An old post about Tunica

Heres an old post I made 4 1/2 years ago on 2 + 2. Its got some (true) funny stories in it and theres a serious comment as a postscript.

Just Another Day in Tunica 3/8/04

Start off with a one table satellite at the Horseshoe. Winner gets an entry to a larger tourney. One very aggressive player is running over the table and knocking people out rapidly. He is raising with most anything. He has a huge chip lead and I am in 3rd place with 5 players left. He open raises and I have QQ on the button. I triple his raise and he puts me all in. He tables KJs which is a little better hand than I expected. HEY ! Wait a minute! This is the same matchup that McAvoy won the 83 WSOP with. I was just reading about this. I'm a big favorite here. I tell everyone this to impress them with my poker knowledge, while the dealer runs out the cards - ending with a K. (sigh) I walk away vowing to read no more McAvoy books.

Time to get in some cash games. Shoe spreads a low limit red chip Triple Draw Lowball game and its great fun. Only problem happens when a new dealer comes into table. After the first betting round, she burns a card and puts out the flop. A moment of shocked silence, then all break out laughing.

Get called for a 10 - 20 holdem game and its a surprisingly terrible game. 5 crusty locals and 4 other tight-azz tourists. I am the only action in this game -- thats a real bad game.

I get up to walk around and socialize. Recognize my favorite local player at the Omaha/8 table. Shes a beautiful dark eyed Irish lass - extremely talented poker player and a great sense of humor. Instead of saying "hi" she says; "Seat open for YOU!" and points at the open chair. (This lady is probably the best Omaha/8 player in town. She has beat me in Omaha/8 on prior trips and knows I have no game) I look at the other players and jokingly ask her if I would be the worst player in the game. She says; "YES, you would be the worst player in at the table - sit right there". She did not have to look around at the other players before saying this. I go back to my boring holdem game.

Late night now - time to go check out the Gold Strike poker room next door. About 10 tables running and I ask to be on the list for all their holdem games. Brush says; "3-6 or No Limit?" I ask if there is something in between and the answer is no.

Sitting in the 3-6 game and the gal next to me has had WAY too much to drink. She had been to the Eddie Money concert in the theater earlier that evening. She claimed to be a big fan and had gotten his autograph. She says; "Look at this! Eddie Money autographed my boob."

Things I learned today in Tunica:
-- Don't show off poker knowledge and lose a poker tourney.
-- Don't try to bluff the flop in Triple Draw.
-- Everyone in Mississippi knows I'm an Omaha fish.
-- "You want 3-6 or No Limit?" Whats the right answer?
-- Eddie Money has bad handwriting.

I love this town.

Postscript
I had been playing regularly in casino poker for about 7 years by early 2004. I did not realize that a huge 3 year poker boom had just begun, and many changes would ensue.

Triple Draw Lowball, especially the 2-7 variety was very scarce then. I had never seen (or played) it before. Now its a findable game in many poker rooms especially during tournaments and in mixed game formats. Its also online.

10 -20 holdem was a staple in many poker rooms back then. Now its hard to find. Most poker rooms would have almost all tables of Limit Holdem at different levels and maybe a stud table and maybe an Omaha/8 game. The monstrous influx of NL kids was just starting.

I was shocked that a poker room would ONLY offer 3-6 and a baby NL game. It was the first time I had seen that. Now its commonplace. There are lots of (terrible) cardroom that only offer these two games.