I imagine few of you know the largest Ultimate Frisbee tournament in the world is held in Vegas. After missing it for years, I finally got there this year, and the Cornell team made it also. I played for the Cornell team that went to the Nationals in '79, which would be like making the final table of the WSOP in '79. Fewer than 500 teams competed nationally overall back then.

I got a room at the Tropicana, tried the $20 trick and got a "suite". Just 1 bed. Great. But it had a couch, and lots of floor space for the college kids. And it was walking distance to MGM. Stocked the room with chips and beer, and it's off to play!

First night is at MGM 1/2, I buy in for $100, and I'm up to $180 when this hand arrives. Villain ($150) sat down to my right, has been tight, and limps UTG. I look down at AA. I toss out a $5 and say "Make it 5". The way the table had been, I figured CO or button would be re-raising, and I could then come over the top. I had been tight enough that a big raise from me would scream QQ+, AK. I then look away in my clever "I'm not interested" mode, and when I return my attention to the table, I am shocked to see everyone LIMPING for $2! Anything I say now will just telegraph the strength of my hand, so I just shut up. When it comes around to the BB, I say "was there a raise?" and V,(UTG) says "(I thought there was but) gee I guess not". So it's a limped pot of ~$15 and we see a flop of 8s7c2c. Checked to me I bet $15, only V calls. Turn is 5h. V checks. I bet $40, V calls. River is 9c, making board 8s7c2c5h9c. V bets $85. It is the first post flop bet he has made. This line usually indicates extreme strength, I fold my AA faceup. We became friends later, and he told me he had KK. I'm telling this story not so much for the analysis value, but for the interesting story we were able to reconstruct:

V had been tight, so he was planning a big limp-reraise with his KK. He was very glad when he heard me say "Make it 5", because now he could now snap off all the $5 callers with a bigger raise, obviously. V watched with horror as my raise went unnoticed and he did not have the chance to reraise. He said he was hoping to get it all in with anyone, and I would have obliged of course. So I managed to find a way to lose a nice pot holding AA when KK is to my right and willing to get it all in and the board misses us both!!! If the "Make it 5" is heard by the dealer (I was in seat 8), then it's all going in and I take his stack, he agreed. I feel like an idiot. And this can only happen at a 1/2 table, since 2/5 tables seldom use $25 chips. And yes, I praised him for his river bet that won the pot. Normally I would expect KK to show there just for the comedy value, but I don't doubt he had KK, since we discussed the hand for hours and he had no reason to keep lying.

Next morning over to Mirage 1/2, where LVMichael is 2 seats to my right ( I've never played at his table!). Soon I am in BB with 88 and it is limped (LVM limps along too) a few times and I check my option. Flop is K22r. I check and it checks around. Turn is an 8. I toss out $10, hoping someone could find a reason to call, hoping to build something for me to win. Alas, everyone folds and I'm not happy. I'm out a orbit later when my AQ A5 on a board of AK9 Turn is 3. I'm a luckbox.

Mandalay Bay on the way to airport
I manage to finish up for the trip when I go +200 at 1/2. Wacky play. With my AQ there is a 4-way all in, flop is KJT, nice. I soon have the big stack at the table, and I am able to pick up a few pots when my cbets win regularly. It's nice to be the big stack. I usually play short-stacked, but it's great when the table is afraid of you. Again, my final Vegas session puts me in the black. I think I must concentrate a little more on my final session.