BigWhale & brother does Vegas + World Cup 2026 (6th-20th June)

Ouch. I really hate how FIFA did all this BS around the ticket sales (at least in the U.S.) with buying NFTs that come with a right to buy tickets, all the lottery rounds, etc. I hope that anyone who bought in hopes of making a profit loses their shirt. Back in my day(tm), I bought a strip of 2 seats for 5 games, including one quarterfinal at Foxboro Stadium (before the current one was built), and the total was around $500 or a little less.

Travel begins:

Safe travels, Whale. Welcome to USA#n when you get here!

+1

Hope Iranians don't blow you up.

I might get there before you. Going to try to head out tonight.

I actually travelled to Norway yesterday, spent the night at my brother's apartment, and today we will fly together towards Vegas (via Amsterdam this time).

Here is a hastily taken roll picture:

I will update a bit more along the way, and obviously when we arrive. Can't wait for Vegas and the effin Vdara! 😀

Nice touch folding the fourth single in half!

GL in LV.

Thanks, and well done for spotting the $3.50 reference 😀

Currently 36 000 feet up in the air, on the way to Vegas:

Probably too late, but take a peek out the window when you're over the arctic. Pretty awesome views.

Though I guess probably not that different from Norway.

We are in Las Vegas, I am completely exhausted (can't handle Vegas?), and will write more tomorrow.

Here is my room at Vdara though, which looks chill:

Room looks great!

Get some rest.

Right over our future 51st state!

edit: Did you pony up for the room? They couldn't have comped you, no casino. Unless your comps were so huge at other MGM places you were able to get that place?

Comps are global, including Vdara.

Studio parlour suite at Vdara. Love that room. Jealous.

Vdara, the Volvo of Las Vegas hotel rooms. Nice looking, comfortable, reliable, low maintenance, economical, and an enjoyable ride.

Morning pictures:

Breakfast:

Apparently you guys play in MGM places way across the pond?

And safer in a crash!

Visited the Aria pool:

Now playing the 10am $100 Caesars tourney. Quick structure but field seems very fishy so far 😀 At least at my table.

As alluded to above, me and my brother hopped into the $100 10am Caesars daily tournament, which got 72 entires in total.

My starting table was very fishy and I soon found a good spot to pick up some chips. At 200-400-400 there was two limps for 400 before button made it 800. I have TT in SB and this raise seems a bit weak to me. So I make it 3500, which promts the second limper to go all-in for that exact amount, and button also calls.

The flop is gin with Q-T-4. I was going to bet small, 2k or something, but before I can do anything the button bets out of turn for 4000. I obviously check then to make his action stand, before check-raising all-in for 14k when it gets back to me. He doesn't love it, but calls fairly quickly with AQo. I have them both drawing dead on turn (shortie had K8hh), and we have a good stack.

After this however, I was extremely card-dead and couldn't really find a single spot of note. I went to break with 31,000 chips, and also took the $50 optional add-on for 15k more in my stack.

Nothing happened after the break either though; I continued to be card-dead and found myself down to 20k at 2k-4k-4k. I was UTG and had K3o, which is a crap hand but King high is likely better than whatever I will get in BB next hand. So I jam all-in and it folds all the way to BB. He makes a rather speculative call in my opinion with 64hh, but we welcome that and double up on the A-Q-T-Q-A board.

The very next hand it folds to SB, the same guy from last hand. He jams on me, and I snap with AQss. He also have AQ unfortunately, and despite me flopping a flush draw it ended in a chopped pot.

More chopped pots, the UTG-player jams for 3.5 bb and I isolate with A7ss from button. He has A2cc, but the board runs out so that neither of our kickers play. Too bad, as even small-ish pots like that are important for my meager stack.

A while later I get 99 from EP1, and with my 45k stack this is a no-brainer. I raise half my stack, only to me met by a call from my equally short table neighbour to my left. Not what I expected, but ok. We see J-8-2 on the board and I am going to jam pretty much any flop here. Opponent did however have me pipped with TT so it would have been the same result even if I vent all-in pre (as most people would do).

I busted around 29th place or something, but there was not much to do with that. I was just very card-dead and couldn't find many spots. Too bad I didn't have two Queens in the last hand.

Here is Bellagio Conservatory, for the moment Bellagio Constructionatory:

Great pics. That Vdara room sure looks nice.

Good morning from Las Vegas! Here is a quick recap from yesterday evening:

---

After busting the Caesars-tourney yesterday (brother min-cashed with 11th place for around $285 USD), I felt myself getting very tired and headed back to Vdara for a nap. It became quite an extended one as I also had a headache, and I didn't get out of bed until 730pm or so.

I started feeling better eventually though, and headed over to MGM Grand for a quick session as I saw they had a fairly short waitlist and 9 games running. When I arrived, I got a seat immediately and bought in for $300. Could have bought in for more, but most of the players were sitting with $300 or less.

After folding for a long time, the first hand of note is when I raise KQo from mid-pos to $12. Only the big blind calls, and we go heads-up to T-9-7 rainbow. He checks, and I probably missed a bet here as I checked behind. While the board is better for him, I still have two overs and a gutshot. Turn is another 7 and it checks through again.

River comes an Ace, and he now leads for $20. Not quite sure what he is repping as it's a bit weird for him to lead on a card that favors me. But he could have an Ace or he could have trip sevens or something. So, even though its a good card for me I didn't really consider raising as a bluff. Instead I just folded.

A bit later an Asian player makes it $10 from EP1. I make it $31 right behind him with AKdd, only to be met with a snap-fold from him. We are about breaking even in the game:

Then we have an OMC-ish guy raising to $10 from EP1, and I call on the button with KQo. The two sticky players in the blinds call as well, and we see A-J-4 with two clubs on the flop. Everyone checks to me, and I think this a good spot to bet as I also have Qc. I make it $15 and everyone folds. I would have considered betting many turns as well for what it's worth.

I am up a small amount now, but then we get the biggest pot of the night when it folds to the Asian on the button. He seems to be an ok-ish player overall, and he makes it $10. I find AKo in SB (black cards) and 3-bet to $36. BB folds, and opponent calls quickly (didn't seem like he considered 4-betting). Had he 4-bet I would have jammed FWIW, as it's the second time I 3-bet him in a short time frame.

The flop comes 6-6-2 with two spades, and I actually decided to check this one. There are not many hands worse than mine that I can get called by, so with the nut no-pair I decided to check and rather be a bit sticky with it. He bets $25, and I call.

Turn comes the 8s, so now I have the nut flush draw and two overcards. I check, and he now bets $70. I took 30 seconds with this one, as I considered check-jamming with some outs if called. That said, there are a few hands I am dead against and I just don't think he has too many bluffs here. I decided to call, and then just lead the river if I hit.

I do not hit however, as it's a red 3. I check, and he now jams. It's a bit of an annoying spot, but this doesn't seem like a bluff to me and I just have to fold. I think the mistake here was to not bet the flop, as I would likely never check-call with AA or KK here. Betting the flop would have made it easier for me on the turn, although I don't hate my reason for checking.

Not much happened after this hand and I was getting a bit tired. Thus I made it a short session and just cashed out after 1 hour and 30 minutes, down -$131 USD.

It's not the best start but LOL sample size. The first day in Vegas is always very hard for me (getting old?), but I am sure that I will already feel better tomorrow (well, today when you guys read this).

No immediate plans right now except get in a workout at the gym which is much needed. There a few options for some decent tourneys later today, but I haven't quite decided what to play yet.

Cash Games:

Hours played: 1 hour 30 minutes
Won/Lost: -$131 USD
Hourly rate: -$87.33 USD

Tournaments:

Won/Lost: -$150 USD (1 played

nice detailed hand histories - run better tomorrow

(recap from yesterday)

Time really flies fast in Vegas. I had some breakfast with my brother, then went to the gym for a little bit and eventually we headed out to Fashion Show Mall to do some quick clothes shopping. We wanted to take a Zoox over there, but they had 45+ minutes wait time and we had to settle for an Uber instead.

After shopping, we walked (nice scenery above) over to Venetian to play some $1/$3. There was a bit of a waiting list but after around 30-35 minutes we got seats at different tables. I folded for a bit before finally picking up a playable hand in 55. I make it $12 from mid-pos and only a female player in her 50s calls on the button.

We go heads-up to 7-8-3 rainbow on the flop, and I bet $15 for protection against overcards. She calls, and the 4 on the turn gives me a gutshot as well. I decided to bet again, this time for $25, although it might be too optimistic. But I didn't get the sense that she was very strong on the flop, and if I can get a 7x to fold out it wold be glorious.

She now goes for the classic min-raise to $50, which puzzled me. 56 came in, but I double block that hand and part of me was almost tempted to raise again. However, by pure stereoyping this woman likely has no raise-folds on the turn and maybe I should just fold? I ended up calling simply because she is so unlikely to have 56s or similar, but realistically I don't have many outs here.

River comes a 9, and after I check she checks behind and quickly flips over 77 for a set. She had me almost dead on the flop, and although she played it absurdly bad I think I could perhaps have just folded turn.

Down a little bit in the early goings then, although we get some back when there is a limp for $3 and I make it $15 with AKo. A sticky OMC calls right behind me, and the limper also calls. The flop comes K-J-4 rainbow, and after UTG checks I make it $25. The OMC calls while the limper folds.

Turn comes a 9, and I decided to check as this fills QT. But I think this was a mistake, as I can still get value from hands like KT and KQ. And if this player type raises me on the turn I can just fold. He quickly checks behind, which makes me confident I am best.

I was planning to value the river, but then it comes a T. It goes check-check and I am good against AJo. I don't think I have any choice but to check the river on this runout, but it was a clear mistake that I didn't get more value on the turn.

A few hands later there is a limp for $3, before a raise to $11 from hijack. Button calls, and I have no less than KK in BB. I settled on the sizing of $53, but could unfortunately not get any more action as everyone folded.

Then we play a fun one where I raise JThh from UTG to $12, a sticky female joins the party and Small Blind also comes in. The flop comes 8-6-2 one heart, which I thought was pretty good for my range and for my hand (many good turns). So I start out with a bet of $20, and the female player is the only caller.

Turn comes a black Q, so now I have a gutshot. It is also an overcard, so it seems like a good spot to continue betting and get her off 8x or 77 or similar. I make it $45, only to see her call quickly again.

Ok, I guess we have to go to plan B then. 9 on the river, and we make our straight while a flush draw on the flop missed. I decided to bet $130 here (into $165-ish) as she had seemed very sticky so far. She immediately comments something like 'your flush missed' and thinks about it for a while, but unfortunately she lands on a fold.

A bit later we have a limp for $3 and then a raise to $10 from a player who I think has been pretty tight so far. I have KQhh on the button and maybe this should have been a 3-bet, especially since his sizing is pretty weak. But it's an extremely playable hand and I have the button, so I just throw in the call.

The dowside of calling is that we end up going 5-ways to the flop, as SB, BB and the limper call as well. We see A-9-T one heart, and surprisingly they all check to me. I could bet with a gutshot and backdoor flush, but I just didn't think it would go through very often against four other opponents. I just check behind instead.

Turn is a Q and now the raiser bets $20 when it gets to him.Not entirely sure what he is repping, thus I decided to call once and re-evaluate. BB also calls though, and the three of us sees the 7 on the river. BB checks, and the raiser now bets $75. It's become glaringly obvious to me that he was slow playing on the flop or maybe have a hand like AQ. I fold, and BB does the same so I guess we'll never know.

More multi-way spots, as UTG raises to $11, EP1 calls and I have 22 in 4th position. I call as well, and two more players call behind. A-A-2 is an interesting flop, and they call check to me. I decided to bet $20, which I think is a bad sizing in hindsight. Maybe I could entice a hand like 88/99 to call once, but the more important part is to target any remaining Ace. With that in mind, I can easily make it $40+ as trips will call any sizing.

In this instance, everyone sadly folded - and during the summer there are no high hand periods at the Venetian, as they are busy enough with their tournament series etc.

I then lost a few small pots, most interesting one when I raise 77 on the button to $15 over a limp. Sticky female in BB calls and the limper also calls. The flop comes K-T-8 rainbow, which is bad for my hand but decent for my range. They both check to me, and against BB (likely completing wide) and a limper I thought I could get this one through as a bluff. I start out with a small bet of $15, but both opponents call.

I would have considered to continue betting on some turns, but not the 9 as that completes the straight draw on the flop. So, when both of them check to me I just check behind. River comes a 4, and the woman now leads for $100 into $90. Nothing to do then but fold, although I like the idea of forcing this one through on a better turn card.

I am down a little bit now, but turn it around through raising JThh from the hijack to $12. The same sticky woman calls from SB, and we are heads-up to Q-9-3. She checks, I bet $15 and she quickly calls.

Turn comes a T, and after she checks I now check behind with newfound showdown value. River fills in a backdoor flush, but it's the Kh ensuring that I make my straight. She quickly checks, and it doesn't seem like she is super strong. I bet out for $11 to eek out a call from a hand like QJ or something, but she just quickly folds.

Then another very tight older woman raises to $10 from EP1, the first time I have seen her raise at the table. Cutoff calls, SB calls (new calling station), and I can't resist with 48cc in BB. We see the interesting Q-7-5 one club, which actually checks around.

Green light for me on the turn then, especially as it's the 7c. I now have two draws, and I can have a 7 from BB. I bet $25, and cutoff is the only caller. I brick the river with Kh, but the way that cutoff quickly called the turn didn't feel super strong to me (if 7x they would consider a raise). So I just throw out $30 to make it look like a value bet (probably what I would bet to target a Queen), and get a quick fold.

I increase the stack a bit more, before getting involved in a Double Board Bomb Pot. In short, I have trips on the top and OESD on the turn, and we face a bet of $20 and a call. I call as well, and boat up on the top while missing on the bottom. My boat is not the nuts though, but the player who bet the turn checks. A new female bets $100 into $120 as next to act, but looking at the board I think it's extremely likely that she improved on the button (a second Jack came there), and that my K3 for full house is good at the top.

I make the call after thinking for a little bit, and then the third player goes into the box. I am willing for him to fold as I am not 100% sure I can win if he calls as well, but after 30 seconds he sighs and put in $100 as well.

The woman had JJ for quads on the bottom, as I expected, I have K3 for full house on the top, but the third player also have K3. We end up getting quartered here, which was a bit annoying although it wasn't a huge dent to the stack overall. I think he should fold on the river when it goes bet-call to be honest.

Only two more interesting hands, one where I raise KJo to $15 on the button over a limp and get calls from a new OMC in BB and the fishy limper. K-9-3 two diamonds are decent (I have Jd), and when they both check to me I bet $15. It's enough to get folds, but I can probably bet a bit higher to target KT, 9T, QJ and similar.

A while later I have AJo in hijack and raise to $15 over a limp as always, before BB makes it $60. He is new to the table, and I have seen some signs of him being a bit splashy. But in reality he has only been there for 30 minutes, and I think AJo is a bad hand to call with even in position. I could 4-bet to $140 or something (fold to a jam) as we both had almost $400 in our stacks, but as I was getting a bit tired I just chose the low variance route and folded.

I cashed out a bit later after 3 hours and 45 minutes, winning $75 USD. Not a huge win by any stretch, but I'll take that over losing every day.

Guitar update:

No more Cromwell, but rather:

After making it back to Vdara, I got very tired and didn't end up playing any more poker. Today though, both me and brother are going to fire the $400 MGM Grand 2-day tourney at 11am. Should be fun with some (relatively) deep stacked MTT-play for a good price point.

Embarrasing stats below:

Cash Games:

Hours played: 5h 15 min
Won/Lost: -$56 USD
Hourly rate: -$10.67 USD

Tournaments:

Won/Lost: -$150 USD (1 played)

I haven’t played cash at the Venetian for years now. Years ago though it used to be my go-to room. How was it? I’ve heard now it’s located very far out of the way?