Two Plus Two Newer Archives - Trip Report: LA and Vegas (Very long. Part 1 of 4) [w/ cliff notes]

Trip Report LA to Vegas October 6 to October 15 (With lots of handz). This includes a time line of events. I hope you enjoy it. Cliff Notes are on the bottom.

Stats:
Hours of days for this trip (including travel days): 10
Hours of poker played: 47
Number of 2+2ers met/seen: 3
Number of poker rooms played in: 5

I decide to take a little break from my Actuarial studies (passed #1, on to #2 financial mathematics) and help my cousin along the side.

Lots of interesting handz played and telling of the people I met. This is all done in a chronological fashion with times.

So I’m helping my cousin who owns a computer rental company with a show by driving her truck down to LA to help out with a show by transporting and helping set up computers for the California REALTOR EXPO 2007 in Anaheim Convention center. We’re going to stay in LA for a week and spend the following weekend in Vegas to see some shows, gamble, etc. Another cousin of mine joined me. I offered a couple of meet ups, one in LA and one in Vegas, but only one took me up in LA.

October 6-7: Spent Saturday driving down to LA and hung with with family friends.

October 8: I meet my contact, the manager from the Las Vegas branch (this is a two store job) and get ready to do the job. We have a total of 110+ computers to set up in 3 locations along with a few fax machines, copiers, etc. We’re supposed to have a 3rd unknown guy show up, but he bailed on us. We start at 8:30AM and didn’t get done until 2:00 AM the following morning. And we’re still not done.

October 9: We get 3 hours of sleep, get up and finish the job. I get to get out by 10:30AM and go back to sleep. The other guy is tech support. He’s not so lucky.

After several hours of sleep, I get up and decide to go to Bicycle Casino (first time to visit since they cancelled Live at the Bike). When I get there, I see new tables and a new entrance to Yosh’s Sushi Bar which is all where the old room was when they were doing production work. I really miss that show.

2:30PM to 4:00PM: Played 300 to 500 5/5 blind NL. No hands of serious consequence. I order the Chicken Kabob. Note to Bike players: Chicken Kabob good.

4:00PM to 6:30PM: Moved to 5/10 blind unrestricted NL. Ok game, not crazy. There was also a $10/$25 going, but it seemed to have some good players. And in addition it had Mo. And if there’s anyone who’s a fan of Live at the Bike, he’s made some sick, sick plays…almost as if he can see the cards like the commentators do. So I pass that.

My only big hand: There’s like 4 limpers and I check my option with J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. Flop comes 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]. I [stack = $1000] check, checks to MP [stack = $1200] who bets $20, MP+1 [stack = $750] calls, LP [stack = $1200] calls, folds to me. I sense weakness. I don’t like $20; I like $220. MP folds, MP+1 thinks and calls. Turn is a blank and now I’m past the point of no return. All-in. Virtual insta-call. Gulp. River blank. My hand is good. I said “I guess I didn’t want a diamond”, and he said “yup”. Must quit for 7:00 2+2 meet up.

7:00PM: Arrive in Commerce and see 2+2er brick. We meet and chat a bit. He says he’d rather play than eat (he’s at a $40). I wait out a few supposed no-showers, and decide to get on the $40/$80, but am unimpressed and wanted to play a table with brick.

7:30PM to 8:00PM: So I switched to $20/$40 and he finally joined me. Only hand of consequence I played, I raised a loose limper with 22 to isolate and it worked, and he called me down with A high (no I did not bet the river and missed a value bet). I was forced out of brick’s table and must moved to another. Left to play no-limit.

8:30PM to 2:30 AM: Played $10/$20 no-limit.

Hand 1: I limp with 88 UTG, like 5 more limpers and SB makes a BS raise to $60. BB folds, and I’m a wuss and decide not to re-raise and everyone calls. The flop comes J83r. SB bets like $60, I don’t like $60; I like $260. UTG + 1 [A solid player and plays solid cards who has some weak-tight tendencies and ok hand reading skills] points to the 8 and the 3 and says “Which one?” Bastard. Folds to SB who calls. Turn comes a blank maybe creates a flush draw, I dunno. SB checks, I shove the last of my $500 or so and SB turns 9[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] face up. If only I knew.

Brick was stuck bad and left at that point my stack had fluctuated between $600 and $1400. By then I had ordered Chicken Wings, Pad Thai Noodles, Fruit Plate, Coffee and Tapioca Pudding. And yes, I finished it all.

Hand 2: I limp AQo UTG, some laggy guy overplays some hands raises to $150 (he raises a lot, raised with A8s from SB before), two callers, I squeeze to $600, Laggy guy mumbles “F it -- all in”. Folds to me (I had 1.8K left or so and he covered), and I nodded my head and humbly folded.

Not too long after, I’m doing much better.

Hand 3: I [Stack = ~$2000] open raise with A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] on button to $70 and called by loose passive in BB [Stack = ~$3000]. Flop comes J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2 clubs. He checks. I fire $120 and he calls. Turn comes 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. He checks. I take stock and decide to check back (debatable). River comes 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] and BB then bets $100. I take a moment and then chuckle a little. I know I have him, but he’s been very nice to me (letting me off the hook/showing cards to me) and I don’t think he’s calling a raise anyways. I opt to just call (flame away). He shows Q9o no club for a straight, and I take it down.

Hand 4: I [Stack = ~$2400] limp with a couple of limpers with J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] on the button. SB throws in $10, BB checks. Flop comes 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Checks to me and I bet $60. SB calls, MP [Stack = ~$4000] (same as villain in Hand 3 above) doesn’t like $60; he likes $180. I think for a moment and call. SB folds. Turn comes a 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. MP says “You’re on one of dem draws, aren’t you? Check”. I take a brief pause, and I check behind. River is the beautiful 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]. MP pauses and then checks. I bet $500. MP thinks for about 10 seconds and calls. Ship it!

I eventually leave the same amount up that brick was stuck from $40/$80.

To be continued…

Cliff Notes: I played lots of poker in LA and Vegas making some mad loot playing mostly no-limit and some limit poker, while along the way, I help my cousin with some computer stuff for her company. I meet 3 2+2ers and watch a couple of shows in Vegas before driving home. Cirque du Soleil’s “K8” circus show at MGM, ok ** 1/2 of ****. Mamma Mia at Venetian, great: **** of ****.

I tried to get 2+2 meet ups, but hope to attract more. I think I’ll sweeten the deal next time.

Next up: After my actuarial exam in November 7th. Arizona. New York. Minnesota. Tunica. Any suggestions for the next trip?

Garland