10-10-2005, 08:15 PM
Dear Constant Reader,
I went to LV last weekend planning to hit as many different NL tourneys as possible, and check out a few different card rooms. My plane landed around 7:45 pm Friday night. There was an 8 pm tourney at the Stratosphere, but I didn't think I could make it in time. So I went to the Luxor for their 8:30. I got there in plenty of time only to find out that it was limited seating and was already sold out. I should have taken that as an ill omen and headed straight back to the airport and home.
So I checked into my hotel and got ready for the 11 PM NL at the Sahara. I was a little early so I sat in a 2-4 game there for 30 minutes or so until it started. I sat just left of an intoxicated man who spilled his Long Island iced tea all over his chips. Despite the fact that he flashed me his hole cards every single hand he played, I lost $20 waiting for the tourney to start. Once in the tourney, I played super-tight for the first hour or so, never getting any cards to play, when I found myself with KJo in the BB in a limp pot with about 5 limpers. The flop came QT9 with 2 spades, giving me the nut straight. I checked to this dragon lady with long fingers who did the most amazing chip tricks all night. I was hynoptized by her nimble fingers in between hands. So she goes all in with Q9 giving her two pair. I call and my straight held up. That was the highlite of the tourney for me. Later, as I was just about to get blinded off, I maded a stab at the blinds from the cut-off seat, going all-in with QTo. The button quickly called with JJ, and both blinds folded. I flopped a ten but still needed help. I spiked another miracle ten on the turn. Then, just as I turned to the fellow to apologize for the bad beat I just put on him, the river put the 4th diamond on the board and the fellow made a flush. What a dirty tease!
I went back to the Sahara the next morning for the 11 AM tourney. Same buy-in and blind structure. The levels went up every 20 minutes, which seemed just about right. I didn't do much better this time. Busted out about halfway thru the second hour. I found myself in the SB with A4s with the blinds 200/400. The hand was folded around to me. I considered raising, but limped in instead like an idiot. The BB raised it 1000, and I thought he was trying to bully me. So I call, thinking to myself that if I hit the flop I'll write this big bully a new address. The flop came AJ2, all hearts. I check and the bully goes all in. Now I REALLY think he's bullying me. I put him on KQ with maybe one rogue heart, or maybe a jack. So I call and he turnes over AJo for 2 pair and I'm drawing dead to running 4's. One meaningless 4 falls on the river just to taunt me as I get up to go.
I then went to the Bellagio and played the 4-8 game for about 4 hours. That is one classy room. Best chairs of anyplace I've played. They recline. I dropped $150. The highlite for me was a $150 hand I won with the nut flush, with a guy reraising me on the river until he hit the felt. I saw David Sklansky playing in a $1000 buy in tourney 2 tables over, and another fellow I recognized. I believe his name is Tony Ma. Oh! And fyi, the mango smoothie in the Bellagio cafe is quite refreshing.
I had tickets to the the 10:30 show of "Ka" at the MGM that night, so I went over an hour or so early to check out their card room. They have a very nice room, I must say. Nice tables. The chairs sat a little low. It was a little like sitting at the kid's table. But a very nice room. And right next to it is a bar where all the hot waitresses get up and dance on the tables every 20 minutes or so. Wild. Oh. And I lost $40 waiting for the show to start. FYI, Ka is an amazing show. The best I've ever seen.
Then I went back to the Sahara for the 11 AM Sunday tourney. I did ok. I picked up a couple pots with pocket queens twice, once winning a race vs. AK for the guy's whole stack. The big hand though came when I found myself with A7o in the BB. The button limped in and the SB folded with the blinds at 1500/3000. the flop came A42 with 2 hearts. I was looking down at my chips and was about to bet when out of the corner of my eye I see the button reaching for chips. So I check to him and he makes it 3000 to go. I reraise all in with my aces and the button calls. He turns over KT of hearts. The cards come blank-blank and my aces hold up. I felt like Doyle himself.
We got down to 12 players left, when I find myself in the cut-off seat with pocket 3's. It folds around to me so I decide to take a stab at the blinds. The BB wakes up with 77 and reraises me all in. It was only another few hundred to call, so I do. My hand did not improve, and that left me on a respirator. I managed to barely make it to the final table, but I got a shanked spot when we drew for seats and was blinded out about 3 hands into it. It was very cool, though. When we got to the final table they moved us all to the table up front and a small crowd gathered around to spectate.
Despite dropping around $400, I had a swell time and cannot wait to go back. I enjoyed the tourneys at the Sahara so much I may just stay there next time. They have a great room rate for cards players, too. Like $60 per night for Friday and Saturday with around 3 hours of play required a day.
Sincerely yours,
Warod Ono
I went to LV last weekend planning to hit as many different NL tourneys as possible, and check out a few different card rooms. My plane landed around 7:45 pm Friday night. There was an 8 pm tourney at the Stratosphere, but I didn't think I could make it in time. So I went to the Luxor for their 8:30. I got there in plenty of time only to find out that it was limited seating and was already sold out. I should have taken that as an ill omen and headed straight back to the airport and home.
So I checked into my hotel and got ready for the 11 PM NL at the Sahara. I was a little early so I sat in a 2-4 game there for 30 minutes or so until it started. I sat just left of an intoxicated man who spilled his Long Island iced tea all over his chips. Despite the fact that he flashed me his hole cards every single hand he played, I lost $20 waiting for the tourney to start. Once in the tourney, I played super-tight for the first hour or so, never getting any cards to play, when I found myself with KJo in the BB in a limp pot with about 5 limpers. The flop came QT9 with 2 spades, giving me the nut straight. I checked to this dragon lady with long fingers who did the most amazing chip tricks all night. I was hynoptized by her nimble fingers in between hands. So she goes all in with Q9 giving her two pair. I call and my straight held up. That was the highlite of the tourney for me. Later, as I was just about to get blinded off, I maded a stab at the blinds from the cut-off seat, going all-in with QTo. The button quickly called with JJ, and both blinds folded. I flopped a ten but still needed help. I spiked another miracle ten on the turn. Then, just as I turned to the fellow to apologize for the bad beat I just put on him, the river put the 4th diamond on the board and the fellow made a flush. What a dirty tease!
I went back to the Sahara the next morning for the 11 AM tourney. Same buy-in and blind structure. The levels went up every 20 minutes, which seemed just about right. I didn't do much better this time. Busted out about halfway thru the second hour. I found myself in the SB with A4s with the blinds 200/400. The hand was folded around to me. I considered raising, but limped in instead like an idiot. The BB raised it 1000, and I thought he was trying to bully me. So I call, thinking to myself that if I hit the flop I'll write this big bully a new address. The flop came AJ2, all hearts. I check and the bully goes all in. Now I REALLY think he's bullying me. I put him on KQ with maybe one rogue heart, or maybe a jack. So I call and he turnes over AJo for 2 pair and I'm drawing dead to running 4's. One meaningless 4 falls on the river just to taunt me as I get up to go.
I then went to the Bellagio and played the 4-8 game for about 4 hours. That is one classy room. Best chairs of anyplace I've played. They recline. I dropped $150. The highlite for me was a $150 hand I won with the nut flush, with a guy reraising me on the river until he hit the felt. I saw David Sklansky playing in a $1000 buy in tourney 2 tables over, and another fellow I recognized. I believe his name is Tony Ma. Oh! And fyi, the mango smoothie in the Bellagio cafe is quite refreshing.
I had tickets to the the 10:30 show of "Ka" at the MGM that night, so I went over an hour or so early to check out their card room. They have a very nice room, I must say. Nice tables. The chairs sat a little low. It was a little like sitting at the kid's table. But a very nice room. And right next to it is a bar where all the hot waitresses get up and dance on the tables every 20 minutes or so. Wild. Oh. And I lost $40 waiting for the show to start. FYI, Ka is an amazing show. The best I've ever seen.
Then I went back to the Sahara for the 11 AM Sunday tourney. I did ok. I picked up a couple pots with pocket queens twice, once winning a race vs. AK for the guy's whole stack. The big hand though came when I found myself with A7o in the BB. The button limped in and the SB folded with the blinds at 1500/3000. the flop came A42 with 2 hearts. I was looking down at my chips and was about to bet when out of the corner of my eye I see the button reaching for chips. So I check to him and he makes it 3000 to go. I reraise all in with my aces and the button calls. He turns over KT of hearts. The cards come blank-blank and my aces hold up. I felt like Doyle himself.
We got down to 12 players left, when I find myself in the cut-off seat with pocket 3's. It folds around to me so I decide to take a stab at the blinds. The BB wakes up with 77 and reraises me all in. It was only another few hundred to call, so I do. My hand did not improve, and that left me on a respirator. I managed to barely make it to the final table, but I got a shanked spot when we drew for seats and was blinded out about 3 hands into it. It was very cool, though. When we got to the final table they moved us all to the table up front and a small crowd gathered around to spectate.
Despite dropping around $400, I had a swell time and cannot wait to go back. I enjoyed the tourneys at the Sahara so much I may just stay there next time. They have a great room rate for cards players, too. Like $60 per night for Friday and Saturday with around 3 hours of play required a day.
Sincerely yours,
Warod Ono