Rounders, Inc.

Colorado has gaming laws that forbid no-limit poker in cash games. As of July 1, 2009, the betting limits were raised from $5 max to $100 max.

I played a limit Texas Hold’Em cash game under this new structure the other day. [Disclosure: I detest limit Texas Hold'Em, but played while waiting for a tournament to start.]

At the $1 - $2 blind level, I was pleasantly surprised that the $100 max limit game played out very much like the no limit games that I am used to playing.

I would consider this betting limit, because of the spread, to be a hybrid of limit and no limit.

In my experience, bets are rarely over $100 at this level anyway. The added benefit is if someone wants to come over the top, it is for $100 max. This gives the original bettor insurance if the initial read was wrong.

If the initial read was correct, then it is a matter of re-raising.

All in all, I really like this hybrid game in Colorado.

It has been said by many prominent poker players that Texas Hold ‘Em takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master. This much is true.

Reading other players, calculating pot odds and implied odds in a blink of an eye, and making decisions for all your chips makes the game an intellectual challenge.

For me, the hardest part of the game is knowing when to leave the game. Profitably.

Most players stay too long and give back their winnings.

One night, I was on a rollercoaster. I started with $200, built my stack up to $2000, and watched it dwindle down to $100 after taking several bad beats in a row.

I then built the stack back up to $2000, down to $1000, and back up to just over $2000.

The game broke about 4 am. As I am racking my chips and contemplating going to another table where I would have a clear advantage, my friend Larry gave me some advice.

He said, “Sammy, you have been playing for 15 hours. You had your fun. You made your money. It is time to go home.”

And he was right. And I left.

I returned the favor when a friend of mine, Russ won a huge pot one morning.

Russ did a min buy-in for $50. He built his stack up to $200 before getting involved with a big pot for all his chips.

Long story short, Russ tripled up. I pulled him aside and told him he should take the money and run.

He looks at me and says, “Now I know you are telling me that out of love, Sammy.”

It was and he left. Profitable.

Knowing when to leave is the hardest part. Sometimes even great players need someone to help them out the door. With chips.

There is something to be said about being in the right place at the right time.

I am at MotorCity Casino at the $50 - $200 game, up about $500 when I spot a short handed $200 - $500 game with a couple weak players.

On this particular night, the casino had to close for about six hours so the City of Detroit could test the generators.

With about 30 minutes of play time left, I seize the opportunity and change games.

Seat 9 is open and find myself in the cutoff position. I post the $5 blind and check my hand.

In a battle of the blinds, the small blind raises to $25. Big blind re-raises to $75.

I call. The small blind calls.

The flop comes 3 - 3 - Q rainbow.

The small blind bets $100. The big blind and I both call.

Turn card is a King. The small blind bets $200. The big blind and I both call again.

The river is a 9. The small blind bets all-in for another $300. The big blind and I both call.

The small blind shows a set of Queens.

The big blind shows a set of Kings.

Me? Well, I flopped quad treys.

Being in the right place at the right time, all I had to do was keep calling.

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