Lucky Lady Casino

Are you familiar with The Grandfather Clause? Not Santa Clause & not your dear ol' grandfather. Just what is the Grandfather Clause? It is when a law is changed to cover the preexisting business and close it off to any newcomers. For example the card room that I work in was grandfathered in as of 1983 and no new card rooms are allowed to be licensed. It also entails that no card room may leave the licence to spouse or any other beneficiary. In other words when our boss passes away our card room will be closed. In San Diego there are only 2 original card rooms out of 100 from the early 1970's. There is a privately owned card room in Chula Vista and one in Oceanside but they are both out of our city. Southern California has many Indian reservations with card rooms but they do not have the personal and intimate feeling that I like in a card room. Commerce Club in L.A. is an awesome warehouse of games but it is just that. I have always felt that poker is an intimate game and I like playing with players that I have played with before. I like to feel comfortable and at home where I play just like the restaurants I frequent. I like the "CHEERS" effect, where everybody knows your name. It is good to get out of your safety zone once in a while and I do enjoy going to Vegas or L.A. to play in a tournament but otherwise I like the home game effect of a small room. Our unique San Diego club called THE LUCKY LADY has all the amenities of the bigger rooms and does not take a separate drop for our jackpot, that goes up $300 a day. We have delicious Chinese and American food at a $3 and $4 charge. The friendliest, most experienced dealers you will find in any card room and 6 tables of poker with Black Jack and Pai Gow in another room. You cannot drink in our club but there is a remodeled sports bar adjacent to us in the same building. If you cash out and want to relax after a poker session you can wander over on Thursday and Saturday night and sing karaoke.

THE FLIP

I witnessed an interesting situation at the tables last night. As a young man in his early 20's sits down to play in the No Limit (200-1,500 buy in) and starts the game with the minimum. The old guy at the end of the table with several thousand in chips, is ready to roll. The kid asks him if he wants to "Flip" for all his chips. The old man is not quite sure just exactly what the deal was but says, "I'll play any game you can name for any amount you can count, son". The kid wins the first round w J 4 off against A 9 suited. No one else at the table plays in the hands and the two guys take turns returning the blinds to all as they just sit and watch. Now the kid has $400 and wants to go again but first asks his friend to go in on it with him for another $100. He wins again with 2 -3 and now has $1,000. It was fast, it was fun and he said, he was done. The old guy calls him a faggot, and knows that if he doubles up enough times , he will get even. It is a great little story if it ended here but of course THE KID, stays another 1/2 hour bringing his chips up to almost $2,000 and then once again calls flip and loses it all. Just another day in paradise. Yes, the economy is bad but not for everyone.

Barbara Enright a true pioneer & CHAMPION

Three cheers for Barbara Enright, she is a true champ as she took down another Ladies Championship in L.A. I have played with Barbara in many tournaments up and down the coast of California and in Las Vegas, Nevada and have even outlasted her a time of two BUT I cannot win a ladies tournament to save my life. I have won several mixed tournaments and cashed in more but NEVER all ladies. Can someone tell me WHY I keep trying? I played in WSOP when it was only 7 card stud for the ladies. There was no Hold-em event and the buy in was just $200. I got to the last two tables when they only paid one table. The year they paid two tables I was at the third. I have cashed in Lo-ball, Stud, Stud Hi Lo and Hold-em BUT never all women. Always the bridesmaid and never the bride.

Years ago I played in a Lo-ball tournament at The Bicycle when they had a beat the boss promotion. If you won the tournament (I did) then you would play George Hardy for a bonus $500. I didn't beat him but I did win the first place money. At the time The (self proclaimed) Mad Genius, Mike Caro was to coach whoever played Hardy. He did that, like this...

After 15 minutes of play, "The Genius" leans over and whispers in my ear "The next hand you're in, raise, stay pat and then bet after the draw". Right, Mike, I'm going to make that move immediately after you whisper to me and your boss, George wont have a clue. Thanks Mike, but I made it this far without your genius opinions. I played again with Mike, in 2001 and he played more like a complete idiot. I don't know what kind of advertising he was doing for his seminar business, but he was WAY off kilter. My husband told me that he couldn't possibly win unless luck bit him in the ass. I kept his critique in mind and was not at all intimidated by him. He tried to run over everyone and I played a solid game against him. His chips were tripled by the end of the first hour and a couple of raised blinds later, he was out.

I read and listen and decipher for myself on what tactics to use and when. Just as in the game of life, LISTEN TO YOUR HEART, your brain will send it a message.

It's Fun When U Win

We all know how to act when we win. Hopefully with dignity and class. Of course, some do not and you know who you are. People tell me that you can see one's true personality when they play poker. Poker is like the game of life in many ways BUT I am not of this opinion ANYMORE.

The longer you play the more you can read your game and your players. I know many people who can totally put aside their emotions and true feelings. Some players are very emotional when it comes to daily life but can miraculously become a robot of sorts when they are in competitive mode. Some players know how to turn off the switch of a human with normal feelings and not let joy or frustration rule their machine. Some players learn this and some never do. It is a professional attitude that should just go with the territory. Which players are always whining about someone else getting lucky on them or verbally trashing a player who has played bad but got lucky. SOMETIMES LUCKY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME. So is you is or is you ain't? Whatever has happened to you as a player will more than likely happen again and sometimes it will happen to your opponent. Some people are way to emotional to ever become winning players. Ask yourself if you are in controll? Are you one of them? Can you be honest with yourself and make improvements? How serious are you? it all boils down to how much do you REALLY want to win?

Ladies Poker Extravaganza

I don't know why I keep going back because I have never won a Ladies Tournament yet...I played WSOP for Ladies when it was only 7 card stud. When I first started to play it was $200 and only one table cashed. I'm thinking maybe I'm no lady. I don't have a problem winning against men and have won several tournaments and came in the money for many more, but I haven't even cashed playing with all females. I did cash in our last league to get me a shout to Vegas for the LIPS tour but two of us went and I was in second place. I am going to keep trying until I get it right, however long it will be. I have enjoyed meeting the ladies playing at LIPS and Oceans 11 the past couple of years. It really is true what they say, Oceans 11 does throw us the best poker weekend. All the attention is on the ladies tournament and the food is marvelous. Looking forward to meeting my new friends and some of my dear old friends the weekend of Sept. 19-22. If you read this and see me there please give me a shout. Luck be a Lady when we need you.