MuckPls and BigWhale vs Vegas (01/13-01/27)

When I finally made it outside yesterday, I met up with MuckPls and we eventually went over to Fashion Show Mall. Our ways seperated there, and when I left I actually decided on the short walk over to Resorts World. There were no game yet, but a fair number of players on the list, so I assumed a game would have started by the time I got there. Here we see three hotels in one:

After a short walk, I made it inside and was greeted with a mini-version of The Sphere:

Eventually made my way over to the poker room, but sadly no game ever got going. We were 4 players at one point, but one didn't want to play 4-handed, and it didn't look like any of the remaining ones on list (mostly call-ins) would arrive any time soon. So I just gave that adventure up, as it was late enough in the day already.

I took an Uber over to Bellagio, as Bravo showed no list there. It was a short list when I arrived, but within 15 minutes I was seated and played an extremely frustrating 4 hour session. Lots of small pots, and I don't have many pictures - because who want to see a picture of a dwindelig chip stack? But I will try to run through some of the hands at least.

It actually started great, as I was BB my very first hand. 4 limps to me, and I check my option with a red A5o (would obviously have raised suited). Flop comes A-7-2 rainbow and checks around. Another 2 lands on the turn, also putting two clubs out there. I now bet $7, and only an OMC-looking guy with a veteran's cap calls.

River comes a red 4, and I decided to check it over to him. I didn't see too many hands to get value from (maybe a 7), but since he checked back flop I thought a flush draw was a big part of his range. So although unlikely, given stereotyping about his age, I thought I would give him a chance to bluff missed clubs.

He almost instantly grabs his entire stack (around $60), and puts it all-in. I was a bit surprised by this, but then realized that he should hardly ever limp any 2x, and he would likely not value bet for that size. Furthermore, the 5 in my hand blocks a potential straight with 35. So I call within 15 seconds, and he says 'good call' and shows T9cc. Poker is fun when you have a plan, and it works out.

Then an Asian woman limps UTG and I make it $15 from second position with KQo (we were playing a bit short handed). OMC calls on the button and she calls. Flop comes K-T-2, and after BB checks I bet $20. OMC folds but the woman calls.

Turn is another T, and she checks again. She could definitely have hit that card, but I still want value versus lower Kx + open enders. So I bet $40, only to see her raise to $100. I fold almost instantly, as this have to be Tx or 22 - no way she is making a bluff when I have raised from early and bet twice on a K high board.

Back to even then, and then made possibly a bad call against another female player. There is a cascade of limpers, I complete A9o from SB (should probably raise big here and try to take it down or get HU), and BB checks. Flop comes A-2-5 two spades, and I should lead here but check. It checks around.

Turn is the 3 of spades, and I check again although I have 9s in my hand. It checks to an older woman, who bets $15. Fairly big, but I decided to call once to see what she does on river. And in worst case, I assume my flush-outs are good. River comes Ts, so I do make a flush. I check, and she bets $20. I certainly didn't like it, but getting an ok prize and I thought she might be afraid to bet any non-nut flush here. So the bet could be polarizing.

I toss in the call, and she shows AJo with the J of spades. So I was behind on both fronts, and I am very surprised she actually found the bet there. She obviously should, but I just didn't expect her to know that.

Then I find 66 from UTG and raises to $12. Same woman calls + the OMC from first hand. Flop comes K-8-2 two diamonds, and I decide to bet $21 here. Obviously have very few clear outs going forward, but I hoped the board + these player types could get it through. I did not, as they both called.

Turn comes with a 7, and I have to give up now that I am called in two spots. It checks around. River is a Q, I check again, the woman bets $20 and the OMC raises to $60. She actually called him with A8o for 2nd pair, and he once again had a busted flush draw (57dd). Heads-up I would have considered another barrel on turn, but with 2 callers one of them could easily have a King and not release it.

I then win a weird one against a fairly active player, when I raise 67hh to $12 from EP1 (6-handed for this hand). He calls from BB and we see J-7-4 spread out. He checks, I bet $10 for some protection, and he check-raises to $25. It seemed a bit fishy to me, so I made the call in position with some good turn possibilities.

Turn is an A, and he checks. I actually decided to bet $30 here, applying something that Brad Owen have talked about in his vlogs - better to take control of the pot than to cap your range with a check-back. He does check-call. River is a T, and after he checks I just check it back. I halfway expect to lose, but he says 'you're good 'and shortly after says he was open ended.

Then I find TT from UTG and make it $12 as always. EP1 and EP2 calls, and we go 3-ways to T-9-7 rainbow. Interesting. I actually decided on a check-raise here, as this board should be better for the callers and it's very easy for someone else to have something - despite me having top set. EP1 also checks, but EP2 (30-ish guy) bets out $15. I check-raise to $50 and he calls.

Turn comes a 5, which doesn't fill anything that wasn't already there. He has around $150 left, and with the pot being around $120 I just decided to jam. I figured he would have something fairly good to call the check-raise, but at the same time I didn't want to make it cheap for him to draw to a straight. He did however fold quickly, so maybe all he had was an open-ender.

Actually a small profit now, but that would not last. I lost a small one raising with 66 from EP1 to $12, and only the Small Blind called. He check-called a bet of $10 on A-2-2, and we both checked Q turn and 7 river. He won with 88.

Then there is a raise to $10 from early, a call from mid-position, and I defend BB with K6hh. Flop comes K-K-J, which is decent. I check, the raiser checks, and the caller (an OMC) bets $11. I decided to not fast-play here, but just call. My kicker is not the best, and a raise here will probably make it hard even for a Jack to continue. To my surprise the preflop-raiser also calls.

Turn comes a T, and PFR now leads out for $25. The OMC folds, and I call. This line stinks a bit like AQ or some kind of slow played monster, but I couldn't fold quite yet. River is a 5, so I don't boat up and have to check it over to him. He quickly bets $50, and I have another of these spots. One part of me wanted to call due to potodds and having trips, but when playing the hand back in my head it just looks sooo much like he has AQ here. Or even a slow played Jacks full. So I end up folding without showing, and he is kind enough to show me AQ. Obviously I win the pot with a raise on the flop, could maybe have made a small one to $30 or something.

Then there are three limps to me, although I sadly missed one of these and thought it was only 2. I am in cutoff and raise up AQo to $17. Button calls, SB calls, BB calls, and all 3 limpers call. So we go no less than 7-way to the flop, which already has $119 USD in it.

K-Q-9 two spades (I have none) is the board, and after the blinds check a limper leads out $65. Another player calls the bet with only around $25 behind, and I just don't think I can continue here with this many players, a coordinated board and only second pair. So I fold the best hand - they only had J8ss and A2ss, and the former win when he rivers a Jack.

It's a big pot over $200 USD, and a small part of me wonders if I should be more sticky in these spots - especially since leads tend to be fairly weak ranges. But at the same time, I think it would be burning money against most, even if it turned out I would have won here.

I have probably added on another $100 by now, and I raise T9ss from 3rd position to $12 a while later. I get 3 callers, and the flop comes A-K-4 two hearts. It checks to me, and I probably make a mistake by betting $17 here. My thinking was go to bet-bet-bet on this board, however I think it's too optimistic 4-ways with no backdoor, and with a flushdraw out there. It's just way too unlikely I will get the clean runout I need for this to work.

I get two callers, and turn is the 8 of hearts. Cannot continue bluffing then, so I just check and give up. Definitely could have saved those $17, especially when we are this multi-way to the flop. I can consider starting a bet if there is a spade out there, just so that I have something to work with to the turn.

Then the mid-30s guy raises to $10, button calls, and I defend BB with KTo. Trouble hand for sure, but he made it cheap and we were playing very shorthanded now (5-handed). Flop comes J-T-9, and after I check the raiser bets $15. Button folds, and I call.

Turn comes a 5, and after I check he bets $30. I was tempted to use the K in my hand to represent KQ and raise here, but I didn't think I would have much credibility due to my losing image at the table. So I decided to call instead, and dare him to be again on the river. I also do not have to fear that my out for a straight (Q) is a dirty one against AK - I strongly doubt he would play Ace King like this if he just missed and was facing this board.

River is an Ace, not what I was hoping for. I check, he bets $100 and I fold quickly. Probably added on another hundred after this hand as well.

Downward trend continues. I raise AK pre, get 4 callers, and J-T-4 board with two diamonds. Since we are very multiway and I have no diamond, I chose not to bet here and just give up (checked through, and turn was another diamond). I then had KK a bit later, but was only able to win a tiny pot.

Then I raise AQhh to $18 from BB after 3 players have limped in. First limper calls, and we are heads-up to K-8-4 no hearts. Still a good texture though, so I bet $20. He calls.

Turn is a 2, and I decided on one more barrel to hopefully get him off anything below a King. I bet $50, but he calls very quickly. River is another K, and although that makes it less likely he has one I still have to give up here. I check, he bets $100 and I fold.

And this is pretty much how the session went. I made a lot of raises pre, mostly with good hands, but just couldn't connect with anything and often got many callers. I raised 88 over a limp and got 4 callers, I raised 66 (again) pre and got 3 callers, never even close to connecting. Just too many players, no good boards, and the times I tried to step out of line a bit I was never successful. Stack mostly looked like this, even after adding on several times:

As I am still not feeling 100%, I got very exhausted after a while and couldn't quite see how I would win back the losses. The game was ok at times, and I am sure that I could have gotten paid some eventually if I actually managed to connect a bit more. But I just didn't have the energy to play any longer, just getting out of the chair and start walking was exhausting enough in itself. All the losses in small pots and constantly having to add on lead to a negative result of -$341.

It's easy to feel a bit dejected when things are not going your way, especially also since I am sick and not able to put in the volume I want to. It's also easy to start doubting your game, wondering if my strategies are not working anymore, or if there is something I am not applying correctly. I mean, there obviously are a lot of mistakes, but I cannot see that I have made any gigantic ones dollar-wise.

Looking at the hands I played, most seem reasonable enough and I usually have some kind of idea why I am betting or not. And obviously lol sample size, as I don't have that many hours so far. It feels like I am not connecting all the well or getting paid off in spots, but I do think randomness is mostly to blame for that. Because the players have not gotten significantly better; I still see so many absurd mistakes and bullsh*t hands at showdown etc. But so far the punts are not really coming my way.

It's a new day, and this is the view outside of my room. Truth be told, I am pretty exhausted even after a lot of sleep. But I will take some more medicine and see if I can find the energy to head out somewhere and play.

The trip has so far certainly not been what I dreamed about, as I am sick, I am losing in poker, I am getting crushed on VP (not degening it away, but have hardly had one single winning session there), and for the first time ever I am actually struggling with my bankroll and getting a hold of more USD. So it's safe to say that unless things turn around, I likely won't be able to take any $2/$5 shots. But hopefully I can recover a bit (in all ways), and get a good ending to the trip before going home on Tuesday evening.

Sad results below, now in minus.

Cash Games:

Hours played: 22h 30 min
Won/lost: -$48 USD
Hourly rate: -$2.1 USD

Tournaments:

Won/lost: -$200 USD (1 played)

It’ll turn around!

Just keep making good decisions.

I’ll leave the HHs to BigWhale and will just share a pic of probably the best breakfast steak I have ever had in my life, at Salt&Ivy:

On another topic: I currently have 9 days left of the trip (including today and the day of departure) and my Mlife status sadly resets at 1st of February. However if you play 150 hours at Aria you will get upgraded to Gold which means no resort fees. I currently have 50 hours and will need to play on average 11 hours a day for the full duration I am here. Challenge accepted! Will be interesting to see if I actually manage to pull it off.

Sorry about the run bad, BigWhale and I hope you start feeling better! At that table, I think you should have started upping your raises pre for sure. Make 'em pay and take those blinds.

That steak looks awesome!

Just want to say that I really appreciate the positive comments (like above and similar). It helps a lot knowing that people appreciate all the details I put into the TRs.

Now at Venetian, and gonna put in a session there. So if anyone wants free money... 😀

While on the wait list at Aria.

Long-time lurker here. Love the TR and hand history details! It's definitely cool to see the vibes of the different rooms, as I'll be heading to LV for the first time in March!

something to consider about positive comments for every person who is posting, there's another 20+ just lurking, many never even created an account so the love is always there even if it's not visibly seen

you guys always do great trip reports and i look forward to whenever it's done even though it means "two more euros at the tables" 😀

Highly appreciated, and I hope my degen and short updates are as fun as BigWhales HH posts.

Completely agree. I read quite a few reports. Seldom comment. This one is bookmarked every time. Always look forward to it

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Nice thread

First drink since I landed, Patron margarita, and some chip porn.

Hour 6 out of 11 at Aria, probably staying until I fall off the chair.

Great report! I am headed out there in a couple of weeks and this is getting my juices flowing.

Enjoying as well. Gogogogogo!

Seriously move to 2/5 BigWhale

Also Salt&Ivy avocado toast is insanely good as well

150 hours to get to Gold status over what time frame?

No grinding for me tonight, as I have been feeling terrible (sick) since coming back from Venetian (will write about that session tomorrow).

Hopefully a good night of sleep now can help. Very frustrating having the trip partially destroyed like this, but just have to live with it and see if I can feel better for the last few days.

Aha. The one I caught wasn't all that big but it was still 2 feet across.

Keep your head up, you're only down 48 bucks in cash games. I'm usually down more than that in my first half hour.

$5 credits! Soon you'll be like Leon. You should hit up Aria for bigger comps, limo to shows, etc.

Within a year. But the reset is 31st of January

Far from it, I’m a fish who takes shots sometimes and sometimes it works out. I usually chuck $200 into a VP and change bets from time to time and hope to get lucky.

Another day at the office! Yesterday was pretty crazy, managed to grind out 14 hours. Probably the longest session I’ve had in years.

Plan is to play until 10, then shopping and at 1pm I’m moving to Cesars for 3 nights.

4 hours later, battling a mega drunk whale. He has been warned by floor 3 times already and is wobbling in his seat. He just lost 99% of his stack and is now rebuying. Life is good!

I ****ing love the weekend early shift showing up after some sleep. Enormous advantage.

I love it so much as well, 99% of my play is late night/early morning when I have just woken up.

Guy at my table just went from cheerful happy drunk to losing 1.5k and wanting to fight with everyone. They wanted to kick him out but he’s calmed down and ordered a coffee.