Las Vegas Trip Report: October, 2007

With a little sleep under my belt and my life beginning to return to normal, it's about time that I post at least a little bit from my most recent trip to Las Vegas -- Oct 20-25, 2007.

Hotels

I stayed the first night at the Best Western Mardi Gras Inn. Why there? Well, I wasn't getting in until late Saturday night, so I didn't see any sense in paying out over $100 just to lay in a bed for a few hours. I had actually stayed at this place 20 years ago, and I remembered that it didn't seem too bad.

One bonus of staying at the Mardi Gras was free shuttle service from the airport. Yep - no cab, no shuttle bus, just a free private ride in a hotel van.

The room was nice sized but a little dumpy. However, check in and check out was fast and friendly. You could see the strip from the hotel, but it actually seemed almost a million miles away. I ate at the breakfast buffet before I left, and it was okay -- at least no wait.

I spent four nights at the Imperial Palace. Having never stayed there before, I was really interested in the true scoop on this place.

I was told I'd have to get my key after 3:00 pm (which I expected), then had to wait a long time in a small line when I picked it up later that night. Check out was exceedingly fast -- about 3-5 minutes, but I had to wait 20 minutes in line to check my bags so I could play a little more poker.

My room was actually quite good. And the "horrible" elevators I had read about always were always there within about one minute. You can't beat the central strip location and the rooms were about the cheapest on the strip, so kudos to the Imperial Palace. I will stay there again ... but be wiser about checking my bags the next time.

Tournaments

Although I had hopes of playing at the Binions Open one night, I decided not to get caught up in too much tournament action since I did have to spend a significant amount of time at an educational conference the first few days. I only played two tournaments -- a 7:00 pm one at Sahara, and a 10:00 am tourney at Planet Hollywood.

I initially got some good starting hands at Sahara -- including K-K and A-Q. I chipped up with KK, but must have run into a monster hand with AQ. I had TPTK after the flop, and some guy kept calling my raises. After the river, he went all in. I have no idea what he had -- a set, maybe? Anyway, I had to fold with a chunk of chips gone.

After that, I was totally card dead. Fold, fold, fold, fold, ... Pretty soon I was one of the shortest stacks and went all in with A-J. The flop was A-J-rag -- all hearts, unfortunately. The two other guys in the hand had the nut and second nut flushes. No more Jacks or Aces came on the turn or river, so I was out.

The Planet Hollywood tourney was even more frustrating. Once again, I got a few good hands early, then nothing. Meanwhile, about half the players appeared to be decent and half were total donks -- going all in with A-8, A-2, ... One guy who busted out and rebought (a total waste of money) was the guy who went all in with A-2 (but they were sooted) and then said, "Aces haven't been very good to me lately." Excuse me ... you meant "Ace." Anyway, the donks loaded up the decent players while I sat on my hands. When we got down to two tables and I was a short stack, I got pocket Aces and went all in against a raise. One other short stack went all in, and the initial raiser bailed. The scene: My A-A vs her K-K. The flop brings a King, and I was out a few hands later.

Ring Game Action

I spent the majority of my time in Las Vegas at the $1/$2 NL tables. Where did I play??

I only got in one or two sessions at Planet Hollywood. Although I like playing there, the room has two big negatives: 1) There never seem to be enough players; and 2) For some reason, jerks think that they can be total dicks at this place. This trip, one guy got pissed when another player raised all in. Thinking that the winning player had a high-hand jackpot hand, the sore loser attempted to muck the winning hand by throwing his cards at the winner's cards. Geez.

Played for the first time at the Stratosphere. The atmosphere was kind of fun, but I was getting no cards, so I left.

I had two great sessions at MGM. In the first, I hit a torrid streak of catching cards. After getting up a few buy-ins, the guy next to me caught the heat and began chipping away at my stack, so I decided to take a break. In the second session, I was doing okay when I flopped top two pair -- 10 and 8. The turn was a beautiful 8, and I just checked. My opponent made a huge raise after the river, and I went into the ol' acting routine -- looking at my cards, grimacing, counting my chips, and then I asked him, "If I fold, will you show?" He said "no," so after a little more drama, I re-raised him all in. He called and showed his trip 8's. Someone said, "nice hand," and then I just turned my two cards over and put them in front of my face, showing the boat. Maybe he should have said that he'd show me the hand if I folded -- he he.

I spent most of my time playing at one of my favorite places, Ballys. Although I had a bad session where I lost two minimum buy ins, I had my two best ever sessions of $1/$2. Nothing like cashing in several racks of reds to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

On my final night, I was going up against the player to my right, who was pushing people around. I had pocket Aces and was hoping he didn't catch a lucky set or two pair. We butted heads until he put me all in, hoping I'd fold. When I called, he got pissed off and threw his cards toward the dealer. Since the guy had been acting like a butthole, the dealer immediately said, "The hand is mucked," and awarded me the chips. My opponent never did even see what I had.

He then started playing irratically, giving away his chips (mostly to me, some to others). I finally told him that he was too good a player to be doing this and suggested that he take a break. He said that he was drunk (I didn't see him drink much), and he preceded to stay. Oh well -- I tried to be decent guy.

Pretty soon I had monster stacks and was picking my spots. Unfortunately, one other guy hit a few hands and then hit a straight flush for a high-hand bonus of $300+. He began drinking more and more, and started raising EVERY hand. I was waiting for my chance to grab his whole stack, but I went card dead for an hour.

Then ... some new guys came to the table. One guy, from Ireland, I believe, who I played with before, was very aggressive, and hit a set almost immediately, taking a mountain of chips away from the other guy. This Irish guy -- my idol -- was at the table for maybe 30 to 60 minutes, bought in for $200, and cashed out for over $1200. What a player!

Overall, my big sessions took care of my losing sessions and tournament buy-ins to give me a good profit. Since I was in Las Vegas for a work conference, I had almost all my costs covered, so this was one inexpensive, profitable trip.

But wait -- the first leg of the trip helped me hit my bonus quota of points at Southwest Airlines and I got a free round trip ticket. And even better -- I qualified for a second free round trip by making two high-mileage trips in September and October in a special promotion. So ... my trip was free, I won at poker, and I got two free round trip tickets on Southwest, good for any destination, including Maui. Does it get any better than this??

Leaving for Las Vegas on Saturday

Geez - it seems like I was just in Las Vegas last month ...

This trip is actually work-related. I will be attending some workshops Sunday through Tuesday, then am staying until Thursday to get in a little extra time reserved just for poker.

Where to go -- what to do? I may or may not connect up with fellow blogger Schaubs, who is going for the weekend with a few of his friends. Sunday night looks to be about the only time we could meet up, so I hope we can donk a few hands at a table or at last grab a drink and plot strategy for the upcoming Battle of the Blogger Tournaments Two.

I am hoping to play either Event #13 or 14 of the 2007 Binions Poker Open. I usually play all my poker on the strip and have never actually ventured into Binions before. Sounds like a good test.

As for other poker playing in Las Vegas ... I will probably play at some of my usual spots (Ballys, Planet Hollywood, and MGM) and see about getting into a tournament or two at Caesar's, Venetian, or Sahara. A lot depends on the trafic in the poker rooms. I wanted to play at Planet Hollywood several times last trip, but the tables were nearly deserted.

I will be staying at the Imperial Palace all except the first night in Las Vegas. The room was cheap and you can't beat the location. I guess I'll have to find out about the legendary elevator problems first hand. And ... with all the ladies of the night who hang out around the IP, I won't have to worry about walking around in total silence late at night, as I will be serenaded with chants like "Hey Sugar," "Where you going, hun?" and "I'd sure like to make your night..."

Las Vegas - ya gotta love it!

I Actually Caught a Break at The Mookie??

With all the crying I have been doing, I am posting this hand to show that the poker gods sometimes do give me a break.

This was a different hand from the start. Everyone folded when it came to me on the button. I called. RecessRampage raised from the small blind (raise with 8-4 clubs?) to 120, the big blind folded, and I called. Flop was K-8-6. Recess bet 270 and I raised to 540. Recess called (?). Turn was an 8. He checked, and I bet 1350. Recess went all in and I was left with a decision: Call off my last 668 or fold. Guessing that he didn't catch a flush and hoping that he had K-J/10 ... and just being pissed off at the world with all the bad beats I've taken lately, I called ... and sucked out.

But ... and this is how I would scope out my opponent's play ... 1) Raise with 8-4clubs? 2) Call the raise to 540? The raises were about 20% of Alan's chips in a freezeout tournament with middle pair, low kicker, no flush draw. I can see the strategy in a cash game with implied odds, but not what I would employ in this situation. Of course, it almost worked, but did he forget that Full Tilt always screws you in the end?

Of course, this luck of mine was not to continue ...



I hit the straight on the turn and made a pot-sized bet. NewinNov was really slow playing the set. I had no idea that he was that strong. He called my pot-sized bet and hit his boat on the river. I was crippled, doubled up, doubled again, then took my 9-9 against A-Q and lost that battle, was crippled again, then out.

Nothing like the Mookie. I actually won the second Mookie I played. I thought, "Geez -- these aren't too hard to win." Haven't won one since.

Sucked Out On Again in the Bodonkey

Having Gotten mostly junk cards at tonight's Bodonkey, I saw my stack go down from 3,000 to about 1,800. I was dealt A-K and called a raise in front of me from one of the blinds. The flop is rag-K-rag. I checked, expecting a raise. Villain raised, so I re-raised. He then put me all in and I called. He had K-8 -- domination, baby! Of course, the turn brings ... an 8!!

I just can't take this anymore. If my Las Vegas trip turns out badly, I am retiring from poker. Seriously.

Bad Beats and Coolers

Does it get much worse than this? Keep in mind that I hardly played at all today. This all happened today:

1) Bodog poker: Got pocket 9's. Called the big blind, then called a raise. Flop was a 9 and two rags. I check. Villain makes a big bet. I re-raise. Villain goes all in and I call. Villain has K-K. The turn is a 4, pairing the board and making my boat. The river: King! One player mentioned that he already mucked the other King, so I lost to a true one outer on the river. Bye bye Bodog money.

2) Full Tilt SNG #1: Lost twice to quads in one nine-person SNG. What are the odds?

3) Full Tilt SNG #2: Got pocket 8's. Called a raise. Flop is Q-8-rag with two hearts. Although I know I should bet, I am confident the villain will, so I check. He bets, I raise, and villain goes all in. I call. Villain has Q-Q.

4) Full Tilt SNG #2: I lost almost all my chips from the previous hand. I got K-2 in the big blind. The flop is K-J-rag. I go all in. I get called by A-J. The turn is a Jack. The river is a Jack.

I hate to keep whining about some of the nasty beats I've taken lately, but I can't seem to get a break.

So how was your fucking day???

Disappointing End to Run in the World Blogger Championship of Online Poker

I played in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker today. With over 1,300 runners, I finished 248. I was doing fine -- at least surviving -- until I made a bone-headed call. It's disappointing that I did myself in at this tournament. I have had such a run of bad luck lately (see previous post) that I was surprised to see my hands holding up. They held up, yet I did myself in. Just very disappointing.

Of course, not just amateur players make these kind of wrong decisions. I had not seen how Scotty Nguyen decimated his stack at the 2007 WSOP Main Event until tonight. Looks like Scotty and I have something in common -- we are both human!

On a positive note, surflexus finished 29th (winning an iPod), and murrythecat was one of the early leaders and managed to have a respectable finish -- ahead of me!

Thanks to blogger buds schaubs and kajagugu for the encouragement along the way, and to dakota-xx from CardsChat for the same. Daks even followed me around for a bit when I got moved several times in a few minutes!

Another Wasted Day with Illinois Charitable Games

Despite having to only wait a week for my next sojourn to Las Vegas, and despite some terrible luck my last time at an Illinois Charitable Games event, I made the treck to the Elks Club in Bloomington to give the ICGA tournaments another try.

The first game, called the "Ten Dolla' Holla'," was a turbo all-in donkfest. But ... I should have been able to donk it up with the best, right?

The were 101 runners and I busted out in about 25th place. At my first table, I was getting great cards, but had a hard time prying chips away from the players who were playing waaay too tight for this quickie. I got moved to another table that seemed pretty competittive, and I was feeling okay about my chances with this group.

However, I get moved after playing only one blind and got put at a table with some players with major stacks. With blinds rapidly increasing (doubling every 8 minutes!), I was under the gun and dealt A-Q. I raised two times the blind and was re-raised by the next bettor, who had me covered plus a lot more. Feeling pot committed at this point, I called and was up against K-K. No suckout for me.

Just as the next event, the $30 Warmup, was about to begin, they read the name of the player who pre-registered online and had his name selected to get his buy-in back -- me! Knowing I was freerolling, I was having fun. I was getting good starting hands and winning my share. I even (outwardly) laughed off a hand where some type of misdeal occurred and we had to hand our cards back in. My cards: A-A! I decided not to rebuy or add on at the deadline, the first break, since another 2,000 chips would not have put me on par with the leaders. I figured that I had enough to to rely on my play since I had been getting good cards. Then, after the first break, everything came apart.

I was dealt K-K and put in a sizable bet. Everyone folded except for the big blind, who decided to call. Hmmm ... did he get a good hand in the blind? The flop was ragged -- J-8-5 -- and he went all in. I naturally called to find out that the donk called my raise with Q-5 os! And then he went all in with bottom pair even though I was the initial raiser! You know what happened next -- the turn was a rag, and the river was a 5, doubling him up and taking a chunk of my stack. Then several hands later, I got A-A in the big blind. Of course, I was hoping for some calls or raises in front of me, but no one did until the small blind was up. He was short stacked and went all in. I naturally called. So ... it was my A-A vs. his K-8 clubs. And of course -- the flop brought one club, the turn was a club, and the river was a club, giving him the runner-runner flush. I had less than a beginning stack and was trying to keep from tilting. Two hands later I got 6-6 on the button. With no calls or raises, I went all in, expecting to scoop the blinds. However, the small blind called with Q-J. A Queen came on the turn, and I was done.

I wasn't disappointed with my play (except for maybe my last decision), but I just can't seem to get a break at these ICGA tournaments. I hate to give them up, though, since they do give me a little b&m poker time as opposed to staring into a computer screen for hours on end.

School Lunches, Mothers, and the Most Important Message You Will Read Today - Guaranteed

As I was making a school lunch for my 13-year old son very early this morning, I thought about how many school lunches my mother made over her lifetime. Imagine -- a family of five kids, going to a private school that only sold lunches one day each week (Hot Dog Day!). Somebody else can do the math, but I don't want to even guess how many thousand lunches that was.

Norman Bates said, "A boy's best friend is his mother." Norman's relationship with his mother was a little bit different ... but those of us who had kind, loving mothers and have any soul whatsoever should remember how, no matter what, you could always count on your mom. My mother turns 82 in nine days. I can't imagine not having her alive.

One day years ago, Dear Abby had a sad, poignant letter from a woman who had just lost a parent. That person's biggest regret was not having told her parents how thankful she was for them and not having that last chance to say "I love you." I was so affected by the letter that I decided to write a letter to my parents, telling them how grateful I was for everything they had done for me throughout my life and how much I loved them. When my father passed away a few years ago, I was bolstered by the fact that he knew what I thought of him and what he had done for me. As a result, accepting his death was made much easier.

When I speak with my mom over the phone, she occasionally mentions that letter that I wrote so many years ago. It meant so much to her and my dad, and it still comforts her today.

Writing that letter was one of the most important things I have done in my entire life. If you have a parent or loved one who should get one of these letters, write and send it today ... not tomorrow, but today. I guarantee you that it will pay dividends far beyond what you could ever imagine.

Nothing like being the Gigli

Full Tilt Poker Game #3817712339: The Mookie - The SoCo Legend (28960416), Table 2 - 15/30 - No Limit Hold'em - 22:07:36 ET - 2007/10/10
Seat 1: cemfredmd (3,525)
Seat 2: lightning36 (2,685)
Seat 3: DDionysus (2,955)
Seat 4: SirFWALGMan (3,075)
Seat 5: pushmonkey72 (2,745)
Seat 6: bdidde (2,970)
Seat 7: -o-LuckTruck-o- (3,045)
Seat 8: BuddyDank (3,045)
Seat 9: PouringReign (2,955), is sitting out
lightning36 posts the small blind of 15
DDionysus posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to lightning36 [7s 4c]
SirFWALGMan folds
pushmonkey72 folds
bdidde folds
-o-LuckTruck-o- folds
BuddyDank folds
PouringReign folds
cemfredmd folds
lightning36 calls 15
DDionysus checks
*** FLOP *** [4s 8c 7d]
lightning36 checks (he'll raise and I'll re-raise)
DDionysus bets 60
lightning36 raises to 240 (ding)
DDionysus calls 180
*** TURN *** [4s 8c 7d] [Jd]
lightning36 bets 540 (I know I have him beat)
DDionysus has 15 seconds left to act
DDionysus raises to 2,685, and is all in
SirFWALGMan is feeling happy
lightning36 calls 1,875, and is all in (Chance to double up early. I can't be behind?)
DDionysus shows [Ad 8d] (He went all in with this???)
lightning36 shows [7s 4c]
Uncalled bet of 270 returned to DDionysus
*** RIVER *** [4s 8c 7d Jd] [Kd] (Do you fucking believe this?)
DDionysus shows a flush, Ace high
lightning36 shows two pair, Sevens and Fours
DDionysus wins the pot (5,370) with a flush, Ace high
SirFWALGMan: oof
lightning36 stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5,370 Rake 0
Board: [4s 8c 7d Jd Kd]
Seat 1: cemfredmd (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: lightning36 (small blind) showed [7s 4c] and lost with two pair, Sevens and Fours
Seat 3: DDionysus (big blind) showed [Ad 8d] and won (5,370) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 4: SirFWALGMan didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: pushmonkey72 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: bdidde didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: -o-LuckTruck-o- didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: BuddyDank didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: PouringReign didn't bet (folded)

Out in eight minutes. I am happy to report that the wireless mouse did not go flying across the room. It did know that I was angry, though ...

Bubble Boy Twice in One Day

Gawd -- isn't being the bubble boy (or girl) the worst? I received the honor twice yesterday -- once at a Full Tilt Aussie Giveaway Round 1 Freeroll, and the other at the Bodonkey at Bodog.

The Aussie freerolls are actualy kind of fun. You hope you get a good hand toward the beginning and then go all in and take your chances. The fields might be as small as 180 or as large as 300+.

I was messing round and ended up final tabling two at the same time. Only the winner gets rewarded -- with entry into a Round 2 tournament. Unfortunately, I got 4th place in one and 2nd in the other -- bubble boy.

At last night's Bodonkey, I never realy got going. My table was very quiet, and I can only assume that the others were getting crappy cards like I was. I did make it to the final table shork stacked, then at least got far enough to get my buy-in back. However, only the final five got a T109 bonus to play a $100,000 guaranteed tourney. I was in 5th place of six when the short stack, irongirl, raised for almost her entire stack pre-flop. Knowing that she had her back against the wall, I was guessing (and hoping) that she had a pair smaller than mine (JJ) or a weak Ace. I decided to call and found out that I was up against A-10 -- yes! Of course, you know what happened next -- an Ace came on the flop. I was left with a handful of chips and went all in the next hand with A-2 diamonds. I was eliminated by someone with A-K, I think.

I certainly can't blame irongirl for pushing with her hand -- as she correctly did at that point in the tournament. And I did make a correct read -- of which I felt good. However, it still sucks to have someone hit a three-outer and be on the losing side. Freakin' poker gods. I was pissed -- not at anyone, just at not winning the hand.

And of course, I was second-guessing myself afterwards. Did I risk too much by calling on the bubble? Would it have been a wuss play to lay down the Jacks when I was almost certain I was ahead?

Sorry that I don't have relative stack sizes and blind amounts here for people to kibitz. Please note that three of the six left (MiamiDon was the other) were relatively short stacked compared to the other three.

Isn't this why we are all so addicted to Hold Em?

And smokkee: Thanks for getting such a sweet overlay on the tournament.

T600 Overlay for Bodonkey Blogger Tournament Tonight!!

According to blogger and poker guru smokkee:

"Bodog is adding T$600 to the Bodonkey prize pool starting this week. If you are 1 of the 5 money bubblers, you’ll have your $11 buyin refunded, and if you finish in the top 5 you will win an entry (T$109) for Bodog’s Sunday $100K Guaranteed tournament. The top 3 spots pay cash +T$109."

Wow - how can any blogger pass up such a sweet overlay? Join us at Bodog tonight and bring your best game or else the defending champ will kick your ass!!

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 9692325

Cubs Choke Job in Playoffs Reminds Us of Lack of Success in Professional Sports in Chicago

The Cubs's 2007 playoff performance, unfortunately, serves as a nasty acid flashback to Chicago sports futility over the past 40 years:

Professional sport seasons: 200 -- Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox

Championships: 8 -- 6 Bulls, 1 Bears, 1 White Sox

It's not just the lack of championships, but the lack of other seasons when they even came close.

Runner Up: 4 -- 3 Blackhawks, 1 Bears

Little wonder why Michael Jordan is forever God in Chicago. Even Mike Ditka, "da coach," is still beloved, although people forget how big his ego became and what a crappy coach he was before the Bears fired him.

When the Bears won the Super Bowl in 1986, it ended over 100 professional Chicago sport seasons of futility. Then Michael came to give us one hell of a ride in the 1990's. Since then, the White Sox championship of 2005 has been the only true beacon of light. Where do we stand now?

1) Cubs: Embarrassing playoff performance. What to do about next year?
2) White Sox: From champion to one of the worst teams in baseball in two years. Extend the manager's contract. What???
3) Bears: From the Super Bowl to the toilet bowl. Without a miracle win over the Packers tonight, they are dead.
4) Blackhawks: Now that "Dollar Bill" Wirtz is dead, this team might become relevant again. It hasn't been for ten years.
5) Bulls: Have been getting better with John Paxon and Scott Skiles. Seem to be a little short of championship-caliber roster.

Sigh.

CardsChat win at Bodog

In what is turning out to be a good week, I took down the CardsChat $10 buy-in tournament at Bodog today. The funny thing was, I had to get offline for about twenty minutes during the first hour. My chip stack was getting a tad low when I returned, but a few good hands took care of that.

No major suckouts for me in this tournament, but a crucial all-in that was called by AnnoDomino when we were heads up put me in position to win. I had pocket threes and decided to take a chance. I had been going all in several times in the previous half hour to keep my stack viable. Anno called with A-K, so the race was on. The flop and turn loaded me up well -- a 2, 4, and a 5. The river was an ace, completing the straight. I slow played middle pair a few hands later to take this tournament down.

The Mookie

Despite getting crap cards all night long in last Wednesday's Mookie, I somehow glided into 8th place. I missed the money by two spots, but it was nice to at least get to the final table.

Second Bodog Bloggers Victory

Won my second Bodog Bloggers Tournament last night. Got chips early on when I got A-Q on a flop of A-Q-T with two clubs (I had none). With two clubs on the board, and hoping that no one had K-J, I made a huge raise and went heads up with smokkee. It turns out that smokkee had A-10, and I ended up with most of his stack.

Got busted down to a regular sized stack when the always dangerous irongirl flopped a set of 4's on me, then hit her boat on the river when a Jack paired the board. Unfortunately, the Jack gave me trips -- and led me to say "bye bye" to the chips I won from smokkee. However, the fours came back to help me when I when flopped a set of them and turned a boat against DangerMouse, taking most of his big stack.

I got low in chips and survived via suckout against wwonka, then got back in when I was all in pre-flop with A-K suited vs. wonka's 2-2. Two higher pairs came on the board, giving me the hand with my Ace kicker. Hey -- that is part of what goes into the 50/50% anyway, right?

It got pretty tough at the end since there were some outstanding bloggers playing, but the final results showed bayne_s getting fifth place, bdidde taking fourth, IG in third, and wwonka second. Now if I can just go a deep in The Mookie this week (will be tough with the Cubs game on), I will feel like I am finally getting back on track.

btw - My next trip to Las Vegas is now within three weeks. Yeah!

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 9692325