trip report: Pechanga Casino

I was out in the San Diego area for a few days this past weekend to visit family and go to the colts/chargers game (lol @ traveling 2000 miles for that game). Anyway, i went to play some poker at the Pechanga Casino in Temecula, CA. We went on a monday night, so there wasnt a ton of action, but they spread 4-5 tables each of 2/4 limit and 2/5 and 1/2 no limit. I decided on playing the 1/2nl game since i only brought $300 with me. The structure was horrible with a min buyin at $40 and a max of $80. They rake $4 from each pot +$1 for the BBJ on every hand no matter how big the pot is. I thought for a minute about not even playing considering how shity the structure was, but who am i kidding, im not going to pass up a game.

I bought in for the max $80. The table i sat at was 8 handed. Seat 2 and 3 both had around $300, seat 4 had $80, i was in seat 5, seat 6 had $180ish, and seats 7-9 had between $20-40. I only played for about 2 hours and the best hands i got were KJs and 55, but i made due.

The game played incredibly loose with the typical pot being 5 way, usually limped. The first hand i got into i raised JQs from the CO for $7 and both blinds called. The flop came KJ4r. At this point i had watched 10-12 hands and people were getting to showdown with middle or bottom pair no kicker. I fired a bet of $14 on the flop and got called by the BB. Turn was a blank and i checked behind. The river brought another J and i bet $30 to put BB all in after being checked to. BB folded a 4 (lol) face up and complained that he could never catch a hand. I should also mention that 4 of the 8 of us at the table were noticeably drunk.

I limped behind a few hands and raised KJs only to fold to 3 way action on an all undercard flop. The next hand i get i limp behind seats 2 3 and 4 w/ TcJc in MP. Seat 6 calls behind me as well as both blinds and we see the flop 7 handed. At this point i was back down to an $80 stack myself. The flop comes QK9r. Gin. Seat 2 (UTG), who was the most drunk with the biggest stack led out for $8, seat 3 folds, seat 4 calls and i raise to $30. Everyone else folds around to seat 4 who calls. Turn was a blank and he leads into me for $20. I shove the rest in and get called by his Q9 and scoop a nice pot.

I fold basically every hand i get for the next hour besides an occaisional limp with a SC. On my last orbit at the table i pick up A5s on the button and limp behind 3 players. SB calls BB folds. Flop comes Q52r and it checks around to me and i fire $7 into a $7 pot after the rake. Seat 1 calls after giving me a wierd look and everyone else folds. Seat 1 by this point had about $400 in front of him and had been winning pots on shear aggression and showing down hands like 84o and winning small pots w/ bottom pair type hands against people chasing draws. The turn brings an Ace and gives me 2 pair. Seat 2 fires $20 (full pot). Hes done this before with a flush draw on the turn. I think for about 20 seconds and raise to $60. My hand started shaking a little pushing my chips in and villain notices this and asks if im bluffing him. I shrug my shoulders. He thinks for about 2 minutes before mucking 64o face up saying how he didnt feel lucky on the hand.

After about 2 hours my wife and inlaws were tired of the slots (even though my brother in law won $250 on quarter slots) so i left when the BB got to me. I ended up seeing ~50 hands and probly only played 7 or 8 because the deck was cold. I finished up around $80, doubling my buyin.

I really wouldnt recomment anyone playing in these games based on the horrible structure and rake alone. Other than that the game was rediculously soft and i look forward to playing some more live poker in vegas in January.