I just got back from the SF Bay area, where I did the tourist thing and had a great time. I stopped to play a bit of poker at Garden City, where I used to play for many years. If was nice to see some old friends and opponents. There are a few changes, but the food is still very good and the players are still very bad (mostly). In fact, either the play has become worse than I remember, or my game has improved so much since I came to Las Vegas and turned pro that I simply do not remember it. My guess is both.

Here is a hand. I raise with KK in early position in a pot with a late position poster. The player on my left hesitiates and calls, as does everyone else! Seven ways we see a flop of 468 with two clubs. This seems like an OK flop so I bet after the blinds check. Next player calls, then a raise and reraise and a cold call to me. Confused, I call figuring this is California and everyone likes to raise the flop. The turn is a 9 and after a check to me, I check as well. Now the guy on my left bets right out into the two raisers. They both call. I figure he must have made a big hand to bet so boldly into three players who either raised or called 3 cold plus a pre-flop raiser, so I muck (error). The river is a smal club. Lefty bets and after a call, button raises. Lefty 3-bets, middle guy (who raised on the flop) folds and button caps. Lefty calls. Button shows down AcQc for the nuts. Lefty tables J9o for top pair terrible kicker. Nice read by me, huh?

I am leaving shortly for the Card Player Cruise in Europe, and I’m very excited. There is nothing to compare to visitng excotic ports (Dubrovmick, Istanbul, Corfu, Alexandria, Odessa and several others) during the day and then playing some poker with compatible people at night.

I will try to post more poker content next week, when I will be on the ship after 4 days in Venice.