Older.. Wiser? But still older

yes I am a year older as of this past Saturday
yes I am starting to feel old
yes I always have change in my pocket (it does not jingle when I walk yet)
yes I have not been carded in a while
yes scorpios rule

and that's about it. Not really, started off the weekend by hitting the local casino, with my Pops. It's always nice to do a little damage to the bankroll at the beginning of the weekend.

We started out the evening with a little Video Poker (kind of like a warm up, sometimes its good to dip your toe into the water before jumping off the high dive screaming Cannonball coming!!)

Well typically video poker is a grind (especially with these 8/5 machines, not a 9/6 in the house!) With this crappy pay scale I'll only play a quarter machine, it's much like cutting your finger with a knife rather than a chainsaw. One beer later and 2, yes 2, 4 of a kinds later. I decide not two push my luck any further and cash out with a tidy profit.

Next stop roulette (a thinking mans game, ha ha ha) spray and pray. Lights out, I must have the mojo tonight, snapping off 35-1 shots left and right. Wait stop, lets cash out for a nice profit.

Meanwhile pops is getting murdered shh

Next stop craps, should stopped the train before here. But pops actually is making a comeback.
They get me for over half of my profits on the night, dem bones, dem bones......
It was one of those wonderful, choppy tables, (hit hit hit shit, hit hit shit, hit hit hit shit) give you just enough time to have 3-4 bets up and working before dropping the hammer.

What a nice segue, STOP..... HAMMER TIME (ut-owe ut-owe)
I typically will not play or for god sakes raise with the hammer but....after two marathon sessions this weekend, I felt the need for a little creativity.
One fine gent on PS (who will remain nameless) experienced my wrath with the hammer TWICE

Dealt to ME [7s 2s]
seat 1: calls 0.50
seat 2: folds
seat 3: folds
seat 4 folds
seat 5: calls 0.50
ME: calls 0.50
seat 8: calls 0.25
seat 9t: checks

*** FLOP *** [6s 8d 4c]
seat 8: bets 1.50
seat 9: folds
seat 1: folds
seat 5: folds
ME: calls 1.50

*** TURN *** [6s 8d 4c] [7d]
seat 8: bets 1
ME: calls 1

*** RIVER *** [6s 8d 4c 7d] [Ad]
seat 8: checks
ME: checks

*** SHOW DOWN ***
seat 8: shows [6h Jh] (a pair of Sixes)
ME: shows [7s 2s] (a pair of Sevens)
ME collected 7.15 from pot


*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to ME [2d 7s]

ME: calls 0.50
seat 7: calls 0.50
seat 8: raises 1 to 1.50
seat 9: folds
seat 1: folds
seat 2: folds
seat 3: folds
seat 4: calls 1.25
seat 5: calls 1
ME: calls 1
seat 7: calls 1

*** FLOP *** [2h 5h Ks]
seat 4: checks
seat 5: checks
ME: checks
seat 7: checks
seat 8: bets 1.50
seat 4: folds
seat 5: folds
ME: calls 1.50
seat 7: folds

*** TURN *** [2h 5h Ks] [5c]
ME: checks
seat 8: checks

*** RIVER *** [2h 5h Ks 5c] [5d]
ME: bets 0.50
seat 8: calls 0.50

*** SHOW DOWN ***
ME: shows [2d 7s] (a full house, Fives full of Deuces)
seat 8: mucks hand
ME collected 10.95 from pot

OK OK it's far from being wrath, but I must admit this guy played with both cards up. After sitting at the same table for a while, a blind, deaf pigmy, could put him on a hand. And besides my "calling station" like play in both of these hands, why not mix up your game a little?
This guy was either on a play or overplaying.... no creativity, no disguise in his game. Two speeds cruise (I'm weak and begging to be called) and warp (holy shit I've got the nuts), and
3/4ths of the table, could read him like a Headline.

yes I am the hammer
yes I'm still a student of the game
yes I'm going toward mid-thirty
yes my beloved Cowboys did get stomped (tears streaming down cheeks) by the Bengals
yes I was there to see it in person
yes I hated every minute of it
yes I lost money on the game (10 bucks to pops, he hates the Cowboys)
yes I will always be a cowboys fan

Damn I'm still a year older

save me a seat at the final table