Day 3
I awake at 10AM to find a text from Corey. They’re headed to the Venetian to start playing. I text back that I will meet them in an hour as I need to get cleaned up first.

Session 7: Venetian
Game $2/$5 NL
I love the Venetian poker room. The room is huge and always seems busy. However, the $1/$2 game always seems to play small here so I play $2/$5 instead. I have to wait as all of the 2/5 games are full. A short time later I am seated at a “must move” 2/5 game. Corey has already been moved from the table. I had a long conversation with Dmuz75 on Day 1. He discussed some of the higher limit games he plays and how they aren’t as much fun because the players are so serious. Like him, I like to have FUN when I play. This table is the definition of super serious. It’s simply not fun. The only hand of note: I raise in late position with T,T. The BB is the only player the call. Flop is 9,9,J. He checks. I bet $35. He calls. Turn is a 5. He checks and I bet $50. He thinks and re-raises to $150 total. I look down at my chips and realize that I either have to fold or go all-in. I elect to fold. He shows K,Q and drags a nice Pot. In hindsight, my Turn bet is way too small and reeked of weakness. This is the story of my day on Day 3. I continually make mistakes and less than optimal plays. After 2 hours, I talk to Corey and state that my table sucks and I’m simply not having fun. He states his table is much the same way. We elect to hit the Asian Noodle place for lunch and then change venues.

Comment on the V:
Great room with nothing but the best service, dealers and management. I simply dislike how serious most of the players are. The 2/5 game was very beatable but I’d have to grind it out at a super serious table. With so many choices in Vegas, I’d rather sit somewhere else. As a side note: they had 100+ runners for their Noon $340 tourney on Saturday. This tourney is largely considered one of the best in Vegas.
Result: down $211

Session 8: Wynn
Game: $1/$3
After lunch at the Asian Noodle place, we head to our standby this trip, the Wynn. We are immediately seated at a game that’s just getting started. I’m dealt a series of large pocket pairs but I can’t make any of them work as overcards keep flopping. Other players show strength, forcing me to fold. I make AA work twice but that‘s it. Corey busts the worst player at the table and has gone on a run taking him up at least $700. Unfortunately, I’m down $250 or so. I make a nice bluff with 6,5os on a J, 7, 3 board. I call a flop bet and make a $100 bet on the Turn when another 3 falls. Both my opponents fold. I show my 6,5 indicating that I’m capable of making a decent sized bluff. I struggle to get back to even. At halftime of the Cowboy/Saints game, Corey and I elect to cash out and hit the Wynn buffet. The buffet was excellent and we received $20 off from our poker comp.

Comments on the Wynn:
See Trip Report Day 1……..
Result: down $135

After our buffet, Corey elects to catch up with the blackjack boys for their final night. I head back to Trump to change, refresh and play my final session of the trip.

Session 9: Treasure Island
Game: $1/$3 NL
I elected Treasure Island for my final session. Needless to say, I didn’t think tables this soft existed anymore. It felt like 2005. The players are awful and easier to read than Dr. Seuss’s “Cat in the Hat”! There are two players that insist on “Hollywooding” every single time they are dealt cards. (My peeve at a poker table are the “Hollywood” players. I definitely put a target on them.) It didn’t take long to bust one of them. I win a nice Pot when a woman from Texas calls me down with AA. One of the “Hollywood” players raises to $10. I call from the small blind with AQos. Flop is A, x, x. I bet $20 and the Hollywooder immediately re-raises all-in for $65 more. I conclude he doesn’t know what he’s doing and call the $65. I roll my AQ and ask if he has AK. “No” he replies and shows K,K. Thanks buddy! He immediately gets up and leaves. Apparently his $100 poker budget is gone. I’m an hour in and up $200.

Then the wheels come off, I just play terrible. Min-raising, trying to bluff but then not following through, and just playing poorly. AVP’s “The OD” sits down to immediate right. I’ve played with him a number of times @ TI. He’s a great guy. Another local pro “RD” sits to his right. “RD” and I have a great discussion about the state of poker in Vegas and his time as a pro. “The OD” has a tough run and ends up busting out. I have played with The OD many times and he has a tenancy to let his emotions take over and not look at the simple fact that he’s beat. This emotional response leads to him calling off all his chips.
“RD” offers some advice to improve my game after I cash out. I ask if the advice involves the “min-raising” that I’m continually doing this session. He replies, “Exactly!” I agree with his assessment and can’t explain why I’m playing so poorly tonight. It’s not my normal game.

As an aside, I really appreciate players that offer advice to improve my game. I feel like I have a long way to improve and get better. Sometimes it’s easier for an opponent to see……….

Comments on TI:
See Trip Report Day 1………
Results: up $31

Summary:
It was great to be back in Vegas. Most poker rooms were rather slow and suffered from a lack of players. In fact, I don’t remember playing so many shorthanded games in Vegas.

I made $1347 playing poker in my three days. I calculate that I played 33 hours so my hourly rate is $40.81. While I’m not exactly going to quite my day job, I’m pleased with my effort.

I think if I had played better my final day, I could have easily had a $50+ hourly rate. I hope to be back in Vegas in the Spring!

Your comments, questions, and thoughts on my trip are welcome!

Thanks,
E