... man oh man... if you ever get the chance...2. 5 months ago, the only game in town was the Costa Rica tournament...now they have a NL cash game at the HorseShoe...run by an American entrepreneur...1/2 N L, $100 or $ 200 buy in...
This was the loosest game i have EVER seen. rarely could you limp in, usually it was a $ 10 raise to come in...and practically ALWAYS a call from there...no reraising ... i had only an hour to play, so i got involved in 4 flops... 2 were limping in...
There were usually about 4 players seeing the flop... hands...
1) interesting hand...guy that finally won it, had 3 5,,,but it was sooted...he'd called a $10 raise preflop, and called a $20 bet on the flop AND turn...because there was a
A,2,6 flop...he hit his 4 on the river and took it down ! BIG pot !
2) i finally got involved with my AJ suited... calling the $10 raise...flop came A,8, 3 rainbow, Mr. 35 sooted bet $15, i reraised $ 15... after some hesitation he folded, i took it down.
3) Lot of bluffing going on, not even semi bluffs, just check, check, bluff...and usually called... that's how i saw the bluffs...almost always called...
4 ) couple times i tried to limp in on CO or button, but it got raised, and i got out...
5 ) i saw J 9 's calling $10 bets, but it was soooooted, any A of course, any 2 faces calling $10 bets, low pairs all in, 66, 44, and getting called! 66 guy all in, K10 off called him, the 6's held up...i'd folded 33, w/ xx3 flop...esta bien (it's ok)
6) finally got my infamous hand...QQ...i bet 7.5 times the BB, $15 w/only one limp in front...Mr. 35 s called... flop came Kxx, i started reaching for my $40, he said you can have it...
7) comments OFTEN heard..."well, i'll see one more for $30" and they weren't faking, comments were authentic... face gestures were authentic, rarely any Mike Caro opposites... "i was on the draw, i had to call " and they showed , and they WERE on the draw ...
Loosest game i ever saw... mostly Americans with plenty of Colones to spend (460 Colones to the $ )
Kowboy, et al, it IS like the Old West and poker here...circa 1880's...the HorseShoe is about 30 yards from the Hotel del Rey... most famous saloon in CR... words can't describe, you wouldn't believe the rest anyway...

night two update...i sat down for max. buy in...pretty much same bunch of players there...
very first hand...5's wired on SB...limped in with 5 others in the pot, BB checked it...flop came
K85 rainbow...course i checked...BB +1 bets $20, fold , fold, Mr. 3 5 sooted guy (again on my right) called...i hesitated, and bet $60...BB +1 called as did Mr. 35 sooted ( i couldn't believe they called, MUST have 2 pair?? )... (don't they know what my bet meant??!!...nope) turn came a 10h so 2 hearts on the board...
i quickly went all in...BB +1 called, Mr. 35 finally folded very reluctanly... river didn't matter, i showed my 5's, BB+1 mucked...never did know what he had, perhaps KQ or possilby the 2 pair...more than doubled on the first hand...3 people left the table after seeing this strange check raise ( i guess) after this hand, especially BB+1, game was too short handed for my liking, i played a few free hands, then walked, glad to have doubled plus.
(incidently the owner rakes it 10% up to $4, so he's doing well...his name is Russ, and a cool guy)

dang, you're good, Brian...mr. 35 sooted had AJs, and mystery man had JJ...and the AJs won w/Axx flop...there's a definate macho mental state at this game, you get reraised,"by god, no body's doing that to ME and getting away with it! ... you raise me??!! ...i'll call no matter what!!!" rarely a lay down at this game, so much bluffing that everyone expects it and calls and noone wants to let someone else steal the pot, even just the blinds...not much knowledge of pot size betting, nor overbetting...
Another hand, about $5 in the pot preflop, guy goes all in for his $40...the guy who tried to limp, calls with his KJ o, Mr. allin had A6 and it held up.

Close enough Brian, best kept secret - the Hotel del Rey stay there if you're ever in San Jose...the Horseshoe w/all these SLAG players is catty corner about 20 meters from the del Rey... (SLAG = stupid loose aggress)