Day/Night 5: Sunday 21st August (Poker)
With Tropicana and Monte Carlo totally dead, I decide to wander up to Aria which involves a trek up past some impressive skyscrapers and up to a pretty fountain with sparkly water effects in the driveway court outside. After a short wait I get seated in a very smart poker room with the same colour scheme and much in the same style as the Bellagio only a little smaller; even the poker chips have the same design. I sit down at Seat 1 and it takes a small while to get used to the fact that I'm playing a $1/$3 game and NOT $1/$2.
The table starts off fairly quietly but after a few verbal exchanges I'm at my ease with the three pleasant folk to my left who prove to be courteous and polite and who engage in meaningful conversation and, it turns out, prove to be the nicest characters you'd want at a table. Unfortunately, hidden under the veneer are two very strong and solid players who are certainly NOT the softest players you'd want at the table; especially when they're seated to your immediate left. Generally speaking, the table had about 4 decent players, 4 average players and 2 total rocks. (In fact, I was playing fairly tight myself.)
I choose the brute-force method and just chuck all my $350 odd chips into the middle. (If Mr Competent folds maybe even one of the weaker players may call?) Mr Competent thinks for an age and says, "How can I fold this hand?" He thinks some more and finally mucks his hand face down before the other two follow suit and muck their hands as well. Mr Competent said he folded kings and if so then massive credit to him for a superb read and not so much for me for playing so tight - and also for scaring everybody off and not getting paid for my aces!
With the open-plan poker room placed right slap-bang in the middle of the casino, playing at PH felt a little bit like playing in the middle of a nightclub! It was all good though, as the table I was at had just 3 or so decent players and a very large share of inexperienced players who seem to have played very little poker before. As a result, I felt fairly comfortable and unthreatened at the table and so made this a relatively long session.
Although there were stealing opportunities, which I took occasionally, I kept my strategy to basic ABC stuff and decided not to get too tricky against the poor players. There were two interesting hands of note:
Vegas is great, we know this, but another great thing about this town is that all rooms are competing for business and as such virtually all have some sort of promotion going on to entice players in off the streets. Some give $100 if you get aces or kings cracked, some give accumulated bonuses for straight flushes or royal flushes etc etc. Planet Hollywood paid $50 for quads! The condition is that a hand has to go to showdown, the two cards in your hand have to play the board and there has to be at least $10 in the pot. Let's get back to the hand.
...So there I am UTG with quad 4s and as no one had shown an interest in the 4 x x board I doubt there was going to be much excitement with the 4 x x 4 board either. I take a peak at the pot and see $8 lying there. I take a peak at a fairly weak player across the table who seems eager and anxious to see what I'm going to do. I throw a "disinterested" $2 into the pot and she takes the bait and calls - all will be well. The other two, stronger players, smell a rat as strong as if it had been there on the table and farted in their face - and throw their cards straight into the muck.
The river card may or may not have helped the villain across the table. Maybe I should have asked the dealer (whose badge shows that his favourite film is the Marathon Man ) "Is it safe?" But I reckon an extra $5 into the middle should do it and throw it into the pot. It's called and it's bingo time; I show my 4s and shake my fists in a playful manner and claim the $50 bonus. I say "$4 for the 4s" as I give the dealer a $4 tip. Vegas baby! Vegas!!
Mr Newcomer huffs and puffs, checks his hand and finally folds as do the other players and I take a fairly small pot. As this is a short visit and I'm unlikely to play these guys again any time soon I show my kings face up on the table. Nr Newcomer fist-pumps, says he folded QQ, and breathes such a huge sigh of relief it's as if he's been given the all-clear from cancer. Bless him.
Still, I'm left wondering and questioning my play once again. Is an all-in the right move here?
Profit/Loss For Session: +$135
Profit/Loss For Day: +$215
Profit/Loss For Trip: +$703
At 7PM I enter the Tropicana casino for the fourth time this visit in an attempt to finally sit down at a cash game poker table and, yes, there is a seat available. I'm feeling a little tired from a busy day of walking and poker, and the lack of sleep from the night before is starting to take its toll. I am totally sick of the scented coconut smell and aim to play in this game for as short a time as is necessary.
With its bright red and white decor along with its soft browns, the room itself is shiny, clean and brand spanking new. The atmosphere at the table is friendly but, to my mind, a little cliquey. This may be a prejudicial view but I get the impression that were I to open my mouth, I don't think they'd be as friendly towards me. It just seems far too like their own little club or "home-gamey" to me. This may be unfair as due to my tiredness (or the fact that I really don't want to be there), I don't try to engage in conversation and prefer to be in my own shell for this session. I don't particularly enjoy playing poker like this but sometimes you're just not in the mood I suppose.
The players ask me and speculate in a friendly way what I may have had. I don't tell them exactly but let them know that I had higher than what they guessed. 10 minutes later the half-hour is up and, sticking with my plan, I take my chips and leave. Yep, it may have looked like a hit and run and in actual fact I think it would have been -ev had I stayed but I had to leave for my own good and that's the greatest need of all.
Profit/Loss For Session: +$25
Profit/Loss For Day: +$240
Profit/Loss For Trip: +$728
SESSION #11
Aria
$1/$3
Bought In For: $300
12PM-1:30PM
90 Minutes
With Tropicana and Monte Carlo totally dead, I decide to wander up to Aria which involves a trek up past some impressive skyscrapers and up to a pretty fountain with sparkly water effects in the driveway court outside. After a short wait I get seated in a very smart poker room with the same colour scheme and much in the same style as the Bellagio only a little smaller; even the poker chips have the same design. I sit down at Seat 1 and it takes a small while to get used to the fact that I'm playing a $1/$3 game and NOT $1/$2.
The table starts off fairly quietly but after a few verbal exchanges I'm at my ease with the three pleasant folk to my left who prove to be courteous and polite and who engage in meaningful conversation and, it turns out, prove to be the nicest characters you'd want at a table. Unfortunately, hidden under the veneer are two very strong and solid players who are certainly NOT the softest players you'd want at the table; especially when they're seated to your immediate left. Generally speaking, the table had about 4 decent players, 4 average players and 2 total rocks. (In fact, I was playing fairly tight myself.)
Key Hand #1
I'm playing fairly tight and look down at 2 2 in the small blind. It's limped all round to me and I elect to limp in myself and throw in the $2. The flop comes 2 5 6 with two hearts and I check it. Ms Red-Dress puts in $10 in early position as does Mr Decent but then Mr Average makes it $40. I think for a short time but probably take too much time to count out $100 from my stack before throwing it into the middle (there are allsorts of draws out there and judging by the betting there must be at least two players chasing). It's insta-folded all round and I take a nice $70 pot. Ok, so the tight image and ponderous way I handled my chips may have telegraphed strength but I was happy to take down the pot right there. Key Hand #2
Here's a reason why a tight image ain't always good: I'm in the big-blind and I look down at AA. Mr Competent, to my immediate left, is UTG and throws in $15. He would not do this if he didn't like his hand and I'm sure he has a premium. The slight problem is that there are two callers after this which means there is $48 in the pot when it's on me. Now I could just put in an $80 raise here or something but, then, if Mr Competent makes the call the other two weaker players (who are probably on weaker hands but who probably have live cards but who will probably feel priced in) may call for value and then it'd be a 4-way pot and the chances are that I'd be in trouble.I choose the brute-force method and just chuck all my $350 odd chips into the middle. (If Mr Competent folds maybe even one of the weaker players may call?) Mr Competent thinks for an age and says, "How can I fold this hand?" He thinks some more and finally mucks his hand face down before the other two follow suit and muck their hands as well. Mr Competent said he folded kings and if so then massive credit to him for a superb read and not so much for me for playing so tight - and also for scaring everybody off and not getting paid for my aces!
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As I get up to leave he asks me what I had in that hand. He's a nice guy who I'll probably not play again on the trip so I tell him the truth and shake him warmly by the hand - much respect sir.
I leave the building, going over the hands in my head and buzzing from a great poker experience - not only due to the interesting hands played but the pleasant room and the all-round pleasant players at the table - nice one!
I leave the building, going over the hands in my head and buzzing from a great poker experience - not only due to the interesting hands played but the pleasant room and the all-round pleasant players at the table - nice one!
Profit/Loss For Session: +$80
Profit/Loss For Day: +$80
Profit/Loss For Trip: +$568
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SESSION #12
Planet Hollywood
$1/$2
Bought In For: $200
2PM-5PM
3 Hours
With the open-plan poker room placed right slap-bang in the middle of the casino, playing at PH felt a little bit like playing in the middle of a nightclub! It was all good though, as the table I was at had just 3 or so decent players and a very large share of inexperienced players who seem to have played very little poker before. As a result, I felt fairly comfortable and unthreatened at the table and so made this a relatively long session.
Although there were stealing opportunities, which I took occasionally, I kept my strategy to basic ABC stuff and decided not to get too tricky against the poor players. There were two interesting hands of note:
Key Hand #1
I'm in the small-blind and look down at 4 4. It's limped to me, I make up the dollar, and we're seeing the floppydopolis. The flop comes 4 x x and I check hoping for some action. It doesn't come and it's checked all round. Jesus. The turn comes a 4, gifting me with a hand I see about once a month if I'm lucky - quads! Now before moving on let me just explain something...Vegas is great, we know this, but another great thing about this town is that all rooms are competing for business and as such virtually all have some sort of promotion going on to entice players in off the streets. Some give $100 if you get aces or kings cracked, some give accumulated bonuses for straight flushes or royal flushes etc etc. Planet Hollywood paid $50 for quads! The condition is that a hand has to go to showdown, the two cards in your hand have to play the board and there has to be at least $10 in the pot. Let's get back to the hand.
...So there I am UTG with quad 4s and as no one had shown an interest in the 4 x x board I doubt there was going to be much excitement with the 4 x x 4 board either. I take a peak at the pot and see $8 lying there. I take a peak at a fairly weak player across the table who seems eager and anxious to see what I'm going to do. I throw a "disinterested" $2 into the pot and she takes the bait and calls - all will be well. The other two, stronger players, smell a rat as strong as if it had been there on the table and farted in their face - and throw their cards straight into the muck.
The river card may or may not have helped the villain across the table. Maybe I should have asked the dealer (whose badge shows that his favourite film is the Marathon Man ) "Is it safe?" But I reckon an extra $5 into the middle should do it and throw it into the pot. It's called and it's bingo time; I show my 4s and shake my fists in a playful manner and claim the $50 bonus. I say "$4 for the 4s" as I give the dealer a $4 tip. Vegas baby! Vegas!!
Key Hand #2
A newcomer arives at the table and he sits down a few seats to my left. He's quite young and seems very confident and self-assured. He's UTG and throws in a $12 bet. There are two callers and then it's on me in the big-blind as I look down at the mighty KK. This is very similar to the AA situation at the Aria earlier. There is $39 in the middle and, I guess, solid strategy might recommend I throw in an $80-$100 bet. The thing is, I reckon the online game may interfere with my thinking somewhat as I reckon that I'd definitely get a call if I went all-in online. With 3 other players still in the hand I decide that the best thing to do is to go all-in and my $300 odd chips go over the line as I announce "all-in."Mr Newcomer huffs and puffs, checks his hand and finally folds as do the other players and I take a fairly small pot. As this is a short visit and I'm unlikely to play these guys again any time soon I show my kings face up on the table. Nr Newcomer fist-pumps, says he folded QQ, and breathes such a huge sigh of relief it's as if he's been given the all-clear from cancer. Bless him.
Still, I'm left wondering and questioning my play once again. Is an all-in the right move here?
Profit/Loss For Session: +$135
Profit/Loss For Day: +$215
Profit/Loss For Trip: +$703
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SESSION #13
Tropicana
$1/$2
Bought In For: $200
7PM-7:30PM
30 Minutes
At 7PM I enter the Tropicana casino for the fourth time this visit in an attempt to finally sit down at a cash game poker table and, yes, there is a seat available. I'm feeling a little tired from a busy day of walking and poker, and the lack of sleep from the night before is starting to take its toll. I am totally sick of the scented coconut smell and aim to play in this game for as short a time as is necessary.
With its bright red and white decor along with its soft browns, the room itself is shiny, clean and brand spanking new. The atmosphere at the table is friendly but, to my mind, a little cliquey. This may be a prejudicial view but I get the impression that were I to open my mouth, I don't think they'd be as friendly towards me. It just seems far too like their own little club or "home-gamey" to me. This may be unfair as due to my tiredness (or the fact that I really don't want to be there), I don't try to engage in conversation and prefer to be in my own shell for this session. I don't particularly enjoy playing poker like this but sometimes you're just not in the mood I suppose.
Key Hand #1
Mid-position man throws in a raise of $14. There is a call and I look down at KK. It's been a long day, I feel tired and fatigued and I just don't feel like mixing it or fucking about. I know I've done it already with AA and KK today and I know it's probably a leak but I decide to make it three out of three and throw all my chips in. I get the folds and pull in about $25. The players ask me and speculate in a friendly way what I may have had. I don't tell them exactly but let them know that I had higher than what they guessed. 10 minutes later the half-hour is up and, sticking with my plan, I take my chips and leave. Yep, it may have looked like a hit and run and in actual fact I think it would have been -ev had I stayed but I had to leave for my own good and that's the greatest need of all.
Profit/Loss For Session: +$25
Profit/Loss For Day: +$240
Profit/Loss For Trip: +$728
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SESSION #14
Monte Carlo
$1/$2
Bought In For: $200
8PM-8:30PM
30 Minutes
It's early evening and I'm knackered but feel the need to fit in one last 30 minute session before I call a halt to poker for the day. The Monte Carlo poker room is a fairly cosy little room with dark mahogany fittings and old-style oil paintings on the wall. Most of the players at the table seem good or are rock-gardens. I decide to play in rock-mode, avoid difficult decisions and only commit with the nuts or monster-hands. Surely there won't be any drama, right? Wrong.
Key Hand #1
It seems late (it's not but I've had little sleep in the last 24 hours), I'm tired and I'm definitely not on my A-game. I limp into the hand, in late position, with 8 10. The flop comes 7 9 x, it's checked all round to me and I elect to check to see the free card. (Remember, rock-mode.) The jack comes on the turn giving me the straight but it also puts two spades out there as well. It's checked all round to me so I put in $11 which is then raised up by Mr Sunglasses, UTG, who puts in $22.
There's a flush draw out there, I have the nut-straight and I'm seeing aggression. There's no other move here than to go all-in so that's what I do. I plead for no spade on the river but the dealer goes and plonks the three of spades down on the river just for added drama. The guy next me says the villain would never put that much in on a flush-draw but I tell him I've seen plenty that would. I'm re-assured as he flips over 8 10 for the same hand as myself and we have a choppy McChop-up and I take down about $4 profit.
Key Hand #2
We're close to the 30 minute mark and I really want my bed but the poker gods have one last test for me. I'm up against the guy on my right, who scribbles down notes on his pen and paper after he's involved in a hand. He can't be that great because he's kind of nervous and got stacked-off earlier and bought in for just $60. It's folded all round to him on the button and once again I'm looking at KK in the small bind. (Wow, I've had some good cards today!) Mr Notebook throws in $15 so I make it $30 to try to commit him to the pot with the $45 he kept back but he's having none of it and almost insta-folds.
Profit/Loss For Session: +$11
Profit/Loss For Day: +$251
Profit/Loss For Trip +$739
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A good day, no doubt, but being dealt KK three times and AA once in late position and extracting just little more than $100 with those premium hands really has me questioning my play. The last two I don't mind so much but the first two were against fairly good players with big stacks and I feel just a little disappointed and a tad angry at myself for not manipulating the play with a little wobbly magic and getting just a few more chips off them. You live and learn I suppose.
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