Vegas Trip

Stacey and I went to Vegas from June 10th - June 12th. We went with her parents. We stayed at Paris. The rooms were pretty nice, but not as nice or spacious as the Rio. The Paris Poker Room is an after-thought, off to the side of the bar, and the dealers and floor are retards.

Paris is connected to Bally's and Bally's has a pretty active poker room. 8 tables of $1-2 NL with a $300 max buy-in. Paris had one table for cash.

The first day managed to be very profitable for me. I played the 1-2NL game at Bally's and made $550 profit. The game was soft - like butter. I had good table image and was the boss most of the day. My reads were good and I played tight-aggressive.

I played only a few negitive-equity games like Pai-gow craps, roulette, black-jack and Let it ride. I basically broke even on those games.

The second day - I went to the Venitian to see if I could satellite into their $330 no-limit tournament - I was late and the game had already started. I trekked back to Paris and found Stacey in their $65 freeze-out. There were 48 players signed up, and once again, I was too late.

I wished her luck, and headed over to Bally's and bought in for $300. I played tight-aggressive again and won a few pots. I was up about $100 when I found AA in middle position. I raised to $25. I was re-raised to $50 by a guy with $180 behind. I went all-in.

He said, " I know you have AA but I am going to call anyway."

He showed QQ - Q on the flop - and I'm done - down $230 in one hand. I cashed out and checked on Stacey.

Her tourney was down to about 3 tables and she was average in chips. I cruised over the the Pai-Gow tables with Stacey's Dad and lost $80 in about an hour. I cashed out to check on my girl.

Stacey had made the final table!!! They were paying 5 spots and the final table had 9 because two people busted in the last hand before the final table.

While the tables collapsed we talked strategy. Stacey didn't have many chips. But, neither did three other people. One guy had tons of chips, another guy had some (2nd in chips) and he was a Donkey (saw him call an all-in that would have crippled him if he lost - he had J8o). Our strategy was to fold all but AK, AA, KK, and QQ. If we had a good hand she would jam. 2 people got knocked out and Stacey was sitting in 7th. She found AK and jammed. One caller with AJ. She was a 70% to 30% favorite to win, but a J on the flop was all it took to knock our girl out in 7th. Bummer - but a nice showing.

I chilled for the rest of the day. I wanted to come home profitable and decided to play the same tourney Stacey played after dinner (7:30PM).

I bought into the tourney and got placed on a pretty solid table. We started with 2,000 chips. Two of the three ladies at the table played in the Ladies WSOP event. One of them cashed.

During the first orbit I got TT in late position. I was planning to raise 4 or 5x. But the pot was raised and re-raised so I folded them.

I did find QQ four times in the first 40 minutes:

• First time: I raised 3x and had 2 callers. I bet 1/2 pot and they folded.
• Second time: Same thing, same result with one caller.
• Third time: One lady (not the WSOP's) went all in for about 925 chips, I went all-in to protect my hand and isolate. We were heads-up and she had KK. No help for me.
• Fourh time: next hand after the all-in. Two limpers I push with a little stage show of tilt. No callers.

After that I was card dead. I was getting binded away and with an M of about 7, I jammed on the button with JTs. The small blind showed KK and I was out.

Stacey and her Dad also played this tourney, but were out soon after I was.

I went up to the room and chilled out before a long cash game session planned for that night.

I went again to Bally's and got into an incredible game. There were two very drunk Donkey's just shoveling chips to the table. With a $300 buy-in one guy was up to $1600+ in chips. I decided to avoid this guy unless I had a monster. I was again card dead for about an hour. Finally I was in the BB with 89o and no raise, so I checked. I flopped the nuts with 899!!!

I checked, both the donkeys were in the hand and one of them checked. Donkey #2 bets $67. A huge bet considering the pot is about $10. I call. Everyone else folds. The turn brings a 4. I check and donkey #2 bets $67 again. I push all-in. He calls and shows KK. I am a 20 to 1 favorite.

A K on the river gives him KKK99 which beats my 99988. Down another $300. I play a few table games and quit for the night down about $300 overall. Ouch.

All-in-all, I can't complain. I played good poker, but got some bad beats. I could have easily been up over $1,000. We left the next day and I didn't want to play negative equity games and there wasn't enough time for a tourney or more cash games.

I look forward to August...