McCarran adventure

Sat in the longest security line I ever endured at the airport. They put in the Disneyland line cut backs all the way up to the railing. Normally I breeze through and even when transporting chips and get pulled aside I have never had it take this long. Still, only 30 minutes so it's not bad, just more than I would like.

The airport now has free Wi-Fi so you can surf while you wait for your flight to take off. Another plus is that they have free outlets to plug in your 120v products and to charge up your stuff. I am a little surprised that they don't have the outlets tethered to a meter so they can make you pay to juice up.

A friendly game

Sat down at MGM to pretty much play tight two card Omaha. I would limp and set mine with any pair, highest was TT. Limp with Ax suited looking purely for the flush or trips top kicker. I would also see flops with alphabet cards. All only for limps.

Good table though. Limping was the norm. Very social. Pretty much everyone was very friendly. Seat 1 would seem to collect a rotating supply of curmudgeons including some punk kid with bling and the "street player" look. He raised it up with what turns out to be Aces and got action from Seat 10, a dealer from another casino, one of the "regulars" in the group. Flop came out eight high. She check calls. Then the Turn puts out a second spade. She bets, he calls. River is a Ks and she bets again. He calls. She turns over 6s8s for runner runner flush. Normally I would think she is a donk and the play was indeed odd but by virute of her being one of the "good guys" and the guy being an arrogant jerk, I am OK with the play.

I am in Seat 6. Seat 7 next to me is a guy from Richmond who "lives" at the River Rock. His signature move is the min raise and he later ordered a dozen Krispy Kremes for the table. He also started the trend of showing one card after the hand, the "unimportant" card, and others followed suite later. Seats 2 and 3 on the end are a couple who look familiar. She can't help but bet her flush draws. 4 and 5 would rotate. Mostly dudes who quickly towed the line to limping with the rest of the table. 8 was grandpa who played pretty tight not surprisingly. Seat 9 was a guy who was pretty good. He would do his share of stealing pots but was friendly about it.

Every one was pretty much there just shooting the breeze and making jokes. Dealers were getting into the same mode as well and would shoot the breeze with everyone.

I dragged a couple of pots when my KQ hit top pair and it checked around to me in LP. And I also successfully mined a set of Treys and that was good for about 40 bucks. The rest of the session was pretty much posting blinds and limping with nut makers while BS'ing.

After about three hours of chit chat I cashed out for a massive three bucks of sugar or a run rate of a buck an hour or about half of the benchmark of a BB/hour. It was a fun time and I am glad to have come out in the black.

Planet Holly-weird

Planet Hollywood is pretty much fully assimilated now. No obvious traces of the old Aladdin motif anywhere. Street side has been completely redone and it's all glitzed out.

Inside the poker room I find out during the tourney that they are doing "euro style" raise rules where the min raise is the size of last BET, not last raise. Some guy tried to massage a "call me" re-raise. Bet was something like 200 and the raise was up to 525 so the re-raiser tried to go something like 900 but was told it had to be 1050. This surprised the rules guys at the table and the dealer kinda apologized about it knowing that it is not standard. I had heard that this is common in Europe and I was originally surprised at it but after thinking it over more I could go either way on it. Makes the math easier for sure and inasmuch as there is a reason that the last bet needs to match the last raise I guess the same reasoning would apply to matching the last bet which it is not unusual to do anyway. The other funny thing about PH is that the dealer said they had a Chinese Poker tourney! He said they even had special four handed tables. I asked if it took a while to deal and he kinda smirked and acknowledged that dealing out ALL 52 was time consuming. Sounds like they did a High Low High variation with the middle set being Deuce-Seven rules. Don't know how many players they got but I would be interested in looking at the rules and blind structure on that one.

Down and up

Decided to buy in short this time and only came in for a hundred at the MGM. First hand I get involved in I have AsTs and flop the nut flush draw on a Q high board. I roughly pot it and get check called by the guy to my right. Turn is a blank and he checks again. The only reasonable draw is Spades so I figure I'll bet again to get him to go away and/or build the pot in case a Spade peels off. River is a blank and he checks so I check behind. He shows pocket sixes for the win and I am left wondering if this guy can just see right through my soul or something. First hand I play and this guy has a dead to rights read on me? Scary. Later on I see this guy call my bet after a K hits with K4 after I raised pre-flop with AK. He also came in way light on some other hands and did stuff like fold in disgust after calling and being shown third pair and stuff like that. I picked the wrong guy to bluff. Although in my hand I actually had two overs and any Spade so I was actually favored against pocket Sixes on the flop.

With my starting short stack crippled by my missed bet on the come, I limp in with 7c9c. Flop comes three Clubs K high. Nice! Seat 9 leads out, and Seat 2 calls. Time for me to clear out the chasers so I bump it up 25 more. Then first to act raises...hmmmm. Then back to Seat 2 who shoves! At this point I'm in so deep and short stacked that it is only another 15 or 20 so see how bad I'm losing. I even announce "well I'm paying someone off" and I figure there is a non-zero chance that someone flopped two pair or a low set. Nope. I'm up against EP's Qc4c and shovers 3c5c. THREE flopped flushes! We are both drawing dead and second nutters takes it down. Bigger stack and I'm folding but I donk off my spare change and reload.

Seat 2 gets replaced by n00b guy who can't even post blinds correctly. It is folded to him and when it gets to him he puts out another three on top of his post of two, clearly confused on what he is supposed to do. Gets to me with KK and I make it 20 to get this guy out. Gets back aound to him and he calls. Great. Flop is of course A high and I check, he checks. Turn is a blank and he throws out 10. I make a crying call. River is another blank and I forget if he checks or bets 5 or 10 but we get to showdown and he has Kd5d which ended up being the nut flush draw though I doubt he understood that. Guy to my left commented on the bad flop. I reply with "No crap, worst flop ever."

That donk goes on to fund many another player's stack, mine included. I got into a hand with him where I had some strong hand and got a call from him on the flop and turn but couldn't coax a call out of him on the riv.

Another hand I make it 15 preflop with AK trying to shake off limpers, two callers. Flop is a relatively safe looking Ah Th Rag-off. I am ready to pot it and take it down in position. Check, then this dude in Seat 9 is double fisting his stacks massaging two towers of 50 as if he was warming them up. He fondles his bet for a while then brings both stacks forward in usison to overbet the pot by a factor of two. I sit and mull over the situation. From previous play I'm fairly sure he is not ahead in the hand. We have approximately even stacks of 200 after I've dug myself out of a hole and gotten even and I'm not looking for a high variance hand right now. I'm only 15 deep and there is no way I'm getting out of this hand without putting it all in at some point so I just muck and decide to pick a better spot. He shows two Broadway Hearts for a gutter to the Royal which gives him 12 outs and a rough coin flip to my made hand. Odd play and I'm fine with getting out of that hand.

Later on I'm in another hand with the same guy. I limp UTG with TT. Two seats down a guy raises to 13. Hulky guy calls. I may well be out front right now anyway and I call looking to flop an overpair or nail a set. Flop comes T high, just what the doctor ordered. I make it 20 on the flop and the pre-flop raiser looks at me. We are both pretty solid and have been staying out of each others way. He probably missed his AK but reads strength from me and folds. Big guy calls. NO idea what he's drawing to but he's been chasing all night. Turn is low and I think might have made some weird gutter straight. I lead out 35. He flat calls. Hmmm. River is a Q him and I bet 60 hoping that he has an KQ-ish hand but he thinks a while and then folds. In retrospect I think maybe a check to him to sell AT that was afraid of the overcard so he could stab at it and I could raise him. Oh well. I take down the pot. Orig raiser put me on bottom set of Treys and was surprised when I show him top set.

Guy to my immediate left is friendly and a chaser too. He does his second straddle of the night and decide to complet the straddle bet from the BB with 5s6s. He checks and we're three handed. Flop is 6d3d6h. I lead out for 10 into a pot of 12. Straddler has seen me enough to fold. Button calls. Hmmmmmm. I was ready to take down a small pot right there and now I need to range this guy. I'd feel better boating up since I am in deep kicker yogurt. Turn is a non Diamond Seven to give me a gutter to go along with trips. I lead out for 25 and figure he'll go away now. Nope. Straight and a Flush draw out there so I hope the river is a blank...instead I get the Case Six in my late Xmas stocking. I size up the guy's short stack and grab an aribtrary amount to roughly match his stack. 55 is the bet and that would leave him with about 15 to 20 left. He asks if I liked that Six and I make a comment about making my Flush. He's in the tank now and I ask if he has a boat though I am positive he must have one or else he wouldn't be thinking this hard. He finally calls and I show my hand. He mucks but later explains he had 5d7d for a GSSFD and all of the peripheral lesser hands that that entails. After the River boats him up he promotes to Sixes full of Sevens and is only behind my six or pocket Sevens. He said he couldn't put me on an overpair so that is whyh he called.

I'm up to about 375 to give me some sugar after climbing out of the hole. I nit up and blind off a few more chips. Raise in EP with AK to 11 and get like six callers. Flop is QJ high and guy two to my left bets it. Desperation call from short stack who is covered by the bet. Everyone else gets out of the pool. Turn is a K and I get ROTty but shorty turns over AT after the K fills his gutter.

I'm down to 360 and decide that is a nice round number so I cash out and hang out with Marsh over at his table and chat with Jason and MB. That session brings me basically even for the trip.

Revisionist history pre-disclaimer

So I'm doing the blogging from the phone so I don't have the full complement of tools available that I would from the web interface. As such some of my posts are out of order and I have some posts that I've started but haven't finished yet.

Basically I am going to need to go through the blog after I get back and straighten everything out.

Right now blogging from the West Wing Bar at the MGM. Some football game is going on in the background (they really should put more football on) and it's two for one happy hour! Just going to catch up on some email and stuff before hitting the tables.

Swing and a miss

After busting out, MB and I sat down for 1/2. MB was up a quarter. I paid a BB and an SB. Jason went out on the bubble when his 99 fell to QT in the BB.

Jason wanted to go play 4/8 O/8 so we cabbed across the highway to The Orleans which looks to be mostly older locals. We grabbed a quick lunch then all signed up but the list just was not moving at all. Back to our rooms for a siesta and we will be back after dinner.

International cuisine for dinner

Since it's the last night in LV I figured I would give the Subway and deli a rest and enjoy some fine dining. Panda Express on the Strip, baby! Actually I do have a nice seat perched above the Las Vegas Blvd facing the NYNY casino. The meal is world class.

Busted out in 12th this time

Should have folded my BB but saw a flop with Ad9d to a raise and shoved in first position on a KK3 flop. Jason doubled up and looks destined to final table.

Second break

Sucked out two pair with my AQ after flopping an Ace against AK to get healthy. Then I bluffed off chips with 45 trying to steal blinds then have to call a shove for not much more holding Q2.

I won the chip race to color off the 100s when I spike As as one of my cards.

Planet Hollywood tournament again

We are at PH again to play their tourney.

I am up about a quarter stack. Jason and MB are down a little.

I flopped middle set on an ugly 7s9sTs flop. I led out and took it down. Also drained a lot of chips off of a gal when I had AsXs. Flop nut flush draw, turn an Ace, and river the nuts.

Closing time

So I cash out at my table and am BS'ing with Marsh. I'm looking for a place to do some blogging and where Marsh can meet me after he is done playing cards. I figure I'll just meet him at the Centrifuge, the circular lounge which the MGM Poker Room surrounds. I head in there and the entrances are roped off. Check my phone and it's one in the morning! Excuse me? The city of 24x7 and the place is a bar is closed at 1? I ask around and yep, that's when they close. Not that there aren't other places to get a drink, just not as comfy as a lounge like that and it's hard to blog at the bar when my keyboard is fighting for space with the buttons for video poker game set into the top of the bar.

Old salts

I'm in the Island tower of the Tropicana, the one further away from the strip and in order to get there you need to walk this gauntlet of kiosk vendors. It's like walking through the Pike Place Market or being at Northgate but with a higher density of hawkers.

I just try to keep my head down and pretend like I work there since I'm in my suit but on this day I get nabbed by a gal who asks me if I've heard of the Dead Sea which actually was a nice hook since it didn't directly try to sell me on something. I get suckered into saying "yes" and the next thing I know she is holding my hand and telling me how dry they are. OK, now at this point I'm minorly insulted since I have some of most soft supple hands known to mankind but I humor her anyway and go along with the gig. Then she has me hold my hands over a basin and she pours these salts in my hands and I'm supposed to rub them all over my hands. I think I'm exfoliating. Dunno. I'm no manicurist. She then rinses my hands off and I towel them dry. Apparently at this point I think the magical music is supposed to be cued up birds fly from out of nowhere with ribbons for my hair. But in reality my hands feel like they've just been scrubbed with rock salt. She asks if my hands feel "better" now and I tell her I'll have to ask the wife what she thinks and then say that I am late to meet her so I had to leave before she tried to sell me this miracle cure.

In all honesty my hands did feel wonderful after the mini spa treatment...but that's just because my mitts naturally feel wonderful to begin with!

A bill of sugar

Stopped by the MGM and had some lunch (turkey sandwich at the sports book deli) then signed up for some 1/2. Sat down and folded for a while. After about 20 minutes or so I get involved in a hand. It is raised to 11 with one caller. I pick up Aces in the blinds and pop it to 40. Corner pocket thinks about it then calls. Other guy folds. Narrowed the field down to one as desired. The guy is short stacked with only about 50 behind and I decided that I'm riding this out no matter what so I put him in on the flop (K, low, low). He shakes his head indisgust and gets it all in. He turns over Tens which is behind AA, KK, and AK, the biggest re-raising hands as well as tons of other hands of course. Aces hold and I'm up over 100 for the session. I pay some more blinds and then take off after another half hour or so. Cash out for 294 and am satisfied with the session. Time for a smoothie at NYNY and then an afternoon nap in the room.

Tourney wrap up

The Planet Hollywood tournament is decent. 4000 chips 60 bucks. Jason got to use the rebuy feature when his Kings got cracked by TT that flopped a boat on a T22 board and lead out on the flop with it.

MB and I were at the same table to start. I tried to see some cheap flops with Ac8c and small pairs but nothing hit. Pretty nitty play. Boris came out of the gates swinging though he played the first four hands for a raise then limped with QJ which ended up boarding out Broadway and he raised and got a call from AJ.

I was down to about 3K at first break. Jason was up a K and MB was down to a low stack. I got some better cards after the break. For some reason I was about to muck QsJs in LP and even made a hitched motion but caught myself and shoved instead. Took down the pot. Then very next hand I got AJos and shoved after one limped. Folded around to him and he hemmed and hawed about it and finally called with 33 and I was mentally admonishing him for a marginal call. Much better to shove than call but better to not even get to invested at all. Flop came QQx then a K to give me more outs and then the board double paired to counterfeit his microi-pair. I didn't apologize for the suckout since that was a horrible play.

Some really bad play and plenty of players who don't know how to play. Guy folds his BB. People not knowing it is their turn. Raises that are too small, etc.

Guy limps UTG with QQ and a guy shoves in LP with KJ. QQ calls and gets pissed because a K flops. Ummm...guy might not have called a raise with KJ? Nevermind.

I end up with 4h5h in the BB and see a flop. 7h22. Check check. 8h comes off and he bets min. I call with a GSSFD, the river is a 7 and I think of stabbing when it is checked to me but think he'd call with an A so we show down. He has K8 and wins.

I shove or raise a few times with any reasonably strong hand so I have chips for blinds.

Second break comes around. MB and Jason are out. I come back to 4K in chips with blinds 1K/2K and take a few hands until I "min" shove with QJos. Get called by BB holding K8 and he turns his eight. I'm done in about 14th place. Top six pay.

Planet Hollywood tourney

Jason, MB, and I are at PH for a tourney. 60 buy in for 4000 in chips.

Down a full buy at Tuesday Night Poker

I'm in full nit mode and posting blinds waiting for cards.

I try limping in a couple of times with a small pair or QJos but get raised out.

Then I pick up KK and make it 17 to go and even the guy that knows what is going on calls along with one other. I'm first to act and have to check the A on the flop. A check behind and then a shove from a short stack in LP. Bye bye.

See a flop with ATsuited. Flop comes A high with two spades. Checks around to the guy to my right who puts out 10. I nudge it up to 20 to try to see where I am at. Then I get the two checkers calling the 20 cold and I don't like this hand. Turn brings the third spade and I'm done with this hand. It checks around. Blank on the river and then it's check, 25, call ahead of me. I think about it then fold. Call behind by A3 who wins it.

Next hand I get involved in is AKos, I make it 17 again and quiet guy in the corner pocket makes it 40 and I fold.

I see a flop with KdJd and flop second nut flush draw and a gutter. Small bet on the flop which I call. 15 to go on the turn and I call but then the guy behind me raises to 45. I decline to chase anymore.

Raise with AJ and totally miss the flop. Cannot continue.

See and flop with AT sutied and flop top/top on an 89T board, not the greatest but I bet it in EP. Multiple callers. Turn is a 6 making a one card straight possible. I check/fold to the girl who flopped the nuts with QJ.

Limp with 55. Fold to three overs.

I'm down to 50 in chips or so and pick up QQ. Bet of 15 ahead of me and I flat call figuring that we will be isolated, two other callers. Flop is 7 high two clubs. Original raiser bets out 25 and I shove for the rest of my stack. Folds to him and he calls with KcQc and rivers a K.

I'm done with this session. Time to take a break and track down everyone else.

Down 17 for the year so far

Sat down at Caesars 1/3 NL. No cards. Limped in late with QJos and got bet off preflop. Limped with AsTs and missed. Only raked one pot with 58os when it checked all the way through. That's it.

Over to MGM for TuNP.

High drama next door

So there I am minding my own business just relaxing in my room and I hear a female voice in the hallway which ends up entering the room next to mine. The Tropicana is older construction so the noise carries through the walls better than in the more modern casino/hotels.

It was hard to understand everything being said, even with an ear pressed up to the wall...IF I had done that...which I didn't of course...but the dialoge went something like the following:
Door shuts and there's a pause.
Female: Various irate yelling and expletives.
Male: Unintelligible.
F: What the F? How could you do this?!
M: Unintelligible (he didn't project like she did)
F: (crying now) I ASKED you!
M: This isn't fair.
F: You said you wouldn't.
I didn't hear a second female voice so it wasn't THAT juicy.
F: You said you weren't going to watch this.
Wha? At this point I'm figuring she's getting bent out of shape over her boyfriend getting an adult pay per view movie.
M: I don't need this.
F: (blah blah blah)...if you wanted to watch the game then why didn't you just say so?!?!?!

OK. At this point I'm tuning out. All this hubbub over watching a football game? C'mon! That was four minutes of my life that I'll never get back.

8th to 11th hour stuff

Meet at the BBQ place. It's basically an all meat menu and even the beans have meat product in it so I settle for sipping on a soda pop. Half of the plasma screens in the restaurant are highlighting the 300 foot motorcycle jump attempt (spoiler: he makes it) which is actually happening right oustide of the Rio visible from the rooms of the people at the table.

We hang out at the bar for a while Ken works his clout to get me included in his party up at VooDoo lounge up on the 51st story at the top of the Rio tower overlooking the Strip.

Mission accomplished by Ken and we are all escorted by the concierge type people assigned to keeping Ken a satisfied Rio customer. We get our wristbands and are shown the way to the guest elevators which whisk us up to the top floor in no time. The table is on the perimeter of the lounge's deck. A bit brisk to be sure and most of the party retreats to the warmer confines of the indoor lounge area but by a quarter til midnight the deck steadily fills with onlookers who are treated to a bird's eye view of the strip fireworks. It's not often that you look *down* onto a fireworks display which by the way were being shot off from the top of buildings which aren't so short themselves.

After the fireworks it's time to head back inside and hangout with the other revelers and get sauced. I save myself the drunken stupor back to my hotel and just crash at John's place while he terrorizes the blackjack tables.