After my Sunday afternoon victory at Mirage I did some mental coin flips and decided to head to Harrah’s for a short session. Two reasons for this: I will be staying at Harrah’s for the last night of my stay and I wanted to check out the room with the new management, as well as all of my play so far had been at MGM properties and I always like to spread out my play.
At 9pm I sat down at a dream 1-2NL table, mostly loose-weak tourists and locals with one Young Drunk Guy (YDG) as table captain. One advisement, Seymour has been getting lots of threats to be kidnapped, barbequed and Haitian Voodoo Hexed so he decided he needed to go incognito until some of the danger subsides, so he went in as Bobby the Booby Bird. As soon as I introduced Seymour/Bobby, YDG yelled to the room “There’s a guy here with good looking Boobies!” My king of table, right from the start. YDG was to my right, perfect situation. He was borderline maniac, making lots of post-flop raise to take down pots with weak holdings.
One thing about this session, I very, very rarely use a straddle of any kind. However Harrah’s allows a button straddle which gives the button even more control in position. Plus with the drunken carnage about me I wanted as much play as possible, so I quickly started straddling every chance I could get, UTG and button.
Within 30 minutes the hand of the night happened:
YDG straddles and I look down at Ad8d so I call just to see what happens. Four callers and YDG raises to $20, I call and one guy in MP calls. Flop is K83 rainbow. YDG bets $40. From what I’d seen before, I doubted YDG had a big hand. The best I could see was either the 3 or 8, or possibly a small PP. This looked like a good time for Seymour/Bobby to get into it, so after discussing the situation in broad terms with “Bobby” we went AI. MP insta-mucked, while YDG went into theatrics.
YDG couldn’t believe I went AI with a hand and I must be on a cold-stone bluff. I replied that I didn’t make these decisions, only “Bobby” did such things. Lengthy discussion went on about “Bobby’s” poker face. YDG had stood up and was almost dancing in agitation. He finally reached down and flipped over his cards to show…
36 offsuit…bottom pair bad kicker.
To guage my reaction, he asked me if I could beat that. I said I couldn’t comment. Only “Da Bird” could comment and he wasn’t talking. “Bobby” then did offer to show top card if YDG paid $10. After some yammering he did, and the A was revealed. YDG was quasi cheered by this, saying that he thought he had five outs, even if we had the K. After several minutes of this, YDG asked the table to call the clock on him, because he couldn’t make a decision. No one at the table would call the clock, because they were having too much fun watching the spectacle of a drunk guy playing against “Da Bird”.
YDG finally called the clock on himself, and as time wound down he folded.
After that, “Da Bird” ruled the table, while YDG watched his stack slip away. The final indignity came when his 75off made 2pr on the river but lost to my KT turned 2 pr. YDG slunk away and the table lost some of its fun. Seymour and I cashed out shortly after and went back to the hotel room for some well-deserved sleep.
Showing posts with label MGM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MGM. Show all posts
Monday, March 15, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Chip Assault on Mandalay Bay
Saturday and I am stoked with dreams of sweet, drunken Mandalay Bay poker players throwing chips at me and Seymour. We start the day with a comped buffet at MGM. Buffet is okay, much better than Mandalay Bay’s at least from my visits this week. The thing that gets me are the lines. Half of the tables seemed to be vacant but I still had to stand around for 20 minutes until I could have a hostess escort me to my place.
Fed and happy, I was now ready to go so I sat at a 1-2NL game at the MGM. This was a bad way to start the day. Very beatable table, including an array of inebriated cash machines still debauching from the night before as well as a couple just doing a hit and go before heading to catch their flights. However the river was a cruel destination for me. Three times I got it in good by the turn with my opponents facing either two or four outs, with the river spiking whatever my opponent needed to ravage my stack. I ended down well over $400.
This didn’t bode well for me, since I have been running either completely good and winning every session during the day, or completely bad and losing every session. About noon I gave up on the MGM and headed to Mandalay Bay, hoping I could turn it around.
The Poker Room at Mandalay Bay was already buzzing when I got there and I was seated immediately. Low and behold, but on the far side of the table was the Villain of the epic pot between himself and Seymour the night before. V recognized Seymour and immediately and started warning the table about “Swan Man.” Great table. No real hands to discuss, but V was still wonderfully readable and I was able to outplay him postflop. Seymour and I steadily built our stack up to about $500 until Villain took his stack and left.
I took a short break and grabbed a Rueben from Cantor’s deli to keep the fire burning. About that time a brush came around looking for interest in a 2-4NLHE game. 2-4NL? Sure, why not. I switched over and boy, what did I get into? It played like a deep 2-5NL (max 600 buy-in) since this was rock-em sock-em holdem. Every pot was raised and often reraised. Players were going AI with 2nd pair and big pots were being taken down by Q high. What can I say? As long as your blood pressure could take it there were chips to be had. I took a big pot when one player went AI with nothing but air after I had flopped top set, then gave a bunch back when another player went runner-runner flush off my KK. I tripled up when I turned a well-concealed straight with my 64. I won another big pot when a player who had been at my 1-2 game joined us to my right, and couldn’t get away from an unimproved AK to my 2pr.
More damage could have been done, but I was getting tired and even more goofy than usual. When I turned over my cards, thinking I’d lost with a poorer kicker, only to realize I had won with a flush I didn’t even know was possible, I knew it was time to cash in. Seymour was more than satisfied, as the crowd had contributed more than $1300 to the bankroll, thank you very much.
Seymour and I walked back to the Excalibur, stopping at Nathan’s in Luxor for a Philly cheese steak.
Fed and happy, I was now ready to go so I sat at a 1-2NL game at the MGM. This was a bad way to start the day. Very beatable table, including an array of inebriated cash machines still debauching from the night before as well as a couple just doing a hit and go before heading to catch their flights. However the river was a cruel destination for me. Three times I got it in good by the turn with my opponents facing either two or four outs, with the river spiking whatever my opponent needed to ravage my stack. I ended down well over $400.
This didn’t bode well for me, since I have been running either completely good and winning every session during the day, or completely bad and losing every session. About noon I gave up on the MGM and headed to Mandalay Bay, hoping I could turn it around.
The Poker Room at Mandalay Bay was already buzzing when I got there and I was seated immediately. Low and behold, but on the far side of the table was the Villain of the epic pot between himself and Seymour the night before. V recognized Seymour and immediately and started warning the table about “Swan Man.” Great table. No real hands to discuss, but V was still wonderfully readable and I was able to outplay him postflop. Seymour and I steadily built our stack up to about $500 until Villain took his stack and left.
I took a short break and grabbed a Rueben from Cantor’s deli to keep the fire burning. About that time a brush came around looking for interest in a 2-4NLHE game. 2-4NL? Sure, why not. I switched over and boy, what did I get into? It played like a deep 2-5NL (max 600 buy-in) since this was rock-em sock-em holdem. Every pot was raised and often reraised. Players were going AI with 2nd pair and big pots were being taken down by Q high. What can I say? As long as your blood pressure could take it there were chips to be had. I took a big pot when one player went AI with nothing but air after I had flopped top set, then gave a bunch back when another player went runner-runner flush off my KK. I tripled up when I turned a well-concealed straight with my 64. I won another big pot when a player who had been at my 1-2 game joined us to my right, and couldn’t get away from an unimproved AK to my 2pr.
More damage could have been done, but I was getting tired and even more goofy than usual. When I turned over my cards, thinking I’d lost with a poorer kicker, only to realize I had won with a flush I didn’t even know was possible, I knew it was time to cash in. Seymour was more than satisfied, as the crowd had contributed more than $1300 to the bankroll, thank you very much.
Seymour and I walked back to the Excalibur, stopping at Nathan’s in Luxor for a Philly cheese steak.
Disappointment at Luxor, and a Wild Table at MGM
I walked down the walkway from Mandalay Bay towards Luxor, planning to have something at the Burger Bar, but there was a long wait so I ended up having dinner at the Pyramid Café at Luxor. Had a Burgundy Blue Burger with Onion Rings, very tasty – much better than the Sherwood at Excalibur. However, I have to say I’m not impressed with the redo of the Luxor. Inside it is now just another modernistic casino like you can see in a hundred locations around the world. I know that the old design needed upgrading and some fixes, but I think this is a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Pity, I'm watching all the resorts with character steadily being replaced by soulless, modern examples of corporate, avant garde free-think.
After my meal I then headed back to my room at the Excalibur to relax a bit more, answer some emails and phone messages and pick up a Fedex package I’d been waiting for.
Then it was off for a return engagement at the MGM, which was in its most glorious of Friday night forms. I was sat within minutes, and landed in a table with a great mix of steady locals along with a strong assortment of drunken tourists, two of which had trouble counting their chips out.
Raises and re-raises flew and it soon became apparent that I’d have to simply wait to catch a hand. The next few hours were a grind; as I’d win one moderate size pot, then go several circuits without getting a sniff of a pot, while watching my stack slowly melt. In fact, looking back, I am quite proud of myself for this session. I can often get frustrated during times like these, and start getting too loose and force things, generally to my ruin. This night, though, I did a good job of avoiding dangerous situations and husbanding my chips. Finally, four hours in I caught a nice rush, no great cards but decent flops that saw other players overplaying. Example is twice I looked down to see A3 suited in the blinds when 4-5 players called a $7 raise, so I called to see. Each time the flop was kind and other players’ overplayed under pairs or TPMK to give me some juicy pots. I ended up over $400. By 2am I was done and happy to head to my room.
After my meal I then headed back to my room at the Excalibur to relax a bit more, answer some emails and phone messages and pick up a Fedex package I’d been waiting for.
Then it was off for a return engagement at the MGM, which was in its most glorious of Friday night forms. I was sat within minutes, and landed in a table with a great mix of steady locals along with a strong assortment of drunken tourists, two of which had trouble counting their chips out.
Raises and re-raises flew and it soon became apparent that I’d have to simply wait to catch a hand. The next few hours were a grind; as I’d win one moderate size pot, then go several circuits without getting a sniff of a pot, while watching my stack slowly melt. In fact, looking back, I am quite proud of myself for this session. I can often get frustrated during times like these, and start getting too loose and force things, generally to my ruin. This night, though, I did a good job of avoiding dangerous situations and husbanding my chips. Finally, four hours in I caught a nice rush, no great cards but decent flops that saw other players overplaying. Example is twice I looked down to see A3 suited in the blinds when 4-5 players called a $7 raise, so I called to see. Each time the flop was kind and other players’ overplayed under pairs or TPMK to give me some juicy pots. I ended up over $400. By 2am I was done and happy to head to my room.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Double up at MGM Grand
I got up about 7:30, still in a bad mood from the results from the day before at the Excal and the MGM. Still I pride myself in not letting bad things get to me so I still plan to get my head right and hit the felt again. First of all, though, there is some business to do, some packages to ship back east. I hit breakfast at the Planet Hollywood Spice Market Buffet and as always it puts me in a better mood. Decent food at a reasonable price. It ended being $17 with taxes and tip.
I walked to the MGM, they had two 1-2 NL tables running, looking like a lot of tired tourists and I was feeling better already. I sat down in about 10 minutes and found a weak table – lots of limping – big bets were either monsters or air bluffs on the river with busted draws. No real good players but one young guy was quickly my target. He liked to raise strong with bigger cards like AQ of AJ. If he misses he gets tied to his Ace and bets strong and will keep betting all the way to the river. I felted him twice when he had A high and I had 2pr or better. After awhile several of the table left, and a couple of Vegas regulars I recognized sat down. I knew the character of the table was going to change so I decided to pull a LV Michael and cash out after having doubled up (+$220).
Went back to my room at the Excal to get caught up on some email and chill for a bit. Part of this is my attempt to balance out two conflicting goals. Number one is I want to keep fresh at the tables so I don’t go cuckoo by next week. The second is I do want to build up my “stamina” so I am ready to play some longer sessions this weekend. I am expecting the action to be pretty special on Friday (it’s a Friday in Vegas) Saturday at Mandalay Bay and Sunday at Mirage.
I walked to the MGM, they had two 1-2 NL tables running, looking like a lot of tired tourists and I was feeling better already. I sat down in about 10 minutes and found a weak table – lots of limping – big bets were either monsters or air bluffs on the river with busted draws. No real good players but one young guy was quickly my target. He liked to raise strong with bigger cards like AQ of AJ. If he misses he gets tied to his Ace and bets strong and will keep betting all the way to the river. I felted him twice when he had A high and I had 2pr or better. After awhile several of the table left, and a couple of Vegas regulars I recognized sat down. I knew the character of the table was going to change so I decided to pull a LV Michael and cash out after having doubled up (+$220).
Went back to my room at the Excal to get caught up on some email and chill for a bit. Part of this is my attempt to balance out two conflicting goals. Number one is I want to keep fresh at the tables so I don’t go cuckoo by next week. The second is I do want to build up my “stamina” so I am ready to play some longer sessions this weekend. I am expecting the action to be pretty special on Friday (it’s a Friday in Vegas) Saturday at Mandalay Bay and Sunday at Mirage.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Las Vegas Poker!
I spent the morning finishing up business and packing before heading to LAX for my US Air hop. Everything went pretty smooth, except the Vegas shuttle driver. Of course, since I was in the property closest to the airport I was the last to drop off. Go figure. Next time I’ll just taxi. Anyway, I checked into the Excalibur on a great rate, partially comped in one of the remodeled, wide-screen rooms.
After taking some time to get settled in, Seymour and I headed downstairs to the Excalibur Poker Room. As written elsewhere on this site, this is simply an area in the middle of the casino, although this one did have a hip wall with glass above to separate out the worst of the noise and smoke. Two 1-2NL games going and I get immediately into a game. This Tuesday evening there are no tourists, just a bunch of local regular players, many of whom I remember from past LV trips. They are not especially good, but no one is incredibly bad either, with only one player, two seats to my right, that I would consider dangerous. The trouble is, I get lots of drawing hands that never get anywhere. I have never had a run of so many suited connectors and one-gappers that I can remember. Nothing gets there, and my buy-in melts slowly away. I reload to keep enough bullets but the drain continues. Finally, I blow a big pot when I bluff with air against an old man holding TPTK on a very scary board. The bleeding continues and I begin to get frustrated. After three hours I cash out over $300 down. Even with the regulars, it is an extremely beatable game, I think. I just didn’t get the cards or situations to get it done.
I grab a bite at Baja Fresh on the casino floor of the Excal– two fish tacos – not great, but make me feel a little better. It is still fairly early, so I decide to move my game over to the MGM. They were just opening a 2-5NL game so I happily buy-in for $500. Most buy in for about $300, although one Young Asian Guy (YAG) sits down two seats to my right with about $600. Second hand there are two callers and I look down at AhKh. I raise to $20 (I know, a little low) and get three callers. Flop is J35 all hearts. BINGO! YAG bets AI ($600 into a $$60 pot). With the nuts, I call with him having me covered, hoping he doesn’t have a set. Turn is another heart, so my A high flush still seems the best. Another 5 hits. Sure enough, he shows 35offsuit. And I am down $500 on two hands. Immediately I am on tilt and make the good decision to go for a long walk.
I wander to Aria and check out City Center. It is impressive and expensive on some level, but on another level it reminds me of the “futuristic” cities I used to see on the cheap SciFi movies of the 1960s and 1970s. It just doesn’t seem to have a soul to me, like NYNY or Venetian or Bellagio or even the Wynn does. We shall see. I peaked into the poker room.
Ended back in my room about 1am, still grumpy from the poker results for the day. Still, I am well up overall for the trip. In part II, I’ll have to see if I can forget the bad and work on the positives. Tomorrow I plan to hit the MGM again, with possibilities of more time at Excalibur, before doing more poker at Venetian and maybe Mirage.
After taking some time to get settled in, Seymour and I headed downstairs to the Excalibur Poker Room. As written elsewhere on this site, this is simply an area in the middle of the casino, although this one did have a hip wall with glass above to separate out the worst of the noise and smoke. Two 1-2NL games going and I get immediately into a game. This Tuesday evening there are no tourists, just a bunch of local regular players, many of whom I remember from past LV trips. They are not especially good, but no one is incredibly bad either, with only one player, two seats to my right, that I would consider dangerous. The trouble is, I get lots of drawing hands that never get anywhere. I have never had a run of so many suited connectors and one-gappers that I can remember. Nothing gets there, and my buy-in melts slowly away. I reload to keep enough bullets but the drain continues. Finally, I blow a big pot when I bluff with air against an old man holding TPTK on a very scary board. The bleeding continues and I begin to get frustrated. After three hours I cash out over $300 down. Even with the regulars, it is an extremely beatable game, I think. I just didn’t get the cards or situations to get it done.
I grab a bite at Baja Fresh on the casino floor of the Excal– two fish tacos – not great, but make me feel a little better. It is still fairly early, so I decide to move my game over to the MGM. They were just opening a 2-5NL game so I happily buy-in for $500. Most buy in for about $300, although one Young Asian Guy (YAG) sits down two seats to my right with about $600. Second hand there are two callers and I look down at AhKh. I raise to $20 (I know, a little low) and get three callers. Flop is J35 all hearts. BINGO! YAG bets AI ($600 into a $$60 pot). With the nuts, I call with him having me covered, hoping he doesn’t have a set. Turn is another heart, so my A high flush still seems the best. Another 5 hits. Sure enough, he shows 35offsuit. And I am down $500 on two hands. Immediately I am on tilt and make the good decision to go for a long walk.
I wander to Aria and check out City Center. It is impressive and expensive on some level, but on another level it reminds me of the “futuristic” cities I used to see on the cheap SciFi movies of the 1960s and 1970s. It just doesn’t seem to have a soul to me, like NYNY or Venetian or Bellagio or even the Wynn does. We shall see. I peaked into the poker room.
Ended back in my room about 1am, still grumpy from the poker results for the day. Still, I am well up overall for the trip. In part II, I’ll have to see if I can forget the bad and work on the positives. Tomorrow I plan to hit the MGM again, with possibilities of more time at Excalibur, before doing more poker at Venetian and maybe Mirage.
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