Sloe Times

Work was winding down yesterday and a couple of the guys at the office were going out for drinks and since the boy and the wife are off visiting grandma this weekend I figured I could hit a beer or two before heading home. We get to the bar and one of the guys mentions he's got to bail in a couple of hours for a game to which my only response was, "Where's the love?" After a phone call and a couple of beers his friends calls back says they're all full so no game for me tonight. Well since I'm not playing I'm drinking. I lost count of the pints but place it somewhere <10 but >5. Doesn't really matter though because apparently I had drank myself into an invite to the game. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not, but I figured if Al can do it, why can't I? Of course once you start drinking like this, it's hard to stop, I didn't try so there were another unknown quantity of beers >1 but <24 through the next 2 hours.

I am sure I've mentioned it before, by my live game play that involves anything other than a casino is generally social. I'm not playing to win big, and I enjoy the atmosphere and friends. When it comes to playing with new people I also try not to play too hard since I want to be invited back. That being said, I also try to make sure I walk away fairly close to even whenever possible. So the play last night consisted of 3 NLHE tournaments, $20, $20, and $40 buy-ins with the last one having a twist that the first 2 guys busted out picked a local bar, and the winner had to contribute half of his winnings to the bar tab where everyone would end up after the game.

There were 6 of us for the first game and I couldn't tell you what I held at any point in the game but after about 45 minutes I've got all the chips. Hmm, I'm up $100 and noticed a few comments about shark... then again maybe I'm paranoid. Ok, fair enough, the game was extremely soft (as were the other two) and since winning isn't the goal, I loosened up to just before the point where you would just play any two cards. Suited Big little, one gapers, off suit connecters I was there for just about any flop. Game two was going well until my big pair ran into 4 diamonds on the board and I couldn't get the guy with x2d to lay down with an all in shove so I was gone. Game three came around and it's getting on to about the time I need to catch a train and I try to get out early and call an all-in with pocket 3s. Would you believe they held up? I can't recall much of the rest of the play in the 3rd game except that after doubling up I played pretty aggressive and it ended up heads up with me and another guy who had shown up late enough that this game was the only game I played with him in. The last hand of the evening, we were about even in chips (he had me covered probably) but I caught A9 so I shoved figuring that he hadn't folded anything else he'll call and I feel ok about my chances. He calls and shows Tx. The cards come down and he hits a ten somewhere in there and I hit nothing and that's the ball game.

Not too bad really. I had fun... I think... and after food, drinks, and a cab ride I broke even for the night so it was all good in my book. So I've drank more than I've eaten and I've got just a few minutes before the shut down the McD's to get some hot nuggets and cold fries to try and absorb some of that alcohol while waiting for the train. While sitting on the steps waiting and eating I got to witness a train wreck of a different type. There's a couple of girls sitting below me and they've obviously come from a concert. Apparently it was a Von Bondies concert which I only know because they said it. (Being the good little researcher that I am, I actually looked them up, their music isn't too shabby) Anyway, a short time goes by and a guy carrying a guitar case (I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume there was actually a guitar in it) sits down near the girls and starts chatting them up with what had to have been the worst attempt to pick up a girl I have ever seen. He started off by asking girl #1 about her bracelet that was coincidently (according to her) the same pink color as the poster she was holding. The problem was that it sounded like he was making fun of her for wearing something the same color as the bands colors. It then deteriorated from there to the point where they were both dissing each other and the girls ended up just walking away. It's been awhile since I've tried to chat up a girl, but I don't think it’s supposed to work that way.