Background

I've been travelling to Vegas for the past 10 years, and this is trip number 21 for me over that time. I've been on trips for work, with friends, with my wife and solo. I have done most of the touristy things, and since this was a solo trip, the main focus for the week would be poker.

Sat, Oct 11

I had booked a room at the MGM, so was able to use Airport check in. I was able to get checked in, but the room not yet ready. I took the taxi to the MGM and proceeded to blow through a buy in at 1/2 NL. No real hands of note except straight and flush draw that missed in what ended up to be around a $400 pot.

Hoping that my first session was not an omen of things to come, I was able to get into my room. After settling into my room and getting a quick bite to eat at the Stage Deli, it was back to 1/2. I chipped up slowly to about 300 when this hand occurred: I looked down at 9s7s on the button with two early limpers. The limpers tended to call just about any raise after limping. Hijack raised to 20 and cutoff called. I called expecting to go 5 way to flop and as expected, both limpers called. Flop 7h9h10s. EP bet 50. The original raiser agonizes a bit and calls leaving 150 behind. I raise to 200 as I read the EP for most likely a draw or top pair type hand (as he had bet out on draws previously, but check-raised with very strong hands), EP folds and OR tanks. Finally says he wants to gamble calls and turns over A8 for oesd. Blanks on turn and river and I take down pot. Stayed steady and make 100 more hitting a few flops or c-betting and cash out up 500 when I couldn't keep eyes open.

Sunday, Oct 12

I spent the morning/early afternoon watching NFL games. Bet on Colts - win. Parlay Colts & Bears w overs - loss. Parlay on Jets, Dolphins & Saints - win. Nice 600 profit. Put name on mixed game list at 2pm and was num 8.

As I made my way toward the IP, I stopped in at Planet Hollywood to check out the temporary room and eat at Earl of Sandwich. I’ve seen many recommendations, and I have to say their sandwich was very good.

I tried a sat for Monday's Festa al Lago tournament, but was completely card dead for the entire sat. I picked a few spots to bluff and take down some pots when I was fairly certain no one was very strong, but after making it down to the final four, I open shoved my short stack with AQs and was called by QQ in the small blind. No A on the board and that was all.

I had a blast playing in the mixed game at the IP. I ran really hot with a few 7s in 2-7 and a few other near nut hands, but the time change and lack of sleep caught up with me as I really cannot remember very many specific hands and shortly after midnight I was wiped out, so I cashed out with a bit over 300 in profit.

Monday, Oct 13

I took the monorail down strip to Harrah’s. There, I played a little video poker to get points for platinum status and future offers. I find that getting these offers not only gives me a discounted room, but also gives me an excuse to travel back to Vegas (because it’s just such a great deal). I’m not sure I can put a dollar value on this, but as long as the trips remain “cheap,” it’s much easier to get concurrence from the wife.

Monday began my plan to play in one tournament per day during the week and first up was Caesars noon tournament:

Hands of note:

First hand of tourn 10 10. Raise to 125 from MP. Only blinds call. Flop 10 8 3. Bet 200 and both fold. Oh well, maybe I should have slow played. Starting stacks were 7500 and I held steady for first three levels and had just over 7000 at first break.
Shortly after break blinds 200/400 I had AsQs in EP. Two to my left was a calling station if he had one pair or less, but played two pair and better aggressively. Had shown down some very weak hands and by catching a few bluffs was big stack at the table. He called my raise to 1000. Flop QT2. Lead out for 1200. He calls. Turn was a 3. At this point the pot was around 4500 and I had about that much left. I was fairly certain I was ahead based on my read, so I pushed. He calls, showing down JT for second pair. River bricks for him and I double up. I played fairly conservatively for the next two levels and maintained a 40K stack.

At this point my stack was still around 45K. Gentleman to my right (SB in this hand) was a pretty good player but probably a bit too tight. I was in BB following hand: Level 400/800 100 ante, I looked down at KcJc. EP call SB call I check Pot preflop is 3300

Flop AcTc2c

I’m thinking Jackpot and I check as the player 2 to my left had been aggressive on the flop when no one showed strength. He checks and SB bets 2000. I call and EP calls.

Pot 9300
Turn 8h

SB bets 10000. I call and EP folds.

Pot 29300
River 3d

SB bets 15000 and I raise all in for a little over 15000 more. SB actually agonizes for a bit and then calls showing down QcTc

Tough cold deck for him, but this put me close to 100K where I stayed for the rest of the tourney. We eventually chopped when down to 4 and all were very even in chips. Great end to Monday with a $1400 profit.

Tuesday, Oct 14

After Monday’s great finish, I decided to Caesars noon tournament again. This time I was knocked out in level 4. I didn’t note many hands in this one but I lost a chunk with AhKh afer I raise preflop and cont bet into flopped flush at end of level 3. I exited when I pushed from button with Ac9c and was called by AQ.

After a somewhat shorter tournament than the day before, I decided to go back to cash games. I played 1/2 at MGM from 6pm to 2am. I ran pretty well and flopped top 2 and stacked overpair. Won a big pot 4 way with nut flush against set. The board didn't pair and won 400 pot. Lost about 120 when my AK paired the A on a 3 club board. Probably bet a little too much on the flop and could have saved about 40 on that hand by managing the pot size better. End of the session was very tired and wasn't concentrating on the play anymore, so it was time to call it a night up over 450.

Wednesday, Oct 15

In the morning, I decided I wasn’t going to play an early tournament, as I would be moving hotels. Since I was going to the other end of the strip, I decided to walk through south strip casinos. Not much had changed in the 6 months or so since I had last been there, but the Luxor ‘detheming’ seemed to be nearly complete. I then moved to Palazzo.

I was surprised to find that I had around 10000 points at the Venetian on my card. After doing some calculations, I figured out that to make it to 30000 points and gold status (meaning more of these good deals and actually at a hotel I love to stay at) would result in an expected loss of less than $500. Since I was staying at the Palazzo for 4 nights free, I rationalized that it would be a good idea to play Video poker and attempt to get gold status for next year. After playing for an hour or so and racking up another few thousand points, I ended up $200 by the time my room was ready.

The only show I had scheduled for the week was The Real Deal with Scotty Nguyn and Todd Brunson. The show was ok, and I did get the tickets cheap, as it was only their second show and they were still working out the kinks, but I’m not sure if I’d go back or not. Scotty and Todd were both gracious and I did take a picture with them, but I guess I’m not star struck enough with poker players that this made it worth the price.

After the show I played in the 7pm tournament at the Venetian. There were only a few hands of note here:

Level 2 - 50/100

KdJd - on Button
Everyone Limped around and I call
Pot - 1000
Flop 7d8h9c
Checked around
Turn - Td
EP bets 200, I call SB calls, BB raises to 2000, I push, SB calls BB calls
SB - Ad3d
BB - 8T
River blanks, and I'm over 20K early

Level 4 - 100/200/25

As6s
Cutoff raises to 600 and I make loose call from button
AK6
Check, check
Bet, call
Check, bet 2000, call and I take it down

Next 4 levels I tread water slowly blinding down and noticed that I’m getting very tired and way off my best game. I lose a third of my stack when AK misses and cont bet is raised. Late in level 8 I go all in for 7500 with AT and everyone folds. Finally bust out in level 9 with 99 all in pf against KQ.

Thursday, Oct 16

I played in the Venetian noon tournament also on Thursday, but didn’t take any notes. I remember that I busted out in level 4 and never caught any traction (or decent starting hands).

I spent the afternoon checking out some of the north strip casinos. I walked through the Mirage, TI, and Wynn. I made my way back to the Palazzo and went back to the Video Poker machine. I had lost the $200 that I won the previous day and another $100 on top of that, but had accumulated a total of 15,000 points when I was dealt QcJcTc. I held those three, and hit draw and AcKc popped up, giving me a $4000 jackpot and the title of luckbox for the week. I spent the rest of the evening drinking and playing a few table games and a bit more video poker, as I now had some extra money to burn.

Friday, Oct 17

One of the main reasons for the trip was to play in a Caesars Classic event. I decided to play event 1, a $500 buy-in event. I played conservative the first few levels and gradually grew my stack. Again, I didn’t take very good notes, but I believe that we started with 6000 in chips (and it might have been anywhere from 5000 to 7500, things are a bit fuzzy as I write the report). I had approximately twice my starting stack as we approached the dinner break, and Men the Master joined my table. The only hand of note, I raised from late position with AQo and was called my only Men. The flop came down Q68 rainbow. I felt pretty good about that flop and led out for about half the pot (which was about 1/3 of my remaining stack at that point). Men called. The turn was a 5. I led out for ½ my remaining chips and Men raised all in. I debated a bit and though I really didn’t think it was likely to be a bluff, the pot was about 6x the amount of chips I had to call. I made a crying call and Men turned over 79 for the turned straight.

After the tournament, it was back to gaining some points at the Venetian, playing video poker and people watching. The drink service was excellent in the Palazzo, and I had nearly enough points for gold status and had only lost about $200 from my big win the night before when I retired to the room.

Saturday, Oct 18

I debated between the $1500 buy in event at Caesars (in which Michael Phelps eventually made the final table) and the $500 buy in Venetian noon tournament. I decided to stick with the lower buy in at the Venetian.

Unfortunately, the trend for less and less note taking continued and I have no notes at all from the tournament, but I played a steady, tight, aggressive game for the early rounds and picked out a few players that had me pegged as very tight and respected my raises a bit too much. I was able to take advantage of that and catching a few hands, I slowly chipped up until we were down to two tables. The tournament paid 9 and after 7 long hours were combined to a final table of 10. I was about 6th in chips, and the entire table agreed to pay the 10th place finisher his buy in back (in hopes that this would speed up play a bit). I ended up calling an all-in bet from a shorter stack with JJ. I ended up losing nearly all my chips when his AQ outflopped me. I was down to less than a BB, but ended up winning two pots in a row to get back to a decent stack. A few hands later I pushed all in with JJ and was called by the BB who turned over Ah9h. Three hearts on the flop sent me packing in 9th place for a bit over $1200 profit.

After grabbing a bite to eat, even though I had played almost 8 hours straight in the tournament, I decided to play some 1/2 NL. I was never really into the game but somehow ended up winning almost $100 in 2 or 3 hours of play.

After all of the poker, I decided to finish up my points to get gold status for the next year. I ended up losing about $300 more, but after getting to my points goal, I was giving $180 in slot credit (which I played the minimum and immediately cashed out). Excluding the big win, it cost about $400 to get gold status for the next year. Including the big win, it was a nice payday.

Sunday, Oct 19

Sunday, I spent the majority of the day watching NFL games at the Venetian. I think I watched about 7 hours of football, but I do like the atmosphere. I placed a few bets and I ended up down a few hundred, but the games were fun to watch (even though my Colts looked terrible), and the cocktail service was excellent.

After watching the football games, I played ½ NL at the Venetian. I normally don’t play after drinking (especially after drinking all day as I had been), so I’ll consider a $200 loss not bad. After playing in the cash game, I decided to play in the 7pm tournament. I think I lasted about 10 minutes as my flopped set ran into a flopped flush one hand after my opponent showed a huge bluff for all his chips. Great set up for him, and I couldn’t really fold to his huge overbet shove.

Since it was my last night, I decided to spread a bit of my video poker winnings around to a few of the table games that I don’t normally play, I proceeded to lose between one and three hundred to blackjack, the hold-em table game, 3 card, Crazy4 poker, and Pai-Gow poker. This was a good reminder why I seldom play these games. In all of the cases except Crazy 4, I don’t think my buy in lasted more than 20 minutes. I did play Crazy 4 for a few hours and actually ran my $200 up to $700. I wish I had cashed out then, but ended up cashing out of that game down $100 also. After playing those games, it was time to catch some sleep and get ready to head home.

Monday, Oct 20

I had an early flight Monday, so after a short night of sleep, I grabbed my bags and headed for the airport for the long day of travel.

Overall, I had a great trip. I was ahead in cash games, slightly ahead in tournaments, and thanks to the lucky royal flush in Video Poker, quite a bit ahead in other gambling. I had already planned to head back to Vegas for a weekend trip around my birthday in February, but little did I know that I’d be heading back to play in November, thanks to a unexpected opening in my schedule, great deal on flights and another free hotel offer.