Scarlet Pearl and the IP to eat and play

I thought the IP poker game was a good one, but I found one more to my taste at the Scarlet Pearl.  Sunday afternoon was perfect with the table full of tourists who did not like to bet high.  It is a spread limit 4-8  game with a 1-2 blind.  Seeing the flop often costs just two dollars as opposed to the four dollars it costs at the IP.  And there are those fine possibilities for betting based on the strength of a hand.  After the flop the bet can be 1-4, and turn and river bets can be 1-8.  I have always liked these games. 
The poker room has a huge window, although the view will be obstructed soon with a parking garage.  It is bright and pleasant and everything is new.  The rest of the casino is that was as well.
Really different were the people working.  John was an especially patient and attentive dealer.  He called the game, talked about the casino, joked a bit, and in general made us feel welcome and taken care of.  I rarely tip more than a dollar, but I did tip John two.
One amazing thing was that they automatically changed the rake when we got down to five and with four took no rake at all.  This made short play easy to endure.
There is not a NL game in this room, just this unstructured spread limit game.
I think it might be my favorite game in the country.
It took me a while to get used to the spread again at the Scarlet Pearl.  I overbet good hands and everyone folded.  Once pocket Aces only got me the blinds.  I showed them and did a bit of friendly whining.  The next hand I had just a good draw, so I just bet a dollar until.  I was never raised, so on the river I bet the max of $8 and stole the pot with folks thinking I slow played good cards.  I did it again a few hands later.  That was in the early afternoon of Sunday with mostly tight tourists.
I did well, playing tight aggressive.  Then some fellows came in who were upped the action more than I wanted and I was missing hands, so I left with $85 profit.  However, the real advantage was that this game would not kill my bankroll if I played over a long while even with a difficult second best slump.   So the price of entertainment was low.
Folks were very friendly.  Mike next to me has actually been the fellow who set up the Magic Manatee marina where we rented out pontoon in Homosassa.  He was fun to talk with.  There was a fellow there who lived in the villages in Florida.
They have a poker rate of sixty nine dollars weekdays and ninety=nine on weekends and the $2.50 earned in comps each hour can be applied to the price, so that lowers it even more.  I thought I might stay one more night here and skip the Shelbyville stop, but I can't easily squeeze that out.  However, I can spend a bit of Tuesday afternoon, use of my comps for a meal and if I get three or four hours of travel in before sleeping, that will almost be like spending another night here.  Part of me would like to see Shelbyville, but I just know that it would be a disappointment after this place.
Their promotions were very accessible too.  Every half hour yesterday the house splashed the pot with twenty five dollars.  I almost won one time but lost on the river when my flopped trips were defeated by a flush.
They also splashed the pot with bits of bling.  I won a sippy cup with the name of the casino.  I wanted to trade a woman for her card protector, but she did not want to trade.  John just went up and got my a card protector.  He did not even take the sippy cup.  These card protectors are pretty cool.  They are in a plastic case but if taken out they will spin on top of the cards.  I have not tried mine out yet.  As a card protector, I think I better like it in the case, but it will be cool for the home games.

My best hand was Peter's favorite 6-9.  This was of spades.  The straight flopped and there were two hearts.  I bet hard and was called by heart draws and one two pair fellow.  No one would put me on a 6-9.  It was the largest pot of my trip so far, well over $100.  And it won the sippy cup which also got me the card protector.  Pretty good.

IP

I went to the IP to use my poker comps for a buffet.  They gave me a full buffet although I only had fifteen dollars.  He said I could come back and play.  I did.  But I lost.  I made a bit back at the video poker, hitting a few quads and a straight flush.  I caught a seven and jack of clubs to make it.
But even with the win at the Scarlet Pearl I am down for the trip.  $358 is my score.  So far I've eaten $52 in free food, so that helps, but I'll need some luck if this is to be a winning trip.

I do like the affect it all has on my sleeping and my attitude.  I'm relaxed and appreciate not thinking about politics and death for a few hours in the day.  I sleep very well, with dreams, but I sleep through the night. 

Jen's father Joe died yesterday.  So that is two deaths while I've been here in Biloxi.  Peter and Casey are scheduled to fly to meet us in Chicago on the 8th, but perhaps they won't make it.  We'll see.  It is fine to have booked at Southwest where it won't cost anything to cancel and use the money later in the year.  What a great airline!


Oh, the buffet at the IP was good but not as good as the Beau.  The seafood was rather dry and tasteless.  I better liked a meatball and sausage and a jumbo.  It all spiked my sugar, however.  I did not measure after the Beau.  Perhaps I will today.