I had business on the West Coast, and couldn’t make it home until the next day. So instead of staying where I was, I hopped a flight to Vegas for an all night session. I’d done that before and booked a room on hotwire, just in case, and ended up using the room, but this time no room. If I had to sleep, or went busto, I intended to head back to the airport. I’m not a real late night person, but I thought poker would provide fuel enough.

I knew I couldn’t drink early, though, but the restaurant in the airport had a tasty IPA and I had too. Surely, I would be ok a few hours later in Vegas? Maybe, and stop calling me Shirley.

I landed without incident at 10 p.m. Friday night. I thought about trying to share a cab to the Venetian, but all the people in the long line looked sketchy, and I had bad luck with that last time (tunnel to Tropicana???). I have a knee problem, and the cab line sucked. I took a vicodin. Surely, I would be ok playing poker with just one vicodin?

I got to the Venetian at 10:30 and joined the list for 1-2. I play 1-2 and 2-5 at home, but I only had $700. My plan was to play and if I doubled up (to $400) move to 2-5. I could get more cash, but didn’t really want to.

I was seated at a new table, older lady to my left. I had three memorable hands, the first with her. I raised in late position to $12 with AJo. She min-reraised to $25. She had not been a total nit so far- re-raising a couple of times post flop. No show downs though. She said she played at some card room in L.A. so I called.

Axx on the flop and I led for $35. She called. I was going to dump it if she rereaised. Turn was a blank and I bet $45. She folded and later said she had KK.

I then lost two hands to a nitty dude named Sam. He’d doubled up his first hand at the table with A8 against A4 on an A8x4x board. Very passive. I had AJs and raised in late position. He called from the sb. Flop came Q high, one spade. I bet and he check called. Turn blank, I bet and he check called. This was a mistake. He wouldn’t have called the c-bet without at least top pair. River went check check and he showed KK. Crazy, huh?

I am down $75 or so, now, and get QQ also in late pos and raise to $12. A couple of callers and Sam. Flop is AJT rainbow. I am checked to an c-bet $35 or so. Sam is the only caller. Turn is a 9 giving me an openender. He leads $25. I have to call, my head is asploding. River is a blank and I call his $25 lead. He shows TT for a flopped set. Shocker- bluffs don’t work at this table.

Where are the drunks? Where are the crazy players? I decide the nitty table is not for me and leave down $240 to play 1-2 PLO at about 2 a.m.

I have yawned a couple of times but was feeling pretty good. No booze in Vegas, yet.
I have never played PLO live, and I buy in for $270. Most of the table covered with one short stack- there may have been 8 players there. I have played quite a bit of PLO8 online, though. I had to consciously tell myself “This is high-only. Don’t play A2xx.” I think I said that silently, but the rest of the table looked at me funny.

The big stack two to my left knew what he was doing (at least to me), but none of the rest did. Twice he reraised the dude to my left who tanked forever. Five or more minutes. The raises were like $75, and I thought it was out of line, but I didn’t call the clock because I didn’t know how the table worked. The slow dude would show a card to the Agg player, then tank… etc. Fold. He then did it again on a k1068 board. He led the turn and the Agg guy rereaised. He said “Show me a 7 and I will fold.” Tank… He then turned over 88 for a set. He had to put the dude on a gutter, then he folded. It was a clear call or shove. I know you have more cards in Omaha, but the agg guy would have lead out a wrap, likely, on the flop. It was just super nitty.

He busted later with AAxx and stormed off. The Agg guy said he had 99 for blockers only and asked why we didn’t call the clock.

So I had two hands of interest here, on the first of which I could use advice. I had $270 or so on the first one in the bb with Ad9dAs8c. Good hand. Bad position. Thank goodness, the cutoff raises to $15 and the button calls. (Pot is $50). I raise pot. “Dealer how much is raise pot?” $70. That adds up. They both call.

So I am committed and shove any flop, no? With $200 in the pot, my stack to pot ratio is 1. (Oops. Does SPR apply to PLO). So the flop come A9x two hearts and I shove. They fold. I was happy with the A flop, but I still think it’s a shove no matter what.

Next hand I get min-check raised on the turn. She had been leading into pots small a lot (e.g. $15 into $50). She didn’t know what the pot was, so she bet these smaller amounts I think. I had the nut flush draw and there was $100 in the pot. Just a real stupid reraise. I call, hit the heart (runner runner but no flop bet) and lead out for pot. She thinks then calls with a straight. Thanks.

I leave Omaha up $10 for the trip! I then go back to 1-2. at about 5 a.m. The drunks are out, now.

I go back to 1-2 and buy in for $300. I see some crazy stuff. Dude calls a $500 flop shove with k6o on a kqx board. Shove shows qj and the k holds. Crusty dude in jammy pants misreads a board (or the rules) and calls a $300 shove with a5o on an a3344 board. He thought his kicker did not play.

Dude passes out at table and table warns next player to check seat for moisture.

I end up to the left of a crazy ($190 I cover) person who raises every pot that’s limped to him. I have KK in the sb. Blind v. blind I ask if he wants to chop. “No chopping.” He says. I limp. He bets $15. I raise to $45, he calls. Board comes 10 hi, I shove, he calls and I hold. He must have had two cards or something.

I get him one more time hitting the nut flush on the turn and leading out. He calls down for another $200.

I begin drinking- double espresso at 7 a.m. It was huge, and very good. Leave up $350 or so at 8 to go to Bouchon.

I have the Croque Madam, excellent, and two Dogfish IPAs- they’re small though.

Back to the game, I start drinking bloody mary’s and Sierra Nevadas. Pretty much just donking it up until my flight. The table is dominated by a drunk german with $600- he is loud, loose passive, and great for the table. These two old nits complain to the floor. What? This german hates Barack Obama, loves marriage, thinks everyone who raises pre has AA, and two fists whiskey cokes for 3 hours.

They are running a one table satellite to the noon tourney, and I look over there. Its also filled with old nits. No thanks.

I finish at 11 up about $50 for a total win of $300 (net cabs, breakfast and tips.)

Thanks for reading.