[renodoc]

I keep a journal. Here's my latest entry. I am a fish. Constructive criticism desired. The villian is likely a trout so if you are reading this, thanks for the lessons.

Bellagio Cash Game NL $10-$20 blinds

It was very late (or early depending on your perspective). Its 0100 and time to hit the tables. I buy into a must move game for $4000. We are five handed. I have played with two of the players before, but not much.

Hand #1 (I'm a suckout donkey)

I raise UTG with KdJd to $60 and the BB (a fairly aggressive player on the flop at least) calls. Flop comes three undercards with 1 diamond and he bets out $140. I know better than to play this hand but this guy could have anything so I call. Turn is another low diamond and he bets the pot again. For inexplicable reasons I call again. River makes the flush and he checks. I bet $600 and he decides to pay me off. Nice start.

Hand #2 (I fire the big boat's gun too soon)

I get QQ UTG and raise to $60. CO (21 year old kid with about $7K behind
him) and BB call.

Flop Q-8-3 suits unimportant.

BB checks, I bet $140, CO calls, BB folds.

Turn 3

I bet $300. Cutoff raises to $800. I do the Hollywood thing, reraise another $1500 and he folds. Nice pot, but maybe I should have just called…

Hand #3 (I'm weak-tight and the Milwaukee's best beer is going to fall on my head)

The players are being shuttled to the main game. I end up headsup with the “7K kid” I haven’t played much headsup in a cash game but I know enough to be aggressive. I raise on the button almost everytime as does he. Most of the time we see a flop and the first bet takes the pot.

He raises to $80 from the BB. He had been raising usually to $60, but I couldn’t really make that much of the difference here. I call with A9o. Flop comes A-T-5 rainbow. He bets $300 and I raise to $1000. He reraises another $2000. Yuck. I go into the tank. Options are really only to fold or go all in. Calling seems ludicrous. All I can think of are the hands I am behind. AK/AQ/AJ/AT/A5/TT/55/T5. When I list them like that it doesn’t seem too many really. While I’m thinking of playing for about 5 grand in the hand it seems like he must have me beat—why on earth would he bet so much without a really big hand here?? He laid down his hand when I reraised him with the full house earlier. He says something like “I know you really don’t want to give me this pot” He’s 21 years old, maybe he’s 22. What the [censored] is he doing with all this money anyway? I fold. He flashes pocket kings at me. I nod. I love it when I fold the best hand. Fantastic. We both move to the main game. 10 handed.

Hand #4 (One heart too many)

I get Th8h and limp. Flop comes 5-5-9 with two hearts. The pot is about $140 with 7 limpers. I bet $100 and get two callers including 7K Kid. Turn is the Ah, giving me a flush. I bet $300. I dunno if I really like this bet or not. Both players call. River is the ugliest little three of hearts. F-word. I check, player two checks, 7K bets $800. We both fold. I don’t see how I can call that there. He may have even had a boat on the turn. In retrospect, checking here seems weak.

Hand #5 (The coup d'grace)

I pick up AK in the small blind. 4 people limp, I raise to $120. 7K calls and everyone else folds. Flop comes A-4-4. I bet $260, he raises to $1000, I reraise to $2400 and then he goes all-in. So this is why I like to play no limit texas holdem in Vegas. The Cadillac of poker. So it will be all of my chips to call his raise. So what does he have? Well, the obvious answer is that he has AA and has flopped top boat. I mean, what else could he have? A-4 ??? I guess he could have seen a flop with that. If they were suited. How could he play A4 offsuit for a raise before the flop? That would be stupid, wouldn't it? Maybe he has quads? OK, so he pushed me off my top pair at the other table with his KK. Maybe he thinks he can push me around. Well, he needs a lesson. He should show a little respect for the grey hair on my head. In fact, he’s got to think that there is a chance that I have AA. I mean, I made the first raise, and I came out betting again. He’s got AQ here. If he has AA and he limped preflop well, that is a ballsy move. So be it. So can I lay this down? I might have given him a break when I had top boat with my Queens and raised him off the pot. I gave him a grand when I laid down the A9 against his Kings. I lost money when my flush was counterfeited. Nah, I’m not playing weak-tight anymore tonight! I call!

He flips over 7-4 of spades and then catches a 7 on the turn to rub it in….. I love this game.