Vegas - Mini Trip (Mega Blog)

After watching spring training baseball in Phoenix with my mom, her husband and my brother and his wife for three days, I was ready for Vegas.

No problems with the flight, the car or checking in to the fabulous (and by fabulous I mean shitty) Imperial Palace.  I arrived about 15 minutes late to the 7pm $120 nightly at the Venetian.

First bad beat - the Venetian is renovating it's poker room and currently is holding it's tournaments on the casino floor amid the smoke and the noise.  Blech.

Otherwise, it was great.  The table was fairly soft, but I was fairly tired.  A couple of dudes, who yes indeed, were in town for the NASCAR race.  I was hoping to meet many more.

53 runners, $1700 for first.  The Venetian, along with most Vegas dailies, doesn't have prize pool guarantees, but it doesn't matter a whole lot, as the 5 majors in town (Venetian, Aria, Bellagio, Caesar's, and Wynn) easily make 10K on Fridays and the weekends, while their smaller weekday events typically come in at 4K to 5K.

I was drastically card dead, and not focused enough to chip up sufficiently with stealing - I did double up when my 10 bigs shove with KQ got called by 88 and I hit two pair on the flop.

With my chips a bit above average I stumbled a bit when I paid off the nut flush's thin river value bet with my the third best flush.

Reached the second break with 8 bigs, on the big blind it was folded around and I had to shove on a small blind who limped.  He snapped called with K10, oh well.  The fact that I had 10 8 was of course not really relevant, but it still stung a bit.

Really wanted to play some more, but I was beat after a day in the sun watching the A's beat the Reds.

Let me just say, I remember my last Imperial Palace experience as being fairly horrific, but I figured I must have been mis-membering a bit.  It couldn't have been that bad, right?

Wrong.

The room was simply gross and there was no hot water.  Shudder.

After an icey shower the next morning I checked out and headed for a Sunday morning tradition with me - the always awesome 9am Monte Carlo $50 splashament.

Alas, no players (save for me and 2 others) were there - they were all at the race.  And so the tournament didn't go.  I hit the road and made a bee-line for the Harrah's 10am donkament for $60.

At first I thought it might not go too, it was a pretty empty room.  But by the time it was time to shuffle up and deal we had two full tables.

My table was sooper soft and touristy - no NASCAR people, they would be hootin' and a hollerin' at the race, but more than a few delightfully nice every day Vegas visitors showed up and best of all no nasty Vegas degenerates appeared.   The latter tend to spring up at turbo events; because the tournies are so soft, they (rightly) assume that they have a big advantage over the fields.  Unfortunately they are generally too stupid to know that the juice and the structure makes the tournaments unbeatable.

Neither point really concerns me, as I am here mainly to have fun - and for $60 you can't get a much better chance to practice moves and try out different things.

And that's just what I did.   After the antes kicked in I'd say my VPIP  (money Voluntarily Put In the Pot) was probably near 75%.  I was an absolute beast and bludgeoned the limpers like red-headed step children.

But backing up - earlier I had lost 5 of the 6K in my starting stack by making a fairly bad read against a guy who seemed really uncomfortable - and of course was Hollywooding with the nuts.  It always seems really obvious afterwards, but I do fall for the act some times.

Anyway, I didn't despair, probably because it was $60, and I happily went back to work with 10 bigs.

A few well timed shoves later I had chipped up substantially, and by the time I shoved with AA on the button after a couple of limpers, I was primed to get paid off - and I did.

By the time the break rolled around I was the tournament chip leader and was stealing at will.  I had identified the proper targets, and I simply man handled them.

After the break the antes and monstro blinds did their job, and by the time we were 5 handed it was me and one other big stack.

The third biggest stack had probably a dozen blinds while I was sitting on almost 30.  He shoved and I looked down at queens.  Insta-call.

His AQ spiked an Ace on the flop and all of the sudden I was hurt fairly bad.  I didn't steam and stayed focused, two players busted in hands that I wasn't involved in, and we were 3 handed and on the bubble.

I had enough chips to do some serious damage to the second largest stack, and it wouldn't feel good to the chip leader either.   He raised on the button and I had 10 3 in the small blind.

I really thought for some reason that I could get him off his ace.  This was a mistake.  Of course he insta called and spiked top pair for good measure.

At about a dozen big blinds, with an objectively stupid blind structure by this point, I don't think my shove was the worst play in the world.  I was ready to be the 40 in a 60/40 for a chance to double up, and that's exactly what I was.  I didn't have time to wait to be snap called with any two cards.

But in hindsight, I probably could have picked a better spot, especially against a fairly rudimentary opponent who was on vacation from across the pond and seemed to be not particularly concerned about risking a third of his stack with a baby ace.

I should also qualify that my image at the final table was a bit different than the ass beating maniac that I had been at my starting table.  I had been much less active, and only shown down premiums at this new locale.  Still, I take responsibility for the ill-advised move.

It hurt for a little bit walking out to the car, but only a little bit.  By the time I pulled into the Aria parking lot for the 1pm, I felt a lot better.  I had been fairly merciless with the table at Harrah's, and I was happy and excited about my play on the whole and the prospect of more poker.

I was a bit late for this event, and sat down when the blinds were 50-100 with a full starting stack of 10K.

I immediately got into trouble - on the sixth hand I was on the big blind.  Across from me a muscle bound older gentleman in a baseball cap, big obnoxious mirror glasses and an ipod with an Ed Hurley t-shirt had played in half of the hands so far, he raised it up to 3x the BB.

I looked down at QJ.  Judging by his active betting and his appearance, I figured I was probably ahead of him at this point, but I called to see a flop.   It came xJx with two spades.  I checked, he fired a bit less than half the pot.  Easy call.  Pot was 900.

The turn was a 10h, I checked, he fired quite a bit bigger, almost a full pot sized bet, 800.  I called again, which in hindsight I hate.

At the time I'm thinking he's full of shit - betting patterns + behavior = super LAG.  I'm letting him hang himself.

But even if this is so, and if I think I have the best hand I should be check raising here, because what happens if the river comes a scare card?  I'm paying off a value bet if he gets there and I'm going away if he bluffs at it with a large enough bet.  Might as well use my chips now that I would have paid him off with and give him a chance to fold or make a mistake by drawing.

The river does indeed come a spade, and I know I'm in trouble.  I could fire a blocking bet, but that would probably be wasted chips as he is likely to fire big and get me to lay down or worse spew more and pay him off.

I check.  He checks.  Crap.

He turns over aces.  I had completely misread him based on my all of 10 minutes at the table.

The biggest mistake here by me?  Getting involved with QJ off suit in the big blind.

A jack came.  Great.  What if he had AJ?  KJ?  QQ.  KK.  AA.  Or, what if he had J10?  A ten came on the turn remember?  What if he had 1010?  I had misplayed this hand from the beginning, when I should have jettisoned it right into the muck so early in the tournament.  Out of position is so deadly, especially when there's no reason, early in a tournament, to be risking so much with top pair third best kicker.

Out of position with a trouble hand.  Stupid.  And not at the table long enough to know that this "LAG" would in fact turn out to be a classic TAG who barely played a hand after he dragged this pot.

But I wasn't too damaged, down to a bit less than 8K.   The implosion came an orbit or two later.

I had won a few pots here and there, even gone after Ed Hurley's blinds twice and come out on top.  Then this occurred.  He really was a true TAG after all.

From the hijack I woke up with queens.  I had one limper behind me, so I popped it to 5x the BB.  Blinds were now 100-200, so I fired 1K.

The SB, from my observations (on his play so far) seemed to be a typical TAG grinder who was probably local - defended. He had a big stack and I'm guessing he figured the limper, also a big stack, would likely call as well.  But the limper went away.  The pot was almost 3K.

Flop was something like 6c 10h 4c.  He checked, I bet half the pot and he called, bringing the pot to about 6K.  I had 5K behind.

The turn was a deuce of spades.  He checked and so did I.

This might have been a mistake - if I had been in the zone I would have made him pay much bigger to keep drawing.  But I took the line that I typically take with top pair, for that's basically what I had here.  Pot control and a check on the turn, induce a bluff on the river.

The problem was though, that I should have bet much closer to a pot size bullet on the flop, then I could justify giving him a "free" card on the turn.  He would have already made a big mistake by calling with the wrong price on the flop, and if he got there on the river then he was calling the turn anyway.  Better to save chips and keep the damage minimal early in a tournament.  Not to mention, I was in position and should have been to evaluate with ease and get away from a big bet, which is what he fired on the river when it was indeed a third club.

I had planned on calling a value bet, but the problem here was that it was so large, almost 3K.  Ugh. Fold and keep my viable stack or get the money in.  I can't call off 3 out of 5K here.  I stupidly chose to shove and he snap called and turned up 10c 3c for the crap top pair that had turned into the crap flush.

On twitter I said "I did everything right."  Obviously, based on my story, that was a lie.  Or at least tilted indignation.  I boned it pretty hard here.  On the one hand I like everything up to my turn check.  In hindsight, if I had a good read on his cards, pretty obvious he was drawing, the correct thing to do would be to shove the turn.  If he has a set, I got unlucky.  Anything less, and he's making a big mistake by calling.

Also I should point out, that he had a pretty fantastic read on me here, to put out a big chunky value bet on the river.  Knowing basically what I had (an overpair)  and putting me in a very difficult position and leaving just enough behind to contemplate making a bad call, but an "okay" call in the minds of many recreational players like me.  Or, if I happened to be a bit more knowledgable I was still likely to not know I was beat and in a best case scenario for him shove for all the marbles with him being forced to call.  And that's just what I was, smart but not smart enough to know that I'm beat there every time.

So I was out, and foolishly re-entered.  I was the 12th alternate, and by the time I got in it was 150-300.   Just over 30 bigs.  Not that great at a table with big stacks, which is where I found myself sitting down.

The good news was, there were two total recreational players on my right who had next to zero clue what they were doing but had accumulated big stacks by getting lucky, not knowing when to fold and by getting lucky.   That was the story the chatty Kathy on my left was telling me at least.

The bad news was, I was unable to really get involved and take advantage.  My cards were crap, but worse than that I only had 30 bigs and didn't have the ammo to 3 bet or check-raise large enough to get them off hands, especially since they didn't believe anyone at the table anyway.

By the time the table broke I was under 20 bigs, chatty Kathy was super happy to leave the table.  I was dumbfounded by her idiocy.  She had a decent stack, all she had to do was wake up with a strong hand, stick the money in and double up.

I was moved to the first table I had sat at in the tournament.   Ed Hurley was long gone, the small blind who had busted me was on my immediate right.

I got a chance to watch him quite a bit more - he was clearly the best player at the table.  He was easy to avoid.

I chipped up a bit when a short stack shoved into me and I had Kings.  But then I was grounded down again, as I simply wasn't deep enough to make headway without more good cards which were next to nil.

Finally, with the antes in full effect I was down to 9 bigs in the small blind when it was open folded to me, I had A9 sooted.  I shipped it and was called fairly quickly by the big blind who had KQos.

It should be noted that he didn't have that much bigger a stack than me.  It is tough to put the SB on a real hand I know, but I had been very patient for the last hour or so, I think he made a pretty bad decision.  But then he seemed to have been card dead as well.

A king came on the river and that was that.  Sigh.

At about 4:30pm I high tailed it back to Harrah's, not to play but to check in.  I had booked my second night at Harrah's (correctly guessing that one night in the IP would be all I could take).

I have to say I was quite pleased with the room which was actually very clean and not 30 years old.

Jumped back in the rental and took Koval Rd. all the way down to the MGM.

First of all, the tournament was really good for $80.  Cool room - loud and somewhat smokey since it's open air, but less smokey than the Venetian or Aria.

2 orbits in, I limped with 5's, set mining at what I had quickly and correctly deduced was a very passive table.

Several other limpers, flop was 2h 5c 8h.   I checked, guy to my immediate left donked.   Folded around to me, I check raised 3x his bet, he re-re-raised me.

I was only worried about one hand that he could have, so my only goal and the correct goal right then and there was to get all the money in.  I five bet him, he six bet shoved.

Hey, how about that...  he didn't have A8, 22, 82, 52, 85, K8 or a heart draw.  Imagine that.  88 was the one I had to consider, but based on how many hands I could beat, and the necessity of doubling up, as soon as I flopped a set I had no choice but to get it in.

In this hand I can truly say I was mistake-free.  Not typical for me or most poker players.

I re-entered.  Sigh.

Had a really fun time for about 90 minutes,  dragged a few pots, but eventually was whittled to 9 bigs.  It was a mild turbo, but I was good with it.  Again I shoved with A9, this time from the button, the big blind had a gargantuan stack so I was hoping to get called.  I did.  He had queens.

Bed time.

Despite my rantings here, overall I had been very pleased with my play.   Lessons learned -

Don't enter anything $100 or more after 7.  The Venetian was fun, but it was a mistake to play so tired.

Set a rigid criteria for re-entering a tournament.  I will never say I should never re-enter, but it was a mistake to do so at the Aria.  To come in to a big deep event with only 30 bigs, and having busted earlier from poor play, bad idea every time.

The MGM was fine.  I was coolered and it was a fun $80 event that wasn't going to go for more than 4 or 5 hours tops.

My rules for re-entering are:

1.  Serious event?  ($125+ with a good structure and 50+ runners).  Only re-enter if completely coolered AND I can do so with a MINIMUM of 50 big blinds.  Do not bother if hands were questionable and there is any chance mistakes might have been made on my part.

2.  Moderate event?  ($75-$100, fair to decent structure and at least 4 tables.  Like Binion's $100 2pm or Orleans $75 nooners).  Only re-enter if coolered and I can do so with a minimum of 30 bigs.  Do NOT re-enter if I spewed away my chips.

3.  Silly event?  (Turbo to Ultra Turbo, <$60)  Up to 3 re-entries allowed for any reason, unless budget for the day has been exceeded or I'm entering with less than 15 bigs.


I had to fly out early for work, so I went up to bed, got a good nights rest, not even watching television or having an unhealthy snack.



Yeah right.



Across the road (a good 20 minutes across the road, mind you it's Vegas) I made my way, ending up plunking down $50 for the best super turbo in town at Treasure Island.

I fucking crushed this tournament.

And I'm glad I did, I felt a whole lot better about the trip after I cashed in a 3 way even chop for $350.

Much like Harrah's in the morning, I was genuinely one of the better players.  There were several sunburnt NASCAR fellows who delighted in trying to be aggressive and then spewed away their stacks to me.

I mercilessly 3 bet limpers once I had enough bullets.

I beautifully avoided the one drunk Vegas degenerate who joined us.   He quickly chipped up by playing very stupidly, then just as quickly spewed it away before stalking off, re-entering and then doing it all again, busting for good just after the break.

At this point I became table captain, for reals.   I knew who to pick on, who to avoid.  I was a machine.

With 2 tables left, we were 6 handed.  On the button I popped it for the umpteenth time with A6.  The serious poker hobbyist, who I had been pummeling for an hour, had had enough and shipped it.  Problem was, she had about 8 bigs.  I had 60.

She had K8 and was incredulous at my "baby ace."  "I knew you were light" she said after my hand held and she gathered her purse.  I wasn't light sweetie.  I'm pre-planning to call you if you ship it, as that's what I would do with any 2 if I was you.  If you happen to have a better hand then me, then I just got unlucky.  Odds are - YOU DON'T.

Our table finally broke, and we were at the final table.

In the end, I had to get lucky, we were basically flipping coins.  I cracked a poor fellows aces, calling off with 88 to his shove.  I got unlucky initially, but I'm NEVER folding with blinds where they were.  When an 8 hit the river AFTER all the money had long gone in he was beside himself.  I was emotionless.  The hand played itself, I truly cared very little for the result.  It was nice that I could make the money, but it had nothing to do with my mental state.

But I will confess it was hard not to smile inwardly when, to add insult to injury, my A10 cracked his AK two hands later with a delightful 10 on the turn.  But again, it was just automatic button pushing - the hands played themselves.

Happy to say though, in every single other instance in the tournament, I was a favorite when the chips went in.

I lost with my A7 against a smaller stack's A5 when we were 3 handed.  It was at this point, when I was no longer the chip leader that I suggested we all split it evenly.  And as it was 1am and my opponents were smart enough to recognize that we were merely rolling dice at this point, they readily agreed.

Ship it.

Getting up on 4 hours of sleep was tough, but I'd do it again for sure.  Very glad to have some nice results after 1 day and 2 nights of degeneracy.



Won't be playing live again for awhile, the fam and I are off to Hawaii!

Hosting a home game tournament the day after we get back though.  :)

Gearing up...

Played the 11:30am Hollywood Park Casino Sunday 10K yesterday, aka "Re-buy Madness" and managed to play well and only add-on before busting, spending a mere $80 for what typically can play as a $250+ event.

I was happy enough to get unlucky about 3 hours in; with 8 bigs when my first in shove of AJ ran into AQ (who had the courtesy to delay turning his hand over after I fast rolled mine).   No major mistakes in the tournament save for one -  about an hour earlier, sitting on about 30 bigs (well above average for this  fast tournament)  I got impatient and opened a pot in middle position with a 2.5x raise when all I had was Kh9h.   I know by now that in this situation (with these players) this is a muck, even with an incredibly soft and passive table which this was.

A monster stack button flatted and the big blind took his discount.   The flop came all black AK7 with two spades.  A perfect flop for a c-bet from someone like me to represent a big ace or even AK. Up until this open raise I had been very patient and probably had a VPIP around 10%.

But the big blind donked, which always tilts me a bit, and of course it was some stupidly small amount -  probably less than a quarter of the pot.

I called because of the price, and waited to see if the monster stacken behind would go away, which of course he didn't.

Up until this point, my only mistake (playing K9 soooted) was minor and forgivable.  It was when the BB checked the 8 of clubs turn and I then fired a big ass chunky bet (almost a quarter of my stack and well over half the pot) that a second and much larger mistake reared it's ugly head.

The big ass stack on the button of course called - and then the big blind check raised!

I was done with the hand, but I was a bit steamed - remarking out loud at how I "don't understand this advanced poker shit..."

The largely stacked button called after I folded.   I had him on a stupid (baby or middling) ace, likely a spade ace - but I figured the big blind had gotten lucky and hit 2 pair with his A8 or something similar.

The river was a low spade, so I guessed that the button got there or could very easily represent getting there and figured the big blind for a check call as long as big stack bet thin like he had been doing all morning.

Nope.  Big blind led out a bit less than half the pot.  A blocking bet?   The button pondered for a moment and then paid him off with a fucking red A3!

Even sweeter, the big blind also had a fucking red Ace and a fucking red 10!  10 plays, ship it!

I should have known better.

The table was super soft, and I had gotten impatient and clumsy (I won't even give myself credit and say I was being tricky.)   ABC was big time +EV at this table, and I had let my dearth of cards push me into getting frisky for no reason.  So instead of having 30 bigs by releasing my Kh9h like I should have, I was down to a bit over 22.

Idiot.


Anyway, it wasn't that big of a deal, but it is illustrative how playing emotionally (ie, tired and tilted from shit cards) can do a surprising amount of damage to the precious meter of one's tournament life.


So after busting I was looking to kill time before 4pm, which is when my friend Dog from my home game was scheduled to start day 2 of Hollywood Park Casino's Winter Series event.  This was an impressive feat on his part, besting nearly 2000 other players to finish in the top 1% and get a guaranteed $500 on his $150 investment with a shot at 50K for first place.

But it was only 2:30 and I still wanted to play.  I put my name in for $100 NL, but then noticed there was a $60 Sit-N-Go forming.

It was a stupid turbo, 1500 chips with 10 minute levels, but I enjoy tournament style so much more than cash, it was an easy decision.

It was after 3 when we finally had enough players to start.   The table went apeshit early on with pushes, two players busted on the very first hand!   A couple more quickly followed and before I knew it we were 5 handed.

When we were 7 handed I managed to bust a player when I limped in early position with AK and got the shove I was looking for, he had A10.  Easy game, when one pays attention to how people are betting.

I also busted player number 5 when he defended his big blind to my 2.5x raise and decided that middle pair was good enough to shove when I c-bet my top pair.

I was almost chip leader at 4 handed, then slipped a bit when I released top pair middle kicker on a chunky turn bet from the guy on my right.   He had been pretty darn tight up until then, and it wasn't till an orbit or two later that I realized he had shifted gears.

I then got lucky and got into the money when the same guy on my right and the other chip leader busted the 4th player by checking it down, one of them binking bottom pair on the river.   I was guaranteed $90.


I offered a 3 way chop, as I was sitting on about 5K, the other guys on 4 and 6 respectively.  The 6K refused, despite my mentioning that we all had less than 10 bigs and were essentially flipping coins.

No worries - it was his right to think that he had an enormous chip and skill lead over us.

The very next hand he limped from the small blind and I checked my 82.  If I'd had heart, I would've shoved, but I'm chicken shit so what can you do.

The flop came a delightful 82x.  He donked, I flatted.   The turn brought a third diamond, a ten, but I didn't care.  He checked, I checked behind hoping to get it in on the river.  Probably a mistake, but I had very little to lose as whatever bet came would be stack altering.

The river was an ace and he checked.  The best card I could have seen - I bet 1500, half of my remaining stack and a devastating amount for him.  I figured if he had hit the ace (not likely since he didn't bet pre) a pair of 8's or a medium pocket pair (also unlikely, but possible) he might pay me off.   He also might have a bluff catcher.  He folded.

I had chipped up another 2K.  Now he was the short stack, though only by a couple K.

"$180 apiece for a three way chop..."   I piped in again.  He agreed.  Easy game.

Nice to be up $40 for a full day of playing - I enjoyed railing Dog, which you can read some account of on @PepperStChrisM on twitter.

I will mention that he busted in 36th place, the day starting with 7 tables.  He got all his chips (about 8 blinds I'm guessing) in the middle pre-flop with kings and yes, ran into aces.  Unavoidable in most situations, let alone a short stacked one.   He took home $990, which he happily plans to parlay into a seat in the senior's event (he just turned 50) at the WSOP.

As for me, also flush with cash (well maybe not, but at least I'm happy about my game) I'm planning to hit the WSOP as well, but first I'm gearing up for a short blast of poker in Vegas this weekend.   Thursday through Saturday I'll be in Phoenix watching the boys of summer (that would be the Oakland A's) get ready for the new season.  But on my way back on Saturday night instead of coming home like I should, I'll be taking a detour to hit up some donkaments with some good ol' boys.

That's right, it's NASCAR weekend in Vegas; last time I played during this time frame (2 years ago) in Sin City I had my biggest weekend ever, almost 2K in profits.  Here's hoping for a repeat!

I do recognize that everyone who plays poker, even those who spit into a dixie up, has improved greatly even in the space of 24 months - so I'm not expecting the world; but I do feel pretty confident that if I can fade 2 outers and such, I'll be a shoo-in for some monies.

On Saturday night when I arrive I'm planning to hit the 7pm Venetian and maybe a late night donkament (where I got all my profits last time) if I don't go deep.

The next day I'll of course hit my early Sunday morning tradition - the 9am Monte Carlo, which likely will be rife with some hungover (or maybe still drunk) rubes.

Then if I bust early and have time to kill I'll splash around with the tourists (who won't be NASCAR, they'll be at the race) at the Mirage at 11am.

I should be busted by the time 2pm rolls around, and that's where I'm going to go super negative EV and play in my first ever Bellagio tournament.  They've dropped the buy in just enough to where I feel comfortable now - it's a fantastic weekend major, and though I'll likely be outclassed, I just can't resist playing in such a bad ass tournament.

In the evening I'll try not to exhaust myself, but I can't resist to win some of my money back at the newest hot spot in poker tournaments (which again, should have a lot of that down home flavor that I'm looking for, since the race will be over) - the MGM.

Last year they overhauled their tournament structure, and I've read nothing but good things about it since.  Reasonable juice, and a good amount of chips in a structure that isn't completely shit.  For $80 and loaded with rednecks?  Big time +EV!

No late night turbos after that, I'm afraid I depart at the crack of "holy shit it's early" - and from there drive straight to work.   But it should be a grand old time!

Can't wait!