Vegas Trip - Day 6

Woke up on Sunday morning and actyper informed me that he already booked a flight flying out that evening as he just didn't feel well, leading to him lacking the concentration required to play decent poker which meant he made the decision to go home early. As my plan was to stay until July 10th, I had to find a few places to crash for a few nights. Considered going back to Watt's place, but decided to quick around for rates before contacting him. Quicked Expedia.ca and found Harrah's for about $50 a night, and actyper mentioned that by staying at a Harrah's property, he has received coupons for free nights once in awhile, so I decided to booked Harrah's for 3 nights as the cab ride to/from Watts' house would be in that price range anyways - except now I'll be dead centre by the strip, and with my plans to play at the Venetian/Caesar's Palace for the last 2 days, both properties were walking distance which allows me to save on cab fare as well.

I spent the late morning/early afternoon wandering around the south end of the strip (Mandalay Bay, Excalibur, Luxor, MGM Grand and New York New York), and proceeded to take the Monorail for the first time up to the north end of the strip (Stratosphere, Sahara, Circus Circus) just to say I've been there as there is really nothing there. Eventually made my way back to the room at Mandalay Bay to pack up my stuff to check-in at Harrah's.

During my check-in, I plannned to attempt the $20 trick* which failed as the front desk attendent was a new hire as she had a supervisor assisting her through the check-in process. Despite my plan being foiled, I left the $20 as a tip as my request for a complimentary upgrade was granted - despite the fact the upgrade was merely from a standard room with no view to a strip view standard room. I passed out on my bed for a couple of hours and was woken up by my growling stomach as I haven't ate anything all day. I decided to walk over to the Bellagio buffet, but to my dismay, the line was beyond long and I settled with going to the buffet at the Rio's (which was also excellent by the way) to use the $10 coupon actyper left for me. On my way out of the Bellagio, it was quite a scenery with lots of eye candy at the theatre entrance to the Cirque du Soleil show "O" - I will have to watch that show on my return trip in the not-too-distant future.

After filling my stomach at the Rio buffet, I headed over to the Venetian to play some poker - try to satellite into the $330 tournament tomorrow and to play some cash game. Sat down at the first available $80 satellite which pays 2 seats into tomorrow's tournament and played exactly 0 hands until my bust out hand.

Down to 5 players and my stack dwindled down to t1200~ with blinds at 75-150.

Preflop: Villain in the CO raised to 450, and I looked down at AJss. With the blinds about to go up to 100-200, I decided to make a stand right here and moved all in for 1200~. I figured I am at worst racing against this villain (unless I get unlucky and he wakes up with a hand) as he has been pretty active since the table got short-handed. He counts out his chips and commented "You haven't played a hand all tournament, but I'm getting too good of a price to call, I hope I'm at least racing" while throwing his chips into the pot and turns over 99.

Flop comes Ks Qx 8s - pretty good flop for my hand now with 2 overcards + flush draw + straight draw

Turn is a Qx which gives me even more outs if the board double pairs.

River was a 9c which gave villain a bit of a scare, but I lose the race and decided to just go to the cash game as I wasn't planning to stay too much longer and it looked like the next satellite won't fill for another 30-45 minutes.

After my bust-out, I proceeded to buy-in to tomorrow's tournament directly, and put my name down for the 1/2NL max 300 game. My name was called shortly after as they simply put my name down as a phone-in while I played the satellite. The 1-2NL cash game table I proceeded to sit in was the most pain I've had playing poker in my life. It was the slowest, most loose passive game I've ever played in, but the players were so bad that I would've killed myself leaving the game while there were so much money on the table for my taking.

About 2 orbits in I play my first interesting hand and win my first big pot.

Hand 1:
2 limpers, and MP raises to $10, 3 callers and I call OTB with A10ss. Blinds call as well as the limpers.

Flop: 10 8 2

Checks original raiser who checks, and the player next to act (MP+1) bet $30 with about $150 behind. CO calls $30 with about $100 behind, and I raise to $200 and MP+1 thinks for a bit and calls, CO also calls unwillingly.

Turn: 8

River: 3

I turn over my hand and MP+1 shows Q10, and CO shows QJ. My stack skyrockets to $800~

Hand 2:
Some history about UTG - he likes limping, alot, even with big hands. Plays a pretty weak, tight, intimidated style. He limped behind with a hand like JJ in LP, and minraises the flop with an overpair, and checked turn and river with a Q hits the turn. With that in mind, on to the hand.

My stack: $800~ UTG's stack: $250~I am in the SB with A6o.

UTG limps, along with 2 others, I complete and BB checks.

Flop: A K 3

I lead for $10, BB folds, UTG calls, others fold

Turn: 6

I bet $25, UTG min-raises to $50, and I thought about just jamming here. But with his tendencies and playing style, I don't think he's raising here with just TP, and his range is really just AK, KK, 33, 66 IMO. My hand was too good to just fold, so I called the $25 and plan to muck if he makes a big bet on the river.

River: 2

I checked intending to fold to a big bet, but he bets $25. I couldn't fold, and pays off his AK

Nothing really happens for the next 2 hours. Players were really loose with calling down, and I simply didn't get any hands where I can extract any type of value from it. I essentially limped 60% of the pot, raised 20% of the pot (was pretty card dead during that time), and folded once in awhile. Any hand with playable value, connector, one-gapper, two-gapper, three-gapper, etc. The only hands I really folded were like J2, Q5, hands that were simply unplayable, and mostly when I was in EP.

2 players sat down to my right during those 2 hours, and they were probably the worst player I've seen live. Granted, I haven't really spent alot of time at the tables live, but most players at least had a slight clue about what they were doing. These two players on the other hand, had no idea. They must've played close to 100% of the pots (they got away with it as this table was so limp happy). A couple of hands to illustrate the point. 2 to my right was the lady (they were a couple), and she limped preflop with 33, hits a set on the flop, and calls a bet of $10 on the flop, $15 on the turn, and checked behind on the river OTB with a very dry board. The second hand involved the guy to my right. Limped preflop with JJ in the HJ, flopped top set, and called a bet of $15 on the flop. Turn was another J to give him quads, and he started breathing really hard. EP leads out for $25 and he min-raised and was called. River was a blank, and EP checked to the HJ who bets $40, EP check-raises to $80 and HJ CALLS(?!?!) with quads! EP turns over a boat and commented "I saw your heavy breathing, but I couldn't lay this down even if you shoved on me".

Sit around some more, limped more hands, missed more flops, and decided to call it at night at about 4am or so. I was sad to leave the table, but I also had to get some rest so I can wake up to play the tournament tomorrow. I was up 1.5x the max buy-in approx. at the end of the session, but it was probably the first time I sat at the table while playing thinking I just want to kill myself. Players routinely took more time than necessary to make the simpliest decision, and half the time players don't even its their turn to act! I've never felt so painful playing this game, not even when I ran bad earlier this trip in tournaments, or the times where I just could't win a hand online. Took the short walk from the Venetian to Harrah's, and almost fell asleep instantenously.