Sitting with soldiers

I’ve seen the sign for months: “Friday Hold ‘em. 7-12. Open to the public.” It’s on the marquee outside a local American Legion post that I have actually been inside a time or two for unrelated reasons. However, as Indiana is a state that as a whole believes poker played with cards is of the devil unless you’re on a moving body of water or recently excavated retention pond, it didn’t seem legal so I’d never checked it out.

What do I know? They even had a county sheriff ensuring security.

It’s an interesting set up with amateur dealers who are Legion members working for tips. I only had experience with one dealer as I stayed at the same table from 7 until nearly midnight, but he did a fine job with few noticeable glitches. The only game was $1/$2 Texas Hold Em and the buy-in was in plastic bags in $50 increments. You could buy up to four bags for $60 each, although you saved $10 if you did the maximum buy in. There was no rake and four full tables were going most of the night.

As it was my first time playing, I bought two bags full, $100 to start.

It was a fairly uneventful game. I played tight most of the time but did manage a couple well-timed bluffs to take down medium sized pots. A big score came when I caught a set of 8s against KK. KK raised to $10 and got four callers. On the button, I checked the flop and KK bet $40 and I check-raised to $85 and as planned got out the drawing hands. He re-raised all-in and did not improve and I’m sitting with more than $250 in chips an hour into the game.

The players ran the gambit from pretty good to I-will-play-every-hand. I saw at least four players come in, lose a bag or two, and leave. Thank you for playing.  I watched the frustration of the man to my right as he bet his two pair on the flop, the turn, AND the river only to be raised because his opponent had hit his inside straight. The villan paid almost $80 trying to hit a four outer. All in all, it was a good players dream.

Fifteen minutes before midnight the game was getting shorthanded and there were two very aggressive gamblers at the table so I opted out after being bet off a hand because I didn’t want to lose too much of my winnings back to what may or may not have been a bluff. I think knowing when to get out is something I’ve really improved at and so I got while the getting was good.

I will however be back. It was a well-run game in a smoke free room and the players for the most part were a lot of fun to talk to.

Oooooo-Ahhhhhh!