For those of you looking for my column in the latest issue of CardPlayer, it is not there. It is the one with the Caribbean Poker Adventure on the cover (Volume 20, Issue 4). I was unable to submit a column due to illness. I have been submitting columns since then, so I will be in subsequent issues.

Yesterday’s session was interesting, and it brought up a point I thought worth mentioning. I went to Bellagio to play my normal $30-$60 game. I was seated eventually and playing for 45 minutes or so when a big guy in a suit sat down in the big blind, This was a wonderful game, and up to that point, fairly passive. I thought the game had excellent profit potential.

On this hand, his first, all fold to to a tight pro in the cutoff. She raised, the button folded and Suit four-bet. More action ensued and Suit eventually won the hand, showing down Q-4 offsuit. This was interesting, but he suddenly started racking up his chips. He did not seem the hit and run type, and when someone asked him where he was going, he told them they had just called him for his game.

I tossed the next hand and quietly inquired of the floor people where he was headed. When they told me $60-$120, I got myself on that list. When they called me to the game 20 or so minutes later, I went and looked at it. There was a killer main game with four of the cardroom’s toughest professionals, but the must move looked wonderful, with one tight pro, Mr. Suit, and some total strangers (generally a very good sign in high limit games). I took the game and it was wonderful, with lots of people disrespecting raises and 4-5 way action on most flops in a 9-handed game.

I have not played that much $60-$120 lately because I have stamina issues, there are many good players generally there, and the $30-$60 games have been so good. But it helps to have an open mind, especially when it was a sure thng that a guy willing to put four bets in on a Q-4out of position was going to be there.

I am not the first person to mention this, but keep an open mind when you get to a cardroom. Do not just sign up for your primary game and lump down into it. Look at the other gamer at your limit and other games that you can play at limit you can tolerate. It may be that playing a second-best game, or just playing tightly in a higher limit game to avoid swings may still be a more profitable opportunity for you.

My friend Roy Cooke wrote about a time when he passed by an Omaha/8 game that was extremely weak. Roy is not that good an Omaha player, but he was way better then the guys who were playing, so he jumped in and did well. It could easily be that a game at a higher limit, or even a lower limit, or a different game, may be the best spot for you on a given day. Look for it.