Live Play At Crown

I went into Crown last night with two micro-stakes online grinders Brad and Matt to play some live cash games. I staked them some in the $2/$3nl game and went and played $2/$5 myself. For a Friday night my table was pretty uneventful at first, everyone was playing pretty tight and straight forward, no one was drinking etc. etc.

My first major hand was two black jacks in the hole, a few limpers in front of me in middle position, I jack it up to $35, the small blind calls as does one of the limpers. Both have seemed like they know what the are doing, young guys who are deep with each other and I have 100bb to start the hand. The flop comes 8d6h5h, the small blind checks, the other guy bets $55, I make it $150 and the small blind cold calls, other guy folds. Turn is an Kh he checks, I check giving up on the hand. River is a 8h putting a four flush on the board. He checks, I check, he sighs and turns over AhAd (LOL).

My next major hand was two nines, open to $20 in middle position, one older guy calls me in the CO. Flop comes A73 rainbow, I c-bet about 2/3 and he calls. Turn is a beautiful 9 putting a club draw out there. I bet a pretty decent amount and he instantly ships over the top, obviously I snap call and he has 77 for a lower set.

An orbit or so later against the same guy I pick up AKo, a few limpers in front of me, I make it $40 in the CO, He makes it $160 in the small blind. I think shipping here online is super standard, but live I had to think about it for a moment. The chance he could be steaming and just the dynamic of me squeezing limpers and being somewhat aggressive of late I don’t think I could do anything but ship. He thinks for a bit which makes me comfortable, calls. Flop comes A high, board runs out and his queens are no good. Then he launches into a speech about young kids thinking they know everything with their getting AK all-in pre-flop (LOL).

It was a while before I had my next big hand. A pretty solid, but loosish pre-flop guy opened to $25 utg, I called with KcQc in MP, young kid with headphones and hoodie called on BTN. Flop comes KhTh6h, utg bets $90, I call, young guy calls. I’m immediately thinking button overcall = draw. Turn is an offsuit 7, UTG checks, he has about $300 left, the other guy has $217. So I bet enough to put the young guy all-in, he thinks for ages and calls with Jh8h, other guy folds. He hits flush on river.

Brad ended up doing pretty well, and considering this was the first time he’d played in a casino with real chips I was pretty proud. Although apparently, he luckily got away with a contentious string bet. Matt never got much going from the sounds of itand ended up losing a bit. I’ll probably take a crack at a higher game next time I play there, but I was disappointed with the softness of the $2/$5 game for a weekend night and the rake structure in a one casino town is highway robbery.