When I was in NYC I got invited to play a few times, but here I now have a regular game, and boy is it becoming a dangerous habit. Fortunately I'm still ahead in winnings, but it's been sheer luck - a few of these guys have a lot of experience and could easily clean me out if I don't play conservatively.
Most weeks the buy-in is capped at $150, but occasionally the host will double if there's a lot of people (there are 10-12 regulars, above 10 and we vote to split to two tables). There's a lot of money to be won. There's also a lot of money to be lost, but fortunately I don't think anyone is gambling their rent money, so the mood stays pretty light.
What's been kicking my ass is all the different games we play: no limit hold 'em, Omaha hi-lo, pineapple (variation of hold 'em), 7 card stud, triple draw low. In the the past I've only played hold 'em, so playing with these guys has been a real learning experience. I've finally got the hang of omaha, which usually involves a lot of betting.
Luck was with me last night though
I was almost out of chips when I caught someone's bluff and took a fat chunk of his stack. Then I hit three consecutive nut hands - cleaned out two players and ensured myself a nice dinner this weekend.
