MuckPls & Whale - a March Madness TR part III
Flights and hotel booked so I might as we’ll kick this off 2 months early.
I’ll be landing in Vegas on the 19th of March
at least you know what you're getting yourself into with a malinois
they can be relentlessly loyal and eternal escape artists in the best sorts of ways if you're ready for them
Have officially qualified and it was really close as I was down to my last $100 or so. Extremely tired, been a very very long day. Going back to the Asian place for the same food as yesterday and then sleep and probably day off tomorrow. Freeroll Sunday 10 am.
Chip and a chair
I ended up cashing out down $100, and stayed for 8.6 hours total. Made the hours for the freeroll but REALLY overdid it today. I can feel that I am super exhausted, started playing at 4 am and just finished.
Went back for the rice dish at the V again, it’s so amazing.
Today is Wednesday, and despite the big loss yesterday I woke up around 7am feeling super refreshed and charged. I quickly went to the gym for a morning workout, and afterwards I headed over to Aria to play a session.
After waiting for around 15-20 minutes for a seat, we started up a new $1-$3 game and I bought in for $300 (since I am busto). First hand of note is when I open A3ss to $12 from the hijack, only to see all four players call behind me (!). We go 5-ways to J-T-8 two spades, and an older guy in SB leads right out for the small amount of $10. He gets one caller, and I obviously call as well with my nut flush draw (not a good board to raise in my opinion, despite the small leadout).
Turn gives me the nuts with 6s, but they both check it over to me. I bet $35 to try and keep them in, although I could probably go bigger on this board. But it didn't make a difference for this hand, as both opponents sadly folded.
I also had AK a bit later and won a small pot, so I am off to a winning start at least.
Then we find TT from UTG and make it $12 again, only to see 6 (!) players call. I make a mental note to perhaps start increasing my sizing pre if this continued. Either way, we get the Q-J-6 flop which actually checks around. Turn comes a 5, and it checks over to the button who throws out $25. I didn't quite buy it as he checked back flop in position, and turn also brought in a backdoor flush draw. I decided to peel once and see, and the player to my left also calls.
River is another J, which I thought was a good card overall. I check, next to act check, and the button also checks it back. I somewhat confidently flip up TT and they are good. Nice.
We then have T9cc from early pos and raise to $12, and Small Blind is the only caller. He just lost a big pot and I am thinking he might be steaming a bit. The flop comes 9-J-3 two hearts, and after he checks I decided to check it back but to be fairly sticky with my hand going forward. Turn is a random 5, and he now leads for $15 which I call.
River comes the 7h and he checks, which makes me fairly certain he does not have a flush. I strongly considered going for value here with a 10% bet or similar (something like $6-$7). I ended up checking behind, but I think that could be a fun move just to squeak out something from 5x or maybe get him to bluff-raise river.
I continued winning hands, such as when I raise JTss from UTG to $12 and only get one caller on the button. The flop is amazing with As-Qs-4d, which means I have flopped a Royal Flush draw. I decided on an unorthodox line as I see opponent has around $200 left, and the best way to get more money into the pot is through a check-raise. So I check it over to him, and after he bets $15 I raise to $65. He sadly folds quickly, so I guess I won the maximum (strongly doubt he folded a decent Ace given the speed of his fold).
I was a bit card-dead after this hand, but then I found AJdd from UTG and raised it to $12 as always. Button and BB comes along, and we see A-K-6 on the board. BB checks and I decided on a small sizing of $10 purely to invite Kx and gutshots to call. With me holding a Jack I can be slightly less scared of any gutshot hitting after all. Button calls and BB folds.
Turn comes a 5 and I bet for $20 this time. Opponent thinks for a bit and doesn't seem entirely sure what to do, but eventually he folds.
I also got to put in a 3-bet a bit later when there is a raise to $10 and a call. I have KK on the button and make it $55, but sadly could get no further action.
No major confrontation or gigantic pots, but stack just keeps growing. I then find KQo from 2nd pos and raise to $12, only to get four callers this time (three in the field + BB). I ended up not increasing my pre-flop sizing btw, simply because it was only in the beginning that the game was extremely call-happy. After 30-45 minutes it died down and got a bit more passive. This many calls was definitely an outlier by now.
Either way, the flop comes K-J-9 and I actually decided to check it, mostly because I am OOP versus a lot of the field. It checks around. Turn comes a T, so I make a straight. Seems very unlikely anyone has AQ here and the board is rainbow, so I actually decided to slow play and check again. It checks through.
River comes a blank 4 and after BB checks I now bet $42, only to see everyone pretty much snap-fold. As always, it makes me wonder that they were actually calling with pre, when no-one even has a hand like JT or KJ etc.
A tight older guy in his 60s then raises to $15 from SB over a limp, and I decided to just call in the Big Blind with TT. Probably too passive, but I didn't really want to open the betting back up versus this guy who also was very straight forward post. Limper also calls, and we see J-8-2 two spades. The raiser bets out $20, and although not an ideal spot I decided to call once in position hoping that the limper would fold. He did.
Turn comes 3s, so a flush materalizes. Small Blind now checks, and I use the classic Crush Live Poker approach here of 1/3 sizizng. I bet $30 and get the fold (opponent said he didn't feel like chasing, no idea what that could mean).
Another hand against the same player where he opens to $15 and I decided to call on the button with T9dd. We go heads-up to 8-5-2 with two diamonds, and he checks it over to me. I bet $15 and he calls. Turn comes with a 6, and after opponent checks again I have to continue betting. Both because I have 10 high (and a flush draw), but also because the story makes more sense in case I want to go bet-bet-bet. It did not come to that however, as opponent folded to my $35 bet on turn.
There were lot of hands like this, where I won small to medium pots without having to fight very hard for them. It was a very relaxing and easy session to play in that regard, and just what I needed after yesterday. But I felt like a change of scenery after having played for 3 hours and 15 minutes, thus I cashed out with a cool profit of +$325 USD.
The change of scenario was obviously in here:
No, kidding, but for those who don't know - this is 'Table One' at Aria where all their big private games and such takes place. No game going there while I was cashing out though, which is why I could sneak in and take a quick picture.
I didn't have to go very far to find my next destination, and there were even some pretty sights on the way there:
I jumped into a new $1/$3 game at Bellagio after having waited for 6-7 minutes, and this room is also now doing PLO Double Board bomb pots every dealer change for what it's worth.
I started out well by winning some small pots, such as when I raise KJo to $12 from hijack and SB calls. The flop comes 3-A-A, and after he checks I decided to just check it back.
Turn comes another A and he now comes out betting for $10. Definitely have to call once here as I might be good and I have outs for a full house that could beat some of his middle pairs. River comes with a 7, and he checks. I thought there was a very good chance I was best here, so I just check back and beat his QTo.
Then an active Asian player (although he also did a lot of limping) makes it $10 from early pos, button calls, and I have K7hh in BB. Briefly considered a 3-bet but this was early in the session so I chose to just call. The flop is pretty nice, as it comes K-J-2 with two hearts. I check, the raiser bets $15, button folds and I just call. Raising here has very little merit in my opinion, as that will only give me action from Kings with a better kicker.
Turn comes a black 5 and after I check he now makes it $25. Easy call for me, and we go to the river which is a 4 (not a heart). I check, and he just asks 'do you have a King?' before checking. I show my cards, and he nods and shows QJo.
Then an OMC limps for $3 and I make it $15 behind him with 66. Same Asian player calls in SB and the limper folds. The flop comes K-Q-9 two clubs, and after he checks I decided to just check it back. I think this hits his SB-range a bit too hard, and I would prefer AQx or AKx to run a 3-barrel bluff on.
Jc lands on the turn and after he checks I once again check back. River is Tc, so I make a 6 high flush (if I didn't say so earlier, I had a club). He now leads for $15 and I briefly thought about it before making the call. Board looks scary but K-9-J-T is in clubs, so unless he is betting Ac for nut flush or Qc for the straight flush I should be good. Furthermore, these cards would have been paired up with others on the board and I think he would have bet a lot of those hands on the turn. I am correct, as he shows a weirdly played AThh for nut straight but no flush. I doubt he could tell you whether that was a value bet or not, to be honest.
But after a good start things went downhill, and it's all my own fault. There are three key hands for why this happened, and especially the last two of them are pretty bad mistakes on my end.
It starts with me raising AJo to $12 from 3rd pos and an OMC in SB is the only caller. T-6-3 is the flop, and after he checks I decided to check back. Maybe too passive, but I didn't have much to work with. Turn comes with a 4 and he now leads for $20. This felt suspiciously big for me (into $25) so unless he has a Ten I thought he could be bluffing with hands like worse Ax, QJ, KQ, KJ and the like. Thus I called.
River is a 2, which means that a straight comes in for any 5. He now bets $40 and I still thought it was suspicious. He shouldn't have much 5x from Small Blind, and I thought he would be too scared to bet Tx for that sizing given his look and what I had seen so far. So I made a crying hero call, only this time I was dead wrong on all counts. He shows 99, and I just said 'wow, nice bet'. The guy found a bet that I did not think he was capable of, so credit to him for that.
A while later the Brazilian player to my right raises to $12 from UTG, and I decided to just call with AKo. It's not really because I was gunshy with AK after yesterday, it's more because I know this is not a 100% 3-bet spot theory wise. I also thought that on the right flops I could really cooler someone and play my hand super fast if an Ace or King flops. 3rd and 4th position also calls, so we go 4-ways to T-6-3 (again). Not quite what I was looking for, so after PFR checks I follow suit and so does the other two.
A free turn then, which comes a Q. The Brazilian checks, I check, and now EP2 bets $20. He gets called by next to act, and the raiser folds. My first thought is to call, as I strongly think A, K and J are outs here, but then I changed my mind. With flop checking around I think the presence of QT is non-existent here, so unless someone was slow playing a set these guys only have 1 pair (QJ or KQ most likely). And I can have all the sets here (TT, 66 and 33) that I was slow playing, waiting for an overcard to appear.
All of this leads to me check-raising the turn to $105, but EP2 could care less and just jams for $185 more. Sigh. I gave it some thought, simply because I still think he only has one pair and that I could have ten outs. But I wasn't quite getting the right price and if he has QT or something I am drawing much thinner. Besides, this is Vegas - who 4-bet jams the turn with KQ? Not many I assume. I fold.
(opponent shows a Queen - and later in the session I saw this player hardly getting any value with AQ. So I guess he just had QT and decided to check the flop)
After the hand I started regretting my raise strongly though. I have more than enough equity to just call the $20 on the turn, and then I can just lead on an Ace or a Jack, and check a King I think. There was no need for me to turn my hand into a bluff here, that should be reserved for a hand like 55 or something where I have very little equity. So that is a clear mistake - and I also think I can 3-bet preflop. That would have made the hand so much easier to play post.
More passive play follows when UTG limp, an OMC limp, the Brazilian completes SB and I have QJo in BB. I should make it $22 all day here, but instead I just checked reasoning that the hand would flop very well in a limped pot.
I do flop well as it comes J-7-3 with two clubs (I have Qc). SB checks, and I lead out for $5 to get some value. UTG calls, the OMC folds, and then SB makes it $25. I wasn't quite buying this as I thought this check-raise would be a ton of draws (gutshots like 56 or 89, or flush draws of some kind, maybe with a pair or a gutshot). So I make the call, and UTG folds.
Turn is another 7 which I think is a good card. It reduces his value combos and he seems aware enough to not complete 73o from SB. So I don't think that is a huge part of his range. He bets again, but only $25 which feels a bit suspicious to me. It could be because he doesn't want me to fold, but it could also be a draw trying to keep the initiative but set a cheap price. So I called once more.
River comes Tc meaning the flush comes in + 89 straight also comes in. Not really an ideal card, and he bets for $60 this time. Ouch, this seems value-ish. I gave it some thought but eventually decided to fold. He claimed 73 in conversation after, which I believe but it surprised me. But all this clusterfk could have been avoided if I just raise pre like I am supposed to.
I also played a super interesting bomb pot where I ended up with two full houses and thought I could be scooping for sure. But the Asian opponent had a better full house on the top with 66 in his hand. A bit disappointing, but such is the Bomb Pot life.
I did play a few small pots after this as well but not too much happened, and eventually I decided I needed a small break before continue playing somewhere else. So I just cashed out after 2 hours and 30 minutes, down $161 USD. It felt a bit frustrating simply because it was all caused of me playing some spots too passively pre, and I have not been putting in enough 3-bets this trip in general. So I might work on that tomorrow if I find any good spots.
I have also played another session tonight, but that summary will have to wait until tomorrow. For now, here are results below:
Cash Games:
Hours played: 14h 15min
Won/Lost: -$380USD
Hourly rate: -$26.6 USD
Tournaments:
Won/Lost: -$200 USD (1 played)
Good morning from Las Vegas! It seems I wrote the wrong day in the previous post, I obviously know that it was Friday yesterday (it's Friday, Friday.. ), and today is Saturday morning.
But before we can think about today we have to recap yesterday. After chilling in my hotel room for an hour I checked the waiting lists and suddenly saw that Resorts World had 10 (!) tables running with 10 ppl on waiting list. WTF? I quickly realized this was because they are giving away promo money in high hands before the room are closing this weekend.
I quickly put myself on the list on PokerAtlas (great feature!), and got a seat after around 15 minutes of waiting. It was fun and strange (and a bit sad) seeing the room like this. If only they had done something similar every Friday or whatever, to draw people in, then the room might have had a chance to survive:
But to be fair, maybe this weird thing in the Hilton lobby was scaring people away when they arrived:
My table seemed to be a fair bit of action although the lineup changed a bit during the short time period where I played. This might be a strange statement (ref below), but it felt like I was brutally card-dead most of the time. I must have looked like a very nitty player, but there was just so few spots to work with.
The first hand I played was when there are two limps, SB completes, and I find AJo (red cards) in BB. I make it $20, which deters absolutely no-one. Everyone call, including the Small Blind which was good action for the short time he was there (he rebought 2-3 times and eventually left).
8-6-2 two diamonds is the flop and I have Ad, but after SB checks I decided to check it. The second limper bets $22, the action player calls, and I decided to make an optimistic peel here. I thought it was worth it seeing one, and I also had plans to potentially rep a diamond if it came in on the turn. No such luck though, turn was a black 7 and I folded when another bet came in.
I then fold for 2-3 orbits before finally looking down at AJss on the button after the action player had limped in. I raise it up to $18 (increased sizing a bit), and get calls from BB (guy who won above hand) + the limper. The flop comes K-9-7 two hearts one spade, and they both check to me. In hindsight I should have started a bet here, but both these guys seemed sticky. I still think I should bet though, simply because it allows me to continue on a number of cards on the turn.
Instead I checked it back and we see 7s on the turn. BB now leads for $15, the action player calls and I follow suit. River is perfect with 8s, so we make the nut flush even though the board is obviously paired. BB now leads for $5, and although I love sizings like that, the price quickly got higher. SB reraises to $65 with $4 behind, and I decided to click it back to get him all-in. But to be fair I should just have jammed here, I was not deep enough to get away from my flush anyway.
It didn't end up mattering as BB bemoaned his luck (he apparently had Kx of hearts) before folding, while SB called with Q7o for trips. That's no good Sir, and we drag in a decent pot.
The above picture is obviously incorrectly stacked. I am terrible at counting chips, and regularly end up stacking 19 or 21 or similar even though I try to keep the stacks in 20 each. But I had a little bit under $400 after the hand.
I did lose some back though in a spot that I maybe should have sniffed out. UTG limps for $3 and a semi-active player from LA makes it $15 in cutoff. I have T7hh in BB and defends, and the limper actually folds. Heads-up then to T-6-4 no hearts. I check and he quickly checks it back. That makes me think my hand is likely good, so I lead $15 on the 3 turn. He thinks for a while and seems to shake his head for a bit before calling.
At the time I actually though that was a genuine tell, and we see a 9 on the river. 78 comes in, but I obviously have a blocker. I decided to go for the fun $6 sizing to squeeze out a call from Ace high or similar or maybe get him to spaz out, because at the time I didn't think he was strong at all.
He quickly grabs chips and make it $20 and I realize this is unlikely to be a bluff with that sizing. But for only $14 more.. I call, and he shows 66 for a flopped set. That's obviously why he checked the flop and why he pretended to be so unhappy on turn. But he hardly got much value from it, and I don't think I can check-fold river even if that was my choice.
After this hand I was super card-dead and folded for ages, but at least the table was decently friendly. An aggressive (but friendly) young Asian kid had taken the seat of the action player to my direct right, but although both him + the guy with 66 (now on tilt after he lost a big hand) were raising way too much pre I had nothing to combat that with.
Eventually we see a limped pot however, and I just check my A4o in BB. The flop comes A-Q-9, and maybe I could just lead here 5-ways as there are many hands that can call me that I beat. In game I did however check, and it checks around. Turn comes a 4, so we make two pair. I lead for $5, first limper calls, before the second one makes it $15. Weird sizing, but I didn't think he would make it that small with A9 for example. There is also a backdoor flush draw in clubs on the board now. So when it comes to me I 4-bet it up to $50 (live misclick, meant to grab $55). Opponent thinks for a long time but ends up making the call.
River comes with a harmless 3 and I am first to act. He has around $135 back, and I think I make a big mistake here by only betting $36. My thinking was that he seemed so unsure on the turn that I wasn't sure I could get a lot from him. But at the same time, this makes my hand look way to value-ish. A better play would be to just move all-in, so that it at least seems like I could have missed a combo draw or something. The opponent actually folded after a long time, but I still think a jam would have been the better play.
Speaking of missed value; a while later there is a limp for $3 and I finally look down at a big hand in AKo. I raise to $16, and get called by a new OMC in BB + the limper. The flop comes:
A-A-A
Yep, read that again. I flop quads, and we have a $800 high hand promo going for the best high hand of the hour. The young Asian is actually the one with the current high hand (a medicore full house) and everyone is going crazy at the table as soon as the see the flop, and he is laughing and saying 'oh no' etc. It checks to me, and although I guess I could bet small.. I guess if there is ever a way to slow play, this is the one. I check back.
Turn is a 3 and the OMC now leads for $20. That is good news, and after the limper folds I make the call after 'thinking' for a bit. The river comes a 7 and he does not stop betting. He makes it $30, and I felt very unsure here. After all the table talk it's going to be blatantly obvious to everyone that I have quads, so in game I just didn't think I could make it too big. I made it $96 to ensure that I get a call from pocket fives or similar, but in hindsight it shows a lot of stength that he is betting the river and I could have gone way bigger. Especially as he ends up snap-calling.
(later he said he had 33, which is just absurdly bad play by him. But if he was willing to snap $96 on the river with that hand...)
Either way, the table obviously erupts and I am on the board for the High Hand with 30 minutes left on the clock.
Not too much happened after this hand, and to be fair I purposedly also backed down from a few close spots just because I didn't feel like it. Stupid thinking of course, but in my mind I am up a lot now and I am also winning in the game. And I definitely need a healthier bankroll of USD the coming week, so I just rode it out without too much happening.
I raised ATo once over two limps but got too many callers and a bad board, and I also lost $20 trying to flop a set with 77 (no luck). But eventually I got paid out for the high hand promo (entire $800, no tax) and played an orbit or two before leaving. The end result was +$107 USD in the game (should have been way more) and $800 from the promo.
Another reason for why I left is beacuse I had started up my Zoox app and requested a ride back to NYNY. For those not aware, Zoox are small fully automated self-driving cars that are running on The Strip now, and they have a couple of pickup spots like Luxor, NYNY, Resorts World, Wynn, Area 15, Topgolf etc. This was my ride 'home':
Super cool experience to sit there in the seat and chill + listen to music, while the car drove itself back to New York New York. It was however dark outside, so I want to try another ride one of these days when there are more daylight. But although I realize a technology like this can eliminate a lot of driver jobs, I still think it's a great innovation. Especially for women, who in the future can get a ride home without being creeped on or worse by drivers with the name of ... ok, I probably shouldn't go there. But I think there are a lot of positives with this new techology and cars being able to drive without human error and tiredness etc.
All in all, it was an amazing evening although I am a bit meh about my poker play. I should put in some more 3-bets and do better sizings in general, although with being very card-dead (with a few exceptions obviously) last night made it hard to get too much involved.
I will obviously include the promo money in the total results, as it's money earned on the poker table. So that takes me back into profit if nothing else, and I am obviously very blessed and lucky as I keep running pretty good in various promos around town. Hopefully the same for 'MuckPls' tomorrow in the Venetian-tourney!
Cash Games:
Hours played: 16h 30min
Won/Lost: +$527 USD
Hourly rate: +$31.9 USD
Tournaments:
Won/Lost: -$200 USD (1 played)
at least you know what you're getting yourself into with a malinoisthey can be relentlessly loyal and eternal escape artists in the best sorts of ways if you're ready for them
They are absolutely insane, if you don’t have 100% control and discipline and most of all exercise they will tear everything apart. I’ve heard horror stories about people getting malis without knowing what they are, thinking they are couch potatoes and coming home to a completely destroyed house / apartment. But like completely. I don’t know, for now it remains a dream and we will see where we are in a couple of years [emoji23]
Congrats on the high hand. Had to feel nice to see that flop with that holding.
I'll miss Resorts World. I had some fun memories there in its brief time. It's too bad they couldn't capture enough of the market to survive. Assuming they don't host the NAPT again in the near future, I'll set the over/under on my next visit at 5 years. No more reason to ever go there.
Maybe this is unique to me, but I would get a lot of marketing e-mails from them with promises of offers and promotions. When I'd try to log in through the web portal, it would say account not found and give me error messages. The catch is that I literally have a player's card in my wallet with my name and number that I've used to register for 20+ tournaments there without a hitch, so...yeah. Genting seems a generally incompetent outfit, though their poker room was top notch.
Nice hit on the quad aces.
You are braver than me on the self-driving car. I'm not willing to turn over control of my well being in traffic to a machine. Yes, I recognize this makes me a dinosaur.
Taking tomorrow off most likely, it’s been a rough week so need to catch up on everything and just chill. Then the tournament on Sunday at 10 am.
If you're looking for something to do, they're having the Miss United States of America pageant at the Orleans. So far I've seen Miss Hawaii, Miss Iowa, and a bunch of former winners that are wearing jackets saying they're former winners.
Another reason for why I left is beacuse I had started up my Zoox app and requested a ride back to NYNY. For those not aware, Zoox are small fully automated self-driving cars that are running on The Strip now, and they have a couple of pickup spots like Luxor, NYNY, Resorts World, Wynn, Area 15, Topgolf etc. This was my ride 'home':Super cool experience to sit there in the seat
Have you ridden the Zoox in other places? You already had the app.
How much was it compared to Uber, etc?
Have you ridden the Zoox in other places? You already had the app.
How much was it compared to Uber, etc?
The app is not available in European app stores, but there exists a workaround which my more technologically adept brother told me about.
First time riding it, and it's completely free for now 😀 It's getting popular though, was a 45 minute wait time yesterday evening for a car.
Not too much to update since yesterday, I’ve spent most of the day recovering in the room as I feel completely exhausted and ****.
Walked to the CVS early morning to get some meds and stopped by a blackjack table on the way back. $120 -> $500 and left immediately in one shoe:
After a couple more hours in the room I headed to Bellagio to play a mini session, but first $100 into Double super times pay and hit these:
$1300 profit.
$1300 profit Meh! Some people on 2+2 are binking $20, 000 in VP. Oh wait, that was YOU!!!! WTG, & hope the run-good continues & you feel better soon.
Haha the $20k is a distant memory, not only because I sold 12k$ but because I’ve been crushed the past couple of days. I don’t really like to share much when I’m running bad, let’s just say I completed the 30 hour Venetian promo with my last $100. Compared to that the blackjack win and the $1300 is HUGE! We again have a working balance.
Short update from Bellagio:
Sat down with $300 and won a small pots and then got AK into QQ for $800 pot which we shipped. I took the W after an hour to put Bellagio back into the green:
Sorry to everyone reading, as I am struggling to find time for updates. Will try to get something out tonight.
Now at Venetian in case anyone wants donations.
Not too much to update since yesterday, I’ve spent most of the day recovering in the room as I feel completely exhausted and ****.Walked to the CVS early morning to get some meds and stopped by a blackjack table on the way back. $120 -> $500 and left immediately in one shoe:After a couple more hours in the room I headed to Bellagio to play a mini session, but first $100 into
Time to become a blackjack/video poker pro.
Falling behind on updates, but here are my adventures from yesterday (Saturday). After updating the trip report I decided to start the day with a refreshing trip to the pool:
After that I eventually got ready and headed out to play some poker, although we had to do a little bit of -EV gambling first. Sadly I could not hit this draw:
I decided randomly to head to Horseshoe, both for a quick 20 minute massage but more importantly to play a session. And after waiting for all but two minutes, I had a seat at a table that was just opening up.
First hand of note is against an Asian player who turned out to be very fishy, but I did not know that at the time. He limps in for $3 from early pos, and I make it $15 in the cutoff with KJcc. He makes the call and we see 8-2-5 spread out by the dealer. There is one club out there, so after he checks I bet $15. He calls.
Turn comes As, and after he checks it I decided to check it back. I think some of his calling range on the flop could be Ace high, so I want to wait with betting this card until he has checked the river. He did not however; the river come a 2 and he leads out for $20. I just fold.
Then we have a raise to $13 from MP and it folds to me in BB with K4dd. Seems good enough for a defend, so that is what I do. The flop comes A-6-2 one diamond, and after I check the opponent checks it back. Turn is another diamond (7d), and maybe I could lead here. Instead I checked and opponent once again checked it back.
River comes 2d, so we make our flush although the board pairs. But I don't think that is of a huge concern. Opponent does not seem super strong, so I just throw out $11 to hopefully get a call from a pair below an Ace. And that is exactly what happens, as he calls quickly and shows JJ (no good, Sir).
An orbit or two later I find A4hh UTG and raise it up to $12 as always. We get calls from cutoff and BB and the dealer spreads out J-9-5 one heart. After BB checks I bet $20, as I can still get value QT and KQ plus having some good turns to barrel. Cutoff folds, while BB calls. Turn comes a K (no heart), but after he checks I bet $45 and take it down. Seemed like a good spot to put some kind of mediocre Jack from BB in a bad spot, especially as he doesn't know if he will face another bet on the river.
I am up a little bit in the beginning, while the player to my left has had to rebuy twice and is clearly getting a bit frustrated it seems. This is the prelude for the next hand, where I raise K9ss to $12 from the button when it folds to me. This is the third time I have opened the button in this exact scenario, and I was sort-of waiting for this decently active guy around my age to do something about it.
He does indeed raise it up to $35 from SB, and I have a decision. I had anticipated this, and maybe I should have just taken a flop as my hand should play reasonable enough in position. In game though, I decided on a small 4-bet to $85. I didn't think I needed to make it much bigger, as there are few hands he can defend with OOP. He does however call.
The flop is reasonable, as it comes K-T-4 two diamonds. I decided to bet $55 for value/protection, only to see opponent jam all-in. He covers me, and this seemed close. I have around $160 behind, but it's hard to assign him a monster here. He would have 4-bet AK (he got it in earlier in the session vs AA after being 3-bet), and I don't really think he has KQs and plays it like this. So unless he has TT exactly, this seems to be a lot of draws.
(which granted will have good equity)
Maybe I overestimated his range a bit at the table, but I ended up making the call - only to get shown pocket Aces. Sigh, I keep running into Aces this trip it seems. I can not improve and I am felted for my initial $300 buy-in. Obviously I was way out of line preflop, but it would have been a difficult one even if I had just flatted the raise in position. And I don't think folding pre is the way to go here.
I reload and continued losing a bit, such as when I raise A9o to $12 from cutoff. SB and BB calls, and we see T-4-3 two hearts. I have Ah in my hand, so it seems fine to start a bet here. Blinds check and I bet $17, only to see SB raise it up to $47.
This opponent had been somewhat straight forward so far, but I decided to call in position (too wide?) and see if I could pick up a heart on the turn. If I did, then I could put whatever he is raising on the flop into a world of hurt. No such luck though, as the turn is 6s and he bets out for $90. I fold immediately.
I then win a few hands, first one when there is a limp for $3 from a new player who seems fishy, Small Blind completes, and I have JJ in BB. I raise it up to $17, and the limper is the only caller. Flop comes Q-T-9 two spades, which is reasonable although I don't have spades. But I can still bet and get calls from flush draws and hands like AJ or 98 or something. So I throw out $15 and he calls quickly.
A red 8 appears on the turn, which means that we make our straight. I bet out for $35 and get the fold. Maybe I could have gone a bit smaller here to try and keep him in, but I do think that most hands that call the flop (apart from the very worst ones) will have to continue even if a straight came in.
I then find the beauty of JTdd from UTG and make it $12 as always. EP1 (guy with Aces) and a new OMC-looking guy in 4th position makes the call. The flop comes Q-T-5 no diamonds, and being out of position against both I decided to go for a check-call unless something crazy happens behind me. The flop does however check around.
Turn is another Q, which seems like a good card. I bet $25, and EP1 fold while the OMC call. River comes a harmless 3, and after thinking about it for around 15 seconds I decided to bet again. Will I value-own myself against KT or AT at times? For sure, but I still thought I could get called by a medium pocket pair like 88 or 99. So I make it $36, but opponent sadly folds after thinking about it for a while.
Then we get into a fun spot versus the new fishy player mentioned above, when I raise AQo from EP1 to $12. He is the only caller in the cutoff, and we see a beautiful A-Q-5 two clubs on the flop. I bet $16 and he calls quickly. I am loving life here, as this is the kind of guy who likely will not fold any kind of Ace that he has called with pre.
Turn comes 9c, and although a flush comes in I still think I can bet for value against Ax. I make it $30, only to see opponent spring to action with a min-raise to $60! He did however have no concept of how to bet and move his chips, so he ends up string betting the raise and the dealer rules it just as a call. He had done these minraises twice before and always had an extremely nutted hand.
River comes a red 7, and sadly not a Queen (which I would jam on or similar), and I check it over to him. He announces $200 (!) into $120, and although I bemoan my luck a bit and have a bit of a 'hand funeral', it seems very obvious to me that this has to be a fold. The guy is so straight forward that I just can't see this being anything but a flush. In theory he could obviously have A9, but I just don't think he plays it like this and with this sizing.
I ended up folding face-up, and the opponent is kind enough to show JTcc for a turned flush. Annoying pot to lose, but in my opinion it was a very easy fold on the river against this specific player.
I lose a bit more in a hand where I raised 44 and bet a 9-9-5 board, only to lose to a very passively played QQ (no 3-bet pre).
Then UTG raises to $10, the fishy guy calls, and I defend BB with 34hh. The flop comes 6-2-4 one heart, which is not terrible all things considered. After I check, the preflop-raiser bets $15 while the caller folds. I decided to go for the check-raise up to $55 here as I can have 64s or 53s, and although I will have a lot of draws as well there are many turns I can continue on. The opponent looks suspicious, asks how much I have left, but eventually fold.
Another UTG then makes it $10 from UTG, a tight player who I think was German. I have A5hh behind him and decided to not 3-bet this time around as he seemed pretty tight-aggressive and perhaps the most compentent opponent at the table. EP2 also calls, which means that three of us see the flop A-9-5 two diamonds. Nice!
UTG checks, and I bet $20 to target worse Aces or flush draws from EP1. And indeed he calls, while the original raiser just folds out. Turn comes a J which is not a perfect card but I am still going to bet until I am told otherwise. I make it $40 and he calls pretty quickly again.
River comes a 7 and we have to go for value versus hands like AT and AQ, and if he has AJ then so be it. The pot is now $154, and I have to make it fairly big to make it seems I have missed out on diamonds. I settle on $125, and opponent snap-calls me so fast that I wish I had just jammed. I confidently flicks up my hand and he mumbles some frustrated words while mucking (not at me, just the situation). Based on the speed of his call I assume he has AQ that he didn't 3-bet pre.
Only down around $200 now which feels better, and I am thinking about cashing out soon although the fishy guy is still at the table and could be good value. Then we see a raise to $15 from EP1, which is a local OMC that has been absurdly tight. I think this is the second time I have seen him raise, otherwise he has mostly folded apart from the occasional limp. I find QQ in MP and my first thought is one of frustration rather than excitement. But I look over at his stack and see that he only starts with around $150. So, I guess we just have to get it in with him, although I don't love it.
All that said, I 3-bet to $50, he instantly jams and I sigh-call and get shown the obvious Aces. Again. I actually had a chance on turn as it came J-9-2-T-7 but no luck. So we are instead down a lot again, and I take the hint and just leave the game a few minutes later.
The end result was -$378 USD after 3.5 hours of play. Frustrating result as some of it might be my own fault (K9 suited), but it also feels like my timing is poor and that I keep running into monsters when I also have very good hands like QQ etc.
Let's update the stats and get this post out, and then I can work on publishing my second session yesterday as well.
Cash Games:
Hours played: 20h 00min
Won/Lost: +$149 USD
Hourly rate: +$7.5 USD
Tournaments:
Won/Lost: -$200 USD (1 played)
Small update from my side as well. After Bellagio I just went back to chill and the room and get an early night sleep. Woke up at 4 am, did some work stuff until 6 and then had this. Honestly it was average at best:
I then walked all the way from Park MGM to Venetian to enjoy the cooler weather. Took this random pic:
Now it’s almost time for the freeroll, probably need 3rd place to break even.
