Vegas Trip Day 4 - July 4th

July 4th, Independence Day - the hotel as well as the strip was packed with people. Woke up and went over to Venetian to try to satellite last minute into the $1K event. Woke up pretty early and had a quick breakfast before going to the Venetian. Got in to the last or second last satellite with a $240 buy-in and pays top 2 with seat + a bit of cash. t2000 to start with 25-50 blinds at 15 minutes blind level.

Folded for the first 30 - 45 minutes, and just started push-botting. I only knocked out 1 player with AK > AQ when we were 5 handed, but the eventual other winner was just getting smacked in the face with the deck, and he was winning races from both side, sucking out with hands like A10 > AJ, and winning 40/60. And then I am in playing the $1000 Venetian event.

Started at table 49 seat 6 (I think its 49 anyways). Not my favourite seat as it is in the middle of the table so I have to turn my head alot to observe the table. t15000 stacks to start at 25-50.

Table started pretty loose passive, and I just limped along, or cold-called a couple of raises in LP with suited connectors/PP and stack a player or two. I simply missed everything and bled down a bit but nothing of note happened until halfway into the second level.

My stack: t13000~, Villain's stack: t18000~. Blinds 50-100 I am in the BB with AKss

Preflop: 4 limpers to villain in the CO whom raises to t800, I re-raise to t2800, all the limpers fold and villain insta-calls.

Flop: K J 10

I bet 4000 with my TPTK, and villain thinks for around 30 seconds and announces all-in. I think this hand over and the only hand in his range that I beat is KQ, everything else that he could've called the reraise preflop with beats my AK. I fold and my stack is down to around t7000~. Villain later tells me had flopped a set with JJ.

After that hand I went card dead until the last orbit before the first break.

Blinds 100-200. My stack: t6500~, Button's stack: t18000~, BB's stack: t15500. Hero is UTG+2 with JJ

Preflop: I raise to 600, and is called by the button and BB.

Flop: 9 6c 3c

I bet 1300, button raises to 3500 almost instantly after my put my bet out, and BB goes in the tank. BB thinks for around a minute and announces all-in. This pretty much means my JJ is beat so I fold. Button snap-calls with 66 and BB turns over 98cc

Turn 7

River K

BB is eliminated and hero is getting short.

The blinds get by and with around 5 minutes level to the first break, I get involved again.

Blinds 100-200. My stack: t3950, BB's stack: t20000+. Hero is on the button with AQo

3 limpers to me and I was debating between shoving or raising to something like t1200 and getting it in on any flop. I decide that shoving and even gaining 1000 in chips isn't bad, better than getting a bad flop and getting the rest of my chips in bad.

So I shove for 3950, and BB calls. 3 limpers fold and I'm racing against 1010.

Flop K 9 4

Turn 3

River J

I wish everyone good luck and decided to head over to Caesar's Palace and have a late lunch.

After the buffet, I was deciding what to do for the evening, with fireworks planned at Mandalay Bay, Caesar's Palace and probably the Rio. Sent a few text messages around and it appears I'll be heading to the Sapphire Pool at Rio in the evening, so it was time to play some cash game to kill the afternoon.

Got on the list for 1-3 NL 500 max at Caesar's, and was about 10 names down the list. They were just opening a new table of 4-8 Limit so I planned to play until my name is called for the 1-3. The 4-8 game started running and it felt like I was back at Brantford again. Guys were calling 3, 4 bets preflop with hands like QJ, and each hand were 6-7 players to the flop. There were a couple of players who were involved in close to 100% of the hands preflop, and would call down if they hit any part even if its just bottom pair. The player in seat 10 ran super hot when he ran a $100 buy-in up to close to $400 within 1 hour...K7 beating KQ with he hits a 7 on the river, hitting his flush/gut shot, etc. He proceeded to lose the $400 in the next 2 hours and was busto before dinner. By some sort of miracle, I managed to get the table to agree to play with a half kill and the table loosened up even more. I was called for the 1-3 NL game but I decided that this game was probably a better game anyways so I stayed on this table. Players were playing ATC just to protect their "leg-up", and pots were easily over $150 by showdown. Unfortunately I just couldn't get any of my big hands to hold up - AA went down in flames to AK with K high flop and he went runner runner flush, set loses to flush draw, stuff like that. I'm not telling them like bad beat stories, just simply reporting the stuff that was happening. Somehow I managed to win a pretty big pot with AA vs. KK on the half kill hand to bring me back to about even for the day - first time I've left the table down playing limit for the past 15 sessions or so of BCC play.

During my table play, BlondeFish came by and told me he had an extra invite to Everest's Exclusive Party at Pure, and thus my changing my original plan from the Sapphire Pool to the party at Pure. I mean - catered-meal, open-bar, July-4th on the Pure Patio, what more can you ask for? Props for Everest for putting on this party as it was a blast. One of the bartenders introduced a drink called "Salute" to me, and it was a great drink. Pineapple juice mixed with some other alcohol - it was a perfect drink for a summer night. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find the recipe for the drink yet...and other bartenders at the other night clubs/bars have never even heard of that drink. Anyways, the Everest party was from 7-10, afterward the club was open to us to spend the night. Big thanks to BlondeFish for handing me that invite from Everest, as the line outside Pure that night was crazy.

I went to the Sports Book for a bit in between parties as I wanted to watch the ending of the crazy Colorado Rockies-Florida Marlins game which ended with the final score of 18-17. For those that have never been to Caesar's Palace, Pure nightclub is located between the Sports Book and the Pussycat Dolls lounge, right beside the Poker Room. There is quite a large waiting area that is setup for the evening, and there must've been at least 300-400 patrons waiting in line by 9pm, and the club doesn't even open until 10pm! By the time 1130 came around, the club was full of people with the exception of the VIP areas. Some tables were filled but 2/3 or so were still empty. It wasn't until 1 or so until the party picked up and most/all of the tables were filled. There were many gorgeous ladies at the party, and drinks weren't cheap. Oh wells.

I stumbled back to the hotel at around 2 that night - still early by Vegas standards but I decided to call it a night early as tomorrow is a pretty big day with the UFC Fight.