That was probably the fastest $100 I ever spent without getting anything in return.

Yesterday, I went to play some poker at River Rock Casino in Richmond, the same place that held the Boyz II Men concert last week. I decided to go by myself, because it’s usually easier to concentrate when you don’t have friends with you. It also means that you can leave whenever you want, instead of waiting until both (or more) of you are satisfied with where you are at.

Anyways, I arrive at the poker room and leave me name at the desk to get a seat at $1-$2 No Limit Texas Hold ’em. There are a couple of people in front of me, but the wait was only about 10-15 minutes. So, eventually my name gets called, so I go to the cash cage to get $100 worth of chips. They escort me to the poker table, but I didn’t stay in my seat for very long. Only two hands in fact.

The button just passed my place at the full table of ten players, so I’m right next to the dealer button. The first hand that I am dealt in Q-K of spades, suited. There are two guys who limp into the pot ahead of me, and I just call too, considering that it’s my first hand. The guy on the button folds, as does the small blind. The big blind raises it to ten dollars. One of the limpers calls and so do I, considering that I will have position. Flop comes out K-4-5 all red. Big blind bets $10 and the limper folds. I probably should have raised in this position, but I just called. Turn comes another small card, making two hearts and two diamonds on the board. Big blind bets $20. I call (I should have raised). River comes another small card, putting a potential straight on the board. Big blind bets $60 (which would be all-in for me). I choose to fold, because I figure either he made the straight, he has some BS two pair, or he had a pocket and he made a set. Worst yet, he might have A-K. I don’t know if folding was correct, but I wanted to stick around a little longer. It would have sucked really bad if all he had was a busted flush draw. Would you have called?

Next hand, I’m dealt a couple of black kings. One of the guys that limped last hand made it $10 to go. I re-raise it to $20. The small blind (same guy who was big blind last hand) goes all in for $67. Limper calls. Now, this is a chance for me to triple up and there is only one hand that can beat me pre-flop (pocket aces). I call the all-in (short $7). Small blind turns up pocket jacks and the other guy turns up A-K. I’m pretty far ahead at this point. I dodge the flop, but the turn brings an ace.

I waited about 15 minutes to get this seat and I play all of two hands to lose $100. It’s not really about losing the money, per se, but it’s just a sickening feeling that I got ousted in just two hands.

Replaying those two hands in my head, I could have played them differently. The first hand, I probably should have raised those bets to try and push him off his hand. The second game, I probably should have gone all-in myself instead of just putting out a mini-raise. Urgh. Poker… why do you torment me so? Maybe I should have just gone to the Richmond Night Market for some food instead. 100 bucks would have bought me a lot of grub.