Home Game Fun

"No! The trades HAVE to go first!" - I'll explain later, when I blog about Bonedoneskis

Over the weekend, I realized one thing. If there isn't chicks in my life (and sometimes even when there is), the only thing that makes me happy is playing cards. I've been in a mental slump for the past couple weeks. I've been pretty depressed for no obvious reason, and I haven't been able to snap it. I was hoping that havin a home game would help, and for the most part it did.

Joe and I invited over a few friends to play a 6-handed mixed game. One of those was Darsky, so right away I knew I would snap out of my depressive shell at least partially. I bought more chips for the occasion (we all need more chips, right? Just ask CT.com), and had them shipped to my work. So they arrived, and I left early, eager to face the night ahead.

It'd been a long week, so I was looking forward to this in more than one way. I hadn't really played cards since the week after I got back from Vegas in December, and it's killed me. I played in a dealer's game a few weeks back, and played wild and loose and dropped a little bit there. I was hoping it wasn't gonna be the same this time. We were only playing $2-4 Mixed, but it was more for the fun and the good game than the money this time around.

We invited Lucy and Nema, a couple that Joe and I met from Chumash, and who Joe also knows from UCSB. Nema took down the last big tourney at Chumash for $100k, so he knows how to play some cards.

Darsky showed up around 4PM, and Joe, he, and I sat down to start off the action. We played 3-handed until about 7PM, when the three other players showed up almost simultaneously. We all ate pizza, knocked back quite a few brews, and had a great game going. The six of us all know poker and are pretty serious players in understanding, yet we're all pretty relaxed and friendly in attitude, so it made for a fun, aggressive game.

I was playing pretty well for the most part, but irritated myself when I played an entire round of Omaha Hi like a complete knob. I consider myself a decent Omaha player, and probably one of the better ones of the people I play with (besides Manny). But for some reason I assed off about $50 in one rotation of $2-4. I was able to keep afloat with the Hold'Em and Razz rounds, but I knew I was playing under my level.

One guy had to leave early at around 10PM, and the three of us played mixed games for another hour or so. After the action started dulling, we decided to switch over to $1-2NL. The action picked up almost instantly, with all of us facing all-ins pretty much every other hand. Lucy busted when Joe caught her on a bluff. So Joe stacked pretty quick. I dropped a $130 all-in when my flopped top set got rivered by his double belly-buster a couple hands later, and I rebought.

On semi-tilt I started playing uber-aggro. I ended up jamming against Nema on a flush draw w/overs on the flop, and got called with top set. Turn blank. River flush. Oops, nice hand sir.

I was almost even, and calmed down. I started playin back a little bit and at about 1:30Am, this hand came up.

Joe had limped UTG, Nema popped it from the button to $6, and I flat called from the SB with AKo. Joe called and we saw a flop of 5-3-A, rainbow. I checked, Joe bet $10, and Nema flat called leaving himself about $40 behind. I didn't think Joe was strong, and I didn't know what to put Nema on, considering he's a tricky player.

Nema could have raised with an Ace and flat called, hoping to double up on the turn in this aggressive short-handed game. It's a play that's in his arsenal, but he definitely knows how to mix it up. If he had raised the button with a weaker Ace, I was gonna wait till the turn to get his money in. I would re-evaluate Joe on the next card. This wasn't completely in line with my style, but I decided to play this hand a different way this time.

One the turn was a Kd, putting two diamonds on board. Again I checked, and now Joe bet out $26. As soon as he bet out I put Joe on A5. He could've bet out any A, but the way he bet made me think he had Aces up. Nema flat called behind, leaving himself basically all-in, and at this point I put him on a flush draw with a possible 4.

I decided to raise to $60 straight, and Joe went into the tank. I was almost positive with my read. He mucked after a couple minutes of thinking, and Nema called off the rest saying "I need a diamond or a four." A blank peeled off and I scooped the pot. Joe told me he had A3.

I was back into the black for the game and finally felt good after donking off a whole round of Omaha Hi in the earlier stages of the evening. Unfortunately the hand also felted Nema, and Lucy and he took off shortly after.

It was a little after 1:30AM and the three of us didn't feel like going to bed, so we decided to bust into gambling games. We played Beat the Dummy, 4-Card Guts, and Kings and Littles for a little bit. Then, in an instant of brilliance, I created the game now known around the world as Bonedoneskis. I'll tell you all about that one tomorrow.

Darsky flat out dominated Joe and me, winning the first pot ever in the history of the game, and didn't slow down the rest of the night.

We ended up amending the rules to and playing Bonedoneskis until about 6:30AM before we all finally crashed. I went into a small bit of depression half-way through thanks to a brain-racking phone call, but I still had a lot of fun. The night was definitely a boost to my recently lacking enthusiasm for life.

On Saturday, we woke up around 1PM and quickly jumped into a game of Bonedoneskis yet again. This time I came up a little bit, and Dar came up yet again. After the extended session, Dar and I hit up the Brew Co. for a couple foods and beers. We headed over to Q's to see if we could get a table, but it was packed (of course.) O'Malley's had a line down the street, and so we headed back to Brew Co's extension, the Lounge.

We grabbed a beer and sat and talked for a little bit about life and business before we were finally able to snag a table. Darsky's a good pool player, so I knew I didn't stand a chance. He went an understandable 4-0 on me, and was able to throw me a couple pointers while nicely handing me my own ass on a beautiful silver platter.

We finished our last game as they were locking up, and headed back to my place. Dar and I tested out how well Bonedoneskis would play in tournament format, since the game had originated as only a $1-2 game, with many rules pertaining to the limit of $1-2. I went on an insane rush, letting Darsky only win three hands the whole time.

He took off shortly after in a fit of rage (hahahah), and that was that.

On Sunday I watched the Bears make short work of the Saints, and stared in awe as the Colts made in improbable comeback run against the Pats. I was positive from the start that the Pats were goin back to the Bowl this year, but Manning was able to quiet his critics with a wonderful run and a powerful display of clutch throwing.

Congrats Colts, the year is yours.

Stay tuned for tomorrow when I get my laptop and I blog about Bonedoneskis
Until next time.