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#1
06-15-2004, 01:10 PM
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Vegas trip report (I dare you to read all this)
I headed to Vegas this weekend for a bachelor party for a friend of mine. I was hoping to work in some good poker time too. I got plenty of poker time but it wasn’t what I would call good. Since this is so long I made the poker content is <font color="blue"> Blue </font> , partying is black.
Thursday night we arrived and checked into the Imperial Palace. I think the emperor lost his carpet cleaner. My over all impression of the place was that it was very dingy. I was immediately confused by the motif of the hotel. From the outside you get an Asian theme. All the regular dealers wear Hawaiian shirts except for the ones in the “Champagne Pit”. These dealers wear all black with a spiffy hat, kind of a godfather/gangster theme. Walk another twenty feet and you have dealerteiners. These are dealers that are celebrity impersonators. Vegas is a very confusing place. Our room was nice enough with a great view of an alley and a parking garage. This really wasn’t a problem since I didn’t think I would be spending much time in the room. <font color="blue"> Me and two friends took a walk to grab a quick meal. After eating we found ourselves at the Mirage at 12:00. I head to poker room and get a 10/20 seat. A few hands after I get there one guy pipes up with this gem, “Looks like we needed those two idiots to make the game good.” Turns out there were a couple drunks who were sucking out with garbage but left because of all the criticism they were getting. Now the game was terrible. Most pots were chopped or raised with no callers. When the game got short handed the floor man walked by and everyone asked for a table change. After a bit a couple people left and the rest of us were moved to a different game. The new game was much better. Many people seeing the flop for whatever amount it happened to be that hand. The star of the show was George. George was drunk and George was slow. George paid no attention to the action. He was too busy having conversations with the dealers. When it was his turn it usually went like this. “Is it my turn?” “How much is it to me?” “Who raised?” “What’cha got over there?” Only after these questions were answered would he call. This was driving the guy two seats after George insane. This guy decided he was going to punish George for this. Needless to say when you try to outplay a drunk with trick plays your busted flush river bet gets called by a pair of sixes. This didn’t improve the guy’s mood or his opinion of George. He proceeded to tell George how bad he was. I had so many things I wanted to say but that’s not my style. Played until 5am left down 10 BB. </font> Friday was a long day. I got up at 11:00 and went to the Burger Palace. This is the fast food place in the IP. Yes, it really is called the Burger Palace. Hung around the sports book a little bit trying to decide if I should take the under on the Seahawks winning 9 games this year. Finally decided that I don’t know anything about sports betting and I should just save my money (best gambling decision I made this trip). After that the group, about 10 people, headed down the strip. Stopped and played a little video poker at the Barnaby Coast. This was more so I could drink for free. I had three Captain and Cokes and broke even on video poker (Score). <font color="blue"> A couple of the guys want to try casino poker. We head over to the flamingo for a little 2/4. I normally don’t drink when I play but hey I have to try and figure out what my opponents are thinking. I have three more Captain and Coke while playing. Highlight of this game was listening to the table coach tell everyone why they sucked. As referenced above I don’t talk a lot of smack but sometimes you have to vary your game. When I asked him why he was playing 2/4 since he knew everything about poker, he ignored me. I really was interested in hearing his answer. Almost dinner time, rack up and leave up 15 BB. </font> Went back to the room and changed into evening clothes. Met the guys down stairs for a little video poker and cocktails. Some how when I was getting money for the evening I only grabbed ones and hundreds. So when I went to play video poker I put in a hundred. Hey I’m not a degenerate gambler I can cash out if I lose 20 or 30 dollars. Turns out I am a degenerate gambler and I head to the restaurant down a Franklin. We ate at the Rib House in the IP. To me this was the highlight of the time at the IP. The food was good and the service was nice. The father of the groom also picked up the check, very nice of him. (Score) After dinner we headed over to the MGM to meet our limo. One of the guys had organized a little outing. It was $100 bucks a head and that included limo, cover charge at three clubs and all the alcohol we could drink in the limo. Now I must say that I thought it would be a bettor use of my $100 to go back to that video poker machine and try and get even but I was here to celebrate my buddies last single days. When the limo was late I really got a bad felling about this whole endeavor. On the plus side one of the guys in our group met a girl who was with a bachelorette party. Our two groups decided to join forces and take the town. Finally the limo shows up and we are off. Stop 1, the Jaguar club. This is one Las Vegas’s strip clubs. This could have been the biggest hit on my bank roll if I wasn’t such a crafty player. I saved numerous big bets by waiting until someone was headed to the bar and then ask them, “Would you mind getting me a drink? Thanks, double Red Bull and Vodka.” I found one girl that I liked and got a couch dance from her. I declined her offer to slap her ass telling her I was a lover not a fighter. I’m always this smooth when I drink. She responded by shoving her breasts into my face. I think we really made a connection. It’s been years since I have even been in a strip club. I now remember why they are so popular. I head back to the group and start talking to one of the women that we were traveling with. As we are talking (I told her I was a professional poker player because I thought that would be cooler than telling her what I really do) a stripper with ginormous fake cans walks by. I notice the woman I am talking to take more interest in them than I do. After a little more talking she asks if I will get a couch dance from the large chested girl so she can watch. I say I will buy if she gets the dance with me and we are off. My favorite part of this couch dance was the discussion about implants, both women had them. They even let me feel the difference in them (Score). Only after making sure none of her friends were looking did the non stripper pull her top down so they could rub breast to breast (Score). I left this part out when I told my girlfriend we went to the strip club. Back to the limo for more drinking on our way to the Beach. The beach was a fun dance club. I usually feel old when I go into clubs like this, I am 31, but since I had been drinking youth serum all day I was fitting right in. I danced with lots of chicks who I remember as being good looking. I’m not sure if that’s fact or not but that’s what I want to believe. Back to the Limo for more drinking and whip cream shots off the 20 year old stripper. Where did she come from? I’m not really sure. We get dropped off at Bikinis for more dancing and drinking. This never really happens though. One of our party tries to get in a fight with the co owner of the limo. Even though our guy is giving up 4 inches and about 50 pounds of muscle he seems confident. I step in to break this up before it starts and instantly regret it. The big guy is giving me the stink eye as is the guy in our party. I wish I had let him get his ass kicked, it would have been a much better story. Our guy gets taken home by some friends. Later he gets escorted to his room by IP security. He tries to slam the door on security but instead slams the door that connects two rooms together. He then goes to bed with his front door wide open. I split a cab home with some buddies. <font color="blue"> Up to the room, grab some money and off to the Bellagio. I get seated right away in a 8/16 game. The game is good but slow. Two guys have developed a strong dislike for each other. They both constantly insult each others playing style. I was personally insulted by both their playing styles. I played about 4 hands in 4 hours and left about 7am, down 2 BB. </font> Up about noon the next day. Head down to the Burger Palace for a nice big greasy meal. I am feeling alright but not great by any stretch. After lunch I play a little Pai Gow with a couple of the guys. I order a screwdriver but can’t finish it. If I can’t drink then I’m not going to play table games. <font color="blue"> I head out the front door and start walking. My destination is the Gamblers Book Store. I walk for a while before stopping at a bus stop. I am glad I took this walk. It was a good opportunity to sweat out some of the toxins that are in my system. I get to the GB ready to spend some money. I really loved the store. I just finished How good is your Pot limit hold’em and need a new book to read. I pick up four books and have them shipped home. I don’t count this as a vacation expense since I would have bought these books any way. Finish my transaction and catch another bus downtown. This was after a friendly warning by the guys at the GB not to walk the rest of the way. </font> <font color="blue"> Call the guys and arrange a meet up at Binion’s. While I am waiting for them to arrive I get seated in a 4/8 Omaha H/L 8 game. The game is populated by two types of players rocky old men and hold’em players. Second hand in I get raised on the river by one of the hold’em players when he catches two pair. Since there is one other player in the pot I just call because I think I am getting quartered. Had this happened a little later I would have never stopped raising. I drag the high in a nice size pot. I play for about an hour then rack up and go to meet my buddies. I leave up 15 BB. </font> I meet the guys, two of whom have developed a system for roulette. I was going to head to the Orleans for their tournament but I decided to stay at the Horseshoe since that’s where the party was. Everything worked out alright though since Binions had a tournament that night too. Me and one other guy enter the tournament. I leave a group, including the groom’s father, at the let it ride table and head to the snack bar. I order a hot dog and a cup of chowder. Both are good but served at 1,000 deg. I have to wait about 10 minutes before I can eat them. During this time I get to hear the guy behind the counter talk about how if he was in charge things would running better. I guess that is why Binion’s went bankrupt, they put there smartest employee behind the snack bar. <font color="blue"> Seven o’clock time for the tournament. It is a $70 buy in with one $40 rebuy. The structure is terrible but hey so are the players. I start out slow but drag a nice pot at the end of the first round. I don’t play too many hands and end up using my rebuy as an add on. By now I have a head ache and am not feeling good. During the break I run buy some aspirin and slug it down. I loosen up after the rebuy and steal a couple of pots. I gradually build my stack to one of the largest ones. With two tables left I am in third or fourth. With about 15 people left I am a big stack but I have problems. I have a headache and I can’t concentrate. I catch myself staring off into space instead of watching the other players. The dealer says it’s my turn and I snap out if it to find QQ. I say raise and reach for my chips. Then it occurs to me that I don’t even know how much the big blind is. I just grab two stacks of $500 dollar chips and make a giant raise. Thankfully nobody calls. From the other table we hear, “He has them again!” Turns out the same guy got AA three times and busted three other players. When we got down to one table he was first and I was second. One of the players from the other table told me to watch out for him because he was good. I was only good enough to get AA once so this guy must be better than me. During the break I head to the bathroom and splash some water on my face. I am feeling a little better but not great. There are several short stacks at the table so I open it up and grow my stack pretty well. We are in the money now but 9th place pays $90. I would hate to finish in the money and lose $20. With five people left we make a deal so everyone makes some money. In addition 1st will get $800 and second will get $500. I have been raising a lot of hands and not getting called so I keep it up. Two hands after the deal I get pocket deuces in EP, with five people left, and raise big. I get reraised by QQ and called by K9s. I call the raise since it isn’t that much more. Flop 92x, turn x, and river 9 and I am the suck out King. K9’s girlfriend yells from the rail because she thinks he has won. Bolstered by this he perks up because he thinks he is back in it. The look on his face when the dealer pushes the pot my way was priceless. I instantly hate myself for being a wuss and making a deal. I am by far the big stack with four people left. I open raise K4s and the kid next to me starts thinking. He wants to call but he also doesn’t want to get busted. I have been raising just about every other hand, he flashes ATo and mucks. His buddy tells him it was a good lay down at this stage. Upon hearing this I start raising even more. I steal the blinds until finally two guys get it all in and we are down to three. I proceed to raise everyhand that I am first or is folded to me. Neither of these two will call. They are both waiting for the other to go broke. I finally get a good idea. I say “How about I take $900 and you each get another $200?” They both jump at the deal and I salvage some money back. Overall I feel happy that I won especially since I was unable to play my best or even my second best. </font> I head back to the let it ride table and the groom’s father is still there. So is the other guy who entered the tournament with me, he finished 32. By now he is wasted. I take an open spot and start up with Captain and Coke again. I proceed to lose every hand, betting $10 a hand, until my $100 is gone. Know I have to see how many hands in a row I can lose. I get anther Captain and another $100. I am down about half that when a big hand finally comes. I start with three spades dealers cards are 96 spades. I make a flush and go from drinking $50 rum and cokes to having $15 sugar (Score). The guy who busted out of the tournament has 996 and has a nice full house. This was also the hand he decided to bet $60. He pulled the first one back and then got paid about $1,300. I should have skipped the tournament and just played let it ride. I would have got paid the same but done is quicker. <font color="blue"> We head back to the hotel and I pack up my stuff. I get everything ready to go since we have an early flight Sunday morning. Once I am packed up I grab some cash and head back to the Bellagio. I get a seat in a good 15/30 game. The players are aggressive but not necessarily at the right times. I muck a couple winners before I figure this out. Luckily all the playing at the Hideaway in Seattle has prepared me for this game. I cap the turn in a three way pot and drag a nice one. I play for awhile and am up $500. I am feeling pretty good about my play until the river turns against me. I lose the next couple hands I play and am down $100. The game breaks up and I am moved to another game. This game features 4 drunks and one guy who can’t figure out how to beat the drunks. I don’t play many hands in this game since most pots are raised on the first three rounds. It is a little after 7am and I decide to play until my blind. At this point I am down $100 for the evening. I look down and see A8 of spades. I limp. The pot gets raised but there are plenty of people in. Lots of betting and raising until the river. The river is the 2 of spades that pairs the board. I make a crying call as my flush gets taken down by J2o. I rack up and leave down 10BB. </font> I head to the hotel grab my stuff and head to the airport. I thought that three nights might not be enough, by now I only want to be home in my own bed. I fly home go to sleep wake up at 5:30pm. My soccer team has a championship game on Sunday. I show up and score two goals (Score literally). All in all I had a fun trip. The poker was terrible due to excessive drinking. I have done all my playing in Seattle and wanted to see how I measured up against players from other places. I look forward to going back soon. Next time I will not be drinking and running on no sleep. 
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#2
06-15-2004, 01:31 PM
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Re: Vegas trip report (I dare you to read all this)
Good report! Fun to read. This made me laugh out loud!
[ QUOTE ] During this time I get to hear the guy behind the counter talk about how if he was in charge things would running better. I guess that is why Binion’s went bankrupt, they put there smartest employee behind the snack bar. [/ QUOTE ]
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#3
06-15-2004, 01:53 PM
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Re: Vegas trip report (I dare you to read all this)
Yea, great report. I really liked that part also.
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#5
06-15-2004, 02:13 PM
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Re: Vegas trip report (I dare you to read all this)
I liked your report.
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#7
06-15-2004, 03:40 PM
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Re: Vegas trip report (I dare you to read all this)
Great trip report.
I think this is everyone's reaction on their last day in Vegas. [ QUOTE ] I thought that three nights might not be enough, by now I only want to be home in my own bed. [/ QUOTE ]
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#8
06-15-2004, 06:15 PM
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Re: Vegas trip report (I dare you to read all this)
Great report. Nice mix of poker and other traditional Vegas activities.
[ QUOTE ] She responded by shoving her breasts into my face. I think we really made a connection. [/ QUOTE ] That made me laugh out loud for a while. My co-workers look at me funny. [ QUOTE ] I left this part out when I told my girlfriend we went to the strip club. [/ QUOTE ] Hopefully she can't read. [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]
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