Bad Beats and Good Eats - Part 2

Living in Central Jersey affords one many luxuries. New York City and all of the wonderful places and things that it has to offer is less than 60 miles east and Philadelphia is about the same distance but to the west. With Atlantic City less than an hour and a half drive south there is always something to do if you are looking.

My earliest trips to Atlantic City were with my family to see Lucy the Elephant. A few years later I spent a series of weeknights there playing Pai Gow with a few buddies and was completely out of my element. My most recent trips there have been non-gambling excursions that involved tagging along with my ex and her family for the Miss America Pageant or a Doo Wop show featuring The Penguins or The Miracles or any of a handful of singing groups from the 50s.

Much has changed since those last trips to Atlantic City. I've been actively playing in a Friday night Hold 'em game with a group of friends for a few months and have been responding to the game in a big way. It takes a combination of skill and luck to be a successful player, and I've enjoyed learning the game. With Atlantic City so close, it was only a matter of time before I went down to test my Hold 'em skills.

I'd made it to the first break at the Tropicana's Monday night tournament. I'd won two nice pots in the first round and felt pretty good about my play. Waiting for the next round I reminded myself to keep it tight and to play the smartest poker that I could.

The blinds were now $75 and $150 with a $25 ante. I was getting killed with the ante, and by the time the small and big blind had come around I was severely short stacked. I called with Ace King off-suit and watched as the flop gave me nothing. I called when the guy next to me bet and everyone else got out of the way.

"Heads up poker," the dealer said.

The turn came and I called once again. The river came and the board showed a pair of fours. With my ace kicker I thought I had the best hand. I went all-in with $750; my opponent called.

"What'cha got?"

I flipped my cards.

"Ace high," someone said.

My opponent flipped his cards. "Nines and fours," he said.

I got up from the table, grabbed my coat and said, "Nice playing with you guys."

My first tournament was behind me and I felt like I played the exact game that I wanted to. I had no aspirations of winning. In fact as I walked away from the table I remembered something I had said over dinner.

"I just don't want to go out on the first hand."

I smiled as I grabbed the paperback out of my coat pocket and turned to the page that I had left off on.