More Painful Lessons

What I learned from WinStar Casino is this. A hand like 2-3 is playable only when it is suited. People will sit for blackjack even when they have to pay for the seat. WinStar Casino allows players to drop the "f" bomb at the table.
Lesson one leads into lesson three. While playing $10-20 Hold'em, I had pocket Kings and was in late position. What this means is no one is going to fold that hasn't already called. I just called to see a flop. The flop was low card, low card, low card. I bet. A few called. The turn was a low card. I bet, got raised and called. The river was a low card. I checked. Guy bet. I called. He showed 2-3 suited. I notice a two and a three on the flop. Without a moments hesitation I spew the line, "Wow, that is a f___ing terrible hand."
This doesn't phase the young pup. I call him young because he had to be no older than 18 (WinStar allows 18 and older in their casino). He asks quite calmly and almost apologetically, "What'd you have?" I told him my pair and he answered back, "Oh, that sucks. That's a bad beat man. Usually I don't play that hand...but it was suited."
Ooooooooooh, it was suited. That explains it. Okay, a three high flush will probably be good. Excellent call.
I lost it. I got up, walked over to Chad and James and told them about the bastard who knocked down my pocket pair. Now ladies and gentlemen, I am calm most of the time at a public card table. Sometimes between friends I will threaten to punch someone in the face, but in a casino card room I usually just sit and take the pain of a bad beat. I have flipped someone off before and cussed quite loudly another time, but on the whole I am pretty good. Well, not Saturday night. I didn't care then. This kid pissed me off.
I went back to the table, sat down and decided to win my next good hand. I had $51 left. The hand before I was big blind was perfect for me. I was dealt A-K of clubs. So it is about as useful as A-K offsuit. Statistics show the clubs don't come as often as say spades (this is sarcasm if you're not picking up on it). I raised from under the gun. Got called by one player and the blinds. The flop came A-6-2. Small blind checked. Big blind the same. I bet 10 of my last $30. Guy to my left (we will call him "But They Were Suited") raised. Small blind called. Big blind folded. I re-raise. But They Were Suited called. Small blind called. The turn is a nothing card. Small blind checked. I bet my last dollar for the all in.
This is where it gets mind boggling. Keep in mind this pot is about $170. But They Were Suited thinks about it. I don't mean for a few seconds. He ponders what to do. He finally called. Woah, are you sure you're getting the proper odds for that call? Oh, he must be weighing in the implied odds so if he hits his hand he will get more money out of me. The small blind also thinks about it. What is going on here? This is not a complicated matter. IT'S A DOLLAR. Maybe they wanted a smaller increment bet. Can I convert that into yen? Small blind finally called. What a shock.
The river came with a six. I know this card hurt me. The small blind came out betting. Well, he has a six. I said this out loud. I said it loud enough for But They Were Suited to hear me. He called. Oh, do they both have a six? Who has the higher kicker?
The small blind flips over 10-6 suited. No surprise. But They Were Suited flips over Ace-Five suited. Surprise. Let's break this down. How can the small blind call a raise pre-flop with 10-6 suited and then play it once an ace hits the board and people are betting, raising and re-raising? Fine, whatever. How can But They Were Suited call on the end without a six and only a five kicker with his two pair?
Needless to say, I was out. Before we left I learned one more lesson. Blackjack has a small charge at WinStar. Hey Chihay, what's with the rental fee. James paid fifty cents for every hand played at blackjack. If you want a full lay out of the blackjack experience go to James' site. His link is on the right.
WinStar will be our new casino of choice despite it only opening the card room for 11 hours, being understaffed and lacking in customer service. The plus sides are it is more than half the drive Shreveport is, holds as many tables as the Horseshoe card room and is more than half the drive Shreveport is. Excuse me? Oh yes, the drive is that important to us.
No one came back profitable, but the inaugural trip of Oklahoma gambling was a worthwhile experience. We just wish Clint had joined in on the fun.