Hustler casino - a review

I haven't had a whole lot of opportunity to play since my recent trip to Pechanga - lots of settling in, taking meetings, all that LA stuff you have to do.  But - I had a day where I booked two callbacks in quick succession, and was only 15 miles from Hustler after my last one, so off I went.

Now for starters - I had always assumed that this was like Larry Flynt's Hustler, so I envisioned it being adjacent to a strip club or some such thing.  But no...no indication of any affiliation whatsoever.  I might be wrong, but it just seems to be the name of the casino.  Two things about this place right off the bat - it is small, basically just a big circle , but it is dominated by poker tables.  The other thing - it is probably the best appointed place.  The tables have a nice purplish felt, and the chairs are ok.  The food/drink thing varies wildly in LA as usual...my OJ was $2.75, even bottled water was $1. Also, as usual, Limit is King here...at outrageous limits too...$50/$100 was running while I was there.  And also, the high blinds for NL.  A seat at a 1/3 $100 max table was open - I had no idea how long I might stay, so I settled for it.  Going in with 33BB is not my preference, but...

When everyone is that deep, players are really easy to profile.  While some folks were up to around $180, I could tell in about two orbits who was smart and who was looking to gamble.  I didn't win a hand for about an hour...but I was gathering valuable information.  I dusted off about $40 when a jittery guy who was always calling with second pair actually found the K against my 1010, when I figured he was drawing to a flush, and I reloaded it back to $100.

Big moments.  Splashy Asian to my left, I have JJ.  Many limpers as usual, I pop it to $15, and only the Asian calls.  I shouldnt say splashy....over the 90 minutes, he has gotten in with good hands, maybe not best by the river though.  Flop comes 8 -x-x two diamonds, and I have red Jacks.  Now here is something I ALSO see a lot in LA.  People are really poor at protecting their cards.  I could immediately see a black card that might have been an 8, but I wasn't sure.  So, at this point I knew he could only have one diamond, if that.  He makes it 18 and I call.  The turn brings another diamond, not the ace, so I'm wondering if that other card is the ace.  Oddly, he checks to me - based on my read, I'm thinking that he can't have a diamond here unless it is a low one, and only three diamonds can beat me.  I make it 32.  He calls.  River is a brick, and now he leads out for 22, and now I have no reasont o think he has anything better than two pair or trips, and I call.  He shows 88, and  yells 'Ha Ha!  Trips.' and starts to take the pot.  Whoa mister!  See my Jd?  He feels pretty stupid, and I scoop it.  He does another stupid thing later...

This is a place where I was sure I was beat by the river, but I have 99, and I dont really remember all the action, but Asian clearly misread his hand, because on a 5-7-8-3-K board, he shows a4os and yells 'straight.'  Uh-huh.  Thank you!

Another example of splashiness.  Guy comes in, headphoney guy with $60,plays EVERY hand in an orbit.  He then commits all $32 left  and I have 77 again.  There were limpers behind and I shove all in on him (I have about $220 now), assuming he was just trying to take the limped pot right there.  He shows 6-8???  77 holds up and I scoop again.

A little up and down, but I leave with $240, with $80 for three hours work.  That'll do, pig - that'll do.