A Ruminant Artiodactyl in Vegas: 05/26 - 06/13 TR
Although I don't expect the vegas in Las Vegas to be greener than in Central Europe, in the end I was unable to resist the call of Sin City. This magical place, where many dreams have come true and many more dreams have been shattered...
Oh, screw it - let's get to the facts. I'm a Dutch guy in my 30s currently living in Poland. I have played quite a bit of poker in my life, mostly online cash games. In recent years, I didn't play much poker at all, until I picked it up again last summer. I will have to get used to playing live again, although I do play live cash in Prague occasionally.
This will be my second trip to Vegas (and to the US). I booked a direct flight from Frankfurt, Germany to LV. I'll be staying at Airbnbs like a true nit. The plan is to play tons of 1/2 and 1/3. Additionally, I will play one WSOP tournament: Gladiators of Poker. Even though I consider myself to be the next Phil Ivey, I am aware of the luck factor. So instead of setting the bar too high and expecting to win the tournament, my modest goal is to reach the top three. 
Shoe and (partial) roll pic will be posted next week. I don't expect to be updating this TR as regularly as Muck or with HHs as detailed as Whale's, but I'll do my best to make it worth reading.
Really looking forward to this trip. 😀
I played a bit of cash in the WSOP area at Paris today. The Mystery Bounty event was still going on, and someone pulled a $1 million envelope. The winner reacted as if he'd won $100 on bingo night.
My first poker celebrity sighting this trip is David Sklansky. I also saw DNegs play a $10k event (and maybe Todd Brunson as well, not 100% sure).
I must have been at the other table, ours was pretty memorable. before my first hand there was a straight over straight for a $1000 pot to one end of the table, and I went +$1000 from 7-10pm at the other end of the table
Yeah, I prolly would have remembered that.
I played a bit of cash in the WSOP area at Paris today. The Mystery Bounty event was still going on, and someone pulled a $1 million envelope. The winner reacted as if he'd won $100 on bingo night.
Saw that on social media.
It’s likely he owes people a bunch of money and now they coming to collect.
Subbing. Glad it's going well. Keep it up!
It's not going well anymore. Ran like absolute garbage today and yesterday. I'm going on a little road trip tomorrow, so that's going to be a much-needed break from poker.
Believe me, I can relate to feeling the pressure to update the TR for the fans, even when it’s not going well.
Clear your head, you GOT this. All of LVL is rooting for you to turn it around!!
It's not going well anymore. Ran like absolute garbage today and yesterday. I'm going on a little road trip tomorrow, so that's going to be a much-needed break from poker.
Swongs, Sheep. Hopefully it turns around. Are you renting a car?
If so, Red Rock Canyon is very nice, as well as being easy to find and only about 45 mins away. It's about 1000 meters higher than the valley, so earlier morning temps can be more reasonable for a hike. Bring at least 2 liters of water in any case. I recommend Calico Basin Road. It's a right turn about 2km before the park entrance. The park itself is crowded and has a fee, but Calico Basin does not, or did not as of a few years ago.
That's where my friend and I tripped out and climbed the rocks in the middle of the night and almost got into trouble.
Also, Red Rock Casino is on the way, and their $1/$2 game was nice and soft the last time I was out there. Brad Owen and Andrew Neeme started their careers there on the $2/$5 game.
Hoover Dam is another option.
I found it much more awe inspiring than even Mount Rushmore. and I didn't even go inside or take a tour
Hoover Dam is another option.
I found it much more awe inspiring than even Mount Rushmore. and I didn't even go inside or take a tour
Oh, you HAVE to take the tour! You go all the way to the bottom where the generators are. It also has fantastic public bathrooms.
It's one of the few monstrous government projects that has paid itself off through sale of the electricity.
I appreciate the tips. ♥ I already visited both Calico Basin and the Hoover Dam in 2013. For this trip, I decided on Valley of Fire and Bryce Canyon.
Sheep!
Rock formations.
It was very hot in Valley of Fire and southern Utah today. At some point in the afternoon, the car display showed 114 F (45.5 °C).
Right meow, I'm staying at an Airbnb in a tiny little town in Utah. Going to visit Bryce Canyon tomorrow. Will post pics afterward.
OMG I've been to Valley of Fire a dozen times and I've never seen sheep. You are blessed.
Sheep put out a mating call.
Utah was beautiful. Pics from Bryce Canyon:
Nice.
Quick poker update. I played a decent session at Resorts World today, and clawed back some of the losses from Tuesday and Wednesday. WSOP donkament tomorrow.
Cash Total: +$1117
Tournament Total: -$200
Overall: +$917
Those pictures from your outdoor adventures were incredible - thanks for sharing. I always say I need to do more of that stuff when I'm in the area, and hope to someday on a longer trip.
GL on the WSOP!
Additionally, I will play one WSOP tournament: Gladiators of Poker. Even though I consider myself to be the next Phil Ivey, I am aware of the luck factor. So instead of setting the bar too high and expecting to win the tournament, my modest goal is to reach the top three.
Welp, that didn't exactly work out as planned. I played fairly well for hours, and at some point I had over 3x starting stack. Then I misplayed a hand, which cost me about half of my stack. My exit hand (in level 11) was pretty standard, though.
I decided to hop into a cash game at the Bellagio - which now has additional poker tables in a corner of the sports book area. I booked a profit there, but the sour aftertaste of the butchered hand at the WSOP remains.
Cash Total: +$1297
Tournament Total: -$500
Overall: +$797
Sorry to hear it Sheep. I played the Seniors event a couple years ago. Only thing I really remember is the hand I butchered (we were still far from the money but still bugs me when I think about it...)
Great trip report so far!
AA
Sheep, I screwed up badly in my first WSOP tourney. I was an Internet player and a live n00b, so at level 1, 100/200, I picked up A♠A♣ UTG and tossed out a 500 chip without announcing a raise, and the dealer had to explain to me that that was just a 200 call due to the one chip rule.
The BB got in with a hand that he prolly wouldn't have called a 2.5x open with, and he cracked my flopped set of aces with a raggedy straight and sent me to the rail in the first half hour of the tourney. This was before rebuys.
It happens. Forgive yourself for being human and move on to the next thing.
Sorry late this but really outstanding stuff, more please.
MP opens for 3x, I elect to flat with AJo (questionable). I was either CO or BTN, don't remember. One of the blinds calls as well.
Flop QQJhh, check, MP cbets for like two-thirds, I flat, SB/BB folds. Turn is T♥, MP checks, I just chuck it in, thinking he has like half pot behind. He snapcalls with AK, and actually has a bigger stack than I thought.
This was probably a 100% check behind. There aren't many worse hands he will call me with. I should have taken more time to gauge his stack size, and go through the possible hands he could have there.
Sheep, I screwed up badly in my first WSOP tourney. I was an Internet player and a live n00b, so at level 1, 100/200, I picked up A♠A♣ UTG and tossed out a 500 chip without announcing a raise, and the dealer had to explain to me that that was just a 200 call due to the one chip rule.
The BB got in with a hand that he prolly wouldn't have called a 2.5x open with, and he cracked my flopped set of aces with a raggedy straight and sent me to the rail in the first half hour of the tourney. This was befo
Thanks, I'll do my best. ♥
♥
Today is my last full day in Las Vegas. Maybe I'll play one more 1/3 session this afternoon. I might also use my tiny amount of Caesar's Reward Credits to play a few hands of video poker.
I had a nice session at the Wynn the other day, where I went from $300 in the hole to +$429. So we are back to 4-digit overall profits. 😀
Cash Total: +$1765
Tournament Total: -$500
Overall: +$1265
Today is my last full day in Las Vegas. Maybe I'll play one more 1/3 session this afternoon. I might also use my tiny amount of Caesar's Reward Credits to play a few hands of video poker.
I had a nice session at the Wynn the other day, where I went from $300 in the hole to +$429. So we are back to 4-digit overall profits. 😀
Cash Total: +$1765
Tournament Total: -$500
Overall: +$1265
Nice comeback! GL today.
MP opens for 3x, I elect to flat with AJo (questionable). I was either CO or BTN, don't remember. One of the blinds calls as well.
Flop QQJhh, check, MP cbets for like two-thirds, I flat, SB/BB folds. Turn is T♥, MP checks, I just chuck it in, thinking he has like half pot behind. He snapcalls with AK, and actually has a bigger stack than I thought.
This was probably a 100% check behind. There aren't many worse hands he will call me with. I should have taken more time to gauge his stack size, and g
Pre is fine. You could fold to a super nit, or 3-bet to discourage the blinds from squeezing light, but a flat is not bad.
Flop is fine.
On turn, I like your aggression; that's a scary board, and your ace is a blocker. OTOH, there are still 12 combos of AK out there, including the royal and combos that could spike a high flush on the river. V's range has all the remaining AKs and yours has none. If you had the A♥, that would have blocked the royal and several flush draws.
I don't think that your bluff was a snap call at all from V holding top straight, given the pair and the flush on the board. You can have QJ, QT and a whole passel of small and medium ♥♥ suited connectors and even gappers. I think it was a tank/sigh call with AK, and V's not going to have AK or better every time after checking the turn.
