This trip was actually a few months ago but I feel it is still worth reporting. I stayed at Aladdin which is a pretty nice hotel for the price. I worked out my flight so that I would be able to maximize my poker time. I am primarily a cash game player but I did play two tournaments on this trip.
I played most of my poker in the MGM room. Its got a good amount of TV's scattered throughout the room and the poker managers will usually find a specific game that you want to watch. I work for the Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) and so they were able to find my team. I started out the night playing the $125 buy-in 6pm tourney. It’s a decent tournament for the first hour or so but it turns into an all in fest after two hours. Some of the worst players play these tournaments. They make plays that only lead to disaster, like pushing all in UTG with 99 and the blinds at are 100/200 and he’s got 3000 in chips. He's only getting called when he's beat, and he was when I called with KK. I got a big stack early and used it to win several small pots. Got to the final table and we chopped 4 ways but I took first place money at $1450. So the week is off to a good start. I chopped the same tournament the next night 5 ways for $550 a piece.
Now the fun. 2/5 no limit at the MGM. I bought in for $400. For about a couple of hours I built it up by winning a number of small/medium pots and I have about $800 when this hand took place. I'm UTG the fun with 22 and I limp in. To my left makes it $20 to go. The entire table calls and I can’t be reraised out. So I call and it comes Kh2c6c. I bet $100 one guy raises all in for $250 and another guy cold calls. Turn brings a Qh. I go all in for a little over $500 and get called by the other guy. First all in had nut flush draw and other guy had KQ...river was a blank and I took down a 2K pot. The guy with KG was out to get me and we meet up the next for a memorable hand. Day 1 I leave MGM to go to bed at 7am and I was up 3K on the day.
Day 2 it’s back to the MGM for more 2/5 no limit. I buy in for the same $400 and go to work. The KG guy was there and he was still trying to pick me off. He called nearly all of my raises and he did run me down. I flopped top two pair and he called $300 on the turn with a flush draw and hit it. So I rebought and I was in the big blind on the next hand. I quickly look down and saw AA. So immediately I started mumbling and grumbling about the last bad beat hand. I'm selling tilt really well. So that guy is on the button and he raises $25. I take a quick look and slam down $100, I'm hoping he's actually got a hand and he'll think I'm steaming. He calls. The flop is (and I am totally not kidding) AQQ. I can’t slow play because he'll figure something out. I slam out another $100. He calls. The turn is a blank. I go all in for $200 more and he calls so proudly and turns over KQ. The look on his face was priceless when he saw the AA.
My favorite player came in the poker room around Midnight. He had probably 5 grand on him and it was burning a hole in his pocket. He has $500 in from of him and goes all in UTG to win 7 bucks except someone called him with 88 (dumb call really but it worked since that guy literally had 72o) His girlfriend comes down from the room and tries to get him to leave and we all trying to shoo her away. There one hand that I will remember the rest of my life. The Fish just got done losing an all in pot and I pick up QQ UTG. I make it $30 to go and get two callers and he's on the button. He is literally receiving a full rack of red and grabs a $100 stack and puts it in. I've about $1600 and I make a full $500. (normally I would consider his bet if he was normal but he's donked off about 3K up to this point). He just slides the rest of the chips, still in the rack to the middle of the table. He turns over Q7o and I have QQ. I win easily. Day 2 I finish the exact number as the first day, another 3K.
Day 3 I play at Bellagio 2/5 no limit and break even. I made one great play when I re-raised a guy on the flop with 44 and I thought he had over cards. He called with K10 no pair no draw and I won a decent pot. I ran into some coolers as the night wore on so there wasn't any profit.
Bellagio is like being at Fenway Park, its more ambiance than actually being a great room to play. It’s cramped and I don’t like the seats.
So I finished the trip plus $6K and paid off the rest of my student loans when I got back. I'm going back in May...cant wait...maybe the guy will still be there donating...probably not, but I can wish cant I????