Belterra, IN

Congrats to Jim Eastham, who I met and played with at the Bellagio earlier this year. Jim's a very decent guy, so it's great to see him cash in the WSOP Circuit Event #2.


For the Closet Poker Player, the business traveller looks to find poker rooms and brings alot of risk on himself/herself. The risk is mainly due to limited time, as well as limited local knowledge for specific players/games.

Knowing this, the CPP must find a poker room when the opportunity affords it. So I found the lovely Beltera poker room. I didn't have directions, just glanced at directions online. One would think that a Casino on the Ohio River would have some sort of signage, but it took me two hours to find the poker room 45 minutes from the Cincinnati airport. After tossing the keys to the valet, I found the poker room. There were two tables going, $2/4 and $3/6, each with ten players. I got on their list for all games on their fancy Borgata-style board (which I can't understand why they would have). After two chili dogs (poor decision) and a fifteen minute wait, I sat down at the $2/5 NLHE, min $100 max $400. Eight players, I bought in for $300 after spending ten minutes trying to find someone to exchange a third of my remaining bankroll for red chips. One Asian guy, three middle age regulars, two younger players, one greenie. I bounced -$120 to +$75 for most of the session, never really catching much, raising to catch the blinds a couple of times. Made a couple of poor plays, one with A6 and calling a bigger ace. Had built up to $415 when this hand came: I raised two callers to $30 with AcTc, Asian guy re-raises me to $75, and I call. Flop comes 9c3c3d, he bets $200, and I beat him into the pot all-in for another $135, which he calls. He turns 88 over, I catch A on turn, 3 on river to take down his 88. Had an earlier decent pot flopping top two pair with A9 (bet and caller folded my turn raise). Overall session up $500.