Poker Is A Skill Game

12:30 $300 - After waiting for 15 minutes, I get a seat at the only $1/$2 table at MGM Detroit. This looks like a normal weekday table. Nobody has over $350. I recognize a few regulars.

1:00 $268 - There are a couple of $2/$5 players waiting for their game to open, and they are generating a lot of action. I raises to $11 with AJ, and got five callers. Q8 ended up winning the hand by hitting Trip 8 on the Flop. It's gonna be that kind of table. If I can catch any cards, it should be a great session.

1:30 $261 - I got one of the $2/$5 players All-In preflop for $111, JJ vs AJc. He flushed out on me. I still haven't won a pot yet, so I reloaded for $150 more.

2:00 $284 - Finally won my first pot. I raised to $15 with ATh, and got two callers. The board double paired with low cards. It got checked down, and I had the only Ace. Power Poker, Baby!

The second $1/$2 table finally opened, but it doesn't look like the $2/$5 game will get going for a while.

2:30 $424 - I won about $150 with AQ against one of the $2/$5 players, and sent him home. The other $2/$5, my AJc guy, also dusted off his stack. Hopefully, this table will calm down, and I can play a little poker, instead of waiting for a hand.

3:00 $646 - Still playing eight handed. I won around $250 in a limped pot from the SB, a future H.O.T.D.

3:30 $640 - I didn't really play a hand. I took a 10 minute break to walk around, and refill my cool, refreshing beverage. I came back to find three new players. One of them seems to be another $2/$5 player waiting for the "Real Money" Game to open up.

4:00 $588 - I raised $10 UTG+1 with 44, and got two callers. I c-bet $25 on a Q32 Flop, and they both called. I gave up, and QJ ended up winning the hand. This hand was a mistake by me. I don't need to raise in Early Position with 44 to generate action at this table; it's already got plenty. I also don't need to mix up my raising hands because nobody cares. Half the table just wants to see Flop, and see if the Roulette ball lands on their number. On a Crazy Bingo table like this one, I don't need to raise with anything but Top 10 hands. Limped pots get 5-7 players. Raised pots get 4-6 players.

There are currently two Action Dudes at this table, the $2/$5 player, and another psycho. They're both hitting their crap right now, so I just need to be patient.

4:30 $532 - It's really hard to patient with no cards to play. I got into a pot with the $2/$5 dude. I called one of his raises with 76o on the Button. It didn't work out.

It's also really hard to patient when these nut-jobs keep hitting all their crappy cards. The $2/$5 psycho is hitting ridiculous hands, and is getting paid off. He's been here just over an hour, and already has $900 in front of him.

5:00 $499 - The $2/$5 dude left the table. He was bored by this small game, and went over to Motor City to play in the $5/$10NL game.

The one remaining Action Guy started raising Blind to $15. He has the money in his hand, and announces to the table as the Dealer starts dealing. His cards are right where the Dealer pitched them as he tosses his three Red chip forward. Of course, everyone is just calling the $15, instead of raising. On the second time he did it, I limped and back-raised with 22 UTG. I fired a $60 c-bet on the Flop, but I had to give up on the Turn because there was too many Face Cards on the Board. Naturally, he woke up with AK that hand.

5:30 $451 - I raise to $12 with AJ in Mid position, and get five callers. I flopped an Open-Ender on a Flush Draw board. I had to fold because I was in the middle of two players who were betting and raising. I would have won the pot.

I'm really getting frustrated now. I really have no clue how to win at these Crazy Bingo tables without catching cards. One of the local solid grinders, who had been sitting here all day, said he never raises preflop, even with AA. But he will 3-bet if someone else raises. I think this has some possibilities. You just need to play Small Ball with your Big Pairs, which I normally do anyways. It's something I may try next time I sit at one of these tables.

6:00 $493 - I raised $10 in Mid position with JTo, and get four callers. I flopped a Gutshot (Q82). I c-bet $35, and everyone folded. That's the first time it happened today.

The Blind Action Guy is just an absolute Card Rack now. He's been raising Blind once or twice an Orbit. In the latest one, he ended up with 94o. He flopped Two Pair, and hit his Boat on the River. Someone else in the pot had a Straight on the Turn, and lost $200 on the River to the Blind Action Guy, who's got around $1100 in front of him now.

6:10 $335 - UTG raises to $10. He just recently sat down. Three players call. I'm the SB, and have AKs. The UTG has around $100 behind. I decide that I'm willing to Flip for his stack, so I raise to $70. UTG folds. (I found out right after the hand that he had AQ.) I do get one caller, an older gentleman who hasn't been here that long. He calls the extra $60, and has $55 behind. Flop is Kh Th Ts. I bet $55, and Old Dude calls. I show my AK for Two Pair. Old Dude, who called the first $10 raise, and put in more than half of his stack with my raise, turns over T6c for Trip 10. I miss my two outer.

I go into Mega-Tilt, gather up my chips, and storm away from the table down $115 for the day.