Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

I had some business to take care of in Phoenix and southern Arizona, so I decided to drive from the S.F. Bay area rather than take multiple flights. I also needed to bring more crap than I usually take on a trip, which would be a hassle to fly with. I planned stops in Vegas, Phoenix, and possibly L.A. on the way back.

Tuesday 11/28 10 AM:
I finally get rolling out of town on the 550 mile drive to Vegas. My intinerary isn't cast in stone, but I have a room at the Orleans for two nights at $25 per, after the discount coupon I got from the Stardust thanking me for past patronage. Since I'm going to spend a week in hotels, I'm going the budget route.
Tuesday 11/28 3:30 PM:
On I-15 just past Barstow. Damn, these L.A. drivers suck. They remind me how much I hate driving in L.A. and a visit to the Commerce is now very unlikely.
Tuesday 11/28 10:30 PM:
Got settled in and showered and rested a bit. Playing tonight after driving 550 miles when tired as hell is probably a bad idea, so I head straight to Ballys. I am a low limit player, 3/6 to 6/12 and occasionally 1/2 or 1/3 NL and I'm not all that great at those games. All the limit games have lists so I sit down to 1/2 NL. I always buy in short despite everyone's advice to the contrary. I'd rather do that than play with scared money. The players were not horrible but just tended to overvalue their hands. One hand I had top pair but crappy kicker so I wasn't aggro with it. Two others stayed to the river, betting like $10, 20, $30 on each round but didn't even have top pair. I was up over $100 at one point and dribbled some of it back, then quit for the night.
BUY IN: $100 Played: 2 hours Result: +$61

Wednesday 11/29 Noon:
Entered the Caesars tournament. Played my usual crappy game and finished about 25th out of 60. On a previous visit there was an "incident" with a cocktail waitress, and the cardroom management said they would take care of me. I got a dinner comp and chowed down at the Augustus Cafe. Be warned - go there hungry, because they really load up the plate. An appetizer is enough for a full meal by itself. After pigging out I thought I should at least throw some rake back to the poker room so I put my name on the 3/6 list and sat down at an open 1/2 NL seat to wait. The table was tight as a banjo string, and I never got up more than $40. After 45 minutes I got called for my 3/6 seat but I decided to look for greener pastures.
BUY IN: $100 Played: 1 hour Result: - $12

Wednesday 11/29 7 PM:
I go to the MGM in search of the mythical soft Vegas game. I find it... sort of. It was a challenge just finding the poker room. They have done a lot of remodelling since I stayed there a couple years ago. The casino now feels very cramped and congested. I don't like it at all. I finally find the poker room and they have an open 4/8 seat. At last! The crazy loose Vegas game! Unfortunately the chief donator goes bust about 7 hands later and leaves. They said he left several hundred dollars there. Those chips are mostly in the hands of two big stacks just to my left. Great. I get lucky with a few hands and get up almost a rack, then start dribbling them back with unimproved draws, etc. I want to get back to the Orleans before it gets too late so I leave while I'm still ahead.
BUY IN: $100 Played: 2 hours Result: +$48

Wednesday 11/29 9 PM:
The Seamless strip club is right across the street from the Orleans, so I decide to get some free booze playing 2/4 to get in the proper frame of mind. For some reason I have never been able to win at the Orleans, no matter how bad the play. Tonight is no different, but the 7 Heinies I drink just about offset my loss.
BUY IN: $60 Played: 1.5 hours Result: -$48

Seamless was a disappointment. Dark and weird inside and the talent was very average. That didn't stop them from pushing the upsell to the VIP room though.
Cover: $20 Lapdance: $20 Result: -$40

Thursday 11/30 3 PM:
It was a really stupid idea getting drunk last night considering I have to drive to Phoenix today. I'm being stupid on this trip and getting hardly any sleep. I want to stop by the Wynn before my 5 hour drive to Phoenix because I've had good luck there in the past. All the low limits have lists, but 5/10 NL has an open seat. That would be a huge step up in class for me, but I've set aside $800 for "taking shots". I did okay in a Bell 15/30 game on an earlier trip. So I go up to the high limit area to look over the game, and I see Joe Awada playing. Not only would it be cool to play with a celebrity but I'm curious to see how these guys play without tv editing, and maybe I can learn something. While I'm thinking about it I get called to 4/8. Ugh, what a rotten table. A couple local grinders, and even the tourist husband and wife are tight as a drum. Nobody says a word as the button revolves other than check, raise, or call. I can't take it anymore and get on the 5/10 NL list.

My seat opens up and I cash in for $8 profit. I had asked ealier what the buy-in was and she said "$200". They play with $10 chips so I decide I'm going to be baller and buy in for two stacks. The floor comes over to get my cash and I proudly proclaim "$400". He says "another hundred, sir, the minimum is $500". Apparently I had asked what the 2/5 buy-in was. Hmm, I doubt the table is impressed much. I resist the temptation to commit my second faux pas by asking Joe Awada for his autograph. As what often happens to clueless newbies, I get hit by the deck pretty good for 3 or 4 hands.

On one hand I have QKo with the board showing Q high, and call down to the river and win. On another I have Q9s UTG and limp. Two others limp and it's raised to $40. BB calls and I figure everyone else will because the pot is getting big so I call too. Flop comes two spades with a queen, so I have top pair and a good flush draw. It goes check, I bet out $60, and it's folded back to the BB, who calls. Turn is a blank, BB checks, I bet $100, and he calls. River is king of spades and I know I'm good with second nuts or the BB would have raised me by now. He checks, and I get overly excited and quickly bet $200 and he insta-mucks. I'm sure I also gave off a huge tell on the river as well. I'm usually more controlled, but I'm all excited playing with the grown-ups for the first time. I dribble back some chips on unimproved hands until it's past 5 pm, and I've got to hit the road.
BUY IN: $500 Played: 2 hours Result: +$336

Next: Casino Arizona

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

What was the incident with the waitress at CP?

Joe Awada= Celebrity, lol

Good report [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

Nice report so far, I'm looking forward to the rest of the trip.

Thanks for the warning about the strip club across from The Orleans. I've been tempted to go in there as I often stay at The Orleans but now you've saved me from wasting the money.

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

Limping in with Q9 UTG, and then calling a raise= -EV.

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

Nice report so far. I like your honesty about your play and actions.

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

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What was the incident with the waitress at CP?

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Waitress was handing a big cup of hot coffee to Old Guy. Old Guy didn't really have a grip on it when the waitress let it go. Hot coffee spills all over Old Guy and me. Nobody yells or gets excited, nobody yells at waitress, managers are helpful and would have bought me a new pair of pants. I had a flight in 90 minutes, so they gave me a card and told me they would take care of me when I returned.

[ QUOTE ]
Joe Awada= Celebrity, lol

Good report [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Anyone I can instantly recognize from tv is a celebrity to me. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

[ QUOTE ]
Limping in with Q9 UTG, and then calling a raise= -EV.

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Yeah, I don't do it often, and would have folded if the pot stayed small. When it does come in for a straight, it's usually concealed fairly well. By the time it came back to me to call, there were 4 limpers total ($40) plus the raiser ($40) and the BB caller ($30) for $110 in the pot. I was fairly sure the other two limpers would call if I put in another $30, so I saw it as a $30 call to a $170 pot. I figured that was worth seeing a flop, and I really got the best possible flop I could ask for. Clueless newbie luck.

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

At least you explained your decision well. Hopefully that's not the type of play you make on a regular basis, though. Good result that time.

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

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I'm being stupid on this trip and getting hardly any sleep.

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totally standard.

nice report so far.

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

Nice TR so far - well written.

Was a little surprised that you found the MGM cardroom difficult to find; it's like the first thing you come to when walking in off the entrance from the cross-Strip pedestrian bridge. If you came in from the monorail entrance though, I guess that would make sense - clear at the other end of the casino from there.

Am interested in what you have to say about the Phoenix leg - have never played cards in that town.

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

Continued...

Thursday 11/30 10 PM:
I roll into Phoenix and made good time on the road. I have a reservation at the Red Roof Inn in Tempe on a 15th Street address. The numbered streets and avenues in Phoenix run north-south, so I figure I can find any place with a numbered Street address. I take the exit they say to take, and I'm on 48th St. What the heck? So I drive down 33 blocks to 15th St. This is pretty much the dregs of Phoenix and no motels in sight. I call the Corporate Red Roof number and start yelling at the poor reservation clerk. After an hour of driving around in circles lost, I finally find the place. I'd forgotten this place is one block inside Tempe, not Phoenix, and it has this short little weird 15th St that's not related at all to the other numbered Streets. So here it is 11:30 PM... should I try Casino Arizona? Sure, why not. My business the next day isn't until late morning. I drive over, and for the size of the casino, the poker room is huge. It's weird too, in that there are several monster tv screens that put most, if not all, Vegas sports books to shame, but there's no sports book. I get a 4/8 seat right away. I can't put my finger on it, but I'm getting a weird vibe from this place. I don't like it much so far.

The guy I'm sitting next to insists on splaying his knees far apart so I can't sit close to the table without coming in contact with him. I don't like to be touching males, so I nudge his knee a bit hoping he gets the hint. No luck. I nudge him really hard. No luck. Okay, I'll sit back here and reach for the table. Lots of yelling and arguing from the spread-limit table next door. The guy next to me orders a huge plate of brocolli, and that's a smell I just can't take. That's the last straw, and I get up to leave. I'm not sure I'll be back.
BUY IN: $100 Played: 45 minutes Result: +$6

Friday 12/1 1 AM (actually 12/2):
Had a full day, and no time for poker until now. I probably shouldn't have returned to CA so late because I have a full day planned tomorrow, with lots of driving. Put my name on the list for 4/8, then went to watch some 5/150 because they had open seats. By the time I decided I wanted to try it, the open seats all got taken and my 4/8 seat opened up. Put my name on the 5/150 list and about broke even til I got the 5/150 seat. I didn't notice the night before, but they have jackpots here. I don't like jackpot rooms because I know I'll never win one, and would just as soon the rake not get taken. I consider it to be a lottery ticket, which is often thought of as being a tax on the stupid. Even worse, here they rake the jackpot before any cards are dealt, so you pay it even if you chop the blinds.

There is one loud obnoxious drunk at the 5/150 table, and a couple quiet ones. Again with the yelling at neighboring tables. The session was a little weird - every pot I won was with just top pair or a better kicker, or sometimes just high card. Otherwise, no memorable hands. People drift away until they break our table. The only seats left are to the right of deep stacks of $800 or more. Bed time.
BUY IN: $100 Played: 2 hours Result: +$53

Saturday 12/2 10 PM:
Another full day, and against my better judgement, I return to CA. I have to drive back to Vegas tomorrow, and then the bay area the next day, so I have lots of miles to go, and should be getting some sleep. Put my name on all the low limit lists, and 6/12 opens up first. This is an action table, with about 4 deep stacks. There is one really loud obnoxious drunk that everyone wants to kick his ass. A few even offer. He's a good player, but he's also monster luckbox tonight. He's getting trips and boats and flushes like crazy. I suspect Mr. Obnoxious is not quite as drunk as he seems because he nurses each beer for 45 minutes or more. I finally get one of my draws to come in with a flush on the river, and he starts in on how bad I must be to stay in the hand so long. I suspect he's waiting for me to make a speech about how I had 12 outs (inside straight draw as well as flush draw) and the pot was paying me 8 to 1 to call. I think Mr Obnoxious is a crafty devil, and I just sit there and let him berate me for the next 2 hands.

I screw myself on a kill pot hand. They don't have kill pots where I play, so as I'm trying to figure out how many bets are in the sea of chips that have been splashed on the table, I hear "$24 to you sir". Crap! I have pocket 8's but there's a pair on the board and someone must have trips. Too much to cold call a 4 bet, so I fold. Ah, but it wasn't a 4 bet, it was just a raise, since this is a freakin' kill pot. You know what's coming next - turn 8, river 8. Mr Obnoxious is celebrating his boat. I have no doubt that I could have gotten my whole stack in and called heads up against him, and it would have been sweet. Other than those hands, I cannot get anything to improve, to include getting pocket Aces and Kings cracked. I keep buying more chips, repeating "variance, variance" to myself. Finally, I give up. It's not my night.
BUY IN: $300 Played: 4 hours Result: -$246

Final comments on CA: I've never seen such obnoxious behavior in a poker room. Dealers looking at player's cards, sometimes during live hands. Enough swearing to make a sailor blush. It's not good natured swearing like you do with your buddies either. An amazing amount of yelling and arguments and trash-talking at the tables. An equally amazing number of drunks too. The scary thing about that is there are no hotels withing walking distance, so a lot of those drunks are driving home.

Next: Return to Vegas

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

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At least you explained your decision well. Hopefully that's not the type of play you make on a regular basis, though. Good result that time.

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Very seldom in limit, but every once in awhile in NL. The blinds are so small in NL compared to the eventual size of the average pot. I guess it's like how you'll see people play 58o or 29 sometimes because it's their "favorite hand".

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

[ QUOTE ]
Nice TR so far - well written.

Was a little surprised that you found the MGM cardroom difficult to find; it's like the first thing you come to when walking in off the entrance from the cross-Strip pedestrian bridge. If you came in from the monorail entrance though, I guess that would make sense - clear at the other end of the casino from there.

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The last time I was there, it was right next to where the cab dropped me off. This time I valeted my car, so that must be a different entrance.

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

Nice trip report, p4b.

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Seamless was a disappointment. Dark and weird inside and the talent was very average.

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You didn't care for the unisex bathroom with glass doors on the stalls? I thought it was very cool.

Wednesday talent at a Vegas strip club can be misleading. Or is it that the weekend talent that misleads?

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

Sunday 12/3 5 PM:
I decided to drive back to the Bay area via Vegas rather than L.A. and the Commerce. I found a decent rate at Treasure Island, $62 with my AAA discount. Although their room is small I'll give it a shot. Their only limit game is 2/4 so I take an open seat at the 1/3 NL game. There are a few tourists and a gal that seems to know what she's doing that plays at the Commerce and Bike, no cowboys. The German tourist to my right gets stacked and rebuys. Gets stacked again, and rebuys again. A tourist with an Eagles jersey is taking him to school. I'm not catching much but I get a few small hands and get up $30 to $40. German tourist gets stacked again and leaves. There's also a Belgian tourist that I'm having good banter with, but we haven't butted heads in a hand yet. A couple others bust out and they break our table.

Belgian tourist, Eagles jersey, and I end up at the same table. This is a fun bunch. This is exactly the kind of table I like to play at. I can win a little money and have a good time. Little by little the tourists are losing their money, some to me but mostly to Fun English Guy on the end. I find out later that Fun English Guy is a local pro. Meanwhile, I decide to have a few free beers and do some drunken gambooling. TI is the only Vegas hotel/bar that I've found that has Molson beer. A few different people cycle through seat 10, until another local pro shows up. She makes a few plays at other people when this hand comes up. I limp in EP with pocket 5's and someone raises to $15. All call and we have 5 to the flop. It comes something like 2 5 8. One thing I've noticed about this bunch is that nobody seems to play low cards. Someone playing Negreanu style could clean up. Anyway, I've made my set of 5's. Seat 10 pro bets out $20 and isolates me as I call and everyone else folds. Turn is a blank and she bets $40 and I call. I'm still slightly fearful of a higher set before I call, but she seems agitated by my call, so I'm feeling good right now. River comes a Jack and she pushes with about $80. I put her on making 2 pair with the Jack, and I call. 5's are good and she leaves in a huff. Eagles jersey, who came over to the Pro table with $500, is dribbling them back out to the pros, and a few to me. Shortly after, Belgian tourist, Eagles jersey, and the rest of the fun bunch all bust out and leave.

Two more local sharks show up. I can practically see their pectoral fins sticking out of their backs. What the hell are 4 pros doing at a 1/3 game at TI? Some dealer or floor must have called them about the chum in the water. Fun English Guy confides to me about one of the other pros during a break. I'm up about $400 and debate leaving but the Molson slows my feet. I dribble a lot of it back, and get involved in a hand with Noisy Arrogant Pro, who has been losing a lot to the (sober) cowboys who have showed up. For some reason I put him on just making a move because of steam and call to the river with just second pair. I dropped about $150 in that hand. I decide to stumble across the street to the Wynn while I still have chips.
BUY IN: $100 Played: 4 hours Result: +$86

Sunday 12/3 10 PM:
I made it over to the Wynn in one piece. Man, it's cold outside. I take an open 4/8 seat. A couple more grumpy local pros are sitting. Pickings must be getting thin if these pros are having to invade 1/3 and 4/8. Grumpy Deep Stack to my right succeeds in chasing off the main donator on the end, not with his play, but with his grumpiness. I get a couple small hands, but nothing memorable. A few others leave and are not replaced. They break our table and I decide to just go to bed.
BUY IN: $100 Played: 1.5 hours Result: +$36

Epilogue:
Mistreating myself for a week on the road takes it's toll. I'm not a young pup any more and wake up with a nasty cough. I call in sick and pound vitamin C.

Overall, it was a fun trip, but it was distressing to see so many pros playing in low limit games. Maybe it's better on weekends.

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

[ QUOTE ]
Nice trip report, p4b.

[ QUOTE ]
Seamless was a disappointment. Dark and weird inside and the talent was very average.

[/ QUOTE ]

You didn't care for the unisex bathroom with glass doors on the stalls? I thought it was very cool.

Wednesday talent at a Vegas strip club can be misleading. Or is it that the weekend talent that misleads?

[/ QUOTE ]

Ha, I didn't know it was unisex. The glass doors on the stalls was wild, and it took me awhile to figure out what was going on, in my drunken state.

There were quite a few female customers in the place. Unfortunately they were the type to take the lead right out of the pencil.

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

did you catch a name or give a description of the local female pro? something in your story makes her sound familar to me. you need to get your rest young man. i enjoyed your stories.

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

[ QUOTE ]


Final comments on CA: I've never seen such obnoxious behavior in a poker room. Dealers looking at player's cards, sometimes during live hands. Enough swearing to make a sailor blush. It's not good natured swearing like you do with your buddies either. An amazing amount of yelling and arguments and trash-talking at the tables. An equally amazing number of drunks too.


[/ QUOTE ]

Drunks & swearing = +++++++++EV!

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

[ QUOTE ]
did you catch a name or give a description of the local female pro? something in your story makes her sound familar to me. you need to get your rest young man. i enjoyed your stories.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks. No, I ddn't get a name. She was non-descript looking, maybe about 30 years old, about 150 pounds. One of the other sharks was a gal with short red hair, about 30, 125 pounds. She was table bully. I had only one good hand against her when we both had trip 10's, but I had K kicker and hers was a 3 or 4.

Re: Trip report - Vegas/Phoenix
 

Again, well written. Pound that vitamin C and get back in the ring.

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Overall, it was a fun trip, but it was distressing to see so many pros playing in low limit games. Maybe it's better on weekends.

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Could be the time of year, too. The period between Thanksgiving and Christmas is the slowest time of the year for travel in the U.S.