Vegas Poker Trip Report
I arrived at The MGM Grand during early afternoon on Friday the 14th for 7 nights of Vegas Poker action.
While waiting for my room I walked over to the The Poker Room and made myself comfortable at a 1/2NL table. I ended up spending a lot of time at the tables at the MGM and got to know the dealers and floor people during my stay. I must say that the staff was very professional exceptional at handling their duties. I can't remember even one mistake being made by the dealers or floor people.
The room is luxurious with plenty of space around all the tables. The atmosphere was fun. I ran into numerous local pros, drunks, serious table gamblers, a person who was in 14th place in the World Poker Tournament that was going on at the Bellagio and Jerry Buss the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Overall I broke out about even while playing at The MGM. A lot of tough players including pros mixed in.
Highlights: Won a Single Table tournament for $300,
Best suckout in my favor was when I had pocket AA. I raised to $12 and got 4 callers. Flop is 10d 10c 2d. I bet $40, 3 folds, and I get raised to $80. I push all in about another $150 he calls and flips over a 10, ooops thought he was on a flush draw. Turn is a rag, river A hehehe. I apologize for taking his money, he is steaming. He tells me that he wants to get his money back from me. I tell him that there are plenty of red chips at the table look elsewhere. He ends up giving me more of his chips by playing at me because he is on tilt.
Worst suckout that went against me was the first hand I’m dealt as I sit down at a table. I get AKo and bet $12. Get 3 callers and flop comes Ad Ks 6d. I bet $35 2 folds and a raise to $70. I push all-in. He raises me on the diamond draw and hits it on the river. I lose all but $15 dollars of my stack, congratulate him on his good play and rebuy hoping he continues to make that sort of call. Unfortunately that does not happen and I get stuck at that table for about $250 total.
Played at The Exacalibur a couple of times, nothing memorable there except it was a filthy old poker room with a wheel that you would spin when you got your AA cracked to win a prize of between $20 and $100. I ended up losing about $150 there.
I made a trip over to Mandalay Bay to check out the room. A few pros told me the game was good so I took a walk over. Sat down at a 2/4NL table and saw people pushing all-in during the first 5 hands after I sat down. One guy actually pushes someone off a pot with an all-in and showed down his bluff. I get 10 10 and raise to $15 and get 2 callers. flop is 9 6 3 rainbow. I bet $40, 1 fold; the guy who showed down an all-in bluff pushed me all-in. I ask for time to think about it a moment and call. He said "Good call, I didn't think you would call", I said I would not have, but I saw you show down an all-in bluff a few hands ago. He then said he did it because it was time to go to sleep. I said have a good night.
The best times I had on the trip were spent at The Bellagio. To my surprise when I walked over there one morning I found out that the World Poker Tour Championship was starting that afternoon at 12:00pm. It is a $25,000 buy-in tournament featuring the best players in the world. I make my way over to the Fontana room to see the players seated and followed Lisa as she pulls me in behind her right into the tournament. While strolling around the room I see all the top players in their seats playing including Gus Hansen, Barry Greenstein, Dan Harrington, Phil Ivey, Mike Matusow, and TJ Cloutier. I went back again the next day but was unable to get into the room. I did end up seeing more of the top players at the Poker Room. I met Doyle Brunson and told him that Super System 2 is great and shook his hand. Lisa said hello to TJ Cloutier and told him that she heard he was one of the greatest tournament players of all time. He said "I play a little". While dining at Noodles Lisa and I were seated next to Phil Helmuth and his 3 guests. I was actually somewhat intimidated about the possibility of playing at the tables in The Bellagio so I did not sit down until the last day when we were waiting for our flight out. I put my name on the list for the 2/5NL game and sat down to a new game. I didn't realize that the game had a $200 min/max buy in. I thought the buy-in was unlimited. When I sit down everyone pulls out the buy-in money and we begin. First hand I get AA raise it up to $20 get 2 callers, bet $55 on the flop, no callers. I flip over my AA maybe I should have kept that to myself. I end up tripling my buy-in playing very tight. I think that is a lesson for me. I could have won more money at The MGM but every time I was up I would loosen up my game and squander my profits. My best hand at The Bellagio was when I got QQ. I bet out $25 and get 2 callers. The flop is A Q 8. I bet $50 1 fold, the other guy raises to $100. I said "I put you all-in" while pointing at his stack of about $150 I have him covered. He calls and I throw down my girls he says "Oh No" and flips over AQ, he does not hit his A and I win a nice pot.
It was a profitable trip, It could have been more so but overconfidence at certain points resulted in loose play which cost me. Playing against pros also does not equate with big profits but I did hold my own against them and at one point I found myself at war against 5 local pros at the MGM and stacked 2 of them. They were playing at me while I was big stack at the table. One guy pushed me off a big pot and I could see trouble brewing. Good thing Lisa showed up to whisk me away to dinner so I wished them a good night and said I hoped to see them all again real soon as I stacked up my chips. I looked at them one last time and saw their sad faces which could only make me smile :)
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posted by Frank @ 8:11 AM
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