I Thought This Was a $1/$3 Table?

I arrive at the Hollywood Poker Room about 9am, hoping there was any table open so I can play a little before the 11am tourney. Much to my surprise, there was 3 $1/$3 tables, two $3/$6 tables, a serious interest list for $2/$5, and a few other names on various lists. I ask the desk if there are any open seats in any game, and the send me over to a $1/$3 table.

9:10 $300 - This must be an all-night table, because there are some big stacks here. The player two seats to my right has about $1000. The player to my left has about $800.


9:30 $293 - Just played the blinds. I can't believe this is a Monday Morning table. I haven't seen a limped pot yet. It's been $20 minimum preflop. The player on my direct right is an Action Guy. He's got about $600, and is doing most of the raising.

10:00 $309 - Limp pots are extremely rare, so I gotta start doing some calling, and seeing a Flop or two. I called $15 with JTs and missed. I called $25 (from SB Action Guy) with KQc in the BB. I bet $60 on Flop with Top Pair (K). The Flush hit on the Turn, so I had to fold when another player bet $100. I then reloaded with 4 Green chip out of my pocket.

10:30 $228 - I am completely out of my comfort zone. It's like I'm at a $2/$5 table, and shortstacked. It's still very rare to see a Flop for under $20. But there is so much potential at the table for a huge score. I need to be patient and wait for Action Guy to double me up. It is ridiculous how many pots he's playing and raising. His Poker Tracker preflop stats would be 90/75.

11:00 $181 - I've gone from uncomfortable to frustrated. I just don't have the chips to play any hands that aren't Top 10. Even if I add my last $100, it won't do much good with the $25+ preflop action. I would have flopped a set of 3 in the SB, but it was raised early to $15 and then $45 by Action Guy on the Button before it got to me. I was gonna play in the tourney, but I've got $200 'invested' in this table, and there are still many big stacks here along with Action Guy.

11:30 $197 - Won a small pot with a Straight in the BB. The tourney started, and we lost 6 players, including most of the big stacks and Action Guy. The only big stack is directly to my left, and he's a super nit.


12:00 $451 - I'm UTG with AK, and backraised to $50, and got 2 callers. On the Q-high Flop, I checkraised All-In for $82 and got two callers. I hit the K on the River. I got a little lucky with that semi-bluff, but it's about time something went right at this table. If I lost, I would have bought into the tourney.

12:30 $494 - Semi bluffed with a flush draw and gutshot on Flop, and won it on the Turn. The table has calmed down to a normal $1/$3 table, but still good action for a Monday afternoon.

1:00 $620 - Flopped a Pair & Nut Flush draw, and 3-bet it for $100. I went All-In on the Turn, and he folded. Unfortunately, he had a opened ended straight flush draw. If I realized that I had him dominated, I would have only bet about $100-$150 on the Turn.

1:30 $506 - I got backraised by UTG+1, and the he checkraised me on a Q high board. He hasn't been at the table that long, so it's hard to put him on a hand. He had about the same size stack as me, and I just felt this wasn't a battle worth fighting.

2:00 $545 - I raised three hands in a row to $11, my standard at $1/$3. I whiffed on the first two, but won a decent pot with the 3rd one (KK).

2:30 $808 - Won a sweet pot with JT in late position. I called a raise preflop. I hit Top Pair (T) on the Flop against what I'm assuming was AK and a draw. The AK kept betting, and the draw and I kept calling. Won a few other small to decent pots, including Top Pair (9) against a old calling station that was chasing a gutshot.

I decided to cashout. There was a $5/$10 Limit table that just opened, along with a $1/$3/$5 PLO table. But I'm getting hungry, and I really want to book a win. Lately, most of these overnighters have ended with me up or down $100. I'm not losing any money, but I'm not winning either. This was a good trip, and I want to leave with a wad of cash in my pocket.

I head upstairs, walk through the Pit, head to the Buffet for a free lunch, and then start my journey home. I don't stop to play anything. I won big last night in the Pit, and I don't see any reason to give half of it back.