Vegas Trip Report (mainly poker stuff)

[Homer]

I just got back from a trip to Vegas, so I thought I would post a report.


Results

All my poker playing took place over the first four days of my trip. Each day, I played 1-4-8-8 hold'em for approximately 6 hours, spreading my playing time between Monte Carlo and Mandalay Bay. The games are quite soft at both venues, which normally would make for an enjoyable playing experience. In this case, however, it made for quite a bit of frustration.

I started out by winning an $80 pot on my first orbit of the trip when my pocket 9's met a flop of 988. This turned out to be nothing but a tease, as it was ultimately the high point of my trip. My session wins/losses (err just losses) were -100/-150/-100/-150, for a total loss of $500 in 25 hours of play (-2 BB/hr, woohoo!!). Some of the memorable hands from the trip follow (some of you will say I am complaining about bad beats, but I am not, as these were typical hands from the trip).

1) Monte Carlo - 1-4-8-8, full table

I'm dealt A/forums/images/icons/spade.gifJ/forums/images/icons/club.gif on the button. It is folded to me and I raise to $6. I had folded every hand (literally) for the past 3 orbits so I assumed that I had a tight image. I of course failed to recognize that no one is paying attention, so I simply have the image of a punk kid despite my tight play and quiet demeanor. In any event, SB folds, BB says "let's gamble a little" and reraises to $10. I figure he must have a good hand to be saying something like that (the whole weak means strong thing). I call. Two to the flop.

Flop - K/forums/images/icons/spade.gif7/forums/images/icons/spade.gif3/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif

BB checks, I check. My thought process was that I am certainly behind here, though my opponent may not know it, since he could easily have QQ, JJ, TT, or AQ. However, I was close to certain that he would call me down with any of these holdings, so I decided to take the free card. In taking the free card here, I decided that I was going to fold on the turn if an A, J or spade didn't come, and that I was going to raise if a spade came. I had considered betting the flop and taking a free card on the turn, but I was certain that my opponent would bet the turn after I checked the flop, making it easier for me to semibluff on the turn.

Turn - 8/forums/images/icons/spade.gif

BB bets, I raise, BB calls.

River - Q/forums/images/icons/heart.gif

BB smirks and checks, I check. In retrospect, I think I should have fired my last barrel on the river in an attempt to make my opponent fold. He would have a hard time calling here with JJ or TT. In the heat of battle, I thought he would call with anything that beat me and fold anything worse, but I am not so sure now.

My opponent flips over Q/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif9/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif for a rivered pair of Q's. I can't believe he three-bet me preflop and even more that he called my turn raise. He had absolutely nothing. Obviously, he must have had a great read on me. I can just see him sitting there thinking "Punk kid...punk kid...punk kid..."

2) Monte Carlo - 1-4-8-8, 4 handed

It's early in the morning and I go downstairs to take advantage of the tired and drunk from the night before. I find a 5-6 handed game going and jump in. A few moments later there are only 4 of us, consisting of me, a fish who somehow hasn't lost his buy-in yet, an incompetent off-duty dealer, and her drunk/high/40 IQ boyfriend who hasn't seen a flop he doesn't like. Despite the small number of players, pots are averaging $50. I sit back and wait for a hand.

I'm dealt AA UTG. I raise, everyone calls. Four to the flop.

Flop - Q/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif7/forums/images/icons/heart.gif5/forums/images/icons/club.gif

I check, fish bets, off-duty dealer raises, b/f calls, I reraise, fish folds, o/d calls, b/f calls. Two to the turn.

Turn - J/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif

I bet, o/d calls, b/f folds.

River - 9/forums/images/icons/heart.gif

I bet, o/d raises......[censored]. I call. She rolls over T/forums/images/icons/heart.gif8/forums/images/icons/club.gif for a runner-runner straight. I proceed to slit her throat with one of my aces. Inside I am screaming. What possessed her to raise the flop with that crap? What does she think I have? Does she think?

3) Mandalay Bay - 1-4-8-8, full table

I'm dealt Q/forums/images/icons/club.gifJ/forums/images/icons/club.gif on the button. 3 callers to me, I call, SB calls, BB checks. 6 to the flop.

Flop - Q/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif5/forums/images/icons/heart.gif3/forums/images/icons/club.gif

Three players check, dude1 bets, dude2 raises, I three-bet, all fold to dude2 who calls.

Turn - 4/forums/images/icons/heart.gif

Check, bet, call.

River - 8/forums/images/icons/club.gif

Checked through.

Dude2 flips over Q/forums/images/icons/spade.gif8/forums/images/icons/heart.gif for a rivered two-pair. Ni-han.

4) 1-4-8-8 Mandalay Bay - full table

I'm dealt K/forums/images/icons/heart.gifK/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif UTG. I raise to $6 and get 4 callers (fewer than I expected).

Flop - Q/forums/images/icons/heart.gif7/forums/images/icons/club.gif2/forums/images/icons/heart.gif

I check (I could guarantee a bet would come despite my preflop raise), check, bet, fold, raise. I reraise, guy to my left calls three bets cold, original bettor folds, raiser calls. Three players to the turn.

Turn - 8/forums/images/icons/heart.gif

I bet, coldcaller calls, other player folds. Two to the river.

River - x

I bet $2 to get coldcaller all-in. He shows Q/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif8/forums/images/icons/club.gif for two pair to take it down. I couldn't believe he called three cold with Qx on the flop after I raised preflop and three-bet the flop. This turned out to be my last hand of the trip.


Rooms

1) Monte Carlo

Small room with about 8 tables. There isn't much noise from the casino as the poker room truly is a room unto itself, and additionally is near a bar, the sportsbook, the club booth, and other things that aren't very noisy. The room itself is wooded with large poker paintings on the wall. It had a kind of club feel to it. For those of you who have been to AC, it reminded me of the Trop, but on a much smaller scale. The staff was friendly and helpful. They were willing to help teach me the game, as they assumed I had little to no experience due to my age. Comps were easy to come by, $6 every day for only 4 hrs of play. They have high hand bonuses for hands of 2222 and higher (both hole cards must play, $20 pot required). I did not like that everyone seemed to know each other. There seemed to be a greater than normal amount of regulars. However, they were all old men who knew nothing about how to play poker, so it didn't bother me too much (expect when they sucked out and smirked like they were poker gods). I did not like the actual poker tables. There was a wood rail in which the drink holders were placed and on which your chips were to be stacked. I felt that I did not have enough room to operate.

2) Mandalay Bay

Somewhat larger room than the Monte Carlo, with about 12 tables. Even though there were only a few more tables, they were larger (rail for chips and another for drinks) and more spread out. The room itself is open and airy. It is not a room unto itself, as it is attached to the sportsbook and casino. Despite this, I did not find it to be too noisy. There are high hand bonuses, with the same rules as at the Monte Carlo. The staff didn't seem particularly friendly or rude. The head honcho did not seem very professional, however. There was an argument between a drunk player and a hobo in which the drunk was calling the hobo a whore and the whore...err hobo was throwing quarters at the drunk. The head guy didn't handle it very well, as he was yelling at them and creating an uncomforable atmosphere for the other players.

All in all, I like the Monte Carlo poker room much more than the one at Mandalay Bay.

You might notice that I did not go to the Mirage or Bellagio poker rooms. This is because I was burnt out from the prior four days of play and was at the same time sick with food poisoning from the Monte Carlo dinner buffet. For those of you who think I am joking, I am not. If you are ever in Las Vegas, please do not eat at the Monte Carlo buffet. It caused me to be effectively bed-ridden for three days of my trip.


Anyhoo, I guess that's it. You can probably tell that it wasn't the greatest trip. Oh well, at least the Eagles kicked some ass Saturday night and I didn't die on the plane ride home.

-- Homer

[nanoking]

Thanks for posting your trip report. I had a weekend of similar suck outs and behavior at my local casino so it was good to hear that I'm not the only youngish player who gets the "poker god smirks" (lol). It sounds like you were able to induce the regulars to bluff-raise you as some sort of territorial or generational posturing. Too bad it didn't work out on those hands.

My wife got 5555 for the a $250 high hand jackpot at Monte Carlo her first trip so she loves it there.

Here's some restaurants that you won't get sick at near the strip (the raw food place is great):

Mediterranean Cafe & Market
4147 South Maryland Parkway
702-731-6030

Rainbow's End Natural Foods
1100 East Sahara Avenue
702-737-7282

Long Life Vegetarian Restaurant
4130 S Sandhill Rd (at Sandhill & Flamingo)
702-436-4488

Raw Truth Cafe
3620 E. Flamingo (Flamingo & Pecos)
702-450-9007

[Homer]

Thanks for the restaurant info. I'll be sure to print it out and take it with me on my next trip. Glad to hear about your wife's good fortune with the bad beat jackpot. I wish I could say I hit one myself, but it didn't happen. While I was playing I thought to myself, "Just give me a spade royal and all will be well" (it was up to $2500 or so! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif )

-- Homer

[bernie]

"I did not like that everyone seemed to know each other."

this is common at many rooms around the nation at some time, i think. i sometimes like being the one guy no one knows at the table. many times, theyll tell you how to play and theyre not that observant as to really try and key in on me.

if your worried that theyll pick up on your play too soon, come in in a different gear, then change....

not sure why you didnt like this...

b

[Prufrock]

Homer,

The first hand you played in you ran into a programed bettor. He had no
info on you so he decided to play a hand against you to the river
to gain info for himself and any friends at the table. That's why he said
"let's gamble a little." That's why he smirked when the queen hit the river.
He had no intention of winning the pot when he started it just worked out
that way. I've seen this quite often from regulars. I will almost guarantee
this is what happenned.

Prufrock

[Homer]

bernie, the reason I didn't like it had nothing to do with EV. I simply didn't like being the only person there who didn't know anyone else. It was like they had their own little club and didn't want to let anyone else in. They all whispered to each other about the play of those that weren't in the group. I realize that we play poker to make money, but most of us also play for enjoyment on some other level, and for me part of that enjoyment is talking to the players around me and feeling like I am part of the group.

-- Homer

[klrpdx]

One of my first casino poker sessions was at the Monte Carlo. This was a few years ago, but it sounds like not much has changed. Entire table was regulars except me and my buddy. Like you said, the problem was not that they all knew each other, but that I felt like I had sat down in the middle of their private game. They kept their conversations to themselves and shared whispered comments about my play... and I'm sure there much to whisper about because at the point I didn't even know how much I didn't know about the game. At my current state, at least I know how much I don't know, so that's progress!

Anyway, that game sticks in my mind for one reason: after my buddy had been there playing a while, I caught one of the regulars, much to the amusement of the guy next to him, chanting 'call', 'call' whenever the action got around to us. He was making fun of us because all we ever did was call. It dawned on me -- I was a calling station. So there you go, even though it was an unfriendly game, I learned something from the snide comments of the regulars, and I thank them for it.

[Dynasty]

I was sitting at the table during hand #1 (the AsJc vs. Qd9d hand). I was in seat 2 but not talking very much. Although, there was one one time I said to a woman across the table "You Boston people have such funny accents" in my own Massachusetts accent.

If there's one thing I did to bring attention to myself, it was accidentally knocking over an older lady's chips in seat 1 when she was away from the table. As "revenge" she knocked over one of my stacks intentionally and we had a little laugh. I also overplayed a QQ hand by raising on the river when two other players were already all-in.

[Homer]

So I was playing with the legendary Dynasty and didn't even know it, ehh? /forums/images/icons/wink.gif I would have introduced myself had I known it was you. I honestly thought you would be a little older. Also, there seemed to be quite a few people there with Boston accents, so I thought nothing of it at the time.

I do remember you being at the table, though. There was some football conversation taking place and you said any FG under 55 yards was a chip shot. I almost chimed in that I'd rather have Akers than Vinatieri, but I decided it prudent to keep my mouth shut. /forums/images/icons/grin.gif As for that woman and her heaping stack of chips, I would have knocked them over myself had I thought of it...

[Dynasty]

That was me espousing the greatness of my favorite football player, Adam Vinatieri.

[bernie]

one of the small thrills i get in this game is going to a place where no one knows me, and beating the table full of regulars. then leaving. just blow into the room, dont say much, win, then leave....the look on their faces when they realize im not staying to give them a shot at their money can be priceless.

i used to wear shades and had long bleach bonde hair (halfway to my back, think diamond dave's hair in the early 80s) with a leather coat. through my shades id see the old fart regulars smirk as i sat down....almost a 'look at this punk, this shouldnt take long' smirk. the idiots

it was my pleasure to give em an upper G I with a chiprack, then leave when they get that hopeful look that youll stay. especially when they chose to just ignore me anyway and pull the crap your describing.

like worm said after the trust fund babies session in rounders...

"f*kin A-Holes...they deserved it..."

bring em on...

b

[klrpdx]

I hope to do this someday. Thanks for the great post!

[Abagadro]

Bernie, you are a man after my own heart. I've enjoyed doing this the last 4 sessions. I even come to the table with a beer (always have one to losen up the sphyncter a bit) so they think I am walking in out of the pit. Never have another one of course, but don't let the waitress take my empty so I always have one in front of me. I know it is probably stupid and no one really notices, but it is my own private mind game. I really don't care if no one else sees it. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif I do get called down alot with obvious folds by guys who are usually rocks so who knows.

I love when I leave with my (their) rack(s). Unfortunately there is only one room near me so it is getting to where they know me. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif

Homer, I played at the Mandalay when I was down there in November and had pretty much the same experience. You just need to wait it out and wait for the 1 or 2 fishes who float in and out ever couple of hours to really get it going. Also be patient with the regulars as you can catch them trying to steal after you play like a diamond for a while and then switch back to loose. You really need to mix it up because if these guys are good at one thing it is profiling your play in a hurry. (I learned this too late my last trip so haven't put it into practice down there). Also, they seem to chew up weak/tight play which I unfortunately reverted to because I wasn't in my confort zone. Next time. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Luckily there was another younger guy at the table (who was a regular, but friendly) and we talking about football as it was Thanksgiving weekend so I didn't get the freezeout. When he wasn't at the table I had the same experience, although not quite the same bad results. (Only -100 for 3 days).

[JTG51]

Isn't it written somewhere that if you are from the Boston area, Adam Vinatieri has to be your favorite football player?

I was in the Mohegan Sun poker room when he kicker the Super Bowl winner. I've never heard such a loud roar from such a relatively small crowd.

[bernie]

from my old BJ days...

take yer 'empty' to the can with ya and fill it with water. youll be coming back and they may think ya bought another one in the pit.

it also gives ya a little break from the game while youre doing this...

b

[MtSmalls]

A question on these two poker rooms: Both seem rather small (number of tables), will it be hard for me to get seated in a game during SuperBowl weekend? I am headed down next week (Th-Mon) and would like to check out both these rooms, as I have not played there before, but am concerned about long waits for games (3/6 or 4/8)??

[Homer]

I wish I knew the answer. Hopefully, one of the locals can chime in and give you some idea what it might be like.

-- Homer

[offTopic]

Heh...I was playing in the 1-4-8-8 at Monte Carlo Friday evening and all night Saturday. The game Friday was awful, but I was waiting for my buddies to arrive in town, and MC was closest to where we were staying. Ended that day -100 after 4h 15m.

Sat night, the game was better, but I'd been working on 3 hrs sleep and way too much beer, so I wasn't playing my 'A' game. Hell, I don't even know if I have an 'A' game...long sit, around 9 hrs, and I could not get any cards, which was a shame. I'd win a big pot, fold for an hour and a half, win a medium pot, etc. Ended up down a whopping $39 for the night/morning. Ugh.

The hand of the weekend, I wasn't involved in, thankfully. It was straight out of the internet forum. Capped multiway preflop, flop is 9-high, bet and a raise. Turn is a king and all hell breaks loose. River 9 and KK loses to 99. Plus the guy that made quad 9s collected $201 AND he'd just made quad 4s an hour earlier. Then, the guy that had the KK and lost gets involved in another hand about 5-10 minutes later where what I'm assuming was a dominated underpair catches running 8s to make quad 8s and beats the KK guy. He goes storming out shortly thereafter. Damn random shuffle! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

[Dynasty]

On Super Bowl weekend, there may be some lists to wait through. However, the waiting list at the Mirage last year was mroe than an hour long. I think the Bellagio was the same thing. Your surest bet to get into a low-limit game on Super Bowl weekend is to play in one of the small rooms like the Monte Carlo or Mandalay Bay.

[Clarkmeister]

Typical Monte Carlo cold decking.