When a raise out of turn sets off the alarms

Tonight, I was playing a little Minnesota Poker League bar poker, tuning up for the WPBT gathering in Vegas. I was in a hand tonight that I thought I would share to see what you think.

Blinds are 200/400. I have 3800 in chips and am sitting in the cutoff. When I looked down, I found 99, not a completely crappy hand at all. I figure if it folds to me, I raise it up to 1200ish.

When the action folded to me, the player on my left shoves for a 1000. Now, it wasn't a huge shove, just 2.5 big blinds, but the big stack on the button, moves like he wants to insta-call but suddenly realizes that I haven't acted yet.

I sat there for a little bit and thought this through. Everyone at the table was going to let me act first, but my plan to raise just doesn't sound like a good plan any more. With 600 chips in the pot from the blinds, this shove of 1000 after me, a 1200 chip raise is out of the question. Why don't I just beg everyone to call? I'm positive the button was going to  put chips in the middle as soon as it was his turn. He's definitely strong. I got the feeling the blinds new this too.

I figured it was either shove or fold and wait for a better spot.

I'm not a huge fan of nines. They are pretty and all, but a coin flip at best to almost all of the hands that the big blind would act so strong with. What to do, what to do...

I folded having committed not a single chip in the middle.

The player to my left turns over K6h (WTF? Couldn't wait to shove this????) and the button turns of pocket tens.

Whew! Dodge a bullet there! Of course, the flop contains a 9 and the set would have held, but since I didn't know that preflop, I think I made the right decision.

What do you think?

WPBT 2010 Is Officially Booked - Now we wait

I booked the hotel MONTHS ago. That MGM special was locked in back in June, but there was still a small chance that everything might get scuttled. It's be a busy world here. I figured eating the cost of the hotel reservation was worth locking it in, but locking a airfare, that's a little different. It's the scale.

But tonight, it got locked in. I'm financially commited to attending the WPBT Gathering December 9 to 13th. I leave the frozen tundra at 11:20 AM. This is going to be a big departure from last year. As of right now, I'm travelling alone. 2008 - OhCountess was with me. 2009 - Drizz shared the journey (and it was his birthday...cheers!). Ya, this year, I'll be going through checkpoints and killing time all by myself. OhCountess has had to make a change in plans. She was looking forward to returning, but alas, it's not in the cards.

So, back to the plans...

I'll arrive at McCarran around 1 PM, shuttle over to the MGM, check in, stretch out in the suite we reserved for two, wonder why I need this much, get thirsty/hungry and head to food and then the Imperial Palace (Geisha Bar) for extended drinking hours. If you are going to be around Vegas already, let me know. I really can't wait to see everyone again. Saying I'm looking forward to it is an enormous understatement.

Friday begins the official itinerary based travel period. I've scheduled a tour of The Neon Museum with Katitude and others for 2 PM Friday, December 10. This place is awesome. Last year's tour was definitely a highlight.

Last year, Yestbay and I headed over to the Pinball Hall of Fame in the lunchish period. This was before the Neon Museum tour. Anyone interested in going this year? I think the Gamblers Book Shop is still next door, but I'm not sure. Both places are great for the history/nostalgia buffs. Leave me a comment, send me an email or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter.

Now, there's something new I'm interested in doing but have no idea how to pull off. Most years, the weekend of the gather also falls on the same weekend as Bourbonators. I was kinda hoping to getting the whiskey drinkers among us to get together and sample a bottle of something tasty. Again, let me know if you are interested or have ideas about how to get our hands on something tasty.

Friday night. I'll probably shuffle chips for a few hours at the [insert poker room name] and trying to grind out of a hole a little spending money on the felt. Then off to Mandalay bay for Steel Panther. They are now playing Mandalay Bay so the travel should be WAY less complicated. Here's my write up from last year.

Saturday: tournament. Team Skol (Drizz, Matt and myself) will cleaning up at the Aria card room. Hopefully I don't mean working off debt by pushing vacuums around. Can't wait!

Sunday: open. This is typically they day I wonder around wearing out the shutter on my camera. I haven't heard if the sports book gatherings are organized. Since this is still open, that's a definite possibility.

Departing Monday morning. My flight departs at 9:18 AM. Much better then the usual 7 AM flight I've taken in the past. 5 AM shuttles suck.

I really can't believe it's only a month away. I'm also old enough to know that this will be the longest friggin' month of the year. Ugh. Waiting is tough.

So, I'm in.