Navigating the Waves at Nautica

After my successful Hollywood trip I decided to try Nautica again with my renewed bankroll. I have also finally stumbled on a winning strategy for me at Nautica, and I've been putting it to work. I've noticed (thanks to Poker Journal) that every long session I played at Nautica was a negative one. I've figured out that if I stick to around 2 hours or less, I seem to do better. I think part of the problem is that I get tired of nutting it up and start playing more hands the more I sit there, which screws me. By limiting my time, I'm not as worried about boredom.

Last Saturday I went down there and ended up at a table next to fellow CPMGer Mike T (who, I am sorry to say, I bored to death my nearly non-stop BSing). I started out slow, winning $50 off a nit who raised with JJ and bet an A high flop into my AK. My raise pushed him off and I kicked myself a little for opening early. I plodded along, making pairs here and there and taking smaller pots. Then, I got into a total train wreck. BB I get dealt 8-3s. Everyone except Mike limp to me, I check in. Flop 9-8-3 two hearts. I check, kid down in the middle bets $25. Two callers back to me, I decide to peel off a card. My thinking is that if it isn't a straight or a flush card I'm going to hammer the pot. I figure a set or two pair isn't going to flat call the flop with all that money and all those draws out there, so I'm pretty sure I am best. Turn 2s. I open/shove for $300. Original flop bettor abandons ship (despite only having $45 behind). Guy at the end emphatically slams his $120 stack in. Dude across from me says "I feel lucky, I'mma gamble!" and puts his last $175 in. River Jc. I declare "Two pair" and table my hand as the other two muck. The kid who had folded short gets mad, chastising me for pushing in. Turns out he would've hit a straight had he called. Oh well, thanks for not having the balls to call! I played two more rounds and cashed out my profit.

I went back Sunday to play some more and got put at a table of nits. It was limp-limp-limp-take a flop-someone bets $10-everyone folds. I decided to start raising a little and opening it up. I jammed myself up misplaying a hand. I get dealt J9 on the BB. Kid on the end makes it $25 preflop. One call in between, and I call. Flop 9-8-4 two hearts. I check, raiser bets $35, calls to me, I call. Turn is 4d. I check again, raiser checks, guy inbetween checks. River 2d. I check, raiser checks, kid across from me bets $65. I immediately put him on a busted flush and snap call. Initial raiser is about to fold but stops, counts the pot, and tanks. He finally calls. I say "This guy missed his flush, and I have a 9". Kid at the end shows A9 and scoops. Other guys shows his missed flush. FUCK. If I had shoved on him instead of flat calling I would've won that pot. Stuck a little, I get dealt Q5c and proceed to play the most ridiculous hand, ever. I call a raise to $15 with it when the guy on the end (who is also stuck) shoves in for $89. Guy next to me who made it $15 tanks and just flat calls. Feeling froggy, I call as well. Flop comes A-2-3 two spades. Kid next to me open/shoves for $158 and I hear the little voice in my head say call. I call and he flips up A-K. Turn is the miracle 4 and I say "I win" but don't show my hand. River is a Q and I say "Wheel!" and roll over my hand. The entire table erupts, and I stack two players. After that the table went bananas, $100 raises preflop and action galore. I played one more round and scooted out of there with my winnings.

Went back Tuesday and was running up and down a little, decided to nit it up since I'd been donking it up a lot lately and didn't want to start spewing chips. I'm sitting at a table with a bunch of internet kids who are straddling and raising each other. I get dealt KQ on the button while the straddle is on. I bump it to $15 and get two callers including the straddler. Flop J-10-9 two spades. First kid bets $25, second kid makes it $50. I shove for $181. First kid tanks and folds, second kid can't call fast enough. I say "I flopped the joint, good luck on your spades" and table my hand. He bricks out (he didn't show but kid next to him said he saw spades) and I scoop a big one. A round later, I get 4-6 off in the SB when a kid raises to 17. Four callers to me, I decide to peel off a flop and see if I could bingo it. Flop was Q-10-4 two diamonds. I check, it checks all the way around. Turn 4. I lead out $25, initial raiser calls, everyone else bails. River is the 6d. I bet $35. Kid cuts out a big stack and starts setting them out when I declare "I call". He mucks and I show the 6. He gets mad, saying "I know you had a 4" and I tell him I just had pocket 6's but I knew he was full of shit.

I took a few days off and then went back last night for a couple of hours. My table started off rocky. We got seated with this loon that's been coming lately, he's a wiry black guy in a suit and tie with dark glasses. He walks with a cane and carries a bookbag around. He's also rude, nasty, and generally unpleasant. The first few people called to sit next to him refuse the seat until we find a guy who will sit there. After a few rounds, the guy is badgering the dealer and being an asshole to the point where the dealer calls the floor over and has him removed. After he's gone we settle down and get to pokering. I am stuck $100 early, I keep getting playable hands but no help on the flops and am losing $10-12 at a time. I add on $100 and move seats, hoping to change it up a little. Finally, it's train wreck time. I get dealt A3h on the button. UTG makes it $15 to go. Two callers, guy to my right makes it $45. He's been pretty snug so I'm sure he's not stealing. I consider folding but the other players are already counting out calls, plus I have position. I call, other two players call. Four of us take a flop of A-2-5 two clubs. Everyone checks to me, and I shove for $169. Initial raiser calls for less, guy next to him tanks for a minute and then calls. Guy who made it $45 folds. I show the Ace, guy across shows AJ. Turn 10, river 4. BINGO! I roll over my wheel and scoop the whole thing. The very next hand, the two guys I stacked have rebought. I get dealt 5-5. I limp for $2. BB makes it $15. UTG who had limped shoves his whole $100 in (he's the guy who had AJ last hand). I look at BB who bought full and has $185 left. He looks like he's calling for sure. I want to fold but I keep hearing that little voice say call. I decide to shove all in, and BB snap calls. Flop comes Q-5-J. I declare I flopped a set. The other two roll over KK and AA and the board runs out and I scoop them both again. Both guys leave the table and we get some new players. I lose about $125 back to a guy who chased all the way down with bottom pair/A kicker and hit his ace to crack my Q's. After that I skin out, still up $400.

I am waiting for the wheels to come off, but so far I've been doing OK. I am giving the appearance of being extremely wild and stupid, and it's been working to my advantage as I am getting paid off when I do have hands. It's fun while it lasts! We'll see if my luck holds out through this next big poker weekend. Look for another update Tuesday!