Deepstack Tourney Trip (with some wild Cash Games for good measure)
I went down to Vegas purely for poker, booking to travel by myself, and ready to devote a serious amount of time to Deepstack tourneys.
I stayed at the Mirage (4 nights) and Aria (2 nights), grabbing a great players club room rate at both that made the trip affordable.
My plan was not set in stone, but I wanted to do a series of lower buy-in deepstack/big field events. I've got a ton of live cash-game experience, and a fair bit of small tournament live experience, plus I do fairly well at occasional medium stakes SNGs online. But one thing I was really missing was live MTT experience with big stacks, big fields, and big prize pools.
I honed in on the Binions Poker Classic Event, Caesars Megastack and the Venetian Deepstack. I eschewed the WSOP events running at the Rio, $1,000 buy-ins being just a bit too much for my comfort level right now.
The trip was a blast, I met awesome and interesting folks along the way, saw new parts of Vegas, and played in some wild cash games.
Here's the scoop;
Binions Poker Classic Event - $220 NLH. \
We had a field of 130 or so, with standard deepstack tournament format of 10,000 in chips and long 30 minute levels.
It was cool to see a legacy poker room such as Binions, and the clientele here was interesting - some really solid players, and some very old-style play. I witnessed flopped set of Queens losing the absolute minimum to flopped set of Aces - and so much excellent reading and play throughout several big hands.
I was terribly card-dead, and frankly, possibly slightly out-matched by some excellent players. This was a tough tournament, and in 4 hours I got no pocket pair bigger than 88s, and only a couple of decent broadway hands. I made a final stand with around 9 big blinds with a suited ace, and ran into AA (naturally).
Venetian Deepstack "Second Chance" Tourney at 7pm, $120 buy-in. \
There were a 130 runners for the second chance tourney, and I love the Venetian - top rate room, great tournaments. I did feel however that this tournament was not run well - the floor didn't announce blind level increases and there was only one screen that was not visible to all tables with the structure and countdown - the others all displaying the Noon tournament information which was still under way for several more hours.
I played some of my best poker in this tournament, caught a few hands, and after around 6 hours made it to the final table! Unfortunately, despite coming to the table with an above chip-average, I caught 3 consecutive bad beats in just one level. I called a short-stack all-in holding AKs, and after flopping the Ace, looked in great shape to bust his all-in with K8s. Unfortunately, he caught running diamonds for a flush, and I lost about 1/3rd of my stack in my first hand at the final table.
A few orbits later I picked up KK, and snap called a second all-in from the very same player, whom had open shoved with TJo. I flopped trip Kings, looked in great shape to get all my chips back and more - when he hit running cards to make broadway.
In shock, I realised I'd lost 3/4 of my stack. I made a final stand with AA just 1 orbit later, but lost to J9o whom made a straight on the river.
This was one of the most frustrating and low points in my trip to Vegas. I had a fantastic run, played some of my best poker, made the final table with a great chip stack - and busted and min-cashed in 10th place after 3 80-90% favourite before or on the flop type situations.
Mirage Cash Games\
I played some cash games at the Mirage, and they were generally very juicy. I mostly played later at night, and the games were predominantly tourists, and in most cases, completely clueless tourists. I turned $200 into $640 in around 4 hours on my first session, very happy at a $110/hour profit rate. I made another $280 in just 1 hour at second session, and was digging Mirage games.
Unfortunately, I had one sick 1/2 NL session where I lost my $200 buy-in, and took the unusual step of just calling it quits for the night rather than trying to pick up. I played for just about 1 hour, and picked up three key hands. The first was an AK in the Big Blind. A couple of folks limped and a relatively solid/tight player open-raised to $16 on the button. I thought about smooth-calling, but didn't want to whiff the flop and be out of position - so I decided to define my hand right there and then with a re-raise to $45, and then an open c-bet on almost any flop. Unfortunately, while everyone else folded, the original raiser bumpeed it up to $100, and I knew I was staring down at QQ-AA. I folded AKs face up and he showed KK. Wheeee!
A few orbits later, the same player and I entered another pot where I smooth called his raise with AQ. The flop brought an A, and he checked to me, whereupon I bet out about 2/3rds the pot. He put in a solid check-raise to $100, and I eventually released the hand, folding face-up again. He muttered that only because I'd shown a great laydown he'd show me one more time, and he tabled AA for the flopped trips. Wheeeee!
While I'd dodged bullets in these hands, my stack was hurting. It wasn't long though before I picked up yet another AQ of diamonds on the button. I smooth-called a raise from a relatively solid player in late position, and the flop was a dream. A23 with two diamonds. I can't possibly put him on 4,5, and I think a set of 2s or 3s is unlikely, so when he bets out into me I put him on an Ace. I decided to put in a modest reraise and try and build a nice pot here for value. He hums and hahs for several minutes before just calling, and I wonder if he has QQ/KK type hand, or a weak Ace. The turn is another Ace, giving me trip Aces along with the nut flush draw. He insta open shoves into me, which catches me completely off guard. I make the call however, and he tables AKo. I can't catch a diamond, queen or a 2 or a 3 for a chop - and I lose my stack. Frustrating session!!
Caesars Megastack Event - $210 NLH. \
Another deepstack tournament, I did two noon events here, one with a field of over 300, and one with a smaller field of around 140.
Both events were well run in a very nice poker tournament room environment that was secluded, quiet and calm. I loved the venue.
Unfortunately, I was both card dead and poorly timed in my moves and semi-bluffs here. I busted in the first tourney making a stand while short-stacked by making a semi-bluff with AJs on a flop of QT3 with one spade. I couldn't catch an A, K or running spades after being called by KQ, and was out.
The second tournament I busted around the same 5 hour mark with the blinds and antes creeping up there, and an ill-timed all-in steal attempt on the button with 77 running into AA in the BB.
Aria 7pm Deepstack Tournament, 8,000 chips \
The Aria ran a 7pm Deepstack tourney similar to the Venetian, but with slightly more chips (8,000) and 30 minute blind levels. This does make for a long tournament - it didn't finish until around 4.30am even with just under 100 players.
I played solid poker here, and was really happy with my play. Unfortunately history was to repeat, and I bubbled out in 13th place (no cash) after a terrible suck-out with KK being cracked by KQs. Desperately short-stacked, I made a final stand a few hands later with KJs, was snap called by 44 which held up.
Again, I was really frustrated to play for around 6 hours and get to 13th place only to be knocked out after being an over 90% favourite.
Aria Cash Games \
These, were, in a word - wild.
Aria has fast become one of THE premier rooms in Vegas. Many of the big games have moved down there from the Bellagio and even Venetian, the limits reach nosebleed levels with 300/600 Mixed games... The list on a Monday night was 40+ deep for both 1/3 NL, 2/5 NL and 5/10 NL. Every table in the main poker room was full with the exception of one back-room table. The overflow area that has been hastily put together in the slot area where several banks of slots have been pulled out was also buzzing with overflow cash games and a tournament.
Aria could not have anticipated their own success, having to in effect double the size of the room with a sprawl into the slot main casino area, just to accommodate the never ending list of players.
The cash games here were populated with a mix of wild European players, naive players, convention attendees, several over-aggressive former online players, and a handful of solid experienced live cash game players. Pick your 1/3 game, and if you don't like your table - change - there's just so many juicy tables here.
I had one of my best 1/3 cash game sessions yet on my last night, booking over $1,000 profit above my $200 buy-in during one 7 hour late night 9pm-4am session.
Above all, I felt that my intuition, reading other players, and anticipating their actions was at a an all time personal high in my last session. I boldly called down big bets on the river in several key big pots, exposing busted flush drawers or even a complete bluff with Ten-high, yet a dangerous board.
I played some hands very creatively, and as I built a deep stack, planned multiple moves on all three streets that enabled me to take down several larger pots with what I'm certain may not have been the best hand.
Final Notes \
All in all, this was an amazing experience. I played five large field smaller buy-in deepstack events which has given me invaluable experience for when I'm ready to move-up to more major events. I experienced terrible bad-beats and crushing disappointments, and will hopefully be better prepared emotionally for future large live events for both the swings as well as the physical and mental drain of concentrating intensely for up to 12 hours straight.
The cash games during the WSOP and Deepstack events are, in a word wild. I met several decent solid players along the way, all of whom urged me to go "milk the action" over at the Rio side games and cash games. But I found that Aria was just as juicy, with over-aggressive players constantly trying to pull wild bluffs that, frankly, just didn't make sense when you replayed the hand carefully and thought it through. Throw in a few European maniacs, and a generous helping of passive-loose calling station type players, and you have a potential gold mine.
Aria players are often wealthy hotel guest tourists, or convention attendees. There were no shortage of guys willing to drop $100-$150/time multiple buy-ins. Combine the above with GREAT cocktail service, basically whatever you want, and attentive service every 10-15 minutes - along with $2/hour or even $3/hour food comps - and a nice quality room with good dealers - you've got a winning formula and it's no wonder Aria is packed to the gills.
I'm planning a shorter 2 night weekender in early July, cash games and perhaps a one-day deepstack, so I'll be back - and I can't wait.
Very well written and entertaining report. Also, I appreciated the font changes !!!!! NNNIICCEE!!!
Thanks for that, I've been a long time lurker on AVP so it's high time I posted a trip report! I found that writing the trip report also helped me to digest the trip along with the key moments, and the various highs and lows, once finally away from the action and finally back home - a good exercise.
Thanks for posting. I enjoyed reading it. I'm heading to vegas in a couple of weeks, and am still deciding on if I'll play in a $1500 event or play a few different "deep stack" events. After reading your TR....I'm leaning toward the latter. Hopefully I'll be able to avoid those types of beats.
Great report. I just got back from Vegas and heard the same thing about Aria cash games from a few people who play there full time. I didn't try it out as I'm not a big cash game player.
SomeDude, if that was your first ever trip report, here is hoping you write a lot more. I normally don't comment on this site, but that was outstanding! You seem a very good player by your hand analysis and description of hands, so it is great to hear of your experiences. I only make it to Vegas once or twice a year for a week at a time just for poker, and I would recommend a few other places as well: For a tourney similar to what you seem to like, I have had good results and experiences at the Golden Nugget Grand Series. For cash, TI has a great game (it is 1/3 but it plays deeper) with great staff. You already know of the V and Mirage which are my other two favorite cash game areas. I still have not been to the Aria since it opened but look forward to it based on your comments. Thanks for the post!
Great trip report!! I really enjoyed it.
Thanks for posting and look forward to more of
your adventures with your next trip.
I am going in a couple of weeks. I will definitely check
the Aria out. Sounds great.
.
Thanks for the replies. I really wanted to do the Golden Nugget Grand Series, but ended up doing an extra day at Caesars Megastacks ($230 buy-in) - it was logistics really, just a short walk from Mirage where I was staying rather than the trek downtown.
I've played TI 1/3 quite a bit, love that little room, though the only problem I find is that if you're not thrilled with the table, it's hard to get another table as there's often only one or two 1/3 games running. Great well run room though for sure.
Really good report - enjoyed your experiences tho not your bad beats! Must have been gutting for 3 beats in a row to exit with a minor cash.
Obviously being accross the Atlantic Las Vegas is not so accessable to me however its getting time to start being excited about my own 10 day trip to Sin City in november 2011..
Both my wife (who plays and enjoys success at shorter stacked games as a loose-agressive type player) and myself - i play a more tight aggressive positional game and have a reasonable record in deeper stacked tournies - will be playing about an average of 2 tournies a day with some limit cash thrown in if not involved in the business end of the tournies..
I am putting a rough plan together and was interested in your review of the Aria - this is one tournie that we were looking at to be the 'staple' strip game - we are staying downtown. Interestingly my friend told me it had had bad reviews because the room cancels the tournie at late notice sometimes... Going in November we should be ok.
Downtown (where we are staying inthe main) I intend to make Binions 100 dollar 2pm (15k stack) and cheaper 7pm game (7.5k stack) the main place we play with trips to the Golden Nugget when we want a change for their slightly worse structured tournamnet (4.5k start)
On the Strip we will play in the afternoon CP game as last time I was there this was a good one - Also the PH game does what is needs to do and if you are looking for something not going to take 6 hours this is not a bad game from memory..
Ill try to take in the MGM too - all based on the structure reports on AVP. The better structures for anything up to 125 buyin.
Im going to keep a record of both my wife and my results (or lack of them!) and will try to put an interesting Trip report together on my return to the UK
If we taste any success we may try a larger buyin game to press the running good button..
4 months and counting until 10 days of pure poker and the best food ever encountered by a Brit...