pic from Diamond's Sports Bar website

When you Play Online poker, there are many strange calls and raises you may see at the tables, regardless of the limits you play at. But, the online player eventually will step away from the laptop/keyboard and try their chops at the local casino or cardroom. A good (depending who you speak with) middle is the bar poker scene. After a softball tourney today (I went 9 for 13 in three games, thank you for asking) there was a game being set up inside the bar portion of Diamonds Sports Bar and Grill for a little hold em' action.

Being a poker blogger and having no responsibilities this afternoon I said "why not!". Five tables of ten players with 1,000 starting chips quickly found their seats and proceeded to play towards the $70 first prize, $30 second place, and $15 gift certificate for third. Not a bad deal for a zero dollar buy in and drink specials. The poker is step below what you would find at a nickel/dime blind table online, but the just the chatter is worth much more then any dollar amount. Of course I am copping out since my bluff on a coordinated board with nothing more then an open ended straight draw that didn't get there was called down by a lowly pair.

Note to future bar poker converts from online: stick with ABC poker, hold on to your cup for the K4s call all-in versus your aces, it happens.