Casino Game 42

I was playing some 3/6 and 5/10 Holdem today at Paradise Poker, and noticed that of the 12 times that I was dealt AK (off-suit or suited), I stole the blinds once, and lost the other 11 times. I usually try to seek out and play at tables where my opponents are loose/maniacal, and they will play (and often raise with) any ace or low pair from any position, in addition to cold calling raises with weak hands like J-9 off-suit, and K-8 suited. Then I play premium hands (88, AQo, ATs or better), and usually open with a raise. I have heard the argument that this is poor strategy, because you are bound to get sucked out on with several maniacs drawing against you. However, it has always seemed to me that opponents should be feeding you EV by incorrectly calling with weak hands, and poor investment odds. After losing 200 small bets today by playing this way for 10 hours at 2 tables simultaneously (and I don’t think I went on tilt at all), I am beginning to believe the people who warn against facing several maniacs at once.

Other hands from my session:

K-K: 0 for 1. Lost to river ace. Opponent had A-6o.10-10: 1 for 6. Usually had to fold this when 2 overcards flopped and multiple players bet into me. A-Qo: 2 for 10. Won far less than its share of pots, even after flopping top pair several times. Never lost to a dominating hand (AA, KK,QQ,AK).Small pairs (not folded pre-flop): 0 for 9. Never flopped a set. Folded about 20 of these preflop. K-Qo: 4 for 8. Usually won small pots, or got out cheap.

Remarkably enough, after organizing and running one magnificent tournament for many years, the management of The Orleans has seen fit to terminate David Hriscina, the Poker Room Manager! Reasons are sketchy and unknown at this time. Playing and Dealing

Answer 1:

David resigned under an understanding with/from someone upstairs. The reasons are unknown to my source, but said, “There was a “disagreement of some kind with upper management”. Mike Vento is interim card room manager. He is having meetings with EXEC’s today and we’ll know more today about his future role, possibly. I intend to go byOrleansand speak to him. David is not taking any calls and is in seclusion.

Answer 2:

It differs very much from industries that require lots of precise knowledge whether it is cutting hair, fixing cars or programming computers. People who know these things can usually get a similar job somewhere, especially if they are young and are willing to take a small pay cut. Casino jobs are different.  I have known many shift bosses and card room managers who became dealers after they were fired. This is because most casino jobs pay more (including tips) than supply and demand would dictate the skills involved are worth. The most obvious examples are valet parkers and cocktail waitresses, but the syndrome holds to a lesser extent for dealers and managers as well. They are all overpaid by the standards of normal organizations. That is why “juice” counts for a lot when it comes to these jobs, as opposed to pure merit. Thus when someone is fired from one of these positions, he or she is in extreme danger of not being able to duplicate anywhere near that high paying a job unless they still have that juice or they are somehow so incredibly good at what they do that they can overcome the juice that someone else has. Bottom line. Learn something real if you don’t like the idea of being in this spot.

Answer 3:

Exactly what I’m saying.  People get fired all the time just for the hell of it in the poker industry. It’s amazing. In my line of work, it takes years for someone to get fired and they have to do something serious like rob or kill someone for it to hold up.  The industry needs rights like us…