MuckPls & Whale - a March Madness TR part III

I do feel slightly better this morning, still a struggle to get out of bed but something feels 'lighter' or maybe the pain area feels smaller.

Still very unsure what to do though. Flight home tomorrow (Friday) evening, but the way I feel now it seems like a difficult proposition. I guess I could check if they sell business class seats, but that's obviously super expensive.

Did I already mention how much I hate the Venetian poker room? Yeah guess where I am:

Couple of reasons:

1, I needed a good long walk, it’s ridiculous how little I’ve been outside this trip.

2, Variance. I love Aria but man the games have been INSANE the past couple of days. Every single session we were playing for several thousands at 1/3 and 2 days before the trip ends I just need to even out variance a little bit.

3, I really want to put the room back into the green, just for the sake of it:

• 1. Connect with MuckPls
  
• 2. Get secret to winning $20K
  
• 3. Upgrade to first class
  

Seriously, I hope things loosen up enough for you to get going.

Who you flying with? If you wanted to upgrade ask at the airport and if they do have them they sell them off for cheap.

Does massage help? Maybe book yourself in for one at a spa and get some hot jets on it also

Brag: won my first high hand.

Beat: risked the $400 envelope pull and got $200.

Variance: now I’m even at least.

Also had this guy at my table for a while, with his WSOP bracelet flashing:

https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player....

Not one but TWO high hands in 2 hours that held up! Sadly both “only” got the minimum $200 draw. Oh well I’ll take it!

Currently $44 from putting the V back into the green!

We did it! [emoji123][emoji123]

I played in a senior event at the Wynn about 5 or 6 years ago and there was a guy with a bracelet. I was thrilled when I knocked him out. I was less thrilled when I was bubble boy in that tournie.

Grats on beating Venetian like a rented mule! And Whale I really hope your back issues clear up. My worst Vegas trip ever was spendiing 4 days in my room puking and shitting from a severe case of food poisoning. Sick/hurt in Vegas is worse than being sick/hurt anywhere else!

Hahaha I know right! Last week I was $1200 minus so I’ll take it!

The one time I was really sick as a dog (the "bubonic plague" is what I dubbed it in my trip report) in Las Vegas (WSOP), my hometown doctor came through like a champ. I called his office, he got on the phone right away, I described my symptoms and he called in either a steroid pack or an antibiotic (maybe both?) to the pharmacy a couple of blocks from my hotel. Absolutely saved my trip.

Met up with Urbanwaste at the Horseshoe and degened a little on craps. He left with his family for a show just as I hit a god roll hitting the high bonus and one away from the ATS before the 7 of hell. Pic is before hitting a 3 and then 7 out.

Wish all of this was profit but a plus is a plus!

One last update for today. Total stats, 1/3 only:

absolute tool move to wear the bracelet

re bad backs...I've had a variety of back ailments over the past 30 years from my rugby career. I can say that the vast majority...even of the ones where you think you are really ****e....aren't serious. They are generally muscle tweaks where you get yourself into a bad position, tweak something and then all the nerves near the muscle tighten the f up & immobilise you. Anti inflammatories are the best bet....and ice, not heat. Generally things start to recede within a day or two and you've forgotten all about it within 7-10 days

I hope this is the case with you

very nice cash game stats

I might as well get out an update from yesterday's session at Golden Nugget. I got down there a bit before 1pm and immediately got a seat in their $1/$2 game. I buy in for $400, which was more than enough to be competitive against the other stacks.

I win a few small pots early, first one when I open QQ to $15 from BB over two limps. One of the limper calls, and we see Q-6-3 two clubs. Decent flop, and I bet out $12 only to sadly get a fold. I actually think I bet too small here, as hands like 77/88 and flush draws will easily call $20 as well.

Then we once again have two limps and I make it $15 with 99 from cutoff. BB calls, and one of the limpers call. T-7-2 two clubs and it checks to me. I make a small bet of $16 for protection and both fold.

Then UTG opens to $10 and I have TT next to act. Should probably have been a 3-bet here as I had seen this guy already open a fair bit of hands. But I decided to just call, and we go heads-up to A-J-7 rainbow. He surprisingly checks, and I bet $11 for value from KQ type of hands along with 99 and 88 etc. He folds quickly.

(apparently this table have been used for blackjack before)

Then we have a limped pot and I check my 86o from BB. We go 4-ways to Q-6-5 two spades, and after SB checks I do the same. The first limper bets $3, second limper calls, SB fold and I decided to call once for such a cheap prize.

Turn is the 6s, so we do make trips although a flush comes in. I decided to lead for $15 here, simply to avoid it checking around and I can still get value from Qx with a spade. To my surprise both opponents call, and the river is another spade (7s). Not an ideal card, so I just check it. It checks around, and my hand is good. Sadly the Small Blind had 46dd, so on a better river we would for sure have gotten paid there as well.

Then I play a pot in which I should have paid better attention. There are two limps for $3 and I have QJo in BB. I make it $15 to go, and the first limper folds but SB actually calls. Very surprised to see that, but I can't imagine this being a strong range at all. We see 3-5-T on the flop and he now leads (!) for $15. No idea what is going on here, so I decided to float in position as there are many good turns for me. (9, J, Q, K, A).

Turn comes another 5 and he bets $15 again. The good old 'same bet'. Interesting. I am thinking this is a good spot to raise as a bluff, so I bump it up to $70 to hopefully get a fold although in hindsight he might not fold Tx. But I just thought his line was so bizarre and didn't think he was strong at all. He thinks for a bit before finally saying 'ok, I call' and slide out some chips.

River comes a J, which I am happy to see but I am confused as opponent has already turned over 88. So my read was spot on regarding his sizing, but what I obviously failed to notice (I was seat 1 and he was seat 8) was that my turn-raise put him all-in. Geez, that is a stupid mistake to make as I had no idea he had that little behind. If I had seen that I would have just folded on the turn. But since I didn't pay attention, we win a decent pot and are up over $100 now.

Then we find a premium in KK on the button and make it $12 over a limp. Two OMCs call in the blinds and the limper also calls, which means four players to the Q-8-2 two hearts flop. It checks to me, and I bet $25 which is still too small as Qx and flush draws will easily call $35-$40. I need to work on being even more exploitable with my sizings, especailly as these droolers won't be able to read too much into it.

Either way, the OMC in Small Blinds quickly and verbally announces $50. The classic min-raise. It folds back to me and I see that he has around $150 back. Is there some merit to calling here? His verbal and immediate action seemed strong, but this minraise could also be a hand like AQ. Ultimately though, I decided that he is not deep enough for me to get away here and I do have Kh in my hand for some backup in case he has 22 or 88.

I jam it in here, and he snap-calls showing QQ that he obviously didn't even consider 3-betting pre. Not that it matters a ton which set he had, it's just a bit funny in general. Turn comes 6h, so we have some outs but 9d on the river means we have to send a lot of chips over to the OMC. It felt a bit frustrating, as I think we are stacking him on J-7-2 or similar.

Speaking of stacking, I raise 33 to $10 a bit later only to see the same OMC make it $20. This is obviously always AA, but let's try to crack that one. No such luck though, as it comes Q-8-2 (again), and after I check he insta-bets $100. I fold, and he obviously shows me AA. Funny how he was just gonna go crazy and donate me if I hit my set, as he was betting $100 into $43 on the flop.

I lose a few more small pots before picking up a sizing tell on a guy in his 40s who is sitting a few seats to my right. So when there is a limp for $2 and he only makes it $8 from the button I know this is a weak hand. SB calls the $8, and I make it $45 from BB with KJo. Everyone folds as expected, and I take it down. This guy raised bigger when he had good hands, but I had seen some absurd selection from him on the smaller raises.

Then we play maybe the weirdest hand of the day when an active guy on tilt (brother of the guy with sizing tell) makes it $10, and a new African American gentleman in seat 9 (the guy who was there earlier had left) makes it $21 from Small Blind. I have JJ in BB and didn't quite know what to do. I know I am ahead of the raiser most likely, but SB is new to table and I don't know enough about him yet. So although this should basically never be the play, I decided to cold-call the $21 and see what happens.

Original raiser also calls, and we go 3-ways to 9-2-8 rainbow. Small Blinds bets $20, I call, and then the original raiser makes it $60. Thankfully SB folds out, and I have a decision. His actions look strong, but I had seen this guy massively overplay two hands earlier when he got 3-bet by some OMCs and still put in insane river bets when the OMCs got scared and check to him. He had lost quite a bit of money on this (88 on T high flop versus obvious AA, and TT vs QQ against obvious overpair), and he had started playing more hands recently.

I therefore call to evalue turn, although he didn't have a ton left behind. Turn comes a 6 and after I check he immediately jams for his remaining $109. Against most people this would be icky despite the good odds I am getting, and my JJ also blocks the most obvious bluff in JT. But the way this guy was playing I would not be surprised to see him take 88 or A9s here for a jam. I make the call, the river comes another 6 and he thankfully seems unwilling to show. I made a mistake here by not fast-rolling my hand as soon as I saw the hesitation (no point forcing him to show the bluff), but he eventually flicks up QTo for a missed gutshot with overs.

I play for a bit longer before deciding to take a break and get something to eat. Obviously had to take some pictures of Fremont as well. Here is Slotzilla (which would be semi-fun to try one day):

She wants:

Ok, back to poker. I find KQo in early pos and make it $10, only get to called by a new player on the button as well as the guy who tried to bluff me last hand. Q-Q-J two diamonds is an above average flop, and after SB checks I bet $22. They both end up calling, and we see 3d on turn.

BB checks again, and I maybe made a mistake by betting again here against two players when the flush comes in. I was thinking I could get called by worse hands if I kept my sizing in check, so I throw out $45 (into $100), only to see button raise to $120. This is obviously a flush (SB folded), but we both have $300 or more behind so I should be able to get paid if I make a full house. I call.

No full house though as river comes a black 7, and I check. He immediately checks back which made me partially hopefully, but nope - he was just being a mega-nit with A5dd. If he's going to check back that hand on the river one can wonder if the implied odds was there. That said, people will call with hands that they otherwise are going to check behind with, so a K on the river and a bet of $175 or something would have get called I think.

We are once again stuck but manage to battle back through some small-ish pots. One such example is when there are two limps, I complete 98o in SB and BB checks. 9-6-2 is the flop, and after me and BB checks the first limper bets for $3. Second limper call and although I almost felt like raising such a silly sizing I didn't see the point and just called.

Three players see the turn then, which is another 6. I check, BB checks, and the first limper now bets $10. Second limper folds, and I make the call. I don't think he would have led a 6 on the flop, although I guess it could make some sense due to the small sizing. I call, and BB folds.

We are down to heads-up and the river comes an 8. Great card as I now beat a hand like A9 or similar, and I decided to lead for $16 here with the plan to fold if he raises. But I didn't want this to check through when I can get value against many 9x with better kickers. Opponent actually folds after having thought about it for a bit, which surprised me.

Then we play a limped pot where two players have limped in and I decided to join the party with K5hh on the button (could raise too). We go 5-ways to Q-5-2 one heart two spades, and it checks to the guy with a sizing tell who bets $9. The black guy in seat 9 calls and I overcall. The blinds fold out. My call is perhaps a bit optimistic against bet and call, but I do have some good turns.

Kd is one of them, so we make two pair. Both check to me, and I bet $23. First guy calls while the second player folds. River comes an A and he now leads for $40. This makes no sense for me, as we can make many assumptions here:

1) Very unlikely that he is leading JT on the flop unless in spades.
2) Unless A2 or A5 (which I block) he doesn't have two pair here. He would have raised KQ, AQ and AK pre.

After making this quickly analyzis in my head I flick in the call, and opponent shows T4ss for a missed spade draw. Happy with my reasoning here, although having two pair obviously makes it easy to call down.

We then get into an interesting spot versus the dark-skinned gentleman in seat 9, who I have learned by now does not have much of a fold-button. I find TT utg and raise it up to $10, Small Blind calls, although he thought it was a limp originally but quickly threw out another $5 when he realized his error. Villain in BB then 3-bets to $25 which is a laughable sizing, but I thought he could be somewhat strong here when he is 3-betting from this position.

I ended up just calling, although I briefly considered 4-betting. But he still has over $200 behind which is too much to get in with TT I think. I was also very certain Small Blind was going to fold (he did).

We see a harmless 6-2-3 flop and surprisingly enough he checks to me. I bet $25 (into $60) to get him to call with overcards, but my hand obviously also need some protection. He calls, and we see a J on the turn. This is a blank in my opinion as I don't think AJ is in his 3-betting range. So when he checks again I still think he has overcards, and I bet $45 this time. He calls again.

River comes with a 4, but that is irrelevant as he never should have 5x here (unless A5s). He checks, and I took some time with this one. Part of me wanted to bet, but I thought the chances of him checking a hand like 99/88 on the flop (and 3-betting them pre) was so unlikely that I didn't think he had much he could call with. Maybe I could have tried my 10% sizing to get a sigh-call from Ace high, but in game I just checked behind and flipped up my cards.

He sighs and shows 99, which was very surprising to see as he played it super passively post. That is obviously a hand that would have called a river bet, but I still think that him showing up with a medium pair lower than mine here has to be a very low frequency thing. People just don't 3-bet medium pairs and then check them on 6 high flops very often.

We are in profit then, and we get two more hands versus this villain. He returns to the table after a short break and posts $2 to be dealt in, and I have KQo behind him. I make it $11 (not sure why I didn't go $12) and he is the only caller.

I flop top pair on K-9-7 two clubs (I have none), and after he checks I bet $10 (too small). He check-raises to $35, but with what I have seen from him so far I am not folding top pair just yet. I call, and we get an offsuit 5 on the turn. He bets for $65, and I decided to call again without having fully made up my mind on what to do on the river.

That card is an offsuit 4, so no flush comes in. Opponent now checks, and I am not going to miss value this time around. In hindsight I should have given more weight to his combos of KT/KJ, but in game I wasn't quite what to put him on. Thus I decided on applying the 10% bet this time around, and I threw out $21 into $200. He calls quickly, and mucks when he see my cards. I could probably have gotten a bit more then, although I like the general concept of this sizing in various spots.

Two hands later or something he raises to $10 and I have AQo behind him. It looks like he only has about $150 left and with how tilted he should now I am willing to play for it all. So I 3-bet to $40, and he calls.

The flop comes 6-5-4 two hearts which is not ideal although I do have Ah. He checks, and I didn't really see any reason in betting and just check it back. Turn is another 6, and again it goes check-check. I do get there on the river however as it lands a Q. He checks, and although it doesn't seem like he has much he will pay if he ran into a worse Queen. So I bet $70, but he just quickly folds.

I play a round or two more and also win a few small pots here and there, before deciding to book the win. I go to get racks and start filling them up with my stacks (I won $298 in 4 hours and 15 minutes). But just as I am getting up from the chair I suddenly feel pain in my back, and have to briefly sit down again. I get up shortly after, although I am feeling sore and can tell something bad just happened.

I order an Uber and managed to hobble over to the pickup-spot although I was not able to walk fast. I also struggled a lot getting into the car, and after getting back to my room and laying down on the bed it felt like I could hardly move without feeling pain coming from my back. Not good, and although I have had occasional times where I have twisted my back at the gym this felt much more serious to me.

Today is Thursday and I am feeling slightly better than yesterday, but as soon as I lay down in the bed for 20 minutes or so it's extremely hard to get out of it. I am scheduled to fly home tomorrow evening, and although I do want to get home and deal with it there I can honestly not make the decision if I am fit to fly before tomorrow. Suffice to say there will be no more poker this trip, as although it feels boring I just have to relax and not do much except occasionally move around a bit to not get too stiff.

Not a fun ending to the trip, but hopefully we can get home tomorrow. And the numbers below are pretty good.

Cash Games:

Hours played: 37h 30min
Won/lost: +$1322 USD
Hourly rate: +$35.3 USD

Tournaments:

Won/lost: +$2051 USD (2 played)

And here are some random pictures from today of nearby casinos that I took an hour ago:

Great trip reports always boys 👍

Whale if you can make your way to CVS I'd recommend picking up a pack of these. And make sure you get the large ones with lidocaine. Put one on each side of your spine where the pain is occurring, usually the muscles in your lower back.

I was helping my sister move this week + sleeping in a different bed and tweaked my lower back. She had these on hand and they worked like a charm especially no pain for 6-8 hours. A couple of these applied before you get on the plane should get you home.

I thought you won one last week.

I have the other kind. I tweaked my back, took 10 minutes to get to the bathroom, screaming the whole way. I couldn't leave my apartment for a week. When I got to a chiropractor that practiced in the retail space attached to my apartment complex, I scared him so much with the screaming, he refused to work on me. I finally was able to get to a real doctor about 2 weeks after the event, he couldn't tell what happened, but suspected a herniated disc. It was 4 months before I could walk semi-normally. That was 20 years ago, and the issue sort of resurfaced for the past few years. If I have to walk more than a hundred yards, I need a cane. So I'm mostly fine at home, Vegas is a beotch.

And do the Advil. It has anti-inflammatories.

Happy to report that the above seems to be the case. Obviously not feeling amazing still but it's so much easier to move around. Should be fine to travel home tonight.

Why do you feel entitled to describe your opponents as “dark skinned” or by their race?

While he's here in the U.S. of A. he's "entitled" to describe them any way he wants. We have a Bill of Rights.

😆😆😆