Here's Day One of my November 2007 trip to Niagara Falls. The plan was to meet up with Johnny and Labatts for some poker for the weekend...Johnny was driving in for the day, Labatts was spending the weekend like me. As Johnny mentioned, it looked like the weather was going to play a big factor...at least in getting to The Falls. There was a storm a-brewing, and you always worry about Lake Effect snow. Basically, Lake Effect snow is when cold, arctic winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, pick up the water vapors, moves over the colder land mass, and dumps it as snow. This could literally last for days and dump a couple of feet of snow. Again, as Johnny mentioned, this is not fun to drive through and both Johnny and I have to drive right along Lake Erie to get to Niagara Falls. Labatts was dealing with his own possible storm up in Canada. So it was touch and go for a while whether any of us were going to head out Friday. I was pretty sure no matter the weather, I was heading out Friday morning...already had hotel reservations and I figured all I would have to do is get there. If I missed out on poker Friday because the weather was bad, at least I would be there and could get an early start Saturday.

The weather forecast changed several times and it finally settled on it not being that bad. 10 AM and I am out the door, car packed, gas tank full, bankroll bursting, bladder empty (for now). I start the car and the AC/DC song "She's Got the Jack" is playing. If you are unfamiliar with the song, they basically sing about some chick who has a poker face and she's got the jack and so on. Not exactly a poker song, but thought it was interesting it was on the radio as I start my four hour drive.

I'm cruising through Pittsburgh, pass my place of work and flip them off, yelling out "suckers!!" as I pass. About an hour later, my cell phone rings. I look at the caller ID...it's Puckhead who lives in Buffalo but won't be able to join us this weekend. I answer and he gives me a full weather report...I should be good the whole way, maybe a few spots here and there. Cool...thanks!!

I pull into the Microtel lot at 2:03. Check in time is 3, but I usually have no trouble checking in early. At the front desk, the guy ahead of me is taking forever...going on and on about his CLD license and how he had a stroke and he has to be retested but he's afraid so he's put it off for a year now. Finally, he's done and it's my turn. I get the standard "check in is at 3, but I'll see what I can do". There is a room available. Microtel has this plan where you stay nine nights and get a free night's stay. I have a free night saved up and tried to use it last August, but they said they were booked and I couldn't use it. Of course, I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that the rates are the highest in August. Anyway, tonight is my free night. I did it online and then had to call to get an extra night added, making sure they understand that I'm staying for two nights. There was no way to do this online...not that I could see. So I'm a little worried when the clerk says I'm there for one night. Nope...two nights. She checks again and finds my other reservation. I have to make sure I check with the front desk tomorrow morning to secure my room. I'll be in the same room, but I guess I have to re-check in. Seems stupid, but whatever.

I get into my room, unpack, decide what to bring with me, and go to the bathroom. Weird...there's an ashtray in the bathroom. This is supposed to be a non-smoking room. At least that's what I asked for. Ah, fuck it. I'll worry about it later. I'm out in my car and call the poker room to get added to the list. I ask for 1/2 NL, and she asks 100 max or 200 max? As Johnny reported, they now have 2 buyins. The lower amount is min $40, max $100. The $200 max is $100/200 buyin. I'm leaning towards the 100 max because I think my tight, nit game is better for that stake. But I put my name on both in case the room is busy.

From my last trip reports, you might remember I'm struggling with a good name to go by for the wait list. My name, Mike, is way too common. I was using Snick, but they always screwed it up. This time, I decided to use Ridge in honor of Ridge Poker. She asks my name...I say Ridge...she says "what?". Ridge...r-i-d-g-e. "Oh...OK." Alright, we'll come up with a different name tomorrow. I have some things I'm working on.

I start up the car and what's on the radio? Home Sweet Home from Motley Crue. "I'm on my way...I'm on my way...home, sweet home..." I find this funny because I consider Seneca my home poker room (before West Virginia started up) and I'm heading there right now...home sweet home. At least I hope it's sweet.

I get to the poker room around 3:15ish and spot Johnny. We chat for a few seconds. He's at a 100 max table and I asked him about the 200 max. He was there for a little while and decided to switch to 100 max. I look at the board and see both lists are open, which means I have my choice. I think I'm going to stick with the 100 max for now. I check in, get my players card swiped, get my chips, and head for the table.

I sit just in time for the BB and am asked if I want to post or wait. What the hell...I'll post. I sit down and am looking at two red kings. Home sweet home, I'm hoping. There's like 5 limpers in front of me, I have NO idea how anybody plays and I raise to 20. Next guy to act goes all in for 46 and it's folded to me. I call, flip up my hand, he doesn't but says he's crushed. AK? Never found out what he had as he mucks after the river and rebuys. Nice start. I jokingly say that I'm done for the day and start to get up.

A few hands later, AQo UTG+1. UTG folds, I make it 7, 2 or 3 callers. Flop comes A-J-x? Something like that, but I know there were 2 diamonds. I bet 15, one caller, and I immediately think flush draw or Ax. No diamond on turn, I bet 30, he thinks a little bit and calls. Now I'm thinking flush draw. No diamond on the river so I'm thinking he missed. I bet 50, he thinks. Hmmm. Guess I was wrong about the flush draw. He finally calls, I show, he mucks. This game's easy when you get the cards! Very quickly, I have more than doubled up and have a $250 stack in front of me.

I'm in seat 7 and guy in seat three keeps raising. We will remember that and will try to use that against him. But we never do.

There's a raise to 12, one caller, and I look down at two red aces. That's a pretty good starting hand. I raise to 40, all fold to original raiser who goes all in for his last 45, other caller folds. I call the $5 and we got AA vs KK. My hand holds up and my stack is over $300 in less than an hour. I fully expect to go card dead for a while.

And right on cue, nothing much happens for a while. A few playable hands that go nowhere and that I didn't write down. J2s from SB, JQo from LP. Generally in my game, I'm working on playing more hands from LP. The one time I don't, 10-2s, the flop comes 10-10-Q.

I have no idea what this means, so I will type exactly what I wrote...AQo, calling station donk UTG + raises to 10, like 4 or 5 people call. I don't know if that means the calling station donk (CSD) raised it and from what position or what position I was in. At any rate, flop is A-x-x w/two clubs. It's checked to me, I bet 10 or 15 (forget which), all fold.

The rush continues with AQ of diamonds UTG+1. I raise to 8, two callers...calling station donk and one of the blinds. Flop comes 9-9-x with two diamonds. Checked to me, I check (should have bet), CSD checks. No help for me on the turn, check, check, CSD bets 20, blinds guy raises to 45...ok, there we go. Slow playing jerks. I fold. CSD calls. Blinds guy may have been all in at this point...didn't write down what happened on the river, but blinds guy had a nine and CSD showed the king of diamonds and I didn't get to see his other card. Maybe a flush draw? Not sure.

I realize I have used CSD in two examples where he bets out and calling stations usually don't bet out. But believe me, he was a calling station most of the time.

I got the details on the players card. You get 60 cents an hour that you play and it's good for food vouchers only. Eh, better than nothing, I supposed. I figure if I play for 10 hours, that's enough to get a fried chicken wrap at Morrie's Express. So that's cool. But it's not as cool as I think as later in the weekend I find out the vouchers are not good at Morrie's. Fuckers. Guess I'll have to build it up to get a free buffet. At least I find out that the money doesn't expire so I don't have to worry about using it before a certain date.

34s but UTG+1, so I fold. Comments? There's a raise behind me so I'm glad I folded...until flop comes 3-4-J and a c-bet takes it. I should play the rush.

JJ on the button. Someone raises to 12. The raises range from 7-15 at this table. One or two callers, so I call. I have trouble with jacks and tend to treat them like middle pairs hoping for a set. One of the blinds also calls. Flop is A-J-x. Sa-weet! BB bets ten, original raiser calls, folded to me, I make it 60. Now, I think this bet may be too big. It's basically a pot sized bet at this point of the hand. But I still think most people don't think that way at the tables at Seneca. They don't think "well, that's a $20 bet into a $60 pot, so I am getting...blah blah blah". I mean, I know some do. But I think most people just see it as a $60 bet. Blinds guy folds, original raiser goes all in for 26 more, I call hoping not to see AA. He flips over AK, I'm good, and have over $400 in front of me.

My cards cool considerably, CSD has turned into master bluffer and takes a couple huge pots with nothing. He builds a nice stack and I'm licking my chops thinking that he'll give it all back. He gives back some, but then gets smart and leaves.

Somewhere in here, Johnny comes over and checks on me and asks how I'm doing. I have $400 sitting in front of me. He says he also has a $400 stack. Cool!

Lack of notes again, but I have 66...nothing for me on the flop. There's four of us in the pot and we all check it down to the river and all fold to a small bet.

Two new people sit down, both with about $40. WTF? Lady plays one hand and gets up and leaves, but leaves one chip behind. We're not sure what that means. I think she went to the 3/6 limit table (I believe I did recognize her from my Limit days).

I dip under $400 as someone goes all in for his last $11 and I call with AQs. There's a couple of us to the flop of A-8-3. Checked to me, I bet 20, all fold and I'm thinking I'm good. After the turn and river, I flip my cards up and he flips his....8-3 for the flopped two pair. WTF?

Very next hand (I'm not involved), he raises again but this time he has AK and flops broadway. He gets someone to call his all-in and doubles up again.

We slowly lose players. The dealer says it will pick up again after dinner. But the Buffalo Sabres are playing tonight, so others aren't so sure. It does seem the poker room is less crowded than it usually is. While I had a great day so far, I wonder if it will be worth it to come up here much anymore. It may be getting harder to find a nice soft game on a regular basis here. Puckhead...what do you think? Are the games drying up at Seneca? It's 6:10 and we're 6 handed with no waiting list. I hate playing shorthanded. I lose $16 on pocket tens.

I get QQ, raise, all fold, I show. Very next hand, guy to my left raises, we all fold, he shows QQ. Very next hand, I'm the BB and get, yep, QQ. What are the odds of someone getting QQ three times in a 6-handed game? Two limpers, I raise to $15, guy next to me hems and haws and calls, other guy calls. My note taking always suffers the later it is and I'm not sure what the flop is. But I think it was like 9 high with 2 hearts. I bet 25. Guy to my left takes a while. I'm thinking flush draw as two pair or a set, he wouldn't take so long. He finally calls. Other guy folds. Blank on the turn, I fire 50, again he takes forever. Finally calls for his last ~40. Ace on the river and he flips up A7 of hearts. Well, fuck me. Call all that with a flush draw and he hits his ace. Big loss for me and my stack is down to $300. I win that hand and I'm sitting on $500. Fucker. Oh well. At least I was right with my read and felt I played the hand correctly. He was stupid and got lucky.

Shortly after that, Johnny comes over to my table. He's cashed out because his table was down to like 4 people. I'm not doing much better as we switch from 5 to 6 handed and back. But as we're talking, he notices people he was playing with are now joining my table. Looks like they broke up that table and moved them over here. Johnny gets the attention of the front desk and grabs the last seat. Only problem is he cashed out so now he has to buy in for the 100 max instead of bringing his massive chip stack over from the other table. A few minutes after that, Labatts shows up. We're chatting, slowing down the table as I have to be nudged a couple times because I'm not paying attention. Finally, Johnny, who's in seat 9, and I (in seat 7) decide to pack it in and grab some dinner w/Labatts as soon as we get out of LP. I cash out at 7:00 with $304 for a profit of $204. Nice start to the weekend!

The three of us start over to Morrie's Express for a light dinner. It's on the other side of the casino. We get about halfway through the casino and I remember that I didn't swipe out with my players card. If you don't swipe out, they remove anything you earned that day. Johnny forgot to swipe out as well, so back to the poker room. I hand my card over and learn I have like $13 in voucher money saved up! Cool! At this point, I'm still thinking I can use it at Morrie's, so I'm happy I have a couple of free dinners coming my way.

Back across the casino to Morrie's. I never realized they have a small area with chairs and tables, so we get some things from the cooler and grab a table. We talk for a while about a bunch of stuff...passports, poker, the forum, real estate, politics, how cheap I am, how Cleveland sucks to live in (well, Ohio in general), how I played the Power Ball lottery a few weeks ago and was going to pay for everyone from the forum to go to Vegas for a huge meet-up if I won (but it had to be during the week because the hotel rates would be too high on the weekends and I'm cheap...even thou I would have 20 million in the bank). Good time. Labatts talks us into going to Fallsview Casino on the Canadian side next time. We figure maybe March or April when we don't have to worry about the weather anymore.

Johnny's gotta head back tonight and he doesn't want to leave too late. So he grabs his Red Bull and we part ways. I'm back at the hotel just in time to watch the last 4 minutes of the Sabres game. I almost decide to jump back in the car and head back to the poker room. But decide to try to get some good sleep instead and try for a nice long day of poker tomorrow. By the way, I noticed the non-smoking rooms have the big no smoking symbol on them. I get to my room...no big no smoking symbol. Fuck. It isn't a non-smoking room. But fuck it now...I'm all unpacked and don't feel like moving.

But Snickers, you might be thinking...couldn't you smell the cigarette smoke as soon as you walked in the room all those hours ago? Time to reveal something about myself. And I'm being serious. I have no sense of smell. It's known as anosmia and as far as I know, I have never been able to smell. Why didn't I get this checked out when I was younger? My parents didn't believe me when I said I couldn't smell anything. Why haven't I had it checked out since? Good question. Guess I just never bothered since I've been living this way for 41 years. So, anyway, no...I couldn't tell it was a smoking room just by walking into it.

I'll try to get Day Two posted soon, but I'm on vacation and want to sit my fat ass on the couch the rest of the day and catch up on my shows on the DVR.

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"I love the deer meat!!!" -- Randy
Check out My Blog, updated 11/15/08

Great post as usual...what are you watching these days?

My favorite shows now are:

Dexter
Weeds
Californication

Showtime Rocks!

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I voted for Obama because Spam told me it was anti-christian to do so.

Sounds like a good day at the tables! Sorry about the lack of smelling .....

I'm only up there once a month, but the cash games have been getting stronger players. There used to be a time where you would have one or two good players, two or three mediocre players, and a shit-ton of fish. Now there are only a couple of fish, and about 3-4 competent players. IMO, half the table is still easily exploitable, so it's more imperative to have a read on each player at the table and stick to the gameplan. Lately, I've only been playing on weekends at Seneca Niagara. I haven't played hooky from work to play poker in some time; I'm hoping to do so next month.

Sorry I missed you guys; Thanksgiving is such a tough time with all the birthdays in my family. In addition to my cousin's b-day Saturday, my other cousin turns 40 on Thanksgiving, and I'll be 36 on Black Friday.

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"Seriously, even if you're not the most skilled player in the tournament, remember that Jamie Gold actually won a tournament" - Randy

Great report, cheers.

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I have been blogging. Last updated April 29th. http://www.feltpoker.com/blogs/ugignadl/

I don't have any premium channels, but I have watched a couple episodes of Dexter online and plan on buying season one on DVD when it goes on sale. Great show. I mean, I know it's available now...I'm waiting for a sale. :wink: Probably my favs right now are The Office, Scrubs, Family Guy, Cold Case, Chuck, CSI, and I'm probably forgetting one or two.


Eh, it's something I never had so no biggie to me. Comes in handy for the GF as she can fart away and have no worries. Sucks for me because I can't smell anything burning (like, the house) and have to make sure I stay clean because I can't smell when I reek. I have to be careful with things like cologne and after shave.


Yeah, that's one reason we want to come back in March or April...hoping you can make it one of those weekends too. Of course, it could be June if the Pens battle for the Stanley Cup!!

__________________
"I love the deer meat!!!" -- Randy
Check out My Blog, updated 11/15/08

lol, you do know that the jack in question is VD right? :) just checking

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Attempting to blog at Carrera's Felt Poker blog (updated 16-10)

HA! No, I had no idea! I don't like that song and usually change the station when it comes on.

__________________
"I love the deer meat!!!" -- Randy
Check out My Blog, updated 11/15/08