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Old 03-20-2005, 08:09 PM
The Yugoslavian The Yugoslavian is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Orange County
Posts: 130
Default Trip Report (no content/very long): Vegas

Sunday:
Initially my friend (GrekeHaus) and I were going to be staying in Primm for 4 nights, as we couldn’t find a room for under $300/night on or near the strip, [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]. Thankfully, at the last minute we got a room at Excalibur for Sun/Mon nights. Excited by that and a rousing Sunday afternoon Clippers/Bulls game at the Staples Center, we proceeded to drive to Vegas without any mishaps before or after Zzyzx road, [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] , although GH can attest to screaming out ‘I’m gonna die’ several times during the drive, [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]. Almost as important as a safe drive, I made sure to pull over at Zzyzx so that my buddy could take advantage of a full bladder and the fact that he may never be on a road called ‘Zzyzx’ ever again.

Once checking into our room we decided that the Excalibur poker tables weren’t all that great and headed over to the Luxor where we found perhaps the juiciest tables of our whole trip. I sat down at the $100 buyin 1-2 NL table and quickly realized that even though I’d never played a NL ring game before in my life, the best player at this table (despite his talk of pot odds on every hand) had no real idea of any of the mathematics (or feel) behind the pseudo-deep stacks and nature of the game. Needless to say I cashed out up $360, although it took an early suckout in order to stay on track. As I bought my friend an extremely overpriced sundae in celebration I thought about how I most likely dodged an ATM this trip (put that in your pipe and smoke it Irie, [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] ).

Monday:
My friend and I went over to the Bellagio where we waited ~45 minutes for an opening at any lowish limit table – but no such opening came. We decide it just wasn’t worth it and boogied over to The Orleans to grind out some limit before meeting up with Irieguy and McPherzen for a small rebuy MTT. The good news was that by the time the MTT came around I was up 5 Heinekens – the bad news was that I was down $90, [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] . Still, when we met up with Zen I really felt that I was going to play a solid MTT game and not horribly embarrass myself. We sat around drinking until Irie showed up and proceeded to our tables.

There were unlimited rebuys and one addon in the first hour of play. The only playable hand I received was TT. I was in MP and saw three stacks go allin in front of me. My first instinct was to muck but then I put some thought into the actual hands my opponents could have and how valuable quadrupling up would be. After a reasonable think I folded feeling that at best I was up against an Ax hand, small pp and mid/large pp. On reflection I think I can call here and will dodge an overpair enough of the time to make it a good call. But, I’m still not sure, [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img].

So, I ended up playing zero hands in the rebuy and had a relatively short stack at the first break. I then proceeded to switch tables 3 times just after paying the blinds and ending up in EP on the new tables. I didn’t find a hand that I thought was playable until my 4th table and was CO+1 with KJo. My FE was terrible given the player left to act as my stack was only ~6xBB at this point. I gave some thought to pushing but my weak/tight nature got the better of me and I mucked. Given how few hands I’d see before the blinds went up and decimate my stack, I think this was a push.

My 5th table saw me at Zen’s table and I had ~5xBB. The only read I had on the table was this one guy who players to the left and right of me said was playing way too many hands and hitting all his cards. He open limped from EP and I found myself with AJs in early MP. Since it was Zen’s big blind and figured the table would be a bit scared to tangle with Mr. Loose still to act, I pushed fully expecting to at worst be a coinflip and very possibly be dominating Mr. Loose (as long as no top tier hands pushed in behind me).

Well, he had 44, and despite my A on the flop, he hit a set on the turn. Not only was there a HUGE fork sticking out of my back ( [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] ) but it fully set in that I had played only one hand during my 1 and a half to 2 hours of play – faaaaannnnntastic! At least I was up another 2 Heinekens. GH was next to go out also be short stack and not being able to find his groove or solid opportunities to steal blinds and/or get in with the best of it.

Lucky for us, we had a piece of Zen and Irie and both were doing very well and had clearly above average stacks. It was also clear that they were heads and heels above just about any other player at the tournament. I decided there was really only one thing left that I could do to help the make a run at the final table: I made sure there was never an empty Heineken in front of either of them. While some may scoff at this ‘trivial’ detail, anyone at least partially familiar with Irie or Zen’s game knows that it is a crucial component to killing any poker game they play.

With about ~60 left in the tournament both were at or above average stack when Irie pushes on a late position limper with AK and runs into a slow played KK. Zen got a couple loose calls made on him and also got crippled.

Monday/Tuesday:
While we were bummed that none of us placed there was still cause to celebrate (ummm, b/c we were in Vegas, [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] ) and made our way out of Orleans to partake in some Vegas artistry relaxation (in the eternal words of Mannie Fresh: butt-nekked, big booty scrippas). A quick note here is in order: my buddy GH, for reasons only he knows and was never really able to articulate, was opposed to going to a strip club ( [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] ) weeks before our trip, before the MTT, and afterwards. Thankfully, peer pressure won the day and he reluctantly agreed to go with us on the condition that he is allowed to ‘ease into it’ and hang back while the rest of us partied. It was a good thing that Zen took over for him at the club and made sure that before any drinks even arrived there was a smoking hot honey wearing GH’s Joe Mauer jersey and grinding all over him. Surprisingly, GH’s scrippaphobia quickly disappeared and he very well could have had the best time of all of us. That is, until I decided it was about high time I hit the champagne room (never having been to a Vegas strip club before). It was here that I took away some very valuable lessons (which Irie helped hash out with me retrospectively):

1. Strip clubs are very generally +EV even if one has no idea what’s going on. However, one must be careful not to leak too much $EV while there.
2. Strip clubs are very +EV if one follows a simple pre-flop push/fold to minimize $EV loss and maximize +EV opportunities.
3. The secret to extracting the maximum EV is post-flop play. This can certainly get tricky after drinking for over 10 hours straight and is something I have promised myself to improve on next time I’m in Vegas.

Now, I won’t go into proper post-flop play (or even proper pre-flop play although much of that can be gleamed from TSC's Guide to Strip Clubs ) but it will be well worth mastering, [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].

Rest of Tuesday:
GH and I mainly slept off 13 hours of straight drinking, bad beats, and glorious Vegas artistry. Irie performed at least one surgery and helped several patients. I’m pretty sure Zen just answered his phone calls in a daze.

Then, we went to the Palms where I simply didn’t feel up to sitting in on the 2-5 NL game (I watched while waiting for a limit table…man was it soft!). The Palms had by far the worst poker room. It was very smoky, fairly cramped and their cocktail waitresses were taking too long (although their good looks made up for it).

Wednesday:
We decided that it was necessary to hit up Binions (gotta go there, right?) and despite half of my table being completely hammered, I managed to end up down. GH did enough damage for the both of us thankfully. The trip there was worth it just for the atmosphere and spine-tingling wall of past WSOP main event winners.

We met up with Irie for a very sublime dinner at the Palms and then made our way to the Rio to see Penn & Teller. While walking to the theater we noticed the tail end of a big $1000 buyin limit tournament was going on. It was three-handed and I recognized Andy Bloch at the table. Too bad we didn’t get a chance to stop and watch a bit of the action as we had a show to catch. The show was very good although you probably need to appreciate their sense of humor to really enjoy it as much as we did. There were a couple of amazing magic tricks and even funnier ramblings by Penn and facial expressions by Teller.

After the show, we realized that the limit tournament was still 3-handed due to some wickedly slow moving blinds. We decided to watch and saw Andy Bloch take out Fish #1 after some very aggressive play (and one key suckout). There was a big crowd around the table for the HU match but everyone quickly left after they realized that it was going to take a long time (blinds still ridiculously low). Well, we decided to see just how good Andy Bloch was and quickly realized that Fish #2 was so bad it wouldn’t really matter. Andy raised every time he had the small blind and most of the time it was limped to him in his BB. Meanwhile, Fish #2 routinely folded his SB, and only reraised Andy twice (with KK and QQ). One other thing worth mentioning is that Andy was so far into the guys head that Fish #2 would show his cards any time Andy asked. It is no surprsise Andy showed maybe 1 hand the whole time we were watching. Anyway, if GH and I could spot the sucker ([img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]) this easily at a $1000 buyin limit tournament HU, perhaps we’ve been playing in the wrong games. Suffice it to say, Andy slowly ground down Mr. Fish while the two of us (only two spectators) did the wave, clapped for random dealer switches, and generally acted like idiots, [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img].

We finished out the night playing more poker at the Rio (good card room, btw) and heading on back to Primm for a recharge.

Thursday:
We hit up the Mirage for most of the day - very nice Casino and very decently juicy games.

Then, we hung out with Irie at a Hookah lounge and waited on sloooooooooooow service while he took calls from patients. It was very clear that out of all the doctors I know and/or have visited, Irie is the only one who can maintain such outstanding professionalism no matter what activity he is engaged in. Irie had many entertaining stories to share and some very enlightening insights about a myriad of topics.

Throughout the trip it was clear that not only was Irieguy wise beyond his years at the game of poker but also at the game of life.

I can’t wait until I get a chance for a return trip to Vegas!

Final Trip Results:
Heinekens – dozens
Caucasians – at least a dozen
Non-working women talked to – half a dozen
Non-working women touched – 0 ( [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] )
Working women talked to – dozen
Working women touched – 3 ( [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] )
Hottest cocktail waitresses – Orleans
Mishaps before Zzyzx – 0
Trips to the ATM – 0
Hours waiting at the Bellagio for a table – ~2
Hands played at the Bellagio – 0
Softest tables – Luxor
Toughest tables – Orleans
Number of cab drivers pissed off – 1
Number of times Suited called to live vicariously through me – more than I thought possible, [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img].

Yugoslav
Who could possibly have written a book on his trip and had to leave so many antecdotes out....oh well.
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  #2  
Old 03-20-2005, 08:20 PM
Irieguy Irieguy is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 340
Default Re: Trip Report (no content/very long): Vegas

Nice avatar.
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  #3  
Old 03-20-2005, 08:40 PM
SuitedSixes SuitedSixes is offline
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: AZ
Posts: 220
Default Re: Trip Report (no content/very long): Vegas

[ QUOTE ]
Nice avatar.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is priceless. The guy labors for two days with a fever to write a trip report in which he lauds your professionalism and wisdom and you give him $hit for his avatar.

That is why I put it there. Nice.

[ QUOTE ]
Number of times Suited called to live vicariously through me – more than I thought possible, [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img].

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I did call quite a few times to live vicariously. However, one key stat was missed.

The number of minutes 66s listened to Yugo "working" the stripper . . . err scippa after "redial" was inadvertantly pushed on Yugo's cell phone: 65 (enjoy that on your bill)

"Ladies and Gentleman of the GED class of 1999,
I have 1 piece of advice for you. No matter what a stripper tells you, there's no sex in the champagne room. None. Oh theres champagne in the champagne room, but you dont want champagne, you want sex, and theres no sex in the champagne room. ."
-Chris Rock

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  #4  
Old 03-20-2005, 08:49 PM
Eder Eder is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 278
Default Re: Trip Report (no content/very long): Vegas

Haha I remember Zzyzx Road very well...was 1st introduced to it when I was a kid ~1972 driving my chopper to Malibou for a week of weed and surfing...still got an old pic of of us having a beer under that sign...

Orleans is tougher games but best Poker room imo...no waiting and steady flow of beer from best waitresses...
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  #5  
Old 03-20-2005, 09:53 PM
skipperbob skipperbob is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 2
Default Re: Trip Report (no content/very long): Vegas

OMG....You were in Vegas for 4 days; didn't get laid; didn't go broke; didn't get tossed from a Casino; didn't get tossed from a Bar; didn't get tossed from CHII; didn't get rolled; didn't test my system to beat Roulette; didn't test my system to beat 100-play video poker slots; didn't test the Zen system to toss 7's at will, didn't distract the boxman so Irie could "spin" the dice; didn't have post-shift drinks with a cocktail waitress....Sheet Man! [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
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  #6  
Old 03-20-2005, 11:08 PM
SuitedSixes SuitedSixes is offline
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: AZ
Posts: 220
Default Re: Trip Report (no content/very long): Vegas

[ QUOTE ]
OMG....You were in Vegas for 4 days; didn't get laid; didn't go broke; didn't get tossed from a Casino; didn't get tossed from a Bar; didn't get tossed from CHII; didn't get rolled; didn't test my system to beat Roulette; didn't test my system to beat 100-play video poker slots; didn't test the Zen system to toss 7's at will, didn't distract the boxman so Irie could "spin" the dice; didn't have post-shift drinks with a cocktail waitress....Sheet Man! [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you surprised?
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  #7  
Old 03-20-2005, 11:09 PM
morgan180 morgan180 is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: wildly chasing WPT qualifiers
Posts: 212
Default Re: Trip Report (no content/very long): Vegas

[ QUOTE ]
OMG....You were in Vegas for 4 days; didn't get laid; didn't go broke; didn't get tossed from a Casino; didn't get tossed from a Bar; didn't get tossed from CHII; didn't get rolled; didn't test my system to beat Roulette; didn't test my system to beat 100-play video poker slots; didn't test the Zen system to toss 7's at will, didn't distract the boxman so Irie could "spin" the dice; didn't have post-shift drinks with a cocktail waitress....Sheet Man! [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]
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  #8  
Old 03-20-2005, 11:31 PM
GrekeHaus GrekeHaus is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Zoidberg, for THREE!
Posts: 314
Default Re: Trip Report (no content/very long): Vegas

1. That piss I took on Zzyzx road was damn satisfying.

2. At one point, I managed to piss off Yugo's scrippa to the point she wouldn't talk to me for a while. I'm not exactly sure what I said, but I think it had something to do with me pointing out that Yugo was extremely drunk and that she should be able to take advantage of him.

3. I even talked to Suited for at least 15-20 minutes on that trip.

4. I had only one Heineken. Mostly Coronas. Heineken is the JTo of beers, not AKo as Yugo claims.

5. Yugo wouldn't shut up about the "Australians Down Under" show going on at the Excalibur. It was some show featuring male dancers, and I think he was disappointed we didn't go.

6. Ever play Spanish 21? It's like blackjack, but with more favorable rules. After dealing through a shoe, I asked what the deal was and the dealer told me there were no tens in the deck. That was about it for my counting system.

7. The $6/$12 game I played at the Mirage was the hardest game I played all week.

8. If Joe Mauer were a hot 5'1" stripper, I would totally do him.
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  #9  
Old 03-20-2005, 11:36 PM
wuwei wuwei is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: 3/20/77 winterland
Posts: 287
Default Re: Trip Report (no content/very long): Vegas

[ QUOTE ]
6. Ever play Spanish 21? It's like blackjack, but with more favorable rules. After dealing through a shoe, I asked what the deal was and the dealer told me there were no tens in the deck. That was about it for my counting system.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol... that's almost as bad as counting cards on a table with a shuffler going between every hand.

[ QUOTE ]
8. If Joe Mauer were a hot 5'1" stripper, I would totally do him.

[/ QUOTE ]

Be gentle on his knees [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
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  #10  
Old 03-20-2005, 11:38 PM
wuwei wuwei is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: 3/20/77 winterland
Posts: 287
Default Re: Trip Report (no content/very long): Vegas

[ QUOTE ]
Yugoslav
Who could possibly have written a book on his trip and had to leave so many antecdotes out....oh well.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice report, let's hear some more!

Hookah lounge?!@?
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