Vegas Trip Report

[chim17]

We got into Vegas around 8 AM on Thursday morning, checked into Excalibur at 9 and headed to Monte Carlo by noon that day.

I really liked Monte Carlo's poker room, and being basically my first B&M experience it took me a bit to adjust to just how loose and how passive the game was. My first session I was up about 50 big bets playin 2/4 after a few hours and my friends tell me we need to go for a few (had other engagements). We decide to finish our orbits and head on our way. My final two hands were KK and AA that was capped most of the way (one total LAG at the table helped get me some action) that netted in around negative 20 bets. I lost to 74 and 64 in the two hands both on the river. I was a bit shocked, but just envisioned how huge it could have been had I won those pots. Definately a good session all in all.

Later that night we went to Excalibur to play the 2-6. The players in my Excalibur game were much better than the Monter Carlo game so I had to make another adjustment. Perhaps it was just a tighter table but bluffs would occasionally work whereas in 4 sessions at Monte Carlo I saw three hands that didn't go to a showdown (one to come later). Excalibur was up about 10 big bets. The win rate was much slower but in this game the variance had to be much smaller.

One of my middle sessions in Monte Carlo was rough. They have a high hand jackpot where quads and better pay extra money. However, you need to get 20 dollars in the pot to win the jacpot. I raise with KK UTG and get 3 or 4 callers. The flop comes KKX and I make the biggest mistake of the trip. Every hand in my hour at this table had seen a showdown, so I bet figuring everyone will just call anyways. It's folded around to me and the $139.00 jackpot was forfeited because there wasn't 20 bucks in the pot.

I went to Monte Carlo on our last day pretty proud of my successes so far and I hit a wall. I was stuck a rack and a half in the matter of a few hours. I was getting premium hands but missing completely. One guy mentioned I was a maniac because of how often I was raising preflop, but it was really with good legit hands. This table started awfully.

First there was a couple that in my mind was clearly colluding. They waited for the same table and took first seat change next to eachother. Everytime the one guy would bet his wife would raise forcing people to call two cold, then he would often muck back to him for one bet (if everyone else folded). They very very rarely were in pots alone, and almost always would raise once the other bet. I had no idea how to deal with such a situation being a B&M virgin so I just kept quiet. Then a hand came up where I had pocket 9's. I raised and bet the whole way then checked behind the river (I had a very strong suspicion a check raise was coming by the way the lady was holding her chips.. the same lady in question earlier). She shows a rivered two pair and I throw my cards into the muck. She reaches into the muck grabs them and flips them over. I ask why she did that and her husband says "We wanted to see how you play". I look to the dealer who responds that any hand that sees equal action on the river can be shown. Another man speaks up talking about how its to defend against collusion and the dealer says that its to see how people play. Again unsure of what to do I just deal with it figuring I'll just ask to see that guy and his wifes hands in the future. Someone else at the table looks at me and says somethign to the effect of that it is to defend against collusion and it should be used against those two. Few hands later they leave while badgering us about how far the two were up. It was a really unenjoyable experience because of the two, and moreso because I was unsure how to act in the situation. It wouldn't have been to bad but the attitude of the two had ruined the table.. no one was having fun and no one was gambling.

When they left and I was stuck a rack and a half I decided to just have fun with it. Me and my friend made a game of live straddling and raising just to raise. When his blind came I straddled and a few people looked confused. The dealer explained and the pot became capped 7 ways (12 dollars) for an 84 dollar pot preflop at 2/4. I flopped two pair but got redrawn by pocket kings that hit a running small pair. I was happy he won, though, he had no clue what was happening with the straddling and endless raising. The best part of the hand, though, was when I bet preflop and got 5 folds between me and pocket kings for 2 bucks into an 84 dollar pot. After the hand ended I post my blind and look to the guy on the left of me and say "Aren't you going to straddle me?". He straddles and the table starts going crazy, gambling and having fun. All said and done it straddled an entire orbit (many times capped preflop). I ended up only down 4 bets after it all as I got pretty lucky with the straddling times, but I needed to just have some fun.. and the table appreciated it.

I had no idea how loose and passive the games were.. much moreso than any Party 2/4 I've played. I brought enough cash to play 6/12 but I wanted to play with my buddies so didn't get to experience it.

All in all fun time and heading back in February.