Final Four Bachelor Party--with one Poker player.
Arrived in Vegas early–around 11pm on Friday night. Before I left, I’d fielded calls from some of our group of nine expressing regrets about no hotel room the first night. Frantic pm’s and emails to and from Grange and Danette at TI resulted in an Friday room at a great rate for the deposit of bags and a place to crash for those of us who couldn’t make it til Saturday check-in. Again many thanks to G and D for going over and above the call of duty with an unknown and newbie AVPer to help us out.
At the urging of my bachelor brother and others, I tried my hand at craps for the first time while waiting for the 2AM TI tourney. Said goodbye to $100 in about ½ hour. No craps bug for me! Headed over to the card room and signed up with two guys in my group, both newbies as well. It was my first ever live B&M Hold’em experience, and I had a blast! Megan was very friendly, as were the dealers, and I was pretty comfortable after a few orbits. Only two tables to start, but rebuys plus walk ups brought entrants to about 25. Megan said it was large for a 2am, even a Saturday, so the payouts (top four) were respectable. Played pretty tight and used position to accumulate early and then tread water for long card dead period. I made it to the final table after about two hours, but not much of a stack. Down to six, I was way short stacked, and pushed UTG with A10o/s. Was called by the big stack who got there by sucking out left and right on others, and then bragging about it. With that, I had little confidence despite him calling from BB and showing K/9o/s. Flop A/K/x rainbow. Turn blank. River......You guessed it: 9. Suckout artist starts talking about how he trapped me into going all in into him b/c of his talking. Blah, blah, blah. Frankly, even a double up there wouldn’t have done much for me in the long haul, but I’d hoped to be able to say I’d cashed in my first ever event—no such luck.
Slept from 5 til 7, then woke up with no chance of sleeping again. The rest of my group was scattered across the Strip, not answering cells, or sleeping (passed out??), so I walked for two hours, from the Palazzo to the Venetion to the Forum Got lost in that godforsaken place with not a store open except for the Stage. Got some coffee, and headed back to TI and met up with about five others for breakfast on the patio at Kahunaville. After eating and, eh-em, sightseeing at the pool as the chairs filled up, I made my way over to the 11am tourney. Found Danette and introduced myself and thanked her for all the extra effort in getting us the room. You’re a doll Danette! Indeed, she was giving me s*#* by the end of my weekend, but deservedly so. More below.
The 11am had about forty to start, but ended up with fifty with rebuys and late comers. Met Michelle and Chris, and introduced myself. Really fun players from all over. Sat next to a Packer fan who grew up about fifteen miles from me in the Twin Cities, but had the audacity to move to Madison and abandon the Purple. Enjoy your cheese, Sweety! Played pretty TAG til last 15 or so and was way shortstacked. A group of guys from Liverpool had entered the tourney (I think they said 9 out of the 50) and they had six left out of the final fifteen! Gulp. They were a ball to play with–when I could understand what the heck they were saying. Of course they said the same about me! They relished going after one another, so there was no chance of collusion, quite refreshing actually.
Next thing I know, it’s final table and I’m hurting! It’s kinda blurry with the action, but to the best of my recollection, I went all in from EP with K4c. Hadn’t played a hand in a while, and hoped to steal the blinds, but got called by one of the Brits in late position. Blinds folded. He shows A/Kos-but no club. Um, domination. Flop K/9c/x. Turn club. River club! Yikes! Now I’m the suckout artist. Got doubled plus blinds and was back in it, but still lower end of pack. Got it all in again, behind, against Packer fan/traitor and sucked out again on the river to send her to the rail. Sorry Roseville Gal, it was the football gods bribing the poker gods for some retribution. Now I’ve got a stack and start to use it. Got all in with AA against another Liverpoolian (is that a word?) who had KK and got no help. Down to heads up with a guy who was at the 2am final table with me and was felted by the aforementioned suckout artist blabbermouth. He was a nice guy and we were pretty even, so I proposed a chop. He politely said he wanted the title. ???? Was Mike Sexton there? Oh well, after a few hands, I’d gained an advantage, and he then proposed chop=nope! Two hand later it was over in uneventful fashion and I had the title! Danette, where’s my bracelet? Paid about $850, and after $75 to the dealer, an extra $5 for Merideth the waitress, and subtracting my buy-in, I had some fun money.
So second tourney ever and somehow I managed to scuz out a victory. Even a blind squirrel.....
Last tourney was the Sunday 11am. Danette again on call with Michelle and Chris. About 25 total runners. Pretty card dead and just hanging around until about twelve left when I got a little breathing room with an uncalled all in raise after several limpers. Got the limps and the blinds. Nice! Got to final table but was nibbled down to danger zone with blinds ever increasing. About eight left and top four getting paid, blinds were at 1000/2000 and I’m in BB., big stack raise to 4500 which folded around to me. I look to see and have K/Jc. I miscount my stack, and thinking that 4500 was all I had left with my BB included, I say all-in and flip my cards face up. Dealer counts out and shows I actually had 4600, but had exposed my cards. FLOOR! So over saunters Danette, and sees the miscreant who has caused the problem (as I promised I would in pre-trip posts here!). She says, “Ok here’s what we’re gonna do. You exposed your hand before original raiser had a chance to call the extra hundred. We’re gonna see the flop and then OR can decide if he wants to call.” Then she zings me: “Please don’t expose your hand until the appropriate time, that is if you have another chance to play after this hand.” Touché Danette, well played! Flop is Q/rag/rag and original raiser folds!!!!! WTF? Stunned silence from the table. I guess he didn’t like his 900 to 1 odds to drop in the extra 100 chip. Guy to my left starts to chuckle incredulously as dealer sends me chips with bemused look on his face (was it you Rick? Can’t remember). I’m still playing Danette!!!!!! Despite the apparent good poker karma, no miracle after that. Busted out in sixth on a three-way all in when my A/6 soooooted ran into Jacks and A/Q. Yuck. But my buddies were paying like $9 for fruity drinks by the pool all day. I GUARANTEE you I drank more than $65 worth of booze/pop/beer/coffee during that 3 hour tourney. Gotta stay ahead of the booze rake, right!
I’ll do a Part II soon on the rest. I tired now.
Entertaining! The more I hear about the TI people, the more I like them. I've never played there, but I will certainly do so next time out.
The 90-to-1 odds being laid to the guy was hilarious. There's no way he could have been drawing dead... you hadn't even made a pair yet! All I can say there is that it proves that many (most?) people who play have no concept of odds & the "correct" play. In his mind, he was "probably going to lose the hand", so why bother putting any extra money in?
@acexalex
Sounds like my first time @ craps. Buddy says, "It's a fun game! Just do what I do." So I buy in for $100, put some chips on the table, someone rolls, the dealer picks up my chips. Put more chips down, someone rolls, they pick up my chips. Eight more rolls and three minutes later, I'm out of chips ... yup, great game, buddy!
@acexalex
Brilliant plan there, trapping a guy for your stack with only five outs. Wish I could play as well as that pro did!
@acexalex
GO PACK GO!
@acexalex
It's "Liverpudlian". Viking fans are morons!
@acexalex
Viking fans can't count and can't follow the rules. What, no kindergarten?!?
@acexalex
Congrats on the tourney win! As for the booze, sounds like you might be smarter than your average Viking .... err, Bear!
Looking forward to Part Two (if you can count that high ...).
Wow Grange. You help a guy out and think you get free rights to scorch him. Oh. Wait. I think that's the rule. Crap.
Having said that I do now recall Liverpudlians. I need to remind my self that Google is my friend.
Finally, If I'd known your were a Packers fan, I would have gone elsewhere for pre-trip help. It's amazing you even know how to use the internet, let alone the PM feature.
But all in all good digs in response to good times. I still can't believe that 100 chip fold.
[/list]
It would behoove me to slow down and check my posts for typos before I submit them. Go ahead Grange, more ammo for ya!
Enjoyed the report, the 100 chip fold is hilarious, if it happened online there'd be all kinds of chip dumping accusations.
'Scouser' is an alternative colloquial term for a Liverpudlian.
I'll give you a wave as I fly over you, my upcoming trip is via the Twin Cities. 8 days and counting......
GO umm err SEAHAWKS??!!? No wait, it's the wrong season. Ok GO GIANTS!!!! No wait, we're absolutely crap this year, ummmm errrr GO CHELSEA!!!!!!! (stick with what I know best)
.
@Karapet
Scouser? Hmmm, I like that word ... need to find a way to use it this week.
Good luck in Vegas, Karapet! Hopefully you will have a trip report to rival this one.
P.S. Why are you rooting for Chelsea Clinton?
At the risk of highjacking my own post:
Scouser (skaus-sir)
Brit. Inf. ~n. a person who comes from Liverpool.
Scouse (skaus)
n. 1. the dialect spoken by such a person. 2. Livepudlian dialect. a stew made from leftover meat. [C19]
@Karapet
Another Chelsea fan - NICE - GO BLUES! (Yes, I'm a Yank that actually follows the beautiful game).
Back on topic, great report looking forward to more.
Yeah but the real questions are........
1) how long have you supported your 'beautiful' chelsea
2) have you ever seen them play?
3) and have you followed them in the rain, 7 hours away when you know your gonna get beat 3 or 4 nil?
Bear in mind I am a 10 year season ticket holder for Newcastle United and have followed them home and away for 6 of them before I moved to South Korea in december.
2 out of 3 atleast makes you qualify as a supporter!!!! lol
not to hijack the thread or anything, but...
COME ON YOU SPURS!!!!!!!!
@scotts_afro
1) In the region of 45 years, I actually don't remember how old I was when I started supporting them but I was about 4 or 5.
2) Yes many times. I never had a season ticket but I used to go and stand on the terraces in the 'Shed' as a teenager. I admit I've not been for quite a while but it's hard (and freaking expensive) to get tickets.
3) Admittedly no. I only ever went to a small number of away games and I think they were all in London. Plus of course we never get beat 3 or 4 nil
.
As for the other teams I mentioned, I've never made it to a Seahawks game, indeed I've never been to Seattle but I've made it to 3 SF Giants games, funnily enough none of them at our home ball park.
Grange, I'll try to do a good report but it won't be all that colourful as I'm forced to be more or less teetotal. Lots of poker though as that's pretty much all I do in Vegas.
OP, sorry for hijacking your thread, certainly looking forward to part 2 of your report.
No problem, working on it now....I, too, had no hopes of keeping up with the IMOP boys.....
@acexalex
Not your fault the Englishmen you played poker with didn't randomly assault you ...
Nonetheless, a solid report so far!
Well done. Good report. Good entertainment value.
@acexalex
Thanks not necessary...it was not only my pleasure, but that's my job! I had to chuckle at the comment that you made, and it was somewhat flattering too..."Are you Michael's (Grange) personal concierge?" That was funny...I'd do it for anyone and I'm sure that there are quite a few AVPers on here that could attest to that. I'm glad that you got the rate that you did, that was an unusually low rate so it worked out well for you!!
@acexalex
FTR...That isn't the tone that I would take with just any player...I don't "zing" sarcastic remarks to everyone(right LVM?)...only players that I feel that I have a decent repoir with, so I hope any AVPers that have yet to meet me don't get the wrong impression of me from this comment as it was not only slightly out of line, it was definately on the rather unprofessional side
But I have to admit...I HAVE NEVER LAUGHED OUT LOUD WHILE READING ON AVP AS MUCH AS I DID HERE JUST NOW WHILE READING THIS TR!!!!! 
Great TR, if you've already posted part two, I haven't gotten that far yet, but part one was great! Fantastic to hear that you had such an enjoyable trip...and I would have never known that it was your first time in a poker room if you had never mentioned it! Hope to see you again in the future, please feel free to email me for assistance with your accommodations! It was pleasure meeting you "Jules" (sorry that I made that mistake, but I like that name) Take Care!!
Sorry, Danette, should have made it clear that we'd talked enough that you knew you weren't crossing any lines. The whole staff at TI was nothing but professional. Part II coming soon, then,
, Part III. We lawyers have, at times, been accused of having diarrhea of the mouth/pen....[/quote]
Are you kidding me???? I would have never taken that tone with you if I didn't feel comfortable enough...I just wanted to make sure that readers understood that it's not my "normal" way of conducting biz! If I were reading this thread, and never played in the room, I might feel as if the Shift Manager was a bit of a smart @ss (and I've been known to be), and may prefer to take my poker playing elsewhere! Had a great time with you in the room, it's always fun to have someone with a sense of humor around!!! See you again, and looking forward to part two!