Beginner's Luck and Lesson Learned, Summer Classic Part 2

I hung around the bar for about 30 minutes or so talking to Bayne and MeanHappyGuy. We broke when the other bloggers were starting up a 3/6 mixed game and I was having none of that. I decided to try my hand at playing 1/2 NL for the first time in a casino. I was the complete and total nube. I didn't know how to do anything. Do I have to go get chips? How do I get a seat? How much are drinks? Oh yeah, Helloooooooo, my name is Brian and I'm a fish!

I bought in for $200 at a 1/2 No Limit table. I started off great by slightly more than doubling up within about 3 hands. My A,K making an A high straight on the turn against nice looking older Asian women who had K high straight. Hells yeah, this shit is easy. Just keep shipping it my way.

My big stack in front of me, I see a familiar face as Smokkee sits down across from me at the same time I'm dealt pocket Aces in middle position. I raise it up to 15 after a limp and a raise. The guy to my left, let's call him Colorado 1 (his buddies 2 and 3 were also at the table), mucks his cards right on to mine. The dealer calls for the "floor." I'm like WTF does that mean? Those of you that have played live in casinos know that my hand is now dead and I've contributed $15 to the pot and just folded my pocket aces. Now I know WTF those stupid-ass protectors are all about. Since I was in the seat to the immediate left of the dealer, it was more likely to happen, the other players told me. Gee, thanks! I understand it was an accident, but the schmuck didn't even offer to at least replace my bet.

I played about 2-3 hours and never got higher than around $425. I called it quits around 2PM. I had dropped down a bit and did not quite doubled my buy-in, but it was still a big win for the day. I headed back to my buddy's house at 2 to get a good night sleep so I could go for it again all day Saturday. We were having the blogger tournament at 2 and then I think most were going to spend the evening at the Rio and see our fellow bloggers that are working the WSOP. I was planning on trying the 7PM NL tournament at Treasure Island before I head to the Rio and I thought I'd try the noon one at Caeser's Palace Sunday.