Last night, I sat down at a .50/1 LHE on PokerStars. The software had been updated, and I wanted to see if there were any spiffy new toys that only become obvious when involved in a hand.

I didn't see anything new and shiny, so it must be some behind-the-scenes stuff that was changed, but I got stupid lucky, and may have experienced some of that post-UIGEA crazy play I keep reading about on the 'tubes. The table was loose/weak and calling-station-filled, so when I had AJo on the button, I raised after four limpers. The SB called, the BB raised, an EP limper re-reraised, and it was called around to me. There was enough money in the pot for me to call and see a flop, even though I was pretty sure that anything sort of a miracle straight on the flop was the only thing I'd be happy with. I flopped a gutshot, and the crazy table gave me the right odds to take one more card off . . . which I hit, and eventually scooped a $30 pot, cracking aces and kings (which had flopped a set.)

Normally, I'd never, ever, ever chase a gutshot without at least a pair or some other draw, but I was getting 16.5:1 on the flop. How could I fold? The aces guy freaked out, and the kings guy seemed to take it a little better; everyone was wondering exactly why the other players were in the hand -- and stayed in the hand -- with nothing but very thin draws (ahem.) If I hadn't been in position, I never would have been able to call like I did, and if I'd been playing out of my "gulp limit" I wouldn't have made the call, either, and though I was a little embarrassed, I was happy to take the big pot and recoup my entire 2-7 TD loss the other night.

So. I was embarrassed, but each time a player called after the aces guy or kings guy bet or raised, they were increasing the odds that someone behind them (me) would stick around and make a big hand. I think that, at low-limits like this, it's silly to be making those loose calls out of position unless you're drawing at the absolute nuts, but I'm sure the guys without aces or kings between them and me weren't thinking like that, and because of them (and my natural 20 luck of Teela Brown roll) I got to jump up from my chair and do a happy dance.

Anyway, all of that is secondary to the story I sat down to write just now: Party has slipped to third in cash game players, according to Launch Poker, falling behind PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. Captain Obvious reports that the drop is due to Party closing off its US customer base.

I, for one, welcome our new Party Poker refugees.