Whole lot of POKER!
Hello fellow AVP'rs. If you saw a big loud mouth dude with a goatee and Harley Davidson T-shirt playing last week at MGM - that was probably me.
Fell into town mid day on Saturday 2 May after flying non-stop from Norfolk, VA.
The plan: Celebrate anniversary with Wife on Sunday, pick up Mother-in-Law at the airport Monday, and play a ton of poker after that (through Friday). Bankroll for gambling six nights - $6000. My game: No limit cash / lower limits (no tourney's). Results: Winner!
The trip: Decided to stay at Southpoint due to reviews on Trip Advisor. Turned out to be a good move as the rooms were quite decent. Ended up paying an average of about $50 per night for six nights (not bad considering I was using two rooms after Monday). Rented two cars for convenience. Saw three shows (Jersey Boys, Carrot Top, and La Reve). All highly recommended.
The poker: Started at SP Perry's playground on Saturday. Southpoint was (as expected) loaded with locals. Very tight players waiting for hands and a few tourists. I got impatient and started playing crap, bluffing, usual stuff that rarely works against tight/good players and end up down about $100 after 3-4 hours. No big deal, I can handle that for a first day's loss - chalking it up to jet-lag and excitement about being back in Vegas.
The rest of the week I go into automatic mode. I have vowed not to play any sessions longer than 8-10 hours (and I actually stick to this). My mode of operandi is as follows: play poker from 2 A.M. until 7/8 A.M., have breakfast with wife, short nap, poker from 1 pm until dinner, meet wife for dinner, do a show, and then sleep from about 10 PM until 1 or 2 A.M. This proves to work perfect for the entire week.
I end up playing almost exclusively at MGM (mostly 1/2 NL). Have a fantastic time by the way. The one day I played 2/5 I bought in for $500. Go card dead for several hours and finally decide to gamble when I flop a nut flush draw. Situation is right for me to move in (about $350) on nothing but the draw (and Ace high - which I know is no good). I don't hit the flush and re-buy for another $500. Work it up to about $600 before going on a 20 minute rush. Cash out for $1150. That is my last foray into 2/5.
South Point Poker room: I attempt to play at South Point a few times but they are doing construction and I just don't feel like dealing with that noise while playing. Sorry Mr. Perry but: The room was noisy, hot, and full of solid locals. I'm looking for drunks, tourists, bad players, and personal comfort.
Wynn: Thursday I head to the Wynn to pick up tickets for La Reve and decide to play a few hours there. WOW - it's a shark den (which I find way more amusing than intimidating). There are several games going including a 75/150 Horse game (short handed). I sit down at 1/3 and after some verbal banter with the locals - they are completely confused on how I play. I have a few convinced that I have no idea what I'm doing, the others are skeptical at best. I go to super tight mode and finally wake up with QQ in EP. I raise to $15, MP makes it $75 (it's hard for me to put him on a hand as I've only been there for about 15 minutes), folds back to me and I push all in for about $250. We both table Queens and chop the pot. I would have loved to have doubled up and hit the door as I was only killing time anyway. Oh well. I end up leaving up about $50 20 or 30 minutes later.
MGM: What can you say? This place rocks. If you are a solid NL player, you will win money here. The management is fantastic and the drink service is top-notch.
Notes of interest from my time at MGM: Most interesting had to be the late night blow up of an extremely drunk player. This was REALLY strange and funny - and could have easily ended up with me going to jail. I'm not involved in the hand but the drunk get's all of his $60 or $80 all in against another player. Turn brings an Ace which makes Mr. Drunk very happy, but also gives his opponent a straight. Pot get's pushed to Mr. Drunk's opponent. We move on (or so I think). About 2-3 minutes later the table lifts up about 2 feet (enough so that chips from my stack and the player to my left fall on the floor). I'm like what the hell (didn't say hell though). Drunk dude has stood up and is staring straight at the guy who won the pot. The Dealer is REALLY passive. Floor comes over and says "is there a problem". Nobody says anything, so I say ..."UM, yes there is". At this point Mr. Drunk forgets about losing the pot and focuses on me. He is three seats to my right and starts to walk toward me. I'm like, F this, I'm not letting this jack-ass hit me while I'm sitting down, so I stand up (I'm 5'10 / 250 lbs so not exactly small). Fortunately, the idiot doesn't swing at me, because if he did, I'm probably going to jail - there is no way I'm going to let him hit me (and I'm carrying a knife by the way). Anyway, security finally arrives, I'm not sure if they were taking a dump or eating donuts, but it took them several minutes to arrive. They escort Mr. Drunk out and this little episode is talked about/joked about for the next two days!
Played with some very good players at MGM. Ran into at least one known AVP'r (he said he doesn't post much - we did have a good time though). One hand of note that comes to mind is where I'm in MP with KQ off suit. V1 and myself each have about $300 (he has position on me). Flop brings me an open ended straight and an over card. Turn brings a King. I bet out $75 (about pot sized), he moves in. Folds back to me, and I lay it down thinking at best he's already made his straight, and we are going to chop even if I hit. He show's KQ also - oh well, still a good lay down for me.
Played Craps and Blackjack daily. Hit and run strategy. Won $500 going out the door while playing Blackjack at new Hotel "M". Also won over $300 on craps during Wife and Mother-in-Law virgin rolls.
Ended up somewhere around $1500 for the week (poker/BJ/Craps). Only had that one losing session first night at poker. Traded money back and forth at Blackjack or probably would be up closer to up $2000.
Sorry not more details on hands. Time kind of runs together.
Summary: It was really good to play poker against quality players as you can move away from an ABC game to incorporting more bluffs/semi-bluffs. I was able to change gears multiple times during the same session. This strategy normally goes completely un-noticed at games with less experienced players. The better players actually could lay down hands which was a nice change.
Hope you guys enjoyed reading. If we happened to be at the same table last week. Please throw a post back. Would be interested in comments concerning my play. Thanks.
See you at the tables!
'there is no way I'm going to let him hit me (and I'm carrying a knife by the way).'
This does not sit well with your username
Why are you carrying a knife to the poker table??
@larfingravy
I'm guessing it was only because he didn't have a gun permit.
was really interested in your story until the knife carrying confession....then i stopped reading thinking what a complete loser...carrying a knife with intent.....dick
Of course it took security several minutes to get to the poker room...MGM is huge. It takes an hour to walk from the parking garage to the poker room (ok, not an hour, maybe 10 minutes...but its really far). As for bringing a knife to a poker room, this is absolutely retarded. Its a casino, not some illegal underground poker game held in someone's basement.
@jetty
um... intent?
To be fair to loosecannon, lots of people carry knives around with them everyday. I doubt he was carrying sheathed, serrated, Rambo knife. It was probably a pocket knife. My grandfather has carried the same pocket knife for over 50 years. I've carried the same pocket knife with me for almost 6 years. I use it daily at work, and have used it many times while out and about (always for good, never evil). I've grown so accustomed to carrying it, that I almost feel "naked" without it in my pocket. While I don't carry it for protection, I would not hesitate to pull it out if I thought I was going to receive a beat down (and I would get beat up, I've only been in one fight in my life, and lost badly).
Great report Cannon, not sure how you get your wife to buy off on such a trip but I am glad for you that you did.
@jetty
The point at which you lost interest is exactly the point at which I thought the trip report was getting good. Great report Cannon! Enjoyed it.
To the Mods, I hope you all don't let members like Jetty foul up AVP with juvenile insults and name calling. Calling LC the names that Jetty did I hope crosses the line of acceptable discourse at AVP.
To Jetty: Your post is a classic example of the pot calling the kettle black. I have no issue with you disagreeing or taking LC to task, but have some class.
The "knife" was given to me from friends during my retirement from the U.S. Navy. The blade is 2 inches long - ooohh lookout "he's armed!". Mr. Jetty's comment made me laugh (same with Maui) - and yes, if I could carry a handgun in - I probably would. Whole different thread on protection needed here for the sheeps and wolves - so I'll digress. Mello Ace hit it on the head - I carry that knife for sentimental reasons. Trust me, I have no "intent" on using it. I enjoy life out of prison too much.
Buckeye - my wife knows I love to play cards. She knew long before we got on the plane that she would barely see me (which is why I flew her Mom in to keep her company). It was an excellent trip overall with good eating (Bellagio Olives), a Grand Canyon trip for her and the MIL, and several trips to the Spa (for them). I also bankrolled their gambling for quite a bit (amount to remain undisclosed).
I'm glad most of you enjoyed my week long exploits. I had a blast and I think others at the table did also. We had a ton of fun!
great report, but come on a 2" blade that's not a knife
That's a knife
Nothing perks up a boring poker room like someone getting shanked.
I've worked electric utility construction for 32 years and have carried a knife everyday, haven't stabbed anyone yet.
Here in our local poker room, years back, an older guy at the next table over was acting very strange and I couldn't tell if it was an act or he was really psycho or chemically enhanced. After taking a bad beat he opens his shirt, pulls out a small pocket knife and tells the dealer "...you've cut out my heart..." and lightly slashes himself across the chest. Dealer calls floor, female supervisor asks what's up, dealer says player showed a weapon and cut himself. Security arrives, tells the guy to stand up, guy looks down and doesn't answer, security jerks him to his feet and pulls a .32 auto out of one of his pockets and a pint of whiskey from another. Off to Indian jail. Good times.
I personally will never get into a fight at a casino. It would cost me too much money to be barred. If you want to fight, I guess I will let you hit me once and then see how much I can cry while laying on the floor, it has to be a great performance to increase my bankroll. By the way, I am 6'4" and 285.
As far as brandishing weapons at poker games...I got a call about a game that was an hour a way on a Saturday. It was a tourney, $150-$200 buy-in I don't really recall and it was in the back room of a poker store. Everything seemed fine when I walked in. Several types of people from all walks of life. About an hour into the game, some guys at the table start talking about games getting robbed. One guy says, well surely one of the two judges in the room could handle that. So I am thinking, good we don't have to worry about law enforcement busting this game. Then a guy says, I think I can solve the problem better than him and pulls out a pistol from his pants and sets it on the table. One of the judges, two seats from me, says I like the way you think and sets his 9 mm on the table!
Look, I am all for not being robbed, but if it comes to you taking my bankroll or whatever money I have in my pocket vs taking my life, you can have my money. All I need is for some trigger happy old man to start shooting and getting me shot in the process. I upped the aggressiveness of my game and suprisingly was all-in bad within the next 10 minutes. I proceeded to thank them all for allowing me to play, and I drove my happy butt back home. I now only stick to casinos or home games in good neighborhoods.
Hey dude just came off a 3 day bender that included some MGM poker- just wondering if I was that other AVPer. (Stocky, glasses, drunk as hell) Have only vague recollections but good report regardless...
Very Nice
The rest of the week I go into automatic mode. I have vowed not to play any sessions longer than 8-10 hours (and I actually stick to this). My mode of operandi is as follows: play poker from 2 A.M. until 7/8 A.M., have breakfast with wife, short nap, poker from 1 pm until dinner, meet wife for dinner, do a show, and then sleep from about 10 PM until 1 or 2 A.M. This proves to work perfect for the entire week.
Just wanted to add that I really liked the idea of having a fairly set schedule especially if ur going to be in Vegas for over a week. I think I may try to incorporate this into my longer trips from now on.
yeah, so..... remembered very little about that night but after seeing this, things began to come back to me. Holy Mother, did I really say those things? ALL those things?
It's understandable to carry a knife (even a 2") in your hometown for safety or even as a habit, but the OP travelled to Vegas for a vacation from Virginia. He had to have packed it in his checked in baggage to get it there and then wear it once he got there. Thus, all the excuses of "always carry a knife" and "it's sentimental" go out the door. The poster that said that he had "intent" is spot on. No other reason to carry a knife, but with the intent to use it with the minimum reason. I'm sure that if an equivalent scene happened outside the casino, he would have taken out the knife from his pocket and threaten the drunk.
OP...you have your 2nd amendment rights, but your attitude sucks. It's because of people like you that the government will start encroaching on our rights.
Next time you go on a trip, have the common sense to leave your toys at home.
My attitude sucks? I have intent to use a weapon? Wow - some of you are so way off base it isn't even funny, or perhaps it is comical in a weird way. Take a step back and stop being so judgemental with very little facts about me and my life. I mentioned the knife in the OP to add color to the story. I was VERY laid back during the drunk's blow up. Stabbing or cutting him didn't even come into my mind. In fact, I have never thought (seriously) about stabbbing anyone - EVER.
I travel on business 6-10 weeks out of the year. I pack that little knife almost every time I travel (I carried a different small pocket knife before I got this one). I'd carry it in my pocket on the plane if the TSA allowed it - and no, it wouldn't be to "threaten the crew" if I got upset that I didn't get a drink fast enough or whatever cock-a-mamy delusion someone is going to come up with.
I spent 21 years in the Navy and have been to some of the best AND crappiest places on Earth. I've pulled a knife out (in anger/self-defense)...let me see, ummmmm NEVER. By the way I still work for the USN in a field directly related to the war on terrorism.
Some of you need to get a life.
On a lighter note, I'm up about $300 in two sessions since returning home!