Empire Casno Leicester Square

[CitrusSR]

I've failed pretty often recently by having to do this; I must be going senile. The annoying thing is, 99.9% of the time my guess at what they are turns out to be correct when I do take a second look. I reckon I should just give up the 0.1% of equity and stop looking like a c0ck.

I keep doing a similar thing where I've taken a quick look at my cards then later in the hand when I've hit something I start doubting myself and think I've got a suit wrong or something, and yeh virtually all the time I had what I thought I had, so you're not the only cock!!!

[CitrusSR]

Tbh - I dont think Ill be able to manage next week - since Ive taken today off sick. (For cunning reasoning I might point out)

It's easier than going to work?

[wilfuljoker]

Watching High Stakes Poker I was surprised to note how often players like Gus Hansen look at their cards - sometimes 2/3 times before betting. Then remember that Phil Ivey folded the nut flush because he forgot to check his suits. If you can't remember the suits decide to look more often to cover it.

With dealing try to keep the cards low to the table as you shouldn't show the face of the cards as you shuffle. If you find this difficult, after shuffling cut them several times before passing them to the adjacent player to cut them onto the cut card. Also try to bustle when its your turn - my biggest irritation is players who need to be told its their deal and then carrying on discussing the last hand/the football/Cheryl Cole's arse/where the waiter is when they should be shuffling and dealing. Getting moaned at by other players can be off-putting so make sure you don't give just cause (same applies to getting your ante in when they come into force). Remember with no dealers and short levels you want to play as many hands as quickly as possible.

Further to the time factor - not sure if you use it at home but in live games you can call the clock on anyone if they are taking too long to make a decision. Once you call it the player usually has a minute to make a decision. As a guideline, you shouldn't be too quick to use this and it is etiquette to give someone who's decision is for their tournament life a bit longer before you call the clock.

Looking forward to the Trip Report.

[TylerStroud]

I read the first sentence of Judi's post and remembered I havent watched HSP yet this week. BRB!

[S6TAV]

Heading over there today so wish me luck

I will try to compile some form of TR if I dont donk out 20 mins in

[lucky_scrote]

Gl ChrisTAVer.

[S6TAV]

Lol I will write a proper TR when not pissed buts lets just say 5 hands and im out

AA UTG cracked by rivered straight next hand QQ in bb all in on Jack high flop called by KK nice
Good little tourney though will defo go again

[S6TAV]

OK I will try to make a TR but as you can read above i was out in about 5 hands

I arrived at Liecester Square around about 12:30 and met up with my mate Ben, we wander about for a bit and grab some much needed tucker from the golden arches. After my tasty CBO we head over to the Empire and sign up to become members. All you need is you r driving licence as ID and thats it they take your photo and 2 minutes later you have your reward card and are now a proper degen gambler . We head down to the casino and my first impression was this is just a massive bookies with tons of video roulette machines and each one has an asian sitting at it that looks like they have been there for hours cos they have got sandwiches and coffee sitting next to them. I dont know if they are just betting £1 a time but the longest roulette run i have been on is 30 minutes. We move round to the live tables were they have got two games of black jack running one normal and the other with the plus 3 bonus (Sepearate betting section where you are betting on your two cards and the dealers one card for 3 card flushes/straights etc). We then pass some live roulette tables but not much seems to happen at them.

We move further round and find some game called punto banco I have no idea what this is but all the symbols on the betting board are pretty much in chinese I stood there for about 5 minutes and didn't see any cards or dice thrown so I am still none the wiser. All the players around the table though had a notepad and pen?? any game that requires you to write an essay is not for me.
We find their poker room so decide t take a goosey and see what its like. They had one cash game of 1/2 running but we start speaking to one of the employees there and reg for the 2:30 ask a few questions and he says they usually get between 25-35 runners and set it out for 40. They can cater for more then this but they said this is about the average number that show. We then decide to have a drink and sit down as we seem to be making the locals nervous when we keep walking around and we get some funny stares?
Ok so I walk up to the only bar that seems to have somebody working at it, they have tons but no one seems to be manning them. I order two pints of Fosters and it comes to £8.81!!!!!WTF!!!!!! I didn't realise at first because I was shocked at the price I was paying but then thought I have been charged a number that is not divisble by two for the same two drinks??

The tourney has another 30 minutes befors it starts so we head up to the slots again same scenes lots of asians and a few grannies sitting at them. We both chuck in £20 and have no real joy. I stick another £20 and get it baack to £30 so only £10 down . We head back to the poker room and it seems to be getting a little busier. I look around and there are a mix bag of peeps some you could tell have just turned up for the first time like we did that day but others you could tell were comfortable and were getting called by their first name by most of the staff. I sit down at table 2 seat 6 and get given my 2500 chips and bounty token. Blinds start at 25/50 and go up every 15 minutes which is good not exactly a turbo and but also not to long. There was an old asian guy sitting next to me who imediately picked up the cards and started to shuffle. He asked if any one wanted to deal but everyone declined so he said he would do it (Schweet!) I am just folding hoping to get nothing major in the first orbit cos I just want to see what everyone is about. But then I am UTG and get dealt AA great I am now faced with the should I raise or limp hoping to get an op to re-raise? The first 4 hands (Yes i know not a lot to go on) had all been raised so I limp. There is no raisers and I now have 5 callers to the pot FML. Flop comes Q,8,5r I check (probably not the smartest move but I wanted to see what everyone else is doing) all checks round to button who bets 200 in to 300 pot I raise to 600 but get a mid position caller plud dude who bet the 200. Im like WTF turn is a 10. I probably should have just checked but I decide to see if I can snatch this away and bet 1000 into pot of about 2100. This gets rid of mid position caller but matey on the button just calls again im like WTF has he got River is a J. I only have about 850 left but just check and he moves all in. I have to fold and sit there wishing I had raised pre-flop

Next hand I am in the BB and get QQ, early poisiton raises to 150 but again there are 4 callers including sb I decide to just call with intentions of just shoving a none A or K high flop. Bored comes J,5,3 so I shove my last 700 hoping just to double up with whats in the pot but original raiser calls straight away boooo. Another later position tanks and gets some unwanted councelling from this guy who insta called me saying he has got the odds to call. I am like great he obviously has Aces, kings or the set. Late position folds and I flip over my queens and he shows his KK and I dont improve. I decide to head off to get some more great tasting £4.40 and a half pence beer. Which I down pretty quickly and then I order a double sailor jery and coke. £8.87 hahahaha I was having a drink cos I was on tilt but the price of the drink was tilting me more.

I head up to the slots (Oh Noes) and chucked £20 in to captain cash which is one I know from Paddy power casino. I hit the 4 treasure chest bonus and win £90 SWEET! which pretty much stop my tilt in its track.
After this I head outside for some fresh air. I get asked by some tourist to take a photo of him by a red telephone box so basically got normalled while on the streets of liecester square. i then get a phone call from my mate as he is now on a break. He is doing ok blinds are 200/400 and he has about 6500 in chips and taken 2 bounties. While we are standing outside some dude walks up to me and asks if I know where to get some powder pressign one finger to his nostril and sniffing at the same time. Great not only am I having a bad day but I now look like a drug dealer. We say dont know mate and he says he is from Rotterdam which explained a lot. He says no problem boss and trots off.
My mate heads back in so I think fudge this im going to the trocadero as I heard they have a SFIV machine in there. Sure enough I found it and was watching two useless players on it. One was blanka and just kept doing the electrical move but he kept beating everyone. I step up and remove him quite sharpishly with Ryu couple of goes later and some dude walks in and plays as bision. Turns out to be really good and I am sent packing. I head back to the casino and grab another drink and watched the tourney which now had about 11 peeps left I walked in while my mate was all in with Q,10s and was called by mouthy fellow with 7,5off my mate gets a much needed double up but is still quite short. They go down to 10 and squeeze everyone on the final table and have another break. When he goes back in i head off for another wander but I then get a phone call about 10 minutes later to say he is out in 8th but it was top 6 pay out. Oh well it was a good laugh so we head over to covent garden for some drinks at the punch and judy and perv at all the hot londinium women
I Must have had about 8/9 pints and a couple of rum and cokes but felt fine. I fell asleep on the train but woke up at Becontree which is about 3 stops from where i need to get off. Quick stop of at the kebab shop and my day was done

With 32 players in that tourney it was top 6 paid with 6th being £30 and 1st £250 plus any extra you get for bounties. £20+£5 for entry and bounty and £3 reg fee. If anyone wants to pop over there i would be happy to pay another viisit and see if I can last more then 5 hands

[TylerStroud]

Good TR. Id definitely go to this some time in Easter. (Y) WP! Coolers too.

[DaMatrix]

Nice TR!