Day 1 in Barcelona

Well I can't say i'm new to Barcelona as i've been plenty of times and stayed in Las Ramblas plenty of times and visited all there is to do - apart from the Casino really until last night.

...and you don't have get your eyes opened. I walked down to it from my hotel "H10 Marina" and got there for about 10.45pm and had a nosey about watching people playing blackjack, roulette etc. and more importantly seeing what action was happening in the Poker Room.

So I decided to get something to eat first of all - Excellent steak served on a sizzling dish and chips all for about €18 which you can pay with Cash Chips, which is too handy. :)

So went back into the Poker Room to then see what was happening and there was 3 active cash tables, after asking what they were - 1) was €5/€10 PL Omaha 2) €20/€40 FL and 3) was also €20/€40 FL. So I looked on the waiting list board and noticed there was 7 names down for a €2/€5 NL Hold'em table, so I made it 8 names and pulled the Poker Room manager to see if he was going to open the table, and he stubbornly said "No" and give no explanation. And a few spaniards even pulled him a couple of times and refused point blank. What the fuck was the point in having it up on the board then? Or is there not enough rake in it for them? So anyway that was a bit annoying, so after contemplating for a bit, there was only 3 seats available at the FL and the Omaha was full with a waiting list of 2 people. So I went to the cashier and got €1k and took a seat at the FL only buying in for €500 first of all. I sat down and not being a big fan of limit, I got easily pissed off and fired a few barrels bluffing early doors and cost myself €100 in the space of the first couple of hands. 10mins later and I was down €300 and wondering at this rate, how long it would take me to piss the €1k. Anyway just in time the Poker Room manager comes round the tables asking where "Sparky" was... and after letting him know - he said there is a seat available at the Omaha - which I said yes to. So I think after watching Omaha for a bit and seeing that the average pot must have been around €300 - €400 that my measly €225 wouldn't get me very far, but what the heck - I had €500 in my pocket for another crack at things, if they did go tits up.

So I sat down and for the first few hands I had absolute garbage. And then my first real hand of the night came up, I limped with As Js 3d 5d in MP and the SB completed and BB checked, with 5 in total in the hand. The Flop came out Ax 2c 4c and the SB bet Pot for €50 and the BB immediately called. So as it got to me I moved my €205 in, and couldn't believe it when both of them mucked. But I wasn't complaining to be honest as there was a flush draw on board. So that was the start of things suddenly I have about €350 and things are looking up.

Another round or so passed and I got Ah 10h 8x 9x and limped on the button after 2 people had limped in before me, the SB completed and the BB made it €30 in total - which is just utterly pointless as everybody is going to call regardless, I suppose he's building the pot up but in these circumstances it's just madness. So the flop came down 7x 6x 4x ...which gives me plenty of outs with any 5, 8, 9 or 10 giving me the nuts. So the BB kicked on betting out €80, to which I flat called and so did one other player. Bingo the turn came down a 5x ...and BB bets out €140 and I move all-in for my last €250 or so, the other player gets out of the rode and the BB feels obliged to call as he turns over Kx Kx 8x 4x - no suited cards. Madness and the river came down a blank and I scooped about €780 pot. At this stage I was buzzing, Having recovered a severe loss into a profit in the space of just over an hour.

So over the next hour I sat rock tight and limped in with numerous above average starting hands and couldn't flop anything at all - it was depressing, but unreal to watch the action that unveiled at the table. A Romanian fella named Chuck to the left of me had reloaded for about the 6th time and was in for about the guts of €4k whilst the fella who he pissed all of his chips to had about €6k in front of him, all sorts of coloured chips, coloured blocks representing €1k chips and on top of that he was a cocky prick who sat back reading the newspaper most of the time. But it is hilarious as you sit there at the table and the chit chat is constant between them all "Singing" and having a laugh, as they sing British Songs "Somewhere over the Rainbow" & "Don't worry be happy" and the odd time the conversation would spill into English. So it wasn't too confusing to pick up on things.

So at this stage of the night it's about 3.30am and my mate who I travelled with to the Casino was playing Blackjack, Roulette, Craps etc. had came back to the table who see how I was doing etc. and explained my recovery and he was telling me he made €150 or so, which was to good to see he was in profit anyway. And at this stage I was sitting with similar profit as I had a stack of €660 and told him I'd make it my last round of the table. So my last hand was to be UTG and I looked down and seen 10x 10x 8h 5h and limped in, not a good starting hand at all IMO, but last hand of the night and all that - and I was yet to flop a set, so I thought why not.

So about 7 players in total are in the hand, as the flop comes down 7d 9h Qc and I have an open-ender, the SB bets Pot for €70, the BB calls, I call and Chuck the Romanian Reloading Machine calls. The turn comes down Jd and I've hit the 2nd nut straight and there's only one hand out there beating me obviously. Being K 10. So the SB bets out €50, the BB folds and I announce Pot for €500, Chuck then hesitates for a second or two and then calls. So at this stage i'm thinking to myself he obviously hasn't got K 10 or maybe he's hollywooding his K 10 and trying to get the SB interested, but to be honest I hadn't got him on K 10, probably a set / draw. But my worst nightmare came true at the 9c hit the river. And just out of pity I threw in my last €80 thinking it was dead money anyway. Chuck hesitated and tutted and then mucked. Jesus Christ what was he playing, I just mucked too and scooped in the €1,350 pot and stood up from the table. The timing was perfect. So 1st time in a casino, had a great time and what an end to the night.

So all in all made €815, and leaves me in good stead for going back tonight and knowing how a few of the regulars play etc. and what all to expect. Although I'd still prefer the €2/€5 or €5/€10 NL Hold'em to open up.

Anyway i'll hopefully have tonight's story up this time tomorrow.

Stay lucky.