In my Friday lunchtime post, I totally forgot to blog about my experience playing poker at Dancin’ Jimmy’s on Thursday night. Dancin’ Jimmy’s is in the old Pat O’Brien’s building, and Muruako hosted the game in what is used to be the piano bar, now known as the Napoleon Room. It’s one of several rooms in the building that can be rented out for private parties.
I arrived with two friends about 30 minutes early for the game. As soon as I got there, I checked in on Foursquare, and got an unexpected surprise: I became mayor of Dancin’ Jimmy’s! So it has been added to my portfolio of Downtown bar mayorships that already includes Flying Saucer and Blind Bear.
The Napoleon Room has a giant projection HDTV where the pianos used to be. It literally stretches nearly from floor to ceiling, and the picture is great. If there’s a game on during poker, get there a little early and make sure to get a seat facing the TV.
Another thing at Dancin’ Jimmy’s that is unique among the Muruako-hosted and Blind Bear poker games: It’s the only place where you can get a Big Ass PBR. I started the evening with one and it was $5. From what I saw most of the drink prices were very reasonable.
As for the game structure, it was similar to the other games Muruako runs. 3000 starting chips, first level 25/50, 20 minute levels, latecomers can still get in through the end of the fourth level.
I had a bad beat early in the game. I got dealt pocket Queens, and was delighted to see a Queen fall on the flop. My friend Marty seemed interested in the hand, so I made bets to start moving all his chips toward the middle. By the river there was no possibility of a straight or flush, so I wasn’t too worried about my set of three Queens being beat, even when an Ace fell on the river. Marty went all-in and I happily called. Oops! Marty had pocket Aces and I lost most of my chips. Later in the game my luck improved, and I got all the way to heads-up, where I lost to eventual winner Shane.
There were about 14 players and it was a good first week. The only negative was that with two tables pulled together to make a poker table, the players sitting on the ends were about eight feet apart. It was very hard for them to deal without mis-dealing.
I didn’t get any food but a friend of mine got a cup of gumbo and said he enjoyed it.
Poker happens at Dancin’ Jimmy’s every Thursday at 8 and is sponsored by Fireball Whisky. Free to play, first place wins a $50 gift certificate. “Like” the Bluff City Poker group on Facebook to keep up with the Thursday game and the two other games Muruako runs.