Lot's of poker, some interesting action
Got into town on Wed night the 5th and was in town until Monday night. The first two nights I was staying at the Venetian.
I ended up going over to TI once I got into town on Wed night. Played 1-3 NL for a while. Was very lucky in that game and found myself down, so I jumped over to a Mix game with LV Michael, Yappy Dave, and a dealer from Caesars I believe- if my mind hasn't gone. Had a blast playing everything from royal holdem, to a version of omaha low where we had three flops, 2 turns, and one river. I ended up down about $300 for the night, but like I said the mixed game was a blast as I ended up staying until 5:30am.
On Thursday I got up in time to play the Noon tourny at the Venetian. It had 34 players- I busted out 16th. Nothing that really sticks out on this one. I was getting short stacked and made a move at the wrong time. After the tourny- took a cab over to MGM. I ended up playing 1/2 NL for a while- made $200 playing 1/2 NL in about 2 hours. Very easy game to make money money on. By far the players are the weakest in this room. The only drawback is the lack of money in play at a 1/2 NL game. I ended up playing the 6pm tourny at MGM. I have had great success in that tourny- mostly due to weak players in it. I had built up my stacks and was the table leader rather quickly. When the tables got down to two tables- I lost most of my stack when I lost races with shorter stacks. Money oes in pre-flop- I had AJ vs A4- guy spikes a 4. Same thing happens again and I'm short. I get knocked 11th. They had about 45 players. They added an ante since the last time I played, and the blinds get out of control fast. After the tourny I played 1/2 NL for a while- made another $100 or so. Would have been about $250 but lost a pot when I fired three shells into a pot with AK- I forgot where I was and that the players were not capable of folding their bottom pair of 3's. Thursday results put me down about $450 for the trip.
Friday and Saturday I stayed at the Wynn using their poker room rate. The Wynn is my favorite places to play cash games. I end up playing about 15-16 hours between the two days over 5-6 sessions of 1/3 NL and 2/5 NL. The best session was Friday night at 1/3NL- $800 profit. I hade one bad session at 2/5- lost about $550. Overall I made a profit of about of about $600.
On Saturday afternoon, I took a break from the Wynn and went to TI and played some 1/3 NL. It was an action afternoon and produced some of the most interesting hands of the trip. I had KK cracked right out of the gate. Then I have AA cracked one a guy hit top two on the flop (QJ). In another hand I have 8-9- Flop was 10,7, and I believe the last card was either a 3 or 4. Two diamonds on board. Three of us in the hand (LV Michael, myself, and another guy). Turn was a 9 I believe. and a Jack came on the river. We had about $200- $250 in the pot on the river- LVM bets $30, I actually raised it to $130, the other guy calls, and LVM pushes in. I actuslly thought someone in this hand had the monster (KQ of diamonds and made a monster hand). I had about $150 behind and ended up foldng- mistake and I was sick to see when the other guy called with A8, that LV only had two pair.
At this point I'm down about $500 or so- not a good session. Then the next interesting pot happened- Splash pot at our table- One guy raises to $15, LVM calls, as do I, and I believe about 3 or 4 others do. Flop comes Q,10,4- rainbow- I'm holding Q,10. First guy bets $100, LVMichael makes it $200, and I go all-in for my $450. The players behind me all fold. First guy folds. I try to talk LV off the hand, but with how much is out there he makes the call- I end up winning the pot and the $25 from the splash pot. It ended up bringing me up a little. Lost a little bit over the next hour and ended up breaking even. It was an action table.
On Sunday I stayed at Bellagio. Played 2/5 NL twice and ended up down about $150 (UP $350 in the first session, down $500 in the next).
I was card dead in the second session- I did manage not to lose my stack when I had pocket 10's on a flop of 4,2,2. I was on the button and raised it to $40 after 3-4 players limped in. I got two callers and then that flop hit. I bet out $80. One player acted very strange and ened up just calling. Other player folds. Turn is a K- check, check. River is an A- check, check- the guy flips over pocket 4's. In the session where I made money- the key hand was when I was holding Q,10. Pre flop raise by one of the blinds who was being pretty agressive to $25- 3 callers. Flop was J,9,rag. He bets out $80, and I didn't think it hit him- I go all-in for $260- both players fold, and this guy goes in the tank. He either puts me on j,9 or q,10- he finally makes tha call with AK. Turn was a 10, river was a rag.
On Monday I had to go back to the Wynn to pick up my Football winnings (Good weekend for sports betting- profit). I ende up playing 1/3 NL for about 6-7 hours. I was completely card dead in a non-action game- I ended up losing about $300 in the game. Got beat on one and where I had broadway, where the A,K,Q of spades were on the board and I was holding the 10 of spades, to someone holding 7,2 of spades- nice.
I ended up down for the trip due to my lack of cashing at the tourny, but it was close.
Overall a good trip. It was good to meet the TI staff, Yappy Dave. Hopefully I will get back for another short weekend trip this fall- I seem to do well picking footabll games.
I was so glad to meet you too! Again, I still can't believe that I didn't make the connection to you being a non-local! As I had posted previously in the TI thread, by the sound of your posts that I have read regarding the rooms you have played in here in Vegas, your thoughts and feelings seem only as accurate as a local would put them, and so I guess I just always assumed you were...which probably makes you one helluva poker player
! Hope to see you on a future trip! Take Care! 
It was nice meeting you, and playing alongside you. Danette shares my sentiments that you do carry yourself very well at the table, and your knowledge of the Vegas poker scene is quite impressive for a non local.
@Clem2754
One correction on this hand, though. I was the preflop raiser. I did not flat call another person's raise.
This hand is actually part and parcel to the reason why I personally detest splash pots. I am not saying that you would have mucked Q10os had it not been a splash pot, as you were in position, and the call can be justified whether it is a splash pot or not, however, the third player fully admitted that he would never have called PF had it not been a splash pot. His action altared my play of the hand, and I do firmly believe that though you would have won the hand either way, the fact that it was a splash pot cost me more then the same hand would have had it not been. This is not the first time it has, and it will not be the last, until the God forsaken things go away at the end of Sept.
I do stand corrected. One of the blinds called so you were first to act in the hand- sorry 50 hours of poker can sometimes blur the week.
I agree with you- the splash pot will bring more action into that particular hand, which is something you didn't need considering your position, and hand. The underdog hands seem to win a lot during that sessions as I had pocket Kings and Aces cracked.
Thanks for the comments. I had the good fortune of spending about 3 months in Vegas last year for work, which allowed me my fair share of Vegas poker and I basically know what rooms are best suited for my game. TI is a very good room and I plan on playing in it during future Vegas trips.