First time playing a NL ring game at a casino, although I've played many times online. It was a $300 minimum buy-in game where most people bought in for $500. SB and BB are both $5 but minimum to come in is $10. This was at casino in South San Francisco and I've never seen anything like it. One guy in particular (Maniac isn't strong enough, but that's what I'll call him) was probably the biggest fish I've ever seen play poker. These hands were probably the most insane 3 of the night.
HAND 1:
Average player limps in for $10 in EP, Maniac makes it $50 to go and the SB re-raises to $120. EP and Maniac call. Flop comes 9h9hJs. EP checks, Maniac bets $100. SB and EP call. Turn 7h. Maniac bets $100 again, SB raises to $200, EP calls, Maniac re-raises to $400, SB goes all-in for another $150, EP also goes all-in for another $20 or so and Maniac (who has $3K in front of him) calls. River 2s. Maniac shows AhJc. SB shows JhJd for the boat, and EP shows quad nines! "AJ no good" Maniac says...no shit.
HAND 2:
Good player in LP opens for $40. Good player in SB calls, Maniac calls. Flop comes 8h4d2d. Checked to LP who bets $75. SB check-raises to $175. Maniac calls. LP thinks for a few minutes, shows Ac8c and folds. Turn is 3h. Both check. River is 5c. Both check. SB shows QhTs for queen high. No way he can win right? Maniac show 9c7s. He called $175 on the flop with 9 high and no draws. Q high takes it down and LP is pissed.
HAND 3
Marginal player limps in EP, generally good player in MP limps as well, BB checks. Flop 655 (suits irrelevant). BB checks, EP bets $40, MP calls, BB folds. Turn 3. Both check. River 5. EP checks, MP bets $100, EP check-raises all-in for $850. LP calls immediately and shows 66 for the flopped full house. EP of course has the fourth 5 (T5s). Unbelievable.
Although these hands were unbelievable, ridiculous pots were happening all night. The winning hands always seemed to either be really marginal (top pair, weak kicker) or the nuts. I can't wait to go back.
where did you say this was? *grabs car keys* In NL play like that, if you notice you're in wild game like that and can adapt, you'll be going home with alot of other players buy-ins. Just sit back and play tight until it gets you a big pot, then whoever you were in the pot with when you won the big pot, throw raises at him if you sense any type of weakness and take the rest of his money. then start working the image you've presented so far to the rest of the table.
This was at Lucky Chances in Daly City, CA (South SF). They only hold the game on Sunday evenings/nights as of now though.
I played some of my best poker in that game but finished down after losing $650 with JJ when a player went all-in with a flush draw and made it and after going all-in for $500 with AQ on a board of AATJ7 only to find the other player had AT.
