I flew into Las Vegas from Grand Rapids, Michigan on Thursday the 1st. The last week had been planning for my upcoming marriage, so I was ready to hit the tables hard, especially since I had put myself on a two month poker ban prior. Quitting cold turkey was rough because I average online poker 4 or 5 days a week. Luckily there weren't any problems with the airlines and I met up with most of my bachelor party posse at the Riviera, our homebase. After some convincing, they talked me into hiking in Red Rock before I hit the tables. So glad I did! Red Rock was beautiful and it's so great to get away from the Disneyland feel of Vegas on the Strip. After dinner, we headed to MGM to hopefully catch some fishies. I sat at 1/2 while my friends grinded out 3/6. The table was fishy and then the following hand came up:
Villain 1 (quiet but very bad player) raised to 20 from late position. Villain 2 calls as does button. I look down at AdKd and raise to 50. I hate being out of position here so I hoped to limit the field. All three call! So much for that! Flop: 9d Ac 5d. I check with the intention of check-raising. Table checks around. Damn! Turn: 8s. I bet 75. Villain 1 calls and Villain 2 calls all-in for 30ish, button folds. River: 6s. Villain 1 bets 55 quickly which is exactly how much I have left. I wasn't sure what he held but the quick bet made it look weak so I called after some deliberation. Villain 1 shows Ac3c like he's expecting to win, I show my hand and Villain 2 mucks. Nice pot but I give it all back and some against AA with KK, all in preflop.
MGM: -40.
On Friday, I headed to Planet Hollywood to grind it out while waiting for another member of my entourage to fly in. Basic TAG play netted me +245. Funny hand: My friend (friendly gregarious LAG) raises to 10 from EP and I call with KhQh from MP and Southern Gentlemen (Foghorn Leghorn impersonator) calls from SB. Flop: Jh 10d 3h. My friend bets 25. I want to raise to 75 but only have 80ish left so I shove. Foghorn gives me a mini speech about having to go and calls all in. The board runs out and I don't improve. I show my hand and Foghorn mucks. I win with K high! Woot! After PH, we headed over to the Mecca of D-bags and Hot chicks: The Hard Rock. I like this room a lot but usually there isn't enough action IMO. I lose about 200 on BJ/craps then suck out for a huge pot with AK against K7 when we get it in on the flop, the turn is an Ace and his flopped two pair go down to my better two. I felt kind of bad but that's what happens when you call an EP raise from the SB with K7 off. The only suck out of the trip!
The next day the final number of our bachelor horde arrived and the Riviera put together a nice SNG for us. first two paid and your place also indicated the bedazzled pimp cup you received, from King Pimp (I'm the bachelor, after all) to Diseased Ho. It was great! This led into a drunken session of BJ where I lost 50 and 66 bucks at the Circus Circus poker room. I could see myself playing bad but couldn't do anything about it... oh well...
My best man got a handful of us tickets to the Lesnar/Carwin fight. In short, awesome fights. Funniest part about it was the drunken Canadian cheering for Brock because he had 2k riding on it... Worth of price of admission! After that, we went to the Golden Steer and had a great steak. It was a wonderful meal even if broccoli cost 8 bucks.
Sunday, my best man headed home while the rest of us played on. Aria is a nice poker room but I don't like the attitude that's starting starting to percolate. The Aria is trying to be the next Bellagio, complete with stuck up attitude. Dunno, maybe I caught them on a bad night. Aria: won 7 at 1/2, lost 126 at 4/8. Apparently my limit game is a little rusty..
Monday, I grinded out a 107 loss at Bally's before heading to the Rio to watch the 1A featured table. Mike Matesow was funny but quiet. My other friends showed up later and my friend waited with his Iphone vuvuzela app(don't ask...) till there was a big hand. One of the players hit a straight flush and my friend went crazy, shaking his phone blasting vuvuzela. priceless.
Monday night I finished off the trip with a roller coaster poker session. My stack went -50, -200, +50, +350, etc. I ended up -20 when my table broke. Most of the players seemed in for the Main Event, ready to gamble. Best part of the night was a player doing his very best Phil Hellmuth impersonation: berating players, mumbling to himself, huge tinted sun glasses, horrible cash game sense. I've heard about these players but I'd never had the pleasure. Hilarious! Hand of the night: I limp into a 5 way limped pot with 4d6d. Flop: Kc 2d 8d, Villain to my right bets 10 and I call along with SB. Turn: 4c. SB checks, Villain bets 40, I call along with SB. I'm starting to worry SB has a better diamond draw than me. River: 6c. SB checks, Villain bets 25, I raise to 90, SB raises to 290 total. Villain calls all-in. I hate the call but I can't put him on a hand that fits. I make a crying call and he tables Jc9c...??? I hated my call but is it possible to fold in that spot?
Moral of the story: Poker: -20, Table Games: -125 (stop playing black jack!!!), More fun and relaxation than I could have imagined. I love Vegas. Now excuse me while I play an online SNG...