02 January 2010

The 12 Days Of Vegas Pt:1

Vegas day 1

After a day of traveling around the world, arriving in sin city at midnight I opted for a good night sleep. Downtown was so different during the day time yet as soon as you enter a casino you could only tell the time by close observation of the flow of punters chancing their luck. Around 10 am I arrived at the poker room in Binions after sampling the “legendry Binions Cheese Burger” for my breakfast. I sat down on the only $1/$2 NLH there were two other tables in full flow both were $2/$4 LH I decided not to go too crazy and opted for $100 buy-in. After 3hrs I walked away with $311 and the only hand that sticks out was with an old man who looked as new as the carpet and as stubborn as the dirt that lies within.
After about 50mins I was in mid position with 10,10 and the old timer was the small blind. Everyone had folded to me I raised to the standard raise of $12, it was my first raise on this table. I got 4 callers.

Flop - 7d, 6h, 2c

The old timer bet out $25. I min raised and he called whilst everyone else folded


Turn – 8s

The OT checked, I went as to move all-in and he shoved all his chips across the line before I could do anything so, with a quick glance at the dealer and no need for any communication I knew it was still for me to act, so I checked.


Final card – 9c

OT checks, I move all-in and he folds muttering how I lucked out on him. He gets up and leaves the table before the next hand.
In hindsight I think he was angle shooting hoping that I would not bet and so I wish I’d have called him.

Vegas Day 2

I pop along to Binions the next day to try my chance at the tournament. They have 4 each day at 10am, 1pm, 6pm and 10pm. The two 10 o’clock games were 4000 with blinds at 15mins for the first hour then going to 20min blinds thereafter. And were $60 the other two tournaments were $100 and started with 10,000 chips 20 min blinds expanding to 30min after the first hour. We ended up having 27 runners and I ebbed and flowed until the final table where I had a few good hands in succession to become one of the chip leaders. When there were still seven players remaining on the final table four people went all-in the hands were AK, AQ, A6 and JJ. JJ stood the test and he promptly knocked the three other players out, the tournament paid to the top three places so we suddenly arrive on the bubble, with a little ducking and diving I knocked the bubble out and had chipped away at the big stack. I also killed off third place to have a 3/1 chip lead but then some serious ugly dealing happed I had AQ and was facing a raise so I re-raised all-in and was facing AA, a few hands later I had 88 I raise five times the BB and was called.

Flop – 2c, 2d, 2s.

My opponent checked and I went all-in as to make any kind of continuation bet would be committing me anyway. He called and showed K2. I was knocked out in 2nd place.
Later that day I popped into the Golden Nugget for a little cash play I lost $200 in quick succession to the same guy ($100 at a time) and left before I would lose any more to the luck box,

Firsthand – 88
I call in mid position as I don’t want to let the table think I’m an aggressive player
Four people see the flop with no raise.

Flop – 7d, 8h, Jc.

I find this flop difficult with no raise preflop so I decide to go slow unless I house up. Button bets 3/4’s of the pot I call everyone else folds

Turn – Js
A good card for me and an opportunity to check-raise, the button bets $18 and I min raise he then goes all-in which has me covered so I call for the remaining $48 and he shows me J8.
He sucks out on me after me reload and I leave, to chance my luck back at Binions.
The last cash game for me on day two was at Binions and I lost $140 and went to bed the only hand that stuck out in my mind from that session was about half way through the session just before the evening tourney started. I had AdKs, I was on the button there were a lot of limpers so I decided to raise more than normal to $26 I narrowed the field down to two callers


Flop – 10h, Jd, Qh.

The two players checked to me. Because of the flush draw I bet $60 as not to give anyone the odds to call for the flush. The small blind called and the other chap folded.


Turn – 5h.

The small blind bet $120 and I folded.
Two hands later the fish left for the tournament and was seen exiting the card room within 20mins from the beginning of the tournament, that made me smile, I left a short while later and retired for the night.

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