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.

[MisterKing]

Good report, man. If I were you, I'd take a two minute break at some point and explain quietly to the floor about your collusion concerns. They know how to handle these things, *if* there is reason to intervene.

I've never played the Monte Carlo, but from what you say, it'll definitely be on my list next time. Viva la straddle, and of course, viva la Excalibur!

[zerosports]

did you play there during graveyard? the young asian girl who deals at the MC is hawt. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[SpaceAce]

[ QUOTE ]
the dealer says that its to see how people play.

[/ QUOTE ]

That dealer is a moron. The rule that allows people to see hands is not there so people can "see how you play". In addition, the dealer should not be letting people stick their mitts into the muck. No one has any business reaching into the much and pulling out cards.

SpaceAce

[RydenStoompala]

Good report.

The couple at Monte Carlo play there every few months. I've run into them twice. When I caught them one afternoon, they were behaving just as you describe. The difference was that two of us called over the floor boss and loudly accused them of blatant collusion. They got p-o'd and left, so I only had 20 minutes with them. They took about one rack of profit off the table on the way out the door and the others at the table wondered why nobody had said anything earlier. Those two are freakin criminals. Next time you see that, raise a huge stink and get off the table. If they look at you the wrong way, just laugh at them and leave. You wont see them at Bellagio or Mirage because the floor staff would pick up the phone, have them escorted out to the parking lot and, hopefully, they would get the cheaters sendoff.

The MC dealer was so wrong he may as well have said one-eyed jacks are wild. The bully should have been warned on the spot, "once more and you're out."

Glad you had a good trip. Next time you'll know that certain rooms, like the MC, do need some input from the players now and then.

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll be staying at the Monte Carlo from Saturday through Friday. I'll keep a lookout for them.

By any chance, were these two in their late 40's, early 50's. He wears a fedora-style hat and looks creepy? I saw a strange couple at both Bellagio and Mirage. At the Mirage she wore a tight Playboy shirt and no bra, but at Bellagio she had dressed nicely. They did not play together, but she would get up and let him play, then would come back and he would disappear for a while. Always had the idea those two were running some kind of game, and often looked to see if he was over my shoulder.

[M2d]

Great report. Sounds like your first B&M experience was a blast.

it's been said in other replys, but that lady had absolutely no right to grab your cards out of the muck. She could have asked to see them, but she should never have been allowed to touch the muck. never.

in the future, complain to the dealer (like you did) about any situation you feel uncomfortable about or any situation that breaks the rules. if his/her answer is unsatisfactory, escalate to the floor. that's why there there. You pay the rake every hand so that your interests are protected. make them work for it.

[Al_Capone_Junior]

you need to QUIETLY report those colluding jerks to the floor IMMEDIATELY, then stop playing in that game if the floor doesn't do anything about it.

al

[chim17]

I'd say they looked early 40's. She had way too much lipstick on and he was somewhat bald. Neither were very good looking, either.

[chim17]

Wish I could have.

The girls made us go out at night.