Two Plus Two Older Archives - Vegas trip report (and a few hands)

Two Plus Two Older Archives (http://archives2.twoplustwo.com/index.php)

- Mid- and High-Stakes Hold'em (http://archives2.twoplustwo.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16)

- - Vegas trip report (and a few hands) (http://archives2.twoplustwo.com/showthread.php?t=144500)

Vegas trip report (and a few hands)

MBE and I just got back from Vegas (Bellagio).

I want to thank Ed Miller, Clarkmeister, and Duke for ensuring that we both had a lot of fun there. Thanks, guys.

We also met with Pokerbabe for lunch - pretty good Indian food at a place called Shalimar. Thanks, babe.

The poker was very good. I essentially played 30-60 the whole trip (which is a step up from my usual 15 or 20 limits). Overall, the game was not that much tougher at the 30 level. Anyway, I had good results winning about $4700 in 32 hours of play. It looked bleak on my first day when I was stuck $3700 in about 8 hours...gulp. Clarkmeister says that I was a scaredy-cat for not joining him in the 80 games. Screw him though...heh

Some hands (Hands 1, 2, and 3 all occurred when I was getting trounced on day 1):

Hand No. 1

Two limpers. I raise on the button with AA. A seemingly tight player (Natalie for you Vegas locals who might know her) 3 bets from the sb. I 4 bet and both opponents call.

Flop: KJ3 rainbow.

I bet, Natalie calls and others fold.

Turn is a blank.

I had a sinking and definite feeling that she had a set (as she would have no doubt raised with AK and perhaps even bet or raised with QQ to find out where I was at). But I had no table presence whatsoever at this time. Duke was in the game and could probably attest to that. So, I bet and of course got raised. I pay off and she shows JJ as expected. I should post this in the psychology forum. Why the hell I bet based on image considerations as opposed to the merits of the hand is a question to which I have no answer.

Hand 2

The guy to my right is just destroying the game. He is preflop raising liberally but he plays pretty good postflop. I 3 bet him with KhTh in late position and we take the flop heads-up.

Flop: A76 rainbow with no heart

He checkraises. I 3 bet (again, for no good reason other than I haven't played a hand in eons...no wonder I was getting trounced that session). He 4 bets. I lay down and he shows 54 offsuit. Swell.

When you are getting hammered, the vultures are all over the place I tell ya. But I simply refused to change tables or even seats. Stupid me I tell ya.

Hand 3

I have Qh5h in the bb. 5 or 6 callers.

Flop: 633 with two hearts. I bet. UTG raises. A seemingly good player coldcalls. I just call but keep an open mind as to either betting, checkcalling or checkraising the turn.

Turn: Queen

I check. Flop raiser bets. Good player calls. I checkraise. Flop bettor calls and now the good player 3 bets.

I muck.

River is a heart but I did well mucking on the turn as the good player showed 66. For some reason, that was the turning point to my session.

Hand 4

Mason has written about this before but the fact that Vegas has a 5 bet cap means that fewer hands get 4 bet preflop (i.e. with a 4 bet cap, there are more 4 betted hands preflop as the 4 bettor knows he can't be raised again). In Vegas, a 4 bet preflop is generally KK or AA. A 5 bet is almost always AA and sometimes KK. Of course, this is based on limited observation. If someone who plays the game regularly and says that it is not like that...well, I stand corrected.

In any case, on this hand, a tight playing woman raises UTG with KK. 2 coldcallers. I am on the button with AhQh and 3 bet. She 4 bets. I cap. Both blinds call and 6 of us see the flop.

Flop: K64 rainbow with no hearts. She bets. 2 callers. I muck. I would just about never have done that if Vegas had a 4 bet cap preflop.

Anyway, the board ends up K6464 and the woman manages to get in three bets with two opponents on the river. Her opponents had a 6 and a 4 respectively. She of course showed KK.

Does anyone think I had enough to call on the flop to try and make a backdoor straight?

Anyway, I think that Vegas should go to a 4 bet cap rule.

Hand 5

This one is just pure fun...very little strategy involved. I had Td9d in the bb. 5 way action no raise.

Flop: KdQdJd (Query: Is the only way you can flop the absolute unbeatable nuts and still be able to "improve" your hand on the turn or river?)

UTG (tight player) bets. 2 calls. Sb raises (if he didn't, I would have). Only me and UTG call (that was kind of weird as two guys who called the flop bet folded once sb raised. Sb was a local. So, I figured that maybe these folders knew him to be a rock and held a strong hand. That of course made me giddy...heh).

Turn is a 3 or something. Sb bets and I raise hoping that sb held the Ace high flush. UTG thinks and coldcalls. Sb calls. I now put UTG on AJ offsuit with the Ad.

River: Q

I was suddenly of course hoping that UTG had KQ. I bet, she folded and sb then checkraised. I 3 bet and sb called. He had 8d2d. I gather he was just waiting until the river to raise in case another diamond showed up...who knows...whatever...I hadn't flopped a straight flush in about 6 or 7 years.

Incidentally, my woes with Alaska Airlines continue. 2 hours late each way. I can't remember the last time that these guys took off on time.

Delmonico's with MBE, Clark and Duke. Still the best place in town for a steak.

I started reading Ed's book on the flight back. He just made the games a whole lot tougher. Damn I hate that guy.

I read Hellmuth's "Play poker like the pros" on the flight out. Man, I love that guy. Utter garbage. I forgot the book on the plane. Hope some guy finds it, memorizes the advice and shows up in the Party 15 games with a healthy bankroll.

Ciao

skp