Some Upcoming Poker

I'm going to be on the road playing some poker tournaments this spring; trips specifically (and solely) for poker.  I'm kind of excited about it, it's putting a toe into the water of what it would be like to actually be a poker pro and travel all over playing the major tournaments.  I've already mentioned the World Poker Open in Reno and the Poker Round-up in Pendleton.  I'm also going to Las Vegas next weekend, for a quick weekend away, actually a work-related trip of sorts and I'm not actually sure how much poker I'm going to get in.

I've also looked over the WSOP tournament schedule, and I'm definitely going to be playing some of the early ones.  I've decided I won't play the Main Event this year, but instead take the money and play four or five of the smaller buy-in tournaments; maybe more.  I actually have some plans made that conflict with the Main Event dates, so if nothing else would have, that would have been the determining factor.  On the other hand, I suppose that if I win a cheap satellite into it, I might blow off the personal trip and play the event instead.

I will be playing the $1000 buy-in that starts May 30.  It's a four-day event; they must be expecting several thousand entrants.  It will certainly be a taste of the Main Event.  And get this -- I got a "deluxe" room at the Rio for $40/night!  Can you believe it?  I know that I have a lot of Harrah's points, but even so, they must truly be hurting to give their rooms away for that cheap.

Here's a hand to chew on in the meantime.  It's a huge suck-out story.

I was in the big blind of a $2/$5 no-limit game.  Three limpers came in; the small blind completed; and I checked holding Queen/Five of Spades.

The flop came Queen of Hearts, Four of Hearts, Queen of Diamonds.  So I had flopped trips, although with a rotten kicker and a dangerous board.  I bet $12 into the $25 pot (I probably should have bet more).  But the bet had the desired effect, chasing everybody out but the button, who called.

The turn was the Six of Diamonds.  This time, I put $24 into the pot, and again the button called.  I couldn't figure out what he might have, other than a draw.

Well, if he was drawing, he got there on the river.  A third heart came.  But ... it was the Five of Hearts!  So, his heart flush (if he had it) was loser to my rivered full house.  Sweet!  I bet $60 and he raised me all-in for another $170 or so (I had him covered).  I was happy to oblige.

That's when I saw that he actually held the Queen of Clubs/Ten of Spades!  So, basically, I was behind the entire hand until the river Five saved me.  My 7% win actually came in!  As I was dragging in the pot of a little over $500, I promised myself (again) never to whine about bad beats any more.