 9s early and a flop of 9,Q,6. I thought about trying to check raise, but there were only a couple people in the pot so I just bet it. Another Q showed up on the turn, and I backed off and checked. There was a bet and two callers (including me.) Another 6 on the river, and the betting repeated itself. One fellow showed a single 6, the other player mucked his hand, and I took the pot with my 9s.
• Q,2 suited on the button. The flop graced me with two more of my suit
  (including the ace), and the river brought the final one. I was calling until the river, but on the river my opponent checked to me and I bet it. He reluctantly called, and started complaining about his set getting beaten on the river.