Mid-Life Crisis Escape to the 702, TR 5/11 - 5/15
gonna preview this with an extended personal story.
Last time we talked, I reported it was time to s* or get off the pot
Nice job. Big O double board bomb pots can be tricky. You played ultimate high, ultimate low I take it?
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Great job!
I’m trying to tell everybody, bomb pots are awesome.
Yes they can be intimidating, and pots can get big. But I’m confident from everything that I’ve seen that my opponents are making MUCH bigger mistakes than I am in them.
Especially at Venetian, place is a literal gold mine. PLO bomb pots every dealer change. Had a hand last October where we were allin 5 ways I think and I had the nuts on the river on both boards and the players were discussing for like 3 minutes trying to figure out why their 8 high flush didn’t chop and stuff like that. Also a regular occurrence that people play non-nut hands on one board only.
I'm not sure how to feel about your write up, but I am always rooting for you!
after my previous home game which was supposed to be final tune-up, I had an itch to get back at it and played in the game tonight. it looked like a favorable game, with crappy Craig already there, the lady who stinks at Big O there again, and some other regs. one guy in particular, we'll call him Randy, is a maniac.
started poorly as I got burned in the bomb pots early and had to add on. lady kept hitting hands and Randy had tripled his stack in wreckless style. Craig rebought like three times like usual, whining about coolers that weren't even.
- I open with KK, get like four callers.
flop is A93cc, of course. and lady in the blinds bets. with three more players after, I fold.
turn is an Ace.
river is an Ace. wait wtf
the super nit had QQ and the donker had like 84cc. she donk bet into four players on an ace high board with a bad flush draw, and the super nit called with QQ. oh well, good for him.
it was that kind of night
- DBBP, I flop two pair (aces up) both boards, can't improve and lose on both
- single board bomb pot, I flop three pair, turn and river 4-4 giving me a completely useless four pair
Randy was totally crazy, and it kept working for him. I opened to like $12 with QJ, he raised to $120. and showed like J3. I open with 77, he raised to like $40. 9 high flop, I bet he calls, Q on the turn and he blasts like $100, he had AQ.
I did beat him a couple bomb pots, where we both flop nut straight that I improve to a better flush, but I could only ever chop with a third player.
- single board big O bomb pot: I had 2-3-7-8-J all red and the flop came all black with an ace giving me a decent low, but then a 3 hits the river. Randy has been bombing away and shows me AA for a top boat and obviously he had the low somehow too so I did not call
the bomb pots just killed me tonight. finally there was a TT8 flop, Randy bet $45, caller, I see my T-Q-3-3-4 hand and raise, he calls, I put the rest of my chips blind, he calls... he has the other T with no kicker... and boats up on a river deuce.
after my biggest home game win of +$1140 a couple weeks ago, I have my worst home game loss of -$500. I hate playing with jackasses who blast away any two cards. then they get insanely lucky and outflop me most of the time.
so my bankroll took a hit. will now likely have to visit the ATM ahead of time which will not go unnoticed by the wife.
Departure day is approaching and the itinerary is taking shape. won't have a car and will spend the whole time on North Strip. want to play poker at Wynn, Venetian, Resorts World, new Planet Hollywood, and maybe Bellagio. for someone who usually stays entirely on South Strip, I do not expect to go beyond Bellagio or PH.
my initial plan was to go to bed right away and then play at Venetian in the morning before hopping in a tournament. but then realized how ridiculous that idea was (especially as I don't have to clock into work in the morning). update: nap and rest before I come, play all night, sleep in Monday, be fresh for the tourney.
as I started penciling in what, when and where, I realized it really doesn't matter. I want to use the pool at Fontainebleau, eat somewhere each day, pai gow, and play poker. all I really gotta figure out is where I want to eat. can float along beyond that.
first meal will be Grand Lux (my debut there). final meal (Thursday) is Cheesecake Factory. that leaves Tuesday and Wednesday. have a few leftover poker food comps available at RW and Bellagio. or I could grab an expensive meal at Fontainebleau. or get some wings at a sports bar while watching VGK playoff hockey (hopefully).
first round is still going but if they pull it off, the Golden Knights are likely to have a round 2 home playoff game during my trip. was in town in 2019 and chickened out buying a playoff game ticket and regretted it then. would it be worth the ticket price and time investment this time? did attend a game in January and wish I hadn't. think I'd rather just watch it somewhere else.
one change this time around is I am not bringing luggage or even a carry-on. think a backpack will be sufficient since I won't be bringing my computer for work, no hiking shoes, etc. will save like $70 in airfare fees. clothes may be a little smokey by Wednesday night, but I'll take plenty of clean underwear.
Sorry about the runbad, but one buy-in is normal, as I'm sure you know. I just hope your wife understands. My husband is lucky, because I definitely understand 😉
My husband had a business dinner at Kyu. He said the meats were OK, but the sushi had mayo (what is up with Americans and mayo on "sushi"?), so can't recommend. Mother Wolf is supposed to be pretty good, but expensive.
If you run out of anything or need anything, there is a Walgreens and a Ross not far from Fontainebleau 😉
Departure day is approaching and the itinerary is taking shape... want to play poker at Wynn, Venetian, Resorts World, and maybe Bellagio. for someone who usually stays entirely on South Strip, I do not expect to go beyond Bellagio...
I'll take plenty of clean underwear.
that all sounds like a GOOD plan... you can walk to Aria fairly easily if you happen to be at the Bell.
My husband had a business dinner at Kyu. He said the meats were OK, but the sushi had mayo (what is up with Americans and mayo on "sushi"), so can't recommend. Mother Wolf is supposed to be pretty good, but expensive.
we went to Kyu last year and I had my best Vegas meal ever
definitely did not order mayo sushi!
Interesting. It was a business dinner, so probably pre-ordered food. Maybe we'll have to take another look.
Double-checked w/ hubby, and he said the meat was very good. Plus, there was a crispy veggie (leaf?) w/ a salty dip he said was amazing -- he doesn't know what it was. He was very disappointed in the sushi, which is what he wanted, so that's his main complaint.
I see Josh Groban is performing at the Colosseum that week, think I'll go. haven't been to a Vegas concert before
[emoji846][emoji846][emoji846]
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one sleep til Vegas.
trip has gone from a free-for-all originally to actually quite structured. kinda know where I'm going to be the entire time. I have a main meal planned for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. there will be a little pool time, a show Wednesday night, one obligatory tournament Monday, and the rest of the time playing cash games 1/3 - 2/5.
shoes and bankroll pic
my old sandals, best ones ever, finally wore out so I bought a new pair.
as for goals, I have a few benchmarks.
***** finish poker +$856, which would cover all pre-planned trip expenses (including tourney buy-in)
**** come home with +$500 cash, which would trigger another 2025 trip, likely November
*** poker at least +$1 to prove to myself and wifey that I'm not a total loser
** lose less than $500 so I have at least something to deposit back into the bank
* play okay enough that I don't have to hit the ATM
other not-money goals:
- play poker 30 hours
- don't get sick
- enjoy my stay at Fontainebleau and make it worthwhile
- get propositioned
poker things I want to try
- be "connected" enough that I can make a preflop bet/raise blind
- tighter VPiP. don't play any non-broadway unsuited gappers. be patient
- avoid limping
- avoid the tilt of "I folded 8-4, would have won with two pair" or whatever. don't worry about good pre-flop decisions
- check raise bluff, and win
- check raise for value, and win
- play with no fear while being smart
if there is something else you suggest I try, go ahead and let me know
will share hand histories and chip porn and will certainly stray from GTO. will be results-oriented, which means I am unlikely to blast off and will generally choose lower variance without totally nitting up. this is for bankroll management while still enjoying playing recreationally.
Structured, ambitious goals… it looks good.
I’m here for it!
Found this today, so:
sorry about the jobs
family first
Vegas is fun
Let's go WIN
... and subbed.
Love the tiered goals. Hoping you will be a 5 star man like Dennis Reynolds on this trip. That may also help with getting propositioned.
Play good. Run better. Win all the moneys.
Dominate
be "connected" enough that I can make a preflop bet/raise blind: I do this every once in a while. It's fun. I just pretend I have TT+ and continue believing it unless someone makes me believe otherwise 😉 I never show or tell.
I disagree with never limping at 1/3.
Can't wait for the updates! What show?
Good luck. Curious about the get propositioned though?
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Subbed!
Sending the rungood on the tables and...I guess while wandering the casinos late at night? (I'm assuming the proposition goal is purely for the entertainment value...)
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Subbed!
Sending the rungood on the tables and...I guess while wandering the casinos late at night? (I'm assuming the proposition goal is purely for the entertainment value...)
On limping: open limping first in: yes, avoid.
OVERlimping, especially from late position, is fine and often the best play with marginal hands that can make the nuts (small suited connectors and one gappers, small pairs, Ax and Kx suited).
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It's 96 degrees in Dakota right now. getting to Nevada won't be much of a weather change.
yeah getting propositioned is a little tongue-in-cheek joke, pun intended. wouldn't ever pay for sexual favors but getting noticed would be flattering. and part of the fun in Vegas. maybe I would pay for a little escort around town. gets lonely.
interesting to read the comments about limping. I never do it as often as other players I see. usually figure if my hand isn't worth wagering $10 it isn't worth paying $3 (which can lead to challenges later in the hand). think the main focus will be playing marginal hands less, and I'll be more mindful of the times I do choose to limp.
have a fun trip!
managed to fit everything in the bag
may not be worth the trouble
