Canada poker: I suck, eh

On business in Calgary for two days.  I landed at midnight last night and got directions to one of the casinos.  I ended up at the Stampede Casino (which is brand new, opened a week or so ago) playing $1/2 NL.  The table was playing very loose.  One player who claimed to be on tilt played every hand for the first 15 I saw and won at least 12 of them, losing only small amounts those few times.  Normal pre-flop raises started at $10 and could be as high as $20.  Everyone was chasing.  The first hand I saw showdown was a three way all-in pre-flop where the players showed down (this is true) KK, 57 off suit and 66.   57 off suit won about $450 when he hit two pair.

I tried to play good tight aggressive poker.  Once I called a $12 pre-flop raise with KJs and 3 other players and then hit top pair and a gutshot straight draw on the flop with 2 suited cards on the flop (not my suit).  I bet out $40 (about 2/3 the pot) and was raised to $160.  That $160 was called by 2 players.  I folded.  The raiser had the nut flush draw and hit it.  Mind you, I bought in for just $200, but am now feeling much like a short stack considering the size of the raises.  These players are prepared to put in their whole stacks and just rebuy for $300.

I decide to play good short stack strategy.  I am going to tighten up the starting requirements and then push them hard.

After folding about 20 hands in a row, I get dealt AQ in the cutoff.  UTG (loose-passive) limps.  EP (a very drunk girl, loose aggressive) bets $8.  I raise to $25.  The button (loose-passive calling station) calls as does the BB (very loose aggressive), UTG and EP.  The flop comes 8TQ rainbow.  UTG checks, EP bets $40, I decide that I want to get it all in before anyone completes their straight and hopefully isolate to just my drunk friend.  I go all in for what I have left $107.  EVERYONE goes all in!  The main pot (I was the shortest stack by a tiny bit) is now around $690, which doesn’t matter because I can’t imagine that I’m going to win.  The turn is a blank and the river is a K.  EP turns over J9 off suit but UTG turns over AJ for the straight (which he was chasing).  I only had $200 Canadian dollars on me and didn’t want to hit the ATM again so I went to find my hotel and go to bed.

I don’t know whether I can handle that kind of action.  I’m still trying to decide whether to play again tonight.  I’ll probably try another casino in hopes that we’ll play a little tighter.