Some Poker Adventures

December 5, 2014.  While staying with my son in north Portland, I got involved with a group called Stumptown Poker, which plays Texas Hold'Em four nights a week in various bars on the north side. I decided to look for sites in or near the Brooklyn District, where my new apartment is located.

In asking around, I was told that a place on Powell Street called Aces Full has poker, so I visited there on this date. The website said there were games at noon, 3, 6 and 9, but the guy in charge said only noon and 6 now. The place looked like it was about ready to go belly-up; there were only two tables operating, and not many other people there besides the players and dealers at those two tables.

The place does not sell alcohol, but does have a small kitchen which will make you a sandwich. I had a panini which was excellent, and reasonably priced at $5. The buy-in for the game in progress was $30, with an additional $10 to the bar as a cover charge to play. I was invited to come in late and play in the game then in progress, but I declined. The 25% house rake is too unreasonable for my taste; besides, nobody looked like they were having any fun. There was no friendly chatter, no laughter, no light banter as is common with the Stumptown group.

The following Sunday I went back up to north Portland to play with the Stumptown group at the Greeley Street Bar & Grill. I sat there for the better part of the first hour without playing a hand, then had A-10 so I raised pre-flop. The flop came out 10-7-6; so, with high pair and Ace kicker, I bet big, and then got raised all-in! I couldn't imagine what the guy had; I was sure he couldn't have the straight because nobody in their right mind would call a guy who raised pre-flop with an 8-9, when that guy had not done any betting at all before then. Well, of course he had the 8-9 for the straight, and I was toast.

Then more recently, I stopped in again, same place, and the same thing happened! I finally get a hand to play, K-Q, and the flop comes out Q-9-8. I have top pair and King kicker, but another player had J-10!

These are tight players, but I still should be able to do better than this! But even so, is this worth an hour-long bus trip each way, to get up to north Portland? That is the question for the future.

My New Apartment

Monday, November 24, 2014.  After crashing on the dining room floor of my son's house for three months, I finally have my own Portland apartment! It is in the Brooklyn district, located in southeast Portland a few blocks east of the Willamette River.

The apartment has a beautiful bamboo floor, bamboo being considered more environmentally sustainable than hardwood floors due to the much short time to regenerate after harvesting. The apartment has no carpet at all, which is great considering my various allergies and sensitivities. It's not a stretch to say that this is probably the first truly healthy living space I've ever had in my life.

I immediately located the neighborhood bar, a place called Houndog's Bar & Grill, which sits on the corner of Milwaukie and Holgate streets. The afternoon special of hamburger and beer for $5 is awesome, and the place has a friendly, neighborhood bar feel to it. Like Cheers, it's a place where "everyone knows your name".