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Myself
and Old King Cole (OKC) had decided to book a hotel near Gatwick for the use of their
free car park, unfortunately the idea of leaving redsimon towers at 5 pm developed
into a 11 pm start and 4 am arrival at said hotel. Hence we were completely shattered
arriving in rainy old Vegas at 3 pm local time. After a few hiccups getting the hire
car (which was massive, a boo boo on the booking front I guess) we arrived at a smoky
and bad tempered Gold Spike check in to find the rooms not yet ready and a staffing
crisis there. After the best part of an hour we got our rooms (I got the shitty smoking
floor one, OKC landed on his feet again with a newly redecorated non smoking). I did
a quick and much needed dialysis and we had a late supper at the Plaza. A strange
decision of the chef was to include a choccy muffin with our steak and eggs and a
side garnish of strawberries. I decided to trust my guts and not mix steak with chocolates
and strawberries.
First
poker was the following day. I'd heard good things about MGM so off we popped. I recognised
a few faces from the Orleans in the cardroom staff and we signed up for the 11 am
$65 NLHE tourney. This was full so we were alternates 18 and 19. 6 tables ran and
we both got in during the hour as it was a freezeout. 1200 chips and quickly escalating
blinds. I got to the break with 700 and the next level was 200/400, time to get busy!
I got it allin twice vs same guy first with AQ vs AJ then 66 vs A6 and both stood
up. Then I called a serial pusher with Kd9d in my bb after flop came 8 high with two
diamonds. He'd limped with 55 and I spiked 9 on river. It was a very fast structure
with doubling blinds every twenty minutes. I saw a bizarre laydown. Flop 456 all spades.
Matey boy bets 1200 leaving 2000 behind, foe reraises 2000 and matey boy proudly flips
over 66 and says I can't call. Foe laughs and shows red kings. With the blind structure
there I don't think I could lay down top set even on a monochrome board but heh ho.
Mr Laydown of course got nowhere near the final.
I
was moved table when we got down to 20 left and straight into OKC's old seat. I then
went on a rush and got to the final with 15000 out of 102000 in play. The blinds though
were 1500/3000 soon to go to 3000/6000. They only paid out 6 spots and only one player
was really short so we chopped for $425 each which suited the house as they got 10
tips for the dealer not 6.
So
a good start.
The
form continued with a 5th spot at the Golden Nugget for $410 .
My
big downfall was cash games. The only one I won in at the Orleans was a bizarre one
orbit after I'd waited for 3 hours for a seat OKC finally reappeared from one of his
many trips to try and get his laptop connected to the internet and I had to leave.
The
Rio cash game was the real disaster. $4/$8 limit Hold 'em and I actually went 2 and
1/2 hours before I dragged a pot. The average pot had 8 callers and a classic hand
I had AA on the button. By the time it arrived at my action it was 4 bets so I capped
and got the obligatory 6 callers. Flop J95 two hearts I have AhAd. I bet after its
checked and bb raises, one cold caller and I call. 3 of us left in Turn 8 spades.
bb bets out cold caller calls I raise bb three bets cold caller cold calls again and
I call with a sinking feeling (Has bb got QT??). River is T spades so board is J958T.
I feel like hurling my breakfast as bb bets and CC man cold calls. I call and throw
down AA and say nice river, bb turns over 79o and CC 77. Sick stuff but I got some
of it back with KT in the blind later with a KT2 flop K turn J river vs Mr Cold call
with AQ. He decided to rerereraise river with his straight and almost choked on his
drink when I flipped KT!
The
final day found us at Caesar's Palace which defintely had the best structure. $80
+ $50 rebuy for 4500 chips 25/50 blinds and 40 minute levels. I never saw a pocket
pair until 13 left in but had some good fortune with J2 in the sb. 6 limp so i limp
and flop comes 222. Holy cow! I check in the hope someone has a pair and will bet.
They all check, drat... Turn is Q they all check. River K and I bet 2 x blind and
get one caller, typical!
My
first pocket pair was the best AA and I was in blinds and button got leery with 85
suited. After that double up I got one more pot with quad 5's and was 6/10 on final.
I had a mini rush on final and got to 5 handed where a deal was suggested $1200 each.
One guy refused and I busted him a few hands later. Suddenly we were 3 handed and
I was chip leader $688 third, $1200 ish 2nd and $2400+ first. I then got AJ in bb
sb goes allin for 24000 more and I have 120000+ so call. He has QJ and of course first
card out is Q. I miss my 3 outs and am now on 99000 chips. I post the 2000 sb and
look down to see AJ again. Allin. bb calls instantly and turns over A8...of course
first card out is 8 and miss my 3 outs :-)
So
$688, less 30% bloody tax. Knew I should've sorted out ITIN but all casino's I'd cashed
in paid chips before. Caesar's were a bit more sticklers for rules. Getting the tax
back is a real pain in the arse so if you go to Vegas get your ITIN sorted.
All
in all the trip was good. Won money, had a good time and my dialysis wasn't disrupted
too much. The plan is to go back during WSOP though I may go to Paris in July for
WPT festival instead.
Meanwhile
its back to the internet poker and hopefully I can get back into profit. A measley
+$210 for 2006 online is not good for the soul.
Trip
Results:
Tournies: MGM
$65 NLHE Chopped 10 way (!) $425
Plaza
$98 NLHE rebuy 11th $0
Orleans
$75 LO8 37th $0
Gold
Nugget $100 NLHE rebuy 5th $410
Sahara
$62 NLHE rebuy 80ish $0
Rio
$80 NLHE rebuy 38th $0
Orleans
$85 LO8 70ish $0
Plaza
$68 LO8 9th (4 pay) $0
Stratosphere
$50 NLHE rebuy 30ish $0
Binions
$110 NLHE rebuy 90ish $0
Caesars
Palace $150 NLHE rebuy 3rd $688
Plaza
$98 NLHE rebuy 4th $210
Totals:
Buy ins $1041 Cashes $1733 Profit +$692
Cash
Games: MGM $3/$6 LHE -$54
Orleans
$4/$8 LO8 +$25
Rio
$4/$8 LHE -$330
Stratosphere
$2/$4 LHE -$2
Totals:
Loss -$359
Big
loss came at Rio waiting for OldKingCole to finish in the tourney I busted out of.
Went 2.5 hours in that game before I won a pot :-(
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