A Lot of Shopping and Two Hands of Poker

Seymour mostly takes a day off on Monday. Every time either my wife or I end up in The States we come with an extended shopping list for things we just can’t get in Ecuador. I hit Walmart and several stores. The good news is I am able to stay away from putting it on my credit cards, since I have such a nice load of poker winnings to use.

Funny moment when I pull up to the front of Excalibur and ask a bell person to help me with the Walmart bags. All the people waiting at taxis are staring at me like I am crazy. I know they are thinking “Who on God’s green Earth goes to Las Vegas to shop at Walmart?” Me! Of course, the Las Vegas Convention Authority has its statistics that the number one reason people come to Las Vegas is because of the…. Shopping! Can’t see that but shopping does rate high in my book, even if it is Walmart.

Had a late lunch at Outback Steakhouse, and then started wandering the strip. I decided to hop into Aria and do a quickie at the poker room. Bad idea, as Seymour was resting at the room, so it was only donkey me against the poker gods.

Aria is a beautiful room with wonderfully comfortable chairs. It is similar to Venetian in many ways. I checked at the podium and they were just starting a new table, although it took about 30 minutes to start the table. Looks like they are still working out the kinks a bit. They also went over a long list of rules, some of which were not great for Seymour, so it was good he wasn’t there. Game finally got started and second hand I looked down at 79off and made a donkey limp from MP. Cutoff raised to $10, two callers including myself. Flop is T68. BINGO! Check, I check expecting PFR to Cbet. He Best $25. Other player folds and I repop to $50. PFR thinks then moves AI. I insta-call. Turn is another Ten and my stomach lurches. My opponent rolls over TT for turned quads and my $300 buy-in is toast.

I almost rebuy, but I think again. I can feel myself going tilty, and I had only wanted a quick hit-and-run since I had other things to do, so I make a solid decision and leave, the only poker of the day, a one hand massacre.

I had a meeting shortly after that then spent some time wandering about the strip. Feeling pokered-out and tired I went back to my room and worked on unbagging and packing my new purchases.