|
7 weeks in vegas Part 1 The Warm up......
Date: 07/27/10
Player: swivet2
For Rooms: Aria (CityCenter),Fitzgeralds,Flamingo,Golden Nugget,Imperial Palace,M,Mirage,Planet Hollywood,Rio,
Summary: Some tourneys, some cash, some limit, some NL, some omaha some badacey
Content: I will try to post a part of the trip every few days.
Prior to this adventure, I offered to several friends an opportunity to buy into either my cash game or tournament bankroll, which I was keeping 'separately', in a virtual way. I ended up getting more investments on the tournament side, since my live tournament record is brief, but impressive, and the last time I offered this opp, people made some money.
I booked a one-way ticket as I did not want to be tied to a return date that might force me to stay longer than I could deal with, and I was to be having various visitors during the excursion.
I arrived on the morning of June 6th, a Sunday. I had done my homework on this site and others for all my poker (and video poker) playing, and had 49 free hotel nights booked in 13 different hotels.
After we landed and parked at the gate, the flight attendant, in her Southern twang said, "I'm gonna tell ya what my daddy told me when I turned 18.....get your stuff and get out....." I booked a FOX rental car....with taxes and all it was under 21$ a day. When I got there, all they had left was PT Cruisers, and I wanted a car with a trunk; I figured I'd suffer and come back mid-week if I hated it as much as I thought I would. (I did, and I did)
My first stop was the Mirage poker room to take up Chris on his very generous offer for the use of a security box (THANKS VERY MUCH, Chris) and although he was not there, I was given a box quickly, and visited it often, for both types of transactions.
With the bulk of my bankroll stored, it was off to the Gold Coast for video poker and 5x points, as I had depleted my points/comps from my BCOnnected account and needed to build up some comps, collect some free play, and Eeeeaaaaase into the trip.
By 2PM I had walked over and put my name on the list at the Palms. Played some VP there while waiting, and when 2 hours went by with no seat, I went for Mex food at Garduno's at the Palms....the fire-roasted salsa is pretty good, but the food is bland, and I'm a hot freak....
I also wanted to give the Palms a serious amount of VP play so that I can get some future room offers from them. (and play there I did)
After walking back to the Coast and getting my first ugly VP session of the trip out of the way, I drove down to check in to my room at M resort. I went down to the poker room around 1AM and got a seat at the 1-2 table. The girl running the room (Jeannie? Jenny? ) was doing it all. There was only 1 table playing...5-8 people at various times. She was seating people, playing in the game to keep it alive, dealing when the regular dealer needed relief, cashing people out, and ordering pizza (free pizza for all those playing at 3AM Monday mornings!)
There was a giggly Asian (ga) guy overbetting flops, a few rocks, and a moronic young guy (MYG). I ordered a couple Frambois (Raspberry Lambics) and was playing tight poker. The game debilitated to a 'jackpot hand' hunt. The MYG had a chance to clean out this woman when he flopped trip 2s, and she had AK on a Kk92 board. instead of trying to get her 190$, which seemed easy, he was focused on his 1-47 chance of rivering quads for the jackpot....hence the "M" in "MYG". After this hand, I left, up about 40 bucks.
In one hand, after I was involved with GA....I had kqo on a flop of qctcx, bet 35, and GA goes all in for 240 on an OESD. I folded.
Day 2 saw me leaving M and heading downtown (DT).
I hit my fave, the Boar's head Bar at Main St Station (BHB at MSS) and check in with my 'bartender friends,' Chris, Kelly, Robert, Jose, and Ronny. Ronny is the graveyard guy and is really into tournament poker, so if you find yourself in there at 2AM, tell him you read about him here from Paul in NH.
I wandered down to the Fitz, since one of my goals was to take some of TBC's soggy bills, and lo and behold there he is in the 8 seat, an internet vision come to life. It was a fun table, with a novice couple in the 3 and 4 seats (the wife was hot-geeky) and a german woman in the 5 seat who kept cold folding her unraised BB despite several attempts by others to tell her not to. TBC played tightly, and in fact I completely missed the hand an hour in when he got all his money in with 1010 and got busted.....see ya....1st poker goal attained..TBC in the flesh.
I couldn't get anything going at this table, and lost 71$, which really deflated my minimal poker ego (losing at the Fitz on a weekday afternoon...yuk) I hightailed it out of there after dropping 2 bills on a DC bet on the craps table, and received a call from my poker-playing nephew (PPN) who was to be arriving the next day. I dejectedly walked back towards MSS, thru the horseshoe (it'll always be the horseshoe to me, although i believe they should change the current slogan from" Where it all began" to "Where it's all over".) It's really too bad. The 'shoe was the best casino in the world 15 years ago....now it is merely an air-conditioned cut-thru from Casino Center to the Cal. (no offense Maui)
I was now down about 1500 from VP and on the way thru the Cal to MSS, whim made me sit down at a 10/7 DB 1$ machine where I had watched a woman sit last summer for 5 minutes and hit a royal...I popped in 100$, and on the second hand saved the kqj of spades....out pop the ATs, and it's instant profitablity and complete attitude adjustment...Royal #1 on day 2!
It's now 5:30 and I check out the MSS buffet, not too bad for downtown , although the fried chix is a bit dry. I tried oxtail stew/soup for the first time, and it was delish.
sitting back down at the bar (BHB) I feed some of my fresh hundreds into a 9/7 DB machine and get nothing.....then I pull quad 9s to get some money back....5 minutes later I am dealt KQJTs....can it be.......? WHAMMO As! Royal #2 for another 4k! NOW I am truly bankrolled for this trip, up almost 6k.
I finally get together with KN, a friend in town for a jewelry show with his wife who is a vendor...he and I fart around, play some BJ and craps, and then I head off for the nugget, with KN tagging along to watch.
The big hand here was flopping a flush with KJs and slowplaying myself into a 4th spade on the river and losing to the Ace....so, the Ace of spades giveth, and taketh away.... Also, this guy who looks like he could be homeless, but appears to be a regular comes to our table. He doesn't look like he has all his marbles....older guy, maybe around 70...dealer calls him by name.....he gets dealt in......about his 3rd hand, he checks his cards, stands up and says....."ummm, I have to go to the bathroom....."
This is a move I need to try.......
I lose 22$ in about 3 hours, and walked over to the brewpub at the QQQQ (4 Queens) to check on the progressive Royals at the bar. The brewpub is up a set of stairs near Magnolias, and was not open....however, the rope across the bottom of the stairs was not being employed, so I plopped myself down to play some VP...It was wonderful....quiet, relaxing, a good end to the day.....Then a worker starts vacuuming, and the pitch of the vacuum is just the right frequency to make my head start to hurt. Amazingly, he asks me if he is bothering me, and I tell him the truth. He disappears. Serenity again. Not 5 minutes later, 2 security guys are standing behind me, telling me the brewpub is closed, and I need to leave. I mention there was no rope, so I figured it was ok to be in there. He says there is a rope....YES< THERE IS BUT IT WASN"T EMPLOYED! I leave, peacefullike, and start playing the machines right under Magnolias....It's 4:30 AM. Within half an hour, I connect for my third spade royal in 12 hours.
It was the best revenge I could have gotten.
KN was crashing with me that night, and I got 2 hours sleep before I hear 'When the Saints come marching in" emanating from his cell phone. Apparently the concept of 'time difference' doesn't get thru to his wife, as it is 7Am in Vegas.
KN has errands to run and wants to stop at the Pawn Stars shop, which I roll my eyes at, but whatever.....I am in and out of there in 5 minutes, and KN is done in 15. we pick up some hot sauces at Smart and Final and return a table at Walmart, then head back for beers at MSS. I teach KN to play VP, and he makes 5$ a quarter at a time.
There is no poker on Day 2.
Day 3, PPN finally arrives, and KN, PPN and I rendesvouz at the Rio. I play a 175 satellite. KN has never seen the WSOP and is in awe...PPN is scouting the cash games, which is all he plays (2/5, with a toe in the 5/10 water) During this satellite, I pick up AA, AA and KK on successive hands. I don't slow play, and yet I lose 2 out of the 3. Somehow, I don't go broke. I make it to the final 3. I look down at 66 and complete, because I know the aggressive BB will raise. Sure enough, he does, and I shove. He ponders and folds. He is dying to know my hand. he says he had pocket 4s. I say "Excellent laydown" he says "Why was it an excellent laydown?" and I say "Because I won your chips!"
Soon after that we chopped, and I'm now in the poker plus column, as nobody wanted to be the odd man out.
KN heads to the airport, and PPN and I head to Aria via the tram from....Monte carlo?? The tram
still has that "new Tram smell," but PPN remarks upon Exit that Citycenter "smells like strippers" Probably accurate.
I play a couple hours of 1-3 NL and PPN plays 2/5. I win about 185, nothing remarkable, and then switch over to the mixed game where I lose about 40$ before it breaks up due to the 7PM tournament (or whatever time it was)
I really liked the service Aria's room. The room was very busy, drinks were excellent, and the cocktail waitresses phenomenal. I vowed to make it a regular stop on this odyssey.
What I didn't like was the red felt/red chip combo....not easy on the eyes.
I left PPN there and went to P Ho to check it out..played a few hours, and was up about 300.....ended up losing it and 170 more....the 'room' was loud with music and some bad players.
Some guy that I met in the Sydney tournament in December recognized me and came to say hello.....amazing!
Day 5
PPN and I eat at Hash House a Go Go at IP, where he is camped out (but not playing, no 2-5) and he orders orange juice....He asked our waiter if it was fresh squeezed. "It was just squeezed between the legs of a young virgin"....that made the notebook.
We head back to Aria, and I play like a dope, losing 450$, mostly on one hand with top pair and straight draw to 2 pair. I played awful. PPN wins again...
I also dumped the PT and picked up a yellow AVEO which made me happy.
Dinner was late, in Chinatown on Spring MTN. Food was excellent, and a lot of it at "emperor's something" but the service sucked....no matter. PPN could not finish his, and took a doggie bag. This will come back to haunt us. I crash in his IP room.
Day 6 Friday June 11. As I enter the IP casino after waking up (7AM) I see a screaming guy with a bright red face being "escorted" to his room by 3 security people. Good Morning IP! I wander over to Casino Royale which has the best VP on the strip, and hit some quad Aces playing my favorite Super Aces machine (more on that later) I head to the car, open the trunk, and smell something awful. (The bleeping PPN left his Chinese doggie bag in the car in the 100 degree heat overnight, and the car absolutely REEKS, and does so for the next two weeks.) I left the bag for the roaches in the IP parking garage, and boogied out.
I visit my Mirage box and play some 3-6...There is a sit-n-go finishing up, and some yahoo is left 3 handed against 2 foreign guys he has Aq vs KK when the cards get flipped over....."Ace! Ace for America! he yells....this brings some good hearted laughter.
I head back to CRoy for VP and suffer some abuse, but leave there still up for the day over a grand.
PPN and I burn some comps at outback where he has a "nice rack" (of lamb) and I have a yummy ribeye.... we get into a single-malt discussion with our waiter, "red" who looks like a burnt out 70s hippee.
I head to the Flamingo for some 1-2 and make about 175 in 2 1/2 hours, then lose about 80 back at the IP. Then I go on a semi-drunken VP Binge at Casino Royale, a la TBC and lose back the day's profit -1500. I'm now sitting for the trip at about +4500 as the day ends mercifully.
Day 7 finds PPN and I at the Gold Coast Sports Bar watching the World Cup US/England game.
I then head over to the Mirage, to reload, having totally forgotten the AVP meet up. I get there at the end of the first hour, and get sat down and immediately start accumulating chips, as my table is the tight one. I meet Chris and several others, and got into a coin flip with a guy who had 44 and my overcards didn't hit, and soon I was out with 2 tables left.
I head downtown, play some uneventful VP, take a beating and sleep.
End of Week 1
Poker---still up about 3 hundred.
VP....up 4200
Next week:
More satellites, more visitors, and the duke
7 weeks in vegas, Week 2
Date: 08/01/10
Player: swivet2
For Rooms: Golden Nugget,Orleans,Rio,
Summary: Week 2 continues the cataclismic Video poker downtrend, and sickness slows my gambling, but a happy ending to week 2.
Content: Day 8 Logged some wins at 1$ 10/7 DB VP and went to check out the Nugget poker room...notched some small wins at 2-4 and 3-6 waiting for a NL seat.....
Head over to the Rio and play a 325 Satellite.....I used a 500$ lammer to buy myself in to the 325, and a total stranger behind me into a 175, and he gave me his cash buy in.
I raise on the second hand w/ aT and the flop comes A22 with 2 diamonds against a young kid who had actually missed hand 1. I bet 2/3 pot and he calls...hmmm...turn is a queen....he bets 250 and I checkraise to 600....he flat calls. The river is an ace...to give me aces full....i push in the rest, and he calls....with AQ.....lovely. I head to the Palms as I don't think I'm in the mindframe for more poker....
Day 9
Up hell early at the IP (6:AM) First people I see as I head to the elevator are 3 ~22 year olds drinking out of a fifth of JD.
I head downtown and drop 1500 at VP, then register for the Nugget "grand' series horse event. I have an hour to kill so I head to the CAl and make AAAA for 800 at VP. Then, I watch a 'true' VP expert in action.
At the 4 queens, on the 10/7 DB machines, I am getting crushed. Cannot make a quad. The "Gorton's fisherman" strolls up in slow motion (wool hat, grey beard, corncob pipe, questionable dentistry). He draws my attention b/c it takes him 5 full minutes to sit down and play a hand. I watch. First hand he is dealt 222Ax. He keeps the 222 AND THE ACE, and pulls quads! I check to see if he is playing the game where you are payed extra for an Ace kicker......NOPE. I query him as to why he kept the Ace. " I've been playing for 50 years,....rash...shmrfl" But sir, this game hasn't BEEN AROUND for 50 years......URGGGGH I am frustrated...He keeps an ace kicker EVERY TIME he gets one. I later see him hold a SINGLE 9, and get dealt the other 3 9s. I am ready to whack this guy with craps rake. Tally: Me: -700, Gorton's fisherman +125
I head to the horse tournament....not particularly well run...I last 6 hours but go out ~80/120 I get all my money in with AT on a t84 flop, and with 67 on the turn river, 99 makes a straight.
No more day nine poker.....
More Video poker punishment at the Palms and Gold Coast on Day 10.....I meet a waiter from the RIO buffet that says that Dennis Phillips left a 3 dollar tip for his party of 4.
After 10 days, I am now down 1100, of which 150 is due to poker.
Day 11; June 16th
Nothing is going right...can today improve?
I head to the Rio and finish 3rd in a SNG.....-175; also drop 200 at craps and 150 at 1$ 9/6 JoBetter VP.
Lunch with Poker Playing Nephew (PPN) has him telling me a story from the previous nights poker. Apparently the player next to him has the identical cell phone, and has it in the cupholder in front of him. When victim leaves the table, PPN swaps phones. 30 minutes later, PPN CALLS victim.....victim looks at phone....sees different wallpaper and strange phone number, is confused......whole table starts laughing.....
I do laundry and head to Orleans for poker....I play 4-8 1/2 kill and scrape up 130$ in 2 hours.
The BBJ at the Orleans is now at 135000.
I slow my VP down, take my 200$ loss for the day......How about an up day soon??
Day 12
No Poker...
I'm developing a serious sinus/respiratory infection...limit my play to being beaten up at 1$ 10/7 DB.....drop a grand and spend much of the day in bed.
Friday June 18th Day 13.
feel better but not awesome.....drop another 800$ at MSS at VP, then reload at my Mirage box. I chase the BBJ at the Orleans at the 4-8 1/2 kill game.....I lose 297 in 3 hours, winning only 2 pots. I have lunch at the BAD Orleans buffet, Drop another 1500 at '10/7 DB" (Optimal play MY ASS!) I am now down about 4600$ for this trip.....
Can this be the low point? I hope so....
Over to the Nugget.... I win about 440 in 2:30 at the 1-2 table and see the Duke of Fremont for the first time.....why doesn't someone mug this guy? He may be a nice guy....but carrying around 40k and spreading it on the table is just STUPID!
I also drop 100 at craps, and 300 or so at VP, and end the day -4781 for the trip, but up a couple hundred at poker.
I drive to the IP to eat at HHaGG with the PPN, and meet his friend David from California, who plays primarily 5-10NL. PPN has gotten his head handed to him the last 2 days at poker by David and others, and is now up only 1500 (Wahhh!)
They head off to the Rio or Hard Rock and I spend the afternoon digesting a huge HHaGG meatloaf sandwich. I go back downtown and drop 200 at VP; I have no patience to play poker right now. In MSS, I spot an 8-5 Bonus Poker 1$ machine with a 4800$ Royal....I play about 20 hands and am dealt the AKQJ8 of hearts. I throw away the 25$ flush and out pops the ten of hearts....WOOHOO!!!
That 4800 closes the week out at:
Poker +450 ish
VP -550 ish
-100 after 2 weeks....
Next week:
More friends in town, found money, and I whack the BIG one!
7 weeks in Vegas part 3
Date: 08/04/10
Player: swivet2
For Rooms: Bill's,Hard Rock,Orleans,Red Rock,Treasure Island (TI),
Summary: 3rd week of my 7 week poker (and video poker ) playing odyssey in the 115 degree heat
Content: day 15 Sunday June 21
I'm up at 10AM to make some calls to let people back home and know I am still alive; PPN is here for 3 more days, and 2 other friends arrive Tuesday.
I head to Treasure Island and get sat at the 1-3 NL game. I am in a much better frame of mind after yesterday's 4800$ royal flush.
I am sat in seat 5, with "Cro-Magnon drunk annoying fish" (CMM) in the 10 seat, and "Too old for that outfit Milf wannabe" (TOM) in seat 9.
Apparently, CMM had already spewed about 400$ before I sat down, and was in the midst of an 1100$ spew. He was in just about every hand, and kept repeating the same phrases in an annoying way, saying things like "I like to party," and " You wouldn't........would you?" when someone was about to bet. TOM won a few pots from him and added "I like it when you party......." Thought the knuckle dragger might whack her......he sucked down 3 healthy sized bourbon shots (probably about 6-8 ounces total) in the 2 hours I was there, and when he left so did I. After being up about 200, I lost when I put a guy all in on a board of Q5k5 when he rivered a boat with Q5 to beat my nut flush.
poker +25
I headed off for a bad VP session (--1400) at the Royale, and headed to the Orleans, the loudest poker room in existence. Man does this place really need the Bravo system.....25 dealers constantly yelling about empty seats, players checks, calling the floor, set ups, etc.
I do not believe card-rooms should give new set ups just because a player requests them. This is just superstitious BS, and wastes everyones time. I grew on this trip to making snide comments when new setups were requested to let both other players and dealers/floorpeople know that this practice should cease. At Mohegan Sun in CT, setup requests are flatly denied unless the deck is faulty.
Anyhow, I lost 300$ in the most grasshopper filled table I have ever seen.....people were changing seats, and then another person would take their seat, etc. It was like musical chairs. Then this Asian girl would play 2 hands, leave, come back 15 mins later, play half an orbit, leave....they had to institute the '3rd man walking' rule, which meant some lady that had ordered a burger couldn't go pick it up, etc. Just chaos. This room needs a major revamp.
Quote of the day (possibly the trip) 2 guys, 1 at my table and one at the adjoining table are discussing some female they casually know "She's a real party girl....she likes to drink, she likes to gamble, and she's not afraid to give up the cootchie for 50$ if she is broke...." I had tears in my eyes....
Rant over, and I go lose 400 at VP, but make 100 back on a baseball bet. End day 15
Monday day 16
i AM MOVING FROM DOWNTOWN TO rED rOCK TODAY; i OPEN THE SAFE IN MY cAL room for the 1st time since I have been there, and find......a 10$ "Year of the Cock" Silver strike token, and 2 1$ slot tokens...I'm +12, and I haven't left the room!
My morning coffee at the MSS Boar's head Bar costs me 600$ in VP losses, and I pick up Poker Playing Nephew (PPN) and head to Red Rock. We check in and get a very cool room way up with a view of the strip in the distance....Absolutely fantastic view....we can see the Whole valley, and from downtown, to M Resort. Wow. Inspired, we head down to the poker room. I've got some free-play coming, so I cruise by the SPortsbook bar and see that the progressive royal for the 1$ machines is over *10* thousand. This is now a big +EV play, and PPN heads to play 2-5, I sit and play VP.
I give up after 8 hours and head to bed, down about 1500 for my efforts.
Day 16. I force myself out of bed after 5 hours sleep...I HAVE to hit that Royal. I shower and run down to the bar to find.....It's STILL THERE! $11,200 for the royal!
I play for about 4 hours, chatting it up with the bartender. The previous evening, I mused with PPN what I would say if I won 11 grand all at once....since it's not my style to scream and yell. At 2 PM, I found out...."It's over" were the only words out of my mouth after I drew the 2 needed clubs for an 11,540$ Royal Flush. PPN showed up 20 seconds after I hit it......he said..."Nice" (We're a bit on the soft-spoken side), and I'm up 11220 for the day!
We celebrate with an Italian meal up past the Fiesta. PPN rated their lasagna a 7.5. My carbonara was really 'paisano,' and was bland....a 6.
We head back to the IP for a swim, and to drop PPN off. He gets us to the pool, and I'm about to break my 20 year run of never having been in a vegas pool. Just as we grab a towel and sit down in a lounge chair, like a tv comedy, the loudpeaker announces "The pool is now closed" PPN does a cannonball, but I don't want the streak to end on such a downnote, so I refrain.
The LLM (from April's trip...The Low Limit Monster) and PB (Pittsburgh Boy) arrive in Vegas, and we rendesvous at the Hard Rock. It's Trash-Talk Tuesday, and although the 2-5 game hasn't kicked off yet, PPN and I start trash-talking each other at the 1-2 game....but nobody joins in. We have champagne and strawberries from our pleasant waitresses, and a couple people win some of the kooky HR promos. One guy beats me with 6-3 offsuit to win a bottle of Moet, and another makes a winning flush with '69' for a 69$ cash bonus. It was fun, and I won 2 dollars. I head to the HR craps table, and make about 700$ in 15 minutes, and also make a World Cup bet.
I then bring PPN back to the IP and sit in the 1-2 game at about 3AM. I lose about 280, but the best hand doesn't even involve me. A milfish woman in the 6 seat is all in against her husband in the 3 seat. they flip the cards on the turn, and she needs a 4 outer to win. The 6Clubs rivers her a boat to beat her husband's flush and clean him out. He gets up from the table, mumbles 'Nice Hand, BITCH!" and heads off to their room...comedy ensues. She later tells up he just texted her and said that won't be the only suck-out she has that evening....more laughter...and I retire.
day 18 Wed June 23 starts with the PPN, LLM, and PB all watching the US win their match and me cover my under bet for +340 at the Gold Coast, while I am losing 200 at VP. I drag the PPN and his luggage to the M Buffet (awesome....best in City) and meet PB and LLM at the Royale while PPN naps out. I make about 500$ at VP, and then PB wants to have his once-per-trip-craps binge. I am absolutely psychic in this session, betting the 8 right before it rolls, and pulling it down right before a 7, betting the DC before a 3 gets rolled...I don't even lose a bet.....and win 220 in like 7 minutes. As I'm leaving the table (PB lost his 50$ allotment) I have my hand over the table with 2 dollars in it and I say "For the dealers.......before I can pick a number to put it on, the dice from a throw hit my hand, 7 comes on on the come out; the dealers encourage me to drop the 2 dollars; they stack it on the pass line, and then happily PAY THEMSELVES for the POST-roll-win they just had....hilarious!
I drop a grand at VP, take PPN to McCarran, cash my soccer bet at the HR, and head back to Red Rock for sleep.
Day 19. Organize the rental car and drive to the Fiesta for my VP and coffee....pick up 800$ at VP. Today is the day I visit the "Atomic Lounge" I drive down Fremont and park near the Western. I shoot 2 racks of pool with local "Don" and have 2 1$ Busches....at 10 AM! I bought the bar a round (total cost 13$) and made friends in a hurry...You'd think I had handed out 100$ bills.
Popped in the ElCortez for food and some free-play and made 50$, then spent two hours with PB and the LLM at the Nugget 3-6 game. We all turned a small profit (mine was 55$) I actually FELL ASLEEP at the table, and that was my cue to vamoose.
Nap time. At 10PM I won about 430 playing VP and then went to the Nugget for some 1-2 NL, losing 30 bucks in 90 mins. Made about 200 more at VP at MSS and decided to head stripward for some poker...ended up meeting Alaska gal dealing. I sat in a SH game at bills, won 4 out of 7 hands, and then the table broke...talked to AKGAL for a bit, and headed out. 2 good days in a row! I tried the Flamingo's steak and eggs, and it was awful. They screw you by charging 3.50 for coffee! Then I lost 400 bucks on VP,and went to bed.
Friday day 20
back to the Orleans...The BBJ is still there...(139k!!) I make 200 in under 3 hours of NL, eat at Al's Oyster bar, and go back downtown, nap out, and pick up the LLM...then play some VP at MSS, winning 300.
Sat day 21
Pick up LLM and PB and head to SouthPoint to check out the Chip Collectors convention, which had free admission on Saturday. LLM had a Bahamas Playboy chip to sell...really enjoyed the show...fantastic collection of memoribilia.
While there, I made SouthPoint 700 richer to save Perry's job by losing at VP.
Back to MSS where I hit a quarter royal (number 6) on a 5-play machine to pick up a quick grand or so. I wander around downtown and just relax a bit.
End 3 weeks:
Up 9k for the trip, not too far below 0 at poker.
Next week:
More found money, funny bus drivers, the disputed royal, and tournaments start again!
7 weeks in vegas part 4 week 4
Date: 08/12/10
Player: swivet2
For Rooms: Aria (CityCenter),Boulder Station,Gold Coast,Hard Rock,Imperial Palace,Mirage,Palms,Rio,Treasure Island (TI),
Content: Day 22 Sunday June 27
I wake up the LLM (Low Limit Monster) and tell him to meet me at the Boar's Head Bar at Main St Station, as we are both staying downtown.
I play some VP and craps and pick up a quick 2 bills to start the day....I find the LLM near the brewpub, and as we walk past the cage to the MSS Sunday brunch, the LLM points at the ticket-redemption machine.....I look, and see noone....and then, I see what he is pointing to. There is a C--note sitting in the tray that someone left behind. LLM walks over, and picks it up. As we continue to the buffet, a female casino patron starts talking gibberish to him, making gestures like she saw him pick it up, but in no way indicating that it was either hers, or that she was upset. He couldn't understand her, and we continued to the buffet, me fully expecting security to come over any second. They did not, and still haven't.
After breakfast, we split up, and I head to the Cal. I pass another redemption machine, and laughing to myself, look in the tray....there is a 20 sitting there.....I add it to my 'reverse miscellaneous expenses."
After re-napping, I play some 5-play 50 cent bonus poker. I make a 'bad play' by breaking up a AAQT7 hand with a 3-royal to make the draw....Line 3 pays dividends with a 2000$ royal..(#7)...I add 1420 to my bankroll.
I meet up with the LLM and we head to ARIA to play some cards. I plop myself at the 1-3NL table and the LLM plays 4-8 Limit. 45 minutes in, this woman (44-ish, bottle-blond, hot and ugly at the same time...you know the type) approaches the table and PLOPS her enormous handbag down on the felt and makes a big production out of buying chips, acting stupid, etc. She introduces herself as "Chickie", says it is her given name, named after a friend of her Mom's.....the rock on her finger has to be 6 carats. She talks a good game after acting like a moron, and then complains about the drink service...says her boyfriend is playing some event. Anyway, she was noteworthy. My only noteworthy hand came out of boredom. I raise a few limpers from the cutoff with 86 suited mostly because I've been very tight. I didn't note all the action, but I remember making 2 pair by the turn, and then shoving on the river when my boat hit against a guy that I realized had an overpair.
So when he called my turn bet, I knew I was screwed, and then saved by the river.....Chickie left, the game got boring again, so I picked up my suckout money and left, making 292 in 2:30.
Back at MSS, I dropped 625 playing VP.....caught up with the LLM, and found a 50cent progressive 8/5 BP carousel where the royal was 4100, making it a 101%+ game. Me and the LLM chased it for about 40 minutes, but when a girl on the other side of the bank hit it, those 10 machines emptied out faster than rats leaving the Titanic.
I end the day up 1142, and am now up 10k for the trip
Day 23 Monday June 28
up at 11AM; I drop off laundry, deciding this time to pay the nice lady to have it ready for me....21$...which I would have lost at the bad VP machines they have there anyway....now I have the afternoon free....We meet up with our Pittsburgh buddy, who has spent most of the trip in the Mirage card room, and decide to do the 20$ Crown and Anchor 'free lunch' (for those that don't know, if you buy in to their 97% vp machines, and play, (even slowly) your yummy lunch is comped.)
We eat, and then throw some darts (my other passion) (BTW I turned a 10$ profit on my lunch...LLM broke even....) and drove to Casino Royale. I hit dual (on 2 of the 3 lines) 'quality quads' (2s 3s and 4s are 'quality quads)' playing Super Aces and ended up turning a 400$ profit.
Over to the Rio with the LLM, I play about 1/2 an hour of 2-5NL. I am up about 200 when I end up all in preflop against a guy who was tilting. We coin flipped and he won....-315.
I also played a 275 satellite and donked out when I could not put my opponent on an ace the way he played the hand, and got all my chips in with kk with an ace on the flop. Horrific read....
Then I head over to the Gold Coast and blow thru about 900 at various VP games....seems I cannot win a thing in that building. I have a pre-birthday dinner with the Pittsburgh buddy at Casa Don Juan (authentic Mex 1 mile from the Plaza downtown) and then head back to Casino Royale for 'an event that will live in infamy.'
I plop myself down at the bank of triple-play VP machines, but not at the exact machine I usually play. I am playing .50 and 1$ Super Aces, switching back and forth as the mood strikes. I get ahead, and then start losing. I'm pretty anal about checking the paytables to be sure they are what I expect, so I am surprised when the following occurs.
I am now in the hole about 1800, but have about 900$ in credits on the machine. I am playing 7 1$ coins per line, 21 bucks a pop at triple play.
I get dealt 3 to the royal, and the middle line pops the Royal (#8)...and says JACKPOT 2100$. I could SWEAR I saw something change at the top left corner of the screen (where the royal payout is displayed) and am totally miffed, as this royal should pay 5600$!!!
A changegirl comes over and congratulates me (she has no idea what she is in for) and starts to 'card' the machine. I tell her to please don't do that yet, and ask her to look at the screen, and see if she sees anything wrong. She looks for maybe 4 seconds and shakes her head no, and I ask her to please send her supervisor over and not to touch the machine. She looks confused and starts to card it again, and I put my hand in front and said "PLEASE GET YOUR SUPERVISOR and do NOT touch it." She looks at me like one of the 1$ beer drunk regulars and shuffles off.
The supervisor approaches and asks what's up, I show him how much I've been betting, and the paytable 'error' and tell him to check out the 4 identical machines around it, and claim that the payout is wrong, and I should get 5600$ for my 7 coin royal. I also tell HIM please don't card the machine. He furrows his brow, and checks the paytables on all the other machines, and sees the '5600$' number. It's midnight, and he is the most senior person there, and clearly has no authority to make such a decision. I politely inform him that he can either pay me the 5600, or we can call Gaming. He leaves, comes back, checks the other machines again, and I ask him if he has called gaming yet....he says no. I whip out my phone, and he tells me to hang on, he called the slot super and got him out of bed, and he thinks we can 'resolve' this, as he is pretty sure something is 'not right' I tell him nobody is touching the machine until gaming shows up.
Slot supervisor finally shows up, and looks at the machine with the royal, and essentially says "Something's wrong' I agree. He disappears for 15 minutes, comes back and tells me that the payout seems as though it is not right, and says he will pay me my 5600, and then I have to cash out my remaining credits (850+$) and they are going to shut the machine down. Well, that solution is Quite agreeable to me, I get paid, and for the 1st time ever, I 'KO'd a VP machine. Now that he can card the machine, based on our verbal agreement, he discovers that for this particular game and denomination, the Royal has been set up not to give the 'bonus' that you usually get on the *5th* coin until the *10th* coin. So they claim there was an error made by the slot tech in initializing the paytable. Regardless, they pay me my money, and I must give credit where it is due to the Casino Royale. The LLM and I both surmise that HAD gaming shown up, they probably would have sided with the casino, saying that 'That's what the paytable said...2100', and probably rightfully so. But I SWEAR the paytable changed WHEN I hit the royal.....and wasn't at 2100 before it....but that is not the way it looks.....whatever.....I got paid, and the Royale had a happy customer who was now up 4100 for the day.
I can't sleep because of being wired and such, and go donk off 60 bucks at the IP playing 1-2 for 2 hours. at 6 AM, I go sleepy-bye.
ANd That's only Sunday and Monday!
Tues June 29th day 24.
up at 11AM and make a quick c-note having coffee at CROY; then the LLM and I head over to Boulder Station, as I want to play some Omaha High. I lose 59 bucks, but get overpaid when cashing out (which I don't notice as I'm talking to the LLM) and as we are walking away, he says "Did you just get an extra hundy?" and I look, and say....Ummmmm Yes, I did. Another "Reverse Miscellaneous expense" Serves them right for letting people smoke cigarettes and NOT letting me smoke a clove cigarette.
LLM has a rare comped night at the Hard Rock, so we head over as I have never stayed there. We check in but the Poker room is dead (4PM) and he decides he wants to put some points on his Stratosphere card to resume getting room offers. I agree to help him with that, and that decision costs me 300 in VP. However we do meet 'Suzy' a buxom cocktail cutie from NY.
We head back to the 'Rock' and I have a horrendously draining (2600) VP session at the circular bar after ingesting about 8 Patron shots.
I guess THOSE weren't free!...I head to bed in a foul mood down 2400 for the day.
Wed June 30 Day 25
I realize I was supposed to check in yesterday at the Gold Coast. I go to check in, and receive no hassle or penalty (remember, I cant win in that building, so they love me.)
In true form, I lose about 2 grand in the course of the day at VP while the LLM plays poker at the Mirage....I head over to the Mirage, and am instrumental in starting a nowadays rare Omaha hilo game there, which lasts about 30 minutes. Our Pittsburgh buddy heads to the airport, and gets out of town with a 30$ profit for the week.
I lose 22 at 1-2NL, and 80$ at Omaha when I flop a boat only to lose to the LLM's BIGGER flopped boat....I then play at the 'best BJ game in town' and drop 600 bucks in a dozen hands, and nothing has gone right since the 'disputed Royale royal'.
I'm down 2700 for the day, but we have a free food comp, so we head to the steakhouse at the Gold Coast and eat some comped cow-flesh.
I then decide to punish myself for my excessive VP losses by chasing the bad Beat Jackpot with the LLM at the 2-4 limit table at the Gold Coast, since it shares the BBJ with the Orleans, and it is now approaching 150k$! Luckily there is a 3-6 game going, so the boredom factor is slightly reduced. The first 40 minutes is boring, and I am losing about 60 bucks, then, a series of interesting events occurs.
I am in the 2 seat, and the LLM is in the 3. A black guy with tremendously bloodshot eyes sits down in the 4 seat. He is talking on the phone, and in a language I do not recognize. He plays a few hands (apparently he had been at a different table previously) and is not holding up the game, but decides to leave the table, still on the phone. He returns and is STILL on the phone. A rather large (for the 3-6 game) pot gets going between on-the-phone-guy (PhG) and the 10 seat, and possibly a third player, with much raising and reraising. Action is now on PhG after the turn, and he is now heads up with seat 10. The tiny Asian dealer tells him that it is now time to get off the phone. He looks her in the eye and says "Please do not tell me that" in a firm but quiet voice. Dealer instacalls the floor, and Floor comes over to see what's up. Dealer tells floor that this guy has been on the phone for over 10 minutes, and he is now slowing up the game. Floor tells PhG "Sir, please hang up the phone and play your hand.” PhG does not do anything....continues talking. Floor says "Sir, Hang up the phone now." PhG does not even LOOK at him. Floor says "Sir, Did you hear me? If you do not hang up right now, I'm going to kill your hand." LLM and I are slowly backing our chairs away from the table, and I'm looking for a beer bottle cuz we can see what is about to happen. PhG does NOT hang up, Floor says "His hand is dead." Dealer starts to push pot to seat 10; PhG goes ballistic, reaches into the pot and grabs a handful of chips, and starts berating the Floor, saying that the other dealers had let him talk on the phone, blah blah....Floor is walking away to call security and PhG is getting louder, still holding about 15$ from the pot in his hand....Floor points him out to security and says 'He's LEAVING!' and security escorts him out of view, while he is still pleading his case. Then the floor asks the table what we think the guy had in his hand for chips, and we come up with about 14$, which he removes from the drawer and gives to the 10-seat....Cool!
Very soon thereafter, seat 4 is filled again with a New Player (NP) we play about 2 orbits, and I pay my blinds, and when I am in middle position, I go for a smoke. I make it a fairly quick one. NP is also having a smoke. When I return, LLM informs me that, to minimize blind-payment, I should leave the table to smoke when it is my BB, and then return on my BB. I inform HIM that if my blinds are 'up to date', even if I'm not at the TABLE, if the BBJackpot hits, I get a share. As he is rolling his eyes at the improbability of this occurrence, the Floor announces to the room that the BBJ was just hit at the Orleans, and for the dealer to Note all the 'active' players for their share of the BBJ. LLM looks at me and we both start laughing uncontrollably that 1) the improbable has just occurred 2) if the angry guy hadn't been on the phone, he would have had a share and 3) NP in seat 4 did *not* pay his blinds, and he ain't gettin nuthin'.
We ended up getting 334 each, which covered my 3-6 losses by about 130 bucks.
LLM and I then play some Cow Pai (Pai Gow) and I make 50$ while he loses 3. We have drinks.
I let the Gold Coast abuse me more, and go to bed in the hole 3k for the day, up 8770 for the trip.
Thurs Day 26 July 1
I arrive at the Gold Coast Bar to find a smiling LLM. He apparently whacked a dollar Royal at 9AM for 4k and the leftover hookers gathered for the Benjamin display, trying to find a new friend. LLM treats for the breakfast buffet, and we head over to TI/Mirage to play poker.
There is no 3-6 limit, and only a few people at the TI 1-3 game, so we tram over to the Mirage. I make 17$ at 3-6, and 88 at the 2-5 NL table...nothing notable.
We drive back to downtown (MSS) to check in; The progressive Royal on the 8-5BP 1$ machines that I popped previously for 4800 is now up at 5k again.
LLM and I decide to play a bit. I sit on his left, and the machine is KILLING me.....I rip thru 300$ in no more than 15 minutes....I mean 2 pair is a big hit. He tells me to stop banging my head on the wall, so I move to his right.....Within 15 minutes, I get dealt AKQJx of spades, and pull the 10 of spades! That 5050$ is much needed, thank you MSS! and that is Royal #9
We walk over to the 4Queens, and I realize the promo they are running for their slot club is one I haven't cashed in on yet...I end up with 165$ in free play after drawing 2 'mini-lunchboxes'
I play it thru and cash out 170$, and some cashback (140$) so things are looking up!
I head to the Palms and play 2 hours of 2-5NL and make 51 dollars.
Back at MSS, I get abused on VP and drop 850, but at days end I am up 12.7k for the trip.
Friday 7/2 day 27
LLM and I decide on cashing in some coupons from the ACGuide and LVA. We go to the Sahara, which I have not been in in years, and use our 25$ match plays which we both lose. However I bet the other 3 green chips I bought on the craps table, and won, so I end +50. On the way in, we notice that the sahara is actually in 'Winchester Nevada', a sign I had never seen before, although I HAVE seen the 'Now entering Paradise' sign not a mile south on Koval. (most people don't realize that most of the 'Strip' lies in unincorporated Clark County, and is NOT within the city of Las Vegas, which starts North of sahara Avenue) We immediately devised a new tourism slogan for Winchester, Nevada " Practically Vegas, Almost Paradise"
Then I tell the LLM I wanted to stop in the Greek Isles, which used to be the 'Debbie Reynolds' casino. He looks at me funny, but goes along for the ride. The name has changed yet again, and this place makes the Western look good.
We're off to Aria, and get there about 1PM I'll pick up the story later.
Next episode (End of week 4, and Week 5) Drinking and tournaments DO mix, the GF arrives, LLM leaves, losses at Hidden valley Ranch, M, and more!
When I return…….
7 weeks in vegas part 5 end of week 4, week5....
Date: 08/13/10
Player: swivet2
For Rooms: Aria (CityCenter),Binion's,Mirage,
Summary: continuation of my antics from june july at poker/ video poker
Content: Friday July 2 Day 27
The LLM and I go to Aria. Bob, a Mirage AM regular and Aria mid-day regular, who talks just like the guy from "King of the hill" ...(the blonde guy you can't understand) is at our table...LLM knows him from all his hours at the mirage. It's an uneventful table until BB (Buxom Brunette) sits down. I'm in the 4 seat, she's in the 2 seat and she STRADDLES (this is a 4-8 limit half kill game) her first hand. I raise with 87s, and it's 4 ways to the flop.....I flop 2 pair, on an 875 board. BB called my raise with 9-6, and has flopped a straight. I turn a boat, and drag a huge pot.
About this time, I hear someone mention the Aria Classic, and the 8-game tournament. I thought the 8 game was on Saturday, but it is in fact today. I have been drinking, and I really wanted to play the 8game. It starts at 5PM, and it is now 3PM, and I have had 4 Myers and Pineapples (Aria makes a GREAT drink.) I have to decide to either sober up, or miss yet another tournament. I look at the structure sheet, and see that they have replaced 7-2 triple draw with Badugi. It is a GREAT structure (50 minute blind levels) and I haven't played many tournaments on this trip, so I decide to straighten up and play. My mind tells me with this structure, it's going to be a LOOOOOOOOONG tournament, yet it starts at 5, and is a '1-day' event. I pay my 550$ entry, and trek over to the CityCenter convention area. This is the third largest buy-in event I have ever played out-of-pocket (2 WSOP Horse events, and a huge 5600$ entry I won for the Sydney No Limit event) so I am a bit nervous despite the cocktails.
Turns out only 38 people have ponied up, and we are in this enormous room.
I start in the 3 seat. The one seat is a loud-mouthed but funny guy who has bet *15000*$ total on 3 baseball games, and is constantly telling people who are blocking his view of the TV to get out of the way. He is a local who moved there from fall River Ma. Seat two is a Jersey middle aged woman who is in every hand. She tells us she has in the past 5 years lost 120 pounds. She is wearing a blue satiny top that is unbuttoned one button too many (maybe 2 buttons for her) At one point, one of her boobs, with the help of the cushioned table rail, is almost COMPLETELY out of her top…….I mean, nipple visible and everything. I am trying my hardest not to look at her as she is COMPLETELY unaware, so I keep looking away from her….but the guys in the 5 and 6 seats are cracking up, and I know if I look I will laugh and probably pee myself…….somehow the dealer is keeping a straight face, and after 2-3 minutes, she realizes what is going on but no comments are made.
We start with 15k in chips, and needless to say, despite the fact that 2 of the games are PLO and NL Holdem, exits are few and far between.....After 4 hours, we go on our second break, I am down to 5200. I go for a smoke and tell myself I am not playing any more bad cards. The next hand I get involved in is a 7-stud hilo hand where I start with 4 low cards, make a 7-straight, and scoop. I'm on the comeback trail, with a triple up to 16200.
I lose some chips in razz, but make a 7-6 in badugi to comeback again and get almost to the chip average in hour 7. I'm at 20k with 24 players left.
During Hour 9, This German Euro Middle (GEM) aged guy and I go to a NLholdem flop. He was very aggressive and raises, and I call in the BB with j9 suited. Flop is AA2 and i check, he fires and I call, thinking he has no ace, and my call will slow him down. turn is a nine....I check he bets I call again.....river is a blank, I check, he checks and shows kj and my 9s are good...I am up to 35k! It is 1AM!!!
I lose half my chips in various hands...
In NL HE, Hour 10, I limp with 87 flop is 643, and I call a small bet in a 3 way pot (one of them is GEM) The turn is a gorgeous 5, GEM bets, I go all in, 3rd guy folds, he calls, (with a 7) and I flip over 87 for the bigger straight.....and I am back to 35k....at 2AM.
I have been getting moved tables hourly, and am now at a table with a 40-ish guy in a dress shirt and fedora. This guy looks like HArrison Ford circa 1981. I had played with him hours ago, and now am once again at his table....he had been doing great, but now is short-stacked. We get into a brainfuck hand (7-stud hilo is locally known in my home game as that) and I make another lo-straight. He opens his velise, whips out a book, autographs it, including the cards with the hand we played, and hands it to me. turns out his name is John Blowers, and the book is Life on Tilt (lifeontilt.com) and is a quasi-auto-bio that relates marriage to poker. Thanks John (great book by the way.)
I win a few more pots in O/8, razz, PLO and Brfc, and at 4 AM make the final table! In fact we went from 9 to 7 on one hand, so we start the final table 7-handed (8 game is an 8-seat tournament table)
Only 5 spots get paid, so I ain't done nothin yet.
GEM is the chip leader, and a young attractive (korean?) girl (YKG) has a lot of chips as well. It's a dogfight, and we play for 45 minutes until someone gets knocked out.
I play tightly, and survive to the money Hooray! It is 5:10 am!
Everyone is exhausted, but a russian guy will not even DISCUSS a chop, so after break, we play on.
I lose a bunch of chips in a BrnFk hand when had I merely checkraised this guy, I KNOW he would have folded. But the Russian non-chopper ends up busting, and we are 4-handed.
In Badugi, YKG is small blind and I am big. 2 folds to her, and she raises me....I only have one bet left so I call. She stands pat, and I draw twice, making a queen high badugi. Basically, the only thing I can beat is a K-high......so I draw again....don't get there......she of course shows the King-high. I would have won had I held pat on the last draw. No Matter.......I cash at 6:20 am after 13 hours and 20 minutes. $1751 for my 550.....I leave Aria bleary eyed, and drive up the strip to downtown and my bed. I could have used all 3 lanes on the strip as there is NOBODY out at 6:30 AM on a Saturday morning. In fact, I was so beat, I MAY have used all 3.
I eat the buffet at Main Street Station (there were NO food breaks during the tourney, which, otherwise, was VERY well run) then go to bed until 8PM
Up at 8, need to pick up the GF at McCarran at 10...I head over to the Eastside Cannery after picking up 200 at VP at Main St. St. I lose back my profit there and head to the airport. We go out to the bootlegger Bistro way south on LV BLVD. We head back to MSS and I lose 800 at 1$ 10/7 DB before going back to bed at 230AM. After 28 days I am up 13200.
Sunday july 4th Day 29
Lost 490 having coffee at MSS at VP; GF and I pick up the LLM and head to the Mirage for poker. after 25 minutes of RULING at the 3-6 table,(+82) I sit down with the LLM at the 4-8 1/2 kill game and win 1 pot in 4 hours to lose 352.
Then I quickly win 100 on one craps roll, lose 124 at roulette (single 0) and win 90 at BJ.
We head to the Palms and the 3 of us get Mex. I pick up 550 at VP. I'm beat....end of Sunday
Monday 7/5 Day 30.
Up early and I drop 800 at VP playing a still-un-ripe 8k Royal 97 percent dollar VP machine; Head to the Gold Coast where the LLM is staying and win 200 back at VP. back to the Mirage, where I win 10$ at 3-6 then burn some comps with LLM and GF at Outback at Casino Royale. I then play Super Aces VP and make some quads in the new Casino Royale 'hi-limit' area (just opened last week) and profit 1400.
We leave the LLM and check in to M resort.
I play Super Aces at M and hit 4 aces for a grand, cash out up 660 for the session....end of day...up 14688 for the trip.
Tues 7/6 day 31 errand day.
While GF gets spa treatment, I have to trade in my rental car, as there is a 1-month max. I stop at XCAL after this, and make about 100 playing BJ. Back to M, I play Super Aces and profit 770 after being down 2500! Got quad aces 3 times in an hour to dig out of a huge hole (triple play).
I lose 220 on the D-backs vs cubs, and have a yummy M buffet with the GF.
Then, a new experience. I promised the GF I would play BINGO with her on this trip. We hit the 11 PM Gold Coast Bingo hall. Bingo was fun, but a -24$ experience.
LLM is leaving town in the AM, so I give him the money I've been holding for him in my Mirage box and bid adieu.
Back at M, I make 100 bucks at the 1-2 NL table..then sit down back at Super Aces to relax before bed. I am dealt 3 aces, and pull a fourth ace on *2* of the 3 hands for 2 grand. Man M has been good to me.
I hit the hay at the highest point of my trip, up 17397. But ugliness is just around the corner!
End of Part 5
Next up: Hidden Valley ranch losses (Green Valley Ranch), my birthday is horrific, gambling wise, Binion's Classic Horse, and a bluff as good as Moneymaker's!
7 weeks in vegas Part6 end of week 5, and more
by swivet on 17 Aug 2010 16:47
July 7 Day 32
Happy Birthday to ..........Green Valley Ranch! (It was my birthday, but they got the presents!)
Before checking out of M, I pick up about 220 at...What else, Super Aces, and head over to Salad Dressing as the GF calls it, Hidden Valley Ranch (Green valley Ranch.)
I then have one of those horrible VP nightmares, first losing 100$ at 1$ Bonus Poker 8/5, then losing 900 at 'OPtimal play" 10/6 DDB (100.07%) and then drop 1920$ at Super Aces when quads were just impossible to come by.
The GF is taking me to 'Todd's Unique Bistro' for dinner (check out their cool website.) On Wednesdays there is no 'corkage fee' so we bring a bottle of wine, and stop at the Wildfire in Henderson I lose 700 at MORE 'Optimal Play 10/6 DDB' and go to dinner completely po'ed, down 3400 for the day.
I ordered the flatiron steak, which was very salty; GF had something that was much yummier and not salty; Service was a 9.8/10. Extremely accomodating and attentive without being overbearing. My dinner was a 6, hers an 8.8.
I would give the place a second shot.
I head back to the room and nap out....GF plays some quarter vp and hits her first royal ever! She comes back and wakes me up, all excited; I decide to see if GVR wants to apologize for this morning's beating. I proceed to spend a 4 hour session without hitting any super aces, and very few quads, and drop 2800 MORE!
I find GF at the Sports bar and play some non-super aces there, and make up 800 bucks playing 1$ and 2$ BP. Then i try 1 more Super A's session, give back 600, I head to bed down *6000* on my Bday, and resign myself to a better day.
Thurs July 8 day 33.
Up early and I give SA one more shot.....-1000, with exactly 1 4 of a kind.
Even though we have 1 more night at GVR, I also have a night at the Gold Coast. I implore the GF to leave GVR, and she says fine; I need to stop thinking about yesterday's abuse.
We eat at the Pancake house there (Yum-o) then head out. We drive to TI and play the 50$ 2PM tourney...GF gets her money in good with an overpair on the flop and V rivers 2 pair....I fare no better, and we head over to Casino Royale. GF does a strip power-walk, and I drop 2400, mostly at super Aces. Apparently the VP gods think its time to get even for all the royals I've gotten.
GF sees 'The King' (elvis) have a Michelob at CROY and not tip.
We head to Oshea's and I play some 1-2 NL. Somehow, I am quite focused despite the 9000$ beating I have taken in the last 30 hours. I end the session by stacking a guy on a flopped set and leave +435 in just under 4 hours.
Over to Ellis Island, for RIBS, I drop 200 at 1$ 9/6 and have delish BBQ. I go to bed early 11pm and dream of a 51 card deck with only 3 aces.
Friday July 9th day 34
GF had a HORSE tourney on her list of 'to do' in vegas. The plan was she would play the 75$ nooner at Orleans, and I might do that or hit the Binion's Classic 200HORSE at 2PM.
I really don't want to play the cheapy, so I make a deal and buy 25% of her and we BOTH go play the Binion's 200 (actually 210) Horse.
We register early, and GF wants to bet ON a horse before PLAYING Horse....How do I meet these women?? We head to the Fremont, find a race (the 8th at Belmont) , pick a horse with a cool name (Miss Red Delish) and her fave number, and put 20 each to place on him We watch, and the horse finishes 2nd; we make 39 bucks each.
We get to the 'shoe and I help her with last minute strategy, and we get seated with about 70 entrants. I get a 2 seat with an empty 1 seat. After 90 minutes I am chip-leading my table, and a 50-ish woman shows up and takes the 1 seat (final entrant tally, 85) First hand she raises UTG in HE and I Reraise with KK. she check calls the flop and turn (no ace) and check raises me on the river; I groan and call and she shows a flopped set of 6s. I take a closer look at this woman and notice a WSOP necklace and a bracelet with 'B.E." on it. Vanna White spins letters and names in my head and my brain comes up with Barbara Enright. Soon we are on break and I ask the floor if that is really Barbara...his head moves up and down...ugh....
Mrs Lederer is at the table next to me with a PILE of chips, but I never get a chance to say hello...
During hours 2-4, somehow Video poker comes up in conversation, and it turns out Barbara’s mom's favorite game is ALSO Super Aces, so I start telling her where all the good paytables are, and answering her questions, and this causes 3 things to happen. 1. We are now buddies, and she is not intimidating to me anymore.
2. The conversation is good, so I'm not getting bored, and I'm only playing exc. starting hands.
3. SHE is doing the same for the same reasons, so I stay out of her way.
We play several hours, and Barbara ends up busting about 8 oclock. GF busts in 32nd....very respectable...her first live HORSEY and first tournament >100$ buy in.
I get short on chips, and know I only have one more good hand to play.
I end up all in in Stud; start with (JJ) T, and end up against two players. I'm all in on 4th street with JJT8; I end up pulling 749 to make a straight and triple up.....1 Suckout in the bank. I'm at 21k (starting stack was 12k I think)
we go to Omaha 8 and I 3-bet PF with AAJ3 with one flush draw....make nut low and my aces are good for a scoop....I'm up to 30k
I get my stack up to about 50 k and this hand arises.
We're at 21 players, blinds 2500/5k Omaha 8, I limp in EP with t932 double suited. I figure if I don't hit an ace on the flop, or 2 of either of my suits, or no OESD, I fold.
I call a raise from a very tight guy in the 6 seat, and the flop comes 984 2 spades. I check/call. I had this guy on AAxx after his raise, and maybe I can hit something on the turn...anyway, I'm getting like 5 to 1.
turn is a q still no low...I check, ready to fold....6seat bets, and just as I'm about to fold, I remember my read...now, q984 double suited on the board has got to be kind of scary for the other guy, and without even realizing what I'm doing, I check raise! This leaves me with only 1 1/2 big bets left, and the other guy sees this and goes in the tank. He finally calls. The river is a king, so no low is available, and I fire out with confidence, with ....a pair of 9s! His low didnt come in, and all he has for high (i think) is aces, and he is too good of a player to call here.......he waits about 90 seconds, shakes his head and folds!!! WOOHOOO! The dealer pushes me the 90000 chip pot and I show my hand....except the 9 from my t932 hits the dealer's hand and lands facedown. someone at the table says 'Oh you had the straight...the down card was a jack, right?" and I say ..."no...it was a 9....I had nothing (99), but I put him on aces and the board was too scary".... To his credit, the guy came over 30 minutes later and shook my hand and said what a fantastic bluff it was and I set it up perfect with the turn-check-raise....probably the greatest bluff I've ever pulled off.
They are paying 12 players,and get sat next to a VERY odorous Frenchman as we are at 2 tables. We are at 15 players, and noone has more than ~18 BBlinds. I survive to the money (9-12 pays 300, 8 is like 380, 7th 470, etc. ) and we get down to 9 players, ....5 at my table, 4 at the other. now it is 15k/25k limits I raise in O/8 with A455 and get 3 bet. Flop is QQ9,with 2 clubs and I only have enough chips for 11/2 big bets...V. bets, and since I know I can't fold, I resign myself to my fate of going out here. The cards get flipped over, and villain has......A234! My pair of 5s hold up! UNBELIEVABLE! and I now have about 180k chips! I lose a few, and we make the final table! Suckout 2 in the bank!
Tourney gets paused, and we redraw for seats and new game on the 'mini-stage', and have a 15 minute break...it’s now almost midnight...we are almost 10 hours in. I am 6th of 8 in chips, and draw the 3 seat (STILL next to stinky Frenchy!)
I take out Steve Diano, a vegas limit pro who plays in the IP mixed game, and we are at 7. We lose Frenchy, and the BO fog lifts. I tighten up and we get down to 6, and a loud-mouth kid who claims to be a big online cash game player busts and we are at 5. I go all the way with a razz hand, and get all in, needing a 234 or 6 on the final card, and pull a gorgeous 4 clubs, and double up! Suckout 3 banked!
Down to 4 handed, and it's aggressive stealing everywhere....then breaktime. when we return, I note the chip count is something like this Me 450k, seat 1 390 k seat 6 350k seat 4 185k. Bets are 30 and 60k, and this isn't really poker anymore. I ask the table if they want to keep playing bingo, or chop it up. The 1st 4 places of prize money add up to ~ 11000. I suggest an even chop 3 ways and giving the short stack half a share. No one argues. 1-3 get 3170 and 4th gets 1550 ish.
Then there is the matter of the trophy. The TD scrambles the 'game plaques' upside down, and we are going to play 1 hand of hold em 3 ways face-up for the trophy. I am dealt Q2s; one player pairs his 8 on the flop, but I go runner runner diamonds for the flush and the trophy! Suckout 4 wins it all!
I am elated and GF is there to see it happen.....we get paid, I tip 70$ and vamoose...! +2960 (less tip)
We drive back to the Coast, and GF has an early flight (it is 206AM when we get in the car.) We fart around and then have breakfast, and I take her to McCarran....end day +2700 after some minor slot/vp losses
Day 35 Alone at last Sat 7/10
i get my normal gold-coast VP abuse and lose 550....head to the Hi-lim room and play 2$ DDB....draw to a pair of aces and pull the other 2....1600 handpay, and I'm up 800 for the day.
I drive all over the strip looking for poker action at IP/Flamingo/Osheas but not much is happening. I play at Aria and get totally outplayed, losing 325, but making back 175 at craps (1 roll)
I head to the palms, and play VP.....Ugliness begins, and I lose 1800 at various VP gqmes. Off to bed. up ~9300 for the first 5 weeks
Sunday 7/11 day 36
Watch the end of the World Cup final at the GC bar, and make 100 at 9/6 Jacks or better VP. I drive to the Venetian, as I am staying there next.....I walk to the IP, but stop at CRoyale....It's time for more Super Aces adventures. I have about 1500 on me.....I lose 1400 of it, and the machine deals me quad 8s (triple play). 2 hands later I get dealt 3 3s and pull quads on 1 line....then quad 4s less than 3 minutes later. I am now back about even, but am playing 21$ a hand (1$ x 7 coins x 3 lines) I am dealt 4 to a royal, and don't pull it. Next hand, I am dealt 3 aces, and can't pull a 4th on any of the 3 lines....then I start max-betting (30$/hand) and draw 2 aces to the pair I had....Thats a 'royal equivelent', 4k payoff.
I am up 2440 for the day.
I walk to the IP at about 4:30 and get on the list for the mixed game. My name is 10th on the list. i make sure I tell the floor I want to play 1-2, but will move when the mixed game starts at 6PM if they don't have 8. At 6:01 I walk over to the desk, and I am 3rd on the list, which is IMPOSSIBLE, as the 8 person mixed game table is full. I let the floorguy know I'm displeased, and he says it was a mistake, blah blah.....grrrrr....I see Mrs Lederer again, and Steve Diano from the Horseshoe HORSE tourney, and hang until 7 but no seats open, and I leave, PO'ed.
I head for a few beers at the Crown and Anchor and throw some darts with a cool local guy named Jeff.....head back to Bills for yummy steak and eggs, and then check in at the Venetian.
|
