The August Trip to The Stone

I needn't have feared - cash game seats were readily available, and while the tournament schedule was a bit off, we still got into a Sunday night bounty tournament for a total of $50 including coupon.  All told, we played two separate cash sessions and the one tournament.  Recaps:

Cash session 1:
Off to a good start - Tina and I not only got seats at the same table, but right next to each other, her on my right.  It was a full table almost all night except for one brief moment when we were six-handed, but that didn't last.  Both of us were pretty card-dead; my theme of the night was K/rag suited.  I limped a couple times from late position,  but didn't make any money off those moves.  We played for a total of four hours, and I profited $46.  A few notes:

• For the second straight trip to TS, I took out a jackwad player.  This time, it was a young kid who sat down with his friend and started firing at every pot, complete with the "I'm a hotshot internet poker player" attitude to match.  I woke up with JJ in late position, called his raise, and raised him after a flop of 2/2/6.  He re-raised, and I shoved all-in over the top.  When he snap-called, I figured he had trips, but when I showed my hand he claimed "I'm drawing dead" and never flipped over his cards.  The board ran out, he mucked, and left.  His friend stayed, but he was not nearly as much an a-hole so that was okay.
• The overall table dynamic was pretty cool, until one of the regulars (dubbed "scrawny Bruce Willis" by Tina) and his huge chip stack both 1) got into a "dick-waving match" with another kid on his left, raising and re-raising every pot; and 2) got into an argument with a player two seats to his right after the latter won a pot, which began with SBW saying "I know I'm going to make money off you in the long run".  That, however, was more interesting than annoying, as it was a clear attempt by SBW to get inside the other guy's head.  It worked, but not the way he hoped - the other guy promptly moved tables.
• The hand of the night was one involving Tina, myself, and a Korean guy two seats to my left. Action was down to the three of us post-flop, and I held pocket tens with a board of Q/5/8.  Tina min-raised, and we both called. The turn was a K, and we all checked.  The river was a J, putting three over cards and a straight draw on the board.  Tina bet big, and I went into the tank.  I figured she was bluffing, and eventually decided to call, thinking that even if I didn't have her beat, the other guy would fold and Tina would get the money.  He did indeed fold, and Tina mucked when I showed my hand.  The guy complimented my read, and I said something along the lines of "I should be able to read her, we've been married ten years".  The guy laughed, and said "aw man, I'm playing against husband and wife, what the hell, man?"  But he said it with a laugh and it was all in good fun - and another example of why I love live poker.
• Overall, the table was pretty cool, at least at our end.  The two people to my left when we sat down were both pretty chatty and cool; the guy to my immediate left was there the entire time and the next guy was replaced by the Korean guy.  So, socially speaking, it was a good session.

 Session 1 totals: 4 hours, +$46

Cash Session 2
The next day, we didn't get seats together right away, but I moved from table 23 to table 12 when a seat opened, and again to sit on Tina's left when that seat opened up.  This session wasn't as profitable, but was still pretty fun.  I lost a big pot to "Lucky Joe" (one of the TS regulars and a guy I remember from both of my previous trips) when I put him on a busted straight draw and he not only had the straight, but almost had a straight flush.  Fortunately, that was early in the session and I was able to battle back.  There was no big hand involved; I just took down a couple blinds and small pots, one of them from Lucky Joe.

Socially, this table wasn't as good.  The guy to my left spent a lot of time on the phone, which was not only irritating, but against the rules. (Tina, rightfully so, railed on about this for some time afterward.  Not helping - the fact that she busted out, and to him.)  The other two women at the table seemed pretty cool, though not overly chatty.  I did lose a pot to one of them when she rivered an ace, after which she apologized.

"Hey, nothing to be sorry about.  I'm not mad.  That's poker."  I replied, and meant it.  Seriously, there's no reason to apologize for winning a pot.  That's why you play.  Just ask Herm Edwards.

Session 2 totals: 2 hours, -$24

Tournament
After thinking we wouldn't be playing in a tournament because the regular Monday one was postponed thanks to the Empire State Hold 'Em Championship series, we looked up and saw a $60 + $10 bounty starting at 7 pm that night.  One trip to the room for our coupons and we were registered, one more trip back to the room to get Tina's Poker Room card, and we got back right on time.  On the way there, I said "worst case scenario, we miss one big blind".  Talk about almost-bad luck: I was indeed a big blind, and Tina was SB at her table, but we both got there right before our hands were folded.

Though I didn't cash, I played very well, making it to the color-up and first break for the first time in three tries.  I also was successful in bringing some of my online tournament lessons to the felt, including keeping an eye on my chip stack and that of others in the hand, and making continuation bets and more than a couple shoves.  I was successful for the most part with those ploys; five times I was all in, and at least three of those I was at risk or would have been if my opponent had called.

Socially, the table wasn't too bad. The opposite end of the felt was filled with old guys, and I would have liked to have chatted with them, but settled for the middle-aged guys and my end of the table who really weren't all that talkative.  The only person who did any talking at all was the wife of one of the middle-aged guys, who was decrying her son's laziness in humorous fashion - including saying his girlfriend deserved better.

I met my demise when, short-stacked (and actually realizing it), I shoved all-in pre-flop with 6/6.  I got one caller, the middle-aged guy to my right, with A/J off suit.  The flop changed nothing, but the turn was a J and the river 10 to end my night.  Still, not too bad - 33 of 75 for my best result yet.  It was better than Tina's result - card-dead all night, she couldn't get anything going and ended up in 54th.

Tournament Recap: 2.5 hours, -$50 ($20 coupon for the remainder)

Overall, though I was in the red financially,  I feel like this was time well spent.  For the first time, I feel like I have played a tournament the "right" way, and every hand I spend at the table makes me more comfortable, and teaches me something for the future.

10k update: 6 hours live cash, 2.5 hours live tournament, 226 hours total
Bankroll update: this is my first entry in what will be a running total of my bankroll, money which will be used for all poker except SFPT tournaments.  I ended up using some of my cash for food and other items, so though it could/should be $222, it currently stands at $140.

Next up - focusing on the people.  I read once that to start reading your opponents, you should pick on player on which to focus as soon as you sit down.  That will be my challenge for next time.