+85 @ The Commerce Casino

I thought I was going to still beat the Saturday night rush by getting to Commerce at 3:30, but the place was already in full swing and there were 25 people ahead of me on the board. However, they were going through the names quickly and I was sitting at a table right next to the board by 4:00. Luckily I was in seat 1 so I didn't have tons of people milling around behind me.

By the time the button had moved around the table just a couple times I was able to get a pretty good read on the folks. Seat 2 and 3 were solid players that weren't hitting very well. Seat 4 was a young guy with an iPod who knew what he was doing. Seat 5 was a little loose, seat 6 and 8 were calling stations, and seat 7 and 9 were very very loose. 7 had played the game before and never met a flop he didn't like. Of course he had big swings in his stack. Seat 9 was new to the game and also subject to swings. It was impossible to put her on anything; she would bet when she didn't even have a good drawing hand, and check (but didn't ever raise) when she hit two pair on the flop. All in all it was a great table.

My third hand of the night I had Q,9 suited on the button and it was raised when it got to me. I waffled for a bit then mucked. To my great annoyance I would have made trips on the turn then a flush on the river. This was followed by a numberof hands that didn't hit: 78 suited; A3 suited, A2 suited among them. I was down $40 at this point, but pocket K came along and the pot was capped pre-flop. 10,3,2 rainbow on the flop and it gets capped again with one player all in. The turn was nothing but another player was all in when I bet, and there was another 3 on the river. No flush. I bet it and took the main and all the sides.

My 45 suited caught a bit of the A,2,2 flop but I mucked the turn even though a 4 came up. Just not enough outs to stick around. The next hand I had pocket Q and had every reason to feel good but there was a four flush by the river and seat 7 took it. However, he would sometimes show some sense even when I didn't. A few hands later I had AQ and a flop of J,7,2. I bet on the come and didn't slow down when the next two cards were 7,2. It was only me and seat 7 by the turn and he folded on the river.

My next hand of note was a beauty. Pocket 6 in late position with lots of callers by the time it got to me. However, the guys to my left were making raise noises. I called, the button raised and we all called. 6,2,10 rainbow on the flop. Perfect. We all checked to the button, he bet and we all called. Q on the turn. We all checked to the button, he bet and I raised when it came to me. The button reluctantly called, and seat 4 called after making some comments that I must have a set. He was right. The 7 on the turn didn't help anyone. I bet and got a couple callers. That was a very nice pot.

AQQ on the flop and when seat 9 bet I rasied with my AJ. It was hard to put her on anything but I didn't think she had a Q but instead was holding an A. I figured my kicker was better than hers and I raised the blank turn when she bet into me again. She just called when I bet the blank river. Sure enough, she only had A4. Ka-ching! A few hands later I had AJ again and get totally outplayed. We all checked the K,J,8 flop and when the button bet when another 8 fell on the river I mucked. A couple players went all the way to the end and the button took the pot. With a A,J. Hmm....

With AA I was involved with capping the pot pre-flop with 3 other players. 5,5,Q on the flop. Seat 7 bet, I raised. Everyone else dropped out. He checked then called when I bet the rags on the turn and river.

A2 of diamonds, and the flop came 6 diamonds, 3 diamonds, and a blank. I went the entire way as a calling station but didn't hit anything and mucked at the river.