In the later part of the cruise, the poker took on a pattern. All the regulars now knew there would be a game in the late evening, and more people had heard about the game.
In principle, there was a game whenever the casino was open. This was from about 30mins after we left port, or all-day (say noon – 2am) if we were at sea.
In practice, the game seemed to start around midnight.
However, as the days went by, the start time definitely drifted earlier to the point where I was showing up after dinner and finding a full game already in progress.
The busier games brought in new players. Especially the “casino fish” who would stroll over to the poker table after a good run at the roulette. These players were not timid about putting their chips in.
They were the typical “bad players” that tend to provoke mixed reactions. On the one hand, they were clearly terrible (and drunk) so they were huge value, but on the other hand they were noisy and slowed the game down, and of course they were very dangerous (especially to those with shallow bankrolls).
Personally, I find it baffling when a solid player says something on the lines of “I hate playing against real fish”. I just about understand why they say this, but it completely wrong-headed in my view.
Yes, these players can and will get very lucky. Yes, they can bust you multiple times whilst their luck holds. But if you can keep reloading and don’t run out of time, then those chips are coming right back (with interest).
Perhaps my natural style also has made be comfortable with a very volatile game, so I am willing to fight fire with fire and put all my chips in.
The first night that the roulette crew came by saw my first losing session.
When I sat down, Jonny from Cheshire had already taken chunks out of the rest of the table. The two hands I watched before sitting down saw him river a flush with 73s in one hand, and in another he cold-called a raise and a re-raise pre-flop with J8o. The flop came QT9r. He cleaned up again.
It was clear he had no preflop standards, but actually he did get paid the max on both hands which made me think that possibly he might know what he was doing.
He was prepared to make big raises pre-flop with almost any two cards. Once I realised that he had such a wide range, I decided to let him know I was in the game. I limped for $2 along with a couple of others. Jonny made it $15 from the blinds. Two of the limpers called this as well (these were the tight-weak players), so now I moved in for $150 with A6o.
I figured I will knock out the other players for sure and I am ahead of Jonny’s range even if he calls.
He calls.
The board runs out K-8-2-T-3.
I announce “Ace high”. Jonny verbalises Ace-high as well. I am only beating 2 hands, but lo and behold he shows up with exactly A5o. Sweet.
Still, the session does not go well. Jonny and a couple of his friends who join us, are hitting for fun.
I lose four $200 buy-ins before I get a nice double-up with J9 – I flop trips and turn quads, and manage to get it all in by the river.
So, I have a useful $451 stack to attack Jonny (who has nearly $2k) when I pick up my next hand.
Aces. There is a $4 straddle by Scottish Colin (a decent and aggressive player). Jonny is on the big blind. Steve (one of Cheshire Jonny’s mates) limps in. He is incredibly passive pre-flop, even with monsters.
I limp, hoping Jonny or Colin will raise, but unfortunately we see a limped 5-way flop.
QT8 is the flop. Jonny checks and Steve leads out for $50. Esa from Finland moves all in for $200 or so.
Well. I have to assume a set is unlikely with no pre-flop raises. I think that top pair will bet aggressively here AND that I can get paid off by AQ/KQ and draws, so I move in for my $451.
Jonny calls. Steve folds pocket Tens, he says.
Esa has AQ. Jonny shows J9 for the flopped nuts ! A King on the turn gives me broadway outs, but the river is a blank for me (actually it paired the board).
Aarrgghh !To be honest, I think if I raise pre-flop with the Aces, I still lose my stack.
I have one more buy-in and make $350 back before the night is over. Jonny finished on $2,500 or so.
It was a fun game, despite the losses. The banter was good (albeit a but drunken). Jonny had a habit of calling everyone “cock”. This seemed to be light-hearted and basically friendly term coming from him, but it still felt a bit odd. Since he & I tangled so often, most of the cock-calling was aimed at me.
I bought a round of drinks, and hoped Jonny & Co would return the next day so I could have a crack at repatriating my chips !
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