From my NL cash game last night...

[Talking Poker]

I have to play in big games like this - How else am I going to afford to pay for all these posts???

It's not my game, but it's only a few miles away from my house, which is great. The guy running it (he was the one with the 2s, btw), has a really nice set up. He has a real Hold'Em table, a real dealer, lots of good food, whatever drinks you like, and so on. Last night I even had a $20 massage from a girl who comes most nights - worth every penny.

Each pot is raked, but much less than at a casino... usually about $2 per hand for pots up to $150 or so and then another $1 after that.

The players are not so much buddies as they are guys playing poker. We all know each other, but most of us don't know each other outside of the poker room.

Right now, he has a NL game once or twice a week and a limit game once a week (usually 5/10 or 10/20) for the people who aren't comfortable with NL. IMO, the limit game is weak (a little stronger than what you see online), but the NL game is solid. There are a few weak players, but there are some very good players as well... It's a good game.

I can make more money by playing online, because I can get so many more hands in, but I still like playing live when I can. It's good practice - especially for reading people, which is crucial if you ever want to do well in a big B&M tourney.