May 2008 Archives

This night wasn't very much fun for a variety of reason. First of all, the cards weren't great. Even the ones I threw away wouldn't have made for a winning hand after looking at the board. I also had a couple yahoos at my table that felt compelled to talk about everything, including the board and the cards in their hand. Other little things didn't help either: the fellows on both sides of me insisted on having trays of food next to them which crowded the table, people would leave the table for a fairly long time and would have to be called back...but maybe I'm just trying to come up with excuses for why I lost nearly $150, when in fact I lost money because I was off. Of course I should have considered a table change but the part of me was thinking that a good poker player should be able to overcome these obstacles and this was good practice. But since I was playing at a casino with dozens of tables nearby, there was no reason why I shouldn't have tried to find a table that was less irritating to my psyche. After all, I'm here to have fun and bring home a little extra money.

Jason Kastner lives in Pasadena California and has been seriously playing poker at card rooms and casinos, online casinos, and in home games for over a decade. A skilled amateur in Texas Hold'em, he also plays some Omaha and HORSE just to mix it up. He holds a doctorate in applied mathematics from the California Institute of Technology, but thinks that his (usually) rational behavior and his observational abilities are what really keep his bankroll positive.