I played some NL at that club casino in downtown Fresno. It was fun and I won a little. I did alright considering I downed three beers before sitting down. The game broke up only an hour or so after I entered. The usual suspects were playing. I was the odd one.

also a bunch of characters from north idaho and spokane came over to play this week. lots of fun with them. they all play quite well. but of course i play a little better.

canada send down a bunch. all great guys and girls.

I guess this counts as a poker story.Im not sure what poker story I wanted to tell so Ill just tell one I actually remember. It was the summer of 2016, at the very end of my "career". I was staying at the flamingo and feeling really bad about my gambling prospects. I also just in general felt kind of down on flamingo; I wish I was staying at the Wynn and had enough free cash to shop at all the expensive venetian shops which I no longer did. So I was down to a few K and registered in the millionaire maker tournament.

I was seated at a table with Lily Kiletto and Harry Arutyunan. I found them to be delightful company and i lasted through that table and eventually lost close to the bubble aq<ak. A guy complained that this was a tough table after few hours not knowing who me , lily, or harry were. Chino Rheem comes over and talks to lily and harry and chino tells him heres some of the money. He hands him a small stake of 100's probably about $800-1500. Then Chino leaves the table and Harry turns to me and says "I should frame this."

I just saw Todd post about this on Twitter. This tournament looks like a ton of fun. I might have to put this on my calendar for next year.

the tournament is a lot of fun each year. the games arent very big or extremely easy but lots of fun and few are really serious. and they are mostly the locals from kalispell.

the canadians make it as they come down and drink and gamble and tell lots of fun stories.

cool story bryce. glad to get you to post it here. you are and have been one of my favorite posters over the many years you have been around the forums.

Who's the gray hair guy in Tod Brunson's twitter posts from the event??

that guy is a ray zee impersonator. as you can see by matching it up with my pic from this website. it sucks to get old.

ha ha. You're lookin good!

my montana poker game has really hit the skids. hardly any of the big games anymore to play in. they dont even get started and when they do only go a few hours.
they stayed good for 40 years but now hitting the dust.
no new players have been cultivated in the last few years, and most of the regulars have moved on to other nearby casinos to play in the straight holdem games.

A lot of straight hold em games have made a comeback where I live. They're small 1-2 or 2-5 games, but with a time charge, so sometimes there's a good bit of money on the table. I haven't done any original thinking about hold em in years, but I find that a pretty simple game can win. Also, a lot of the players wear earbuds and stare at their smartphones, so they miss it when everybody sells out what they have.

yea the ear phone crowd hurt themselves from both ways. missing out on things, and letting everyone know they are trying to be pro players so they lose the easy action.

recent tournament small one got down to me and two girls. guess who went out third.
plus they wernt interested in chopping. things have changed for sure.

got busted out tonight. opened for 14bb all in under the gun with ace king and got called from the tightest player next to me who had 22. whoda thunk that.

they're just lucky it wasn't a stud tournament

ive forgotten how to play stud. its been so long.

but you were one of the best.

thanks.

Respect, says the poker historian.

Thank you.

just came back from a trip around puget sound. it wasnt a poker trip but i was amazed at all the indian casinos that have opened since ive been there last. there are just so many options for poker rooms nowadays that poker should be booming again. just need to get the rake so small stake players can win and move up. thats how i got there.

after thinking about it i think poker is still booming. they are having many private games and bar tournaments with no or low rakes. that is where the new and marginal players are gravitating to.

the casinos in their quest to extract every nickel they can when they can may have killed the golden goose for themselves. which in turn hurts all players, as all those that have no chance of winning while learning never get to move up into the public poker world. too bad.

managed to claw my way up in a small tournament to second place. winner had the vast majority of the chips.
made a short run at him but no dice.

how do you find private games?

go to public games and get to know a few people and ask or listen and ask.

if no public games nearby ask around town, sooner or later you will hit upon someone who does know.

generally if the stakes are decent there will be public game players that go to it andyou can find out.