Some $2/$5 NL action

I took a trip with some friends back in January of this year and we were staying at one of the Harrah's properties. As I wandered to the poker room, I realized that the only no limit hold 'em that they were spreading was $2/$5. The $2/$5 game at my local casino does not have a maximum buy in so it is usually the big game and people usually play with very deep stacks. All of my $1/$2 play does not involve deep stack poker as most players are short stacked. I was glad to hear that there was a minimum buy in of $200 and a maximum buy in of $300. However, if you were at the main table, the maximum buy in was 75% of the big stack.

I bought in for $300 and quickly doubled up a player when he flopped a flush and I flopped aces up. I called a raise with 5-5 and caught a player bluffing on an eight high flop. After that, I gained the respect of the table and gradually built my stack up and left about a $250 winner. The next day, I played a long session during the afternoon. I was at the main table but it had just opened up, so nobody was sitting with a whole lot of chips. I had won a few small pots and was about $100 winner on my initial $300 buy in. I noticed a player try to buy in to the game for $1,000. The dealer quickly informed him that he could not do so. Instead he bought in for about $450. It was obvious that this guy had money and he wasn't afraid to throw it around. He was getting involved in pots with junk and was trying to bully the table a bit. I knew I could bust him if the right hand came up.

Under the gun, I picked up As-Jc and raised to $15. Normally, I would raise more than 3 times the big blind, but I figured I would get respect from an under the gun raise. I get two callers, one of which is the bully. The flop came J-7s-2s. I led out with a bet of $40 into a $52 pot. I get raised to $100 by the bully. Two pair did not seem like a possible holding and neither did an over pair. The only hands I was really worried about was a flopped set. However, I just didn't think this guy had it. I reraised him all in. He called quickly stating that he had me on the flush draw. He turned over J-5 of hearts and didn't improve. What a donkey. Even if I had a hand like As-Ks, he is only about even money with his jack against my over cards and flush draw. Needless to say, he went broke a few hands later and I left that session a $500 winner.

I played one $2/$5 no limit hold 'em session later on that evening. I was taking advantage of inexperienced players who were showing weakness. If I felt weakness on a hand, I was usually raising and taking down the pots. I made a few minor mistakes, but still managed to end that session about a $300 winner or so. All in all, it was a good trip as I made more than enough to cover hotel and travel expenses.