Rageotones takes Vegas by storm...(1/4-1/7 TR)

[rageotones]

it will be complete by monday. i'll try to get a part or two up tonight as well after work.

[Befolder]

[ QUOTE ]
ok...so you sucked me in with this story, and won't finish it...this is bad ju-ju, and not nice to a newbie...you made the sale, so deliver the goods .

[/ QUOTE ]

FYP
Just thought it was funny you repeated yourself.

[teamjcfl]

point taken

[rageotones]

part 9

saturday

the alarm on my phone wakes me up at 9:45, and i'm miserably tired. i have no desire to get out of bed, so i snooze for 10 mins. i finally get up around 10:15, and since i have to be at harrah's by 10:45, i'm running short on time. i hop in the shower, and head over to harrah's. i'm like jogging down the strip part of the way b/c it's like 5 til 11 at this point, and the tournament starts at 11. of course, this is the one time that i'm having trouble finding the right elevator in harrah's. casinos piss me off when i get lost in them.

so i make it up to the room where they're holding the tournament. they're drawing names of everyone who got busted out for 9 or 10 seats in today's tournament. since you have to be present to win, all the halls and everything are overflowing with people. the room is even worse. there are around 600 people sitting at all the tables, and probably another 1000 standing around. it was kind of fun having to fight through the crowd though since i had to say, "excuse me, i have to go to my table..."

i get to my table and count out my chips. sweet, t5k to start today vs. the 1500 we had yesterday. this is gonna be great.

...oh wait a sec, we don't have any t25 chips. uh oh.

yeah, so they start the tournament with t5000 chips and blinds of 100-200 for 20 min rounds. what a joke. our dealer was nice at least.

someone asked her about dealing the wsop, and she made a few comments about it. somehow, the talk of tipping came up, and she dogged jamie gold for not giving anything. i asked about hachem, b/c i'd heard that he didn't tip either. i'd never heard this, but she was saying that in australia, they're not supposed to tip like that after tournaments, so he didn't know he was supposed to. then, way later, he came back and tried to tip, but there was no way to get it to the dealers and what not. i'm not sure the validity of all of that, but interesting none the less.

she also told us of the dumbest question she'd ever gotten from someone at the wsop.

dumb person says, "why do you wear so much jewelry, aren't you afraid someone's going to see the cards in the reflection of your rings and stuff?"
hmmmmmm

anyway, on to poker.

i'm treating this like a turbo mtt, b/c the blind structure is so ridiculous. the first hand comes up when i limp KQ in MP.

flop comes K73, and an aggressive guy bets out 800. i raise to 2200. it folds back to him, and he thinks for a second and calls. the turn comes a blank, he checks, and i go all in for my last 2600 or so. he goes into the tank. starts making random comments like, "i made 2 pair on you," and "well, i guess you got it," but not actually mucking his cards yet. after a while, he shows KQ and mucks. awesome.

the next hand happens when i have 92s in the sb. a few people limp, so i complete. i'll complete with any two in the sb if there have been limpers. i like to get myself into tough spots with marginal holdings so i can lose as much as possible post flop.

i flop a flush draw and it checks to MP who bets out 600. i'm the only one who calls, and i miss on the turn. i check and he goes all in for like 3k.

after the blinds go up to 200/400, i lose a quick 1k when i try to steal the bb from the sb with K8 after it's folded to me. he reraises to 2k, and i fold like a hallmark card. he says he had AK.

the next hand comes when the guy UTG raises to 1500. i look down at 88 and push. it folds back to him, and he calls w/KK. i don't improve, and i'm down to t100. oh well. i had about 5k at that point, but i don't really regret the decision. i'd probably do it again.

i bust out the next hand, and viola, i look down and it's only 11:35.

i make it out to the strip thinking about getting something to eat. i look at my watch again, and only 11:40 at this point.

wait a sec

I HAVE TIME TO MAKE THE CAESAR'S NOON!

i hustle across the street and get in line to buy in.

[chopstick]

[ QUOTE ]
i like to get myself into tough spots with marginal holdings so i can lose as much as possible post flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is becoming one of my favorite trip reports.

[rageotones]

part 10

so the line to buy in to the caesar's noon is pretty long. i'm kind of lolling at these two younger guys that are both in scarves, but then i start hearing them talking to people. it turns out they are from england, and in vegas for a few months or something. i guess they're here to play poker. i get the impression they are both probably pretty solid.

i buy in, and take my seat. both of these guys end up being at my starting table. in fact, the table looks like it's going to be a tougher table...not hard or anything, but above average difficulty. 5 of 9 have mp3 players (including me), and there are sunglasses galore (not including me). a couple of people don't do the rebuy before it starts, so i guess these are the donks at the table. to refresh for those who haven't played the CP noon tourney, the buy-in is $80 for t1500 in chips, and you get one rebuy for $50 that gives you t3000 more chips. the blinds start at 25/50 at 40-min levels.

the first hand that i'm involved in happens when i get dealt 99 in EP. i raise to 175 and get 1 caller (one of the british dudes(bd2)). the flop is 8-high with 2 spades, and i bet out 300. he calls pretty quickly. the turn pairs the board, and we both check, then the river brings a face card, and we both check. he shows AK spades for 1 pair A-high, and i show my two pair for the win. i kick myself for giving him two free cards to beat me, but it only ends up being a small mistake.

the next hand happens when i limp 34s in MP. after 4 limpers or so, the bb raises to t350. i reluctantly call b/c there is already a caller in front of me, and i figured everyone is going to call. then it gets back to the sb (bd2) and he pops it to 1600 or something dumb. i'm cursing the bb in my head right now b/c he folds. wtf, what are you raising with in the bb that you fold after you get re-raised? the other british dude (bd1) and i fold along with all but 1 person. the flop comes 889, and bd2 bets out 2k or so, and the other guy folds. at this point, both me and bd1 are cursing the play of the bb...me for it costing me an extra 300, and he for him missing a flop that would have given him trips.

another hand comes up with a middle-aged white guy (mawg) and bd1. the fop is KJJ, and there is some betting and calling. the river ends up bringing an A, and mawg kind of winces, but then bets out 500. bd1 calls, and mawg shows KJ for a flopped full house. wow, it was the best act i've seen at the table in a long while. i was convinced.

nothing significant happens until i'm moved to my next table. my first big mistake happens at this table. i have about 5k at this point, and blinds have gone up to 50/100.

i raise UTG with 9 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] to mix it up a little. i get 1 caller, and the flop is 6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]J [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] and i bet out 600.
he thinks for a second and makes the call. the turn brings a blank, and i bet 1400. he sits there for a while thinking. he almost folds, almost calls, almost folds, and finally puts his money in. i really think he has two big clubs right now. the river brings another blank, and i go all in. he has less than 1k at this point, calls and shows KJ for the win.

bummer...

2 big mistakes this hand. 1. i should have just moved all-in on the turn, and he probably would have folded. 2. i should have checked the river.

well, i'm in my comfort zone on the short stack with under 1k. now i can play my game.

[ultimatesooner]

awesome report,

keep it up

[rageotones]

part 11

so i'm shortstacked and on a mission for a +6k first prize (186 buy-ins i believe).

i play push-bot poker for a little while. i end up getting to complete in the SB with KT and flop top pair. we all check to the button who bets out, and i push. he folds, and i have a few more chips. the blinds have gone up to 100/200/25 at this point, so each pot is important from here on out. a little bit later, i open push with A5. one guy thinks for a little while and finally folds. he had a bigger A...go me.

i build up my stack to around 3k, and get faced with 2 tough decisions.

another short stack open pushes for over 2k, and i look down at AJo. man, i really want to play this, but my gut tells me otherwise. that's all i really have to go on, so i reluctantly fold. i never find out what he had. i guess it's time to turn to liquid courage.

"grey goose and tonic please."

3 drinks later, same guy pushes, and i look down at 55. damnit. 2 hands that i'd open-push no questions asked, but calling all-ins? i fold again. nothing else significant happens until i move tables again.

at my new table, i play 3 or 4 hands including an open-push with AK which gets no callers. i move tables again.

i don't remember a lot here, but i managed to steal a pot here or there, and build my stack up to about 8kish. blinds have gotten up to 600/1200/100 i think before the first big suckout happens.

i open for around 3k with A8o, and the guy behind me pushes. it folds back to me, and i start to wonder what the hell was i thinking. i pretty much pot comitted myself, and didn't take the chance to fold out any better hands. i'm thinking about folding, but then look at what i'd have left. damnit, i call knowing i'm in bad shape. guy turns over JJ to my A8, and viola, magical 8 on the flop. he doesn't improve, and i'm patting myself on the back for the genius play.

next important hand happens when i have 55. a guy raises to 3kish in front, and i call. flop comes Q-high with a 5, and he bets out 3k. i think there were two of one suit, and i raise to 10k. he thinks for a while and folds. he says he had 99, lucky me.

a few hands later, a guy opens, and i re-raise with 77. he folds, and i get some more chips. the blinds and antes are really helping out my stack.

later, i open for a raise w/33, and this really tight lady pushes. i think for a while, and decide to fold. i think i had her covered, but i'd be microstacked if i lost the pot. i felt she was pretty strong too from her demeaner. later, during a break, she told me she had KK. another great play by yours truly.

i get frisky, and steal 2 hands in a row from MP-EP with mediocre hands. the table had kind of tightened up a little. so the 3rd hand, i raise again with TT. same lady who had KK earlier pushes, but she has significantly less chips now, and i call. she turns over AQs, but my hand holds up, and she's gone. the next hand, or 2 later, a guy open-pushes when i'm in the BB, and i look down at JJ. i call, and he flips over A9o. my hand holds up again, and all of a sudden, i'm in a really good spot with over 60k. i get moved again, and we're down to 3 tables of 9(18 places pay).

blinds are up to 1k/2k/200 now, but i'm in a good place to easily make the money if i don't do something dumb....little chance of that happening.

at the new table, i see our old friend bd1 with a huge chip stack....

oh yeah, a little back story on bd1 that i forgot to say.
at the last hand at my first table, he gets into a big pot. on a flop of JT8, a guy raises, bd1 pushes all in for not much more, another guy goes all-in, and first guy calls.
bd1 turns over QJ
another guy turns over JT
last guy turns over J8
the miracle 9 hits on the turn, and nothing important happens on the river, and bd1 tripples up.

anyway, he has been doing good things with the chips, b/c he's sitting with around 120k or so.

i tighten up a little, and nothing important happens until the downward spiral. i'm in the 8 seat, and there are shorties in both the 9 and 1 seat. it all starts when i'm in the sb, and jackass(JA) open-pushes from UTG. it folds to me, and it is about 5k total. bb only has a little under 6k, so i raise, and bb folds.
i turn over AJo, and UTG turns over...
69soooooooted
here we go.
he spikes a 6 on the flop and another on the river to rub it in a little. i'm fairly unhappy about the open push w/69, but whatever...it's his buy-in.

next hand, it folds around to me OTB, and i open to 5375 with QTs. JA is in the bb, and decides to push. i think for a minute...it's 8k more to me, and i decide to make the call. he turns over....

74o WTF?
vs. QTs

now...we obviously know that he wins the hand, and i'm steaming pretty hardcore. i'm bitching and moaning. i think the only thing i said to the guy was, "you know, you can fold that there, you just doubled up." anyway, i'm feeling sorry for myself, and i'm down to a little over 20k. back to shortstack mode while we have about 21 people left. after busting 2 out of the money on thursday night, i'm really unhappy about the situation. we've played for about 4.5 hours at this point.

i shortstack it for a little while while we're trying to get to the 18 that make the money. i don't remember anything significant until this happens.

the guy to my right has the bb, and he says something about..."sniff sniff i think i can smell a walk coming..." anyway, he carries on, and he ends up getting a free pot. i kind of laugh, and i get the bb the next hand. i'm of course like, sniff sniff i can smell something too. i think there's another walk coming. it folds around to the sb, and i start lobbying. "you know, you just got a free one, nothing wrong with giving me one....you know i have enough chips to put a dent in that stack of yours...i haven't looked yet, so i could have something good." he looks a couple of times, and thinks about it. he finally laughs and's like, "ok, you can have it."

i flip over AA

damnit, why did you lobby so hard? it was a funny moment, but i wish i would have just mucked. why did i have to know what i had?

so we finally dwindle down to 19 players, and there's one guy with less than 1 bb at a different table. but, on our table, it folds around to bd1 in the sb, and he raises. the bb, on a short stack, looks down and starts to think. he decides that he wants to take his chances, an admirable decision IMO, and calls for his tournament life with A3. bd1 turns over A slowly

then he turns over....

2

A3 vs. A2

the flop brings an ugly 2, and everyone kind of gasps at the same time. A3 doesn't improve, and the guy busts out on the bubble in true suckout fashion.

now we're down to 2 tables of 9, and we're all in the money. great...now we have some work to do to make the real money

[rageotones]

part 12

so we're into the money, and i can relax a little. i think i may have stolen one pot before this hand happens.

it folds to me OTB, same JA is in the bb, and i open-push with 69sooooooted

sb folds, and usually, i'm just hoping that bb folds, but not this time. i'm actually hoping he calls so i can suckout so bad. i'm still pissed at him from earlier, and i'm really hoping he calls. he finally calls and turns over AQs

YES, i see a 9 on the flop....oh boy there's the Q out there too. bummer.

turn brings the 4th heart for me, and i'm sweating out the river until i see it...the BEAUTIFUL 3 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

hells yeah baby. karma finally works out against the same person. that puts me up to 50k or so, but that's nothing really at this point.

the next hand the JA moves all in w/KQ, and gets knocked out. big stack to out in 2 hands. awesometastic.

so, everything is kind of going slowly, and we're dwindling down. the guy to my left gets knocked out finally, and we have 4 players to the 6 at the other table. a lady moves into the seat to my left just before the hand is dealt w/me in the bb. she gets her cards and open-pushes for something like 55-60k. bd1 who is on 1 of the big stacks insta-calls, and lady has AA vs. bd1's KK. pretty sick.

KK doesn't improve, and just like that bd1 is back with the short stacks.

now at this point, i remember the guy to my right saying something about a group chopping 12-handed, so i'm curious. i get the attention of the tournament director, and ask what the payout would be if we chop 10-handed.

i fold a hand...

"well, if you chop 10 ways, you'll all get $1680."

ZOMG, let's do it. 4th pays around 1400, and 3rd is 1800ish.

so i start asking around, and everyone seems cool with it....happy for that matter. even the lady to my right seems to think it's a good idea. this older asian guy w/a huge stack is even happy about the idea. sweet, ship the 1680 please.

and then you hear it.

i quiet little "no, i don't want to." from the lady to my left. WTF?!?!

"hey, i have over 100 thousand here, i don't want to chop."

so i start lobbying pretty hard.

"yeah, but you have to get 3rd to make more than that, and it's only a couple hundred."

"you don't get it, i'm a tournament player, it's what i do."

to which i'm like, "so the money isn't important to you at all."

"no."

"but we're all here for fun. you can make 9 other people really happy, and we can just go do something else."

and then she's like, "plus, first place is over 6k."

"but i thought you said the money wasn't important."

"well, it kind of is. look we're not even at the final table yet; you're not supposed to chop before the final table."

[censored] [censored] [censored] [censored] !!!!!!!!!

seriously, the blinds are like 1 gazillion/2 gazillion/500 at this point...i just don't get it.

i fold one more hand sadly, before an angel appears over my right shoulder.

she starts talking to the guy.

"these people all want me to chop, but i don't want to. i have over 100k chips here."

"well, what's the deal if you chop."

"1680, you think i should do it."

"yeah."

i'm getting exciting and routing the guy on.

"c'mon man, keep it up, you're talking her into it."

and then he's like, "hey, if you just chop, you can go ahead and play the 7 o'clock with me."

and finally, she agrees.

YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

i'm like, "awesome miss, you totally made my day. everyone here thanks you."

i thank her a few more times while congratulating everyone else, and the people rejoice.

by the way, it turns out that the average chip stack was only like 85k, so 100k didn't mean anything at this point. she definitely made the right choice.

now, i'm half drunk and tired, so i'm trying to think out a tip. i've been told 2-3% on a tourney, so i keep doing the math in my head. apparantly, 2% of 1600 is 80 in my head. i got it kind of backwards with the whole 8 and 16 thing.

i end up tipping 100, before realizing later that my math is way off. oh well, i heard that all the dealers get is $10 of the add-ons, so they don't really have much held out to take care of them. i feel comfortable with the 100 after all.

so i take my 1580 score, plus my brand new W2G irs form with me back to the room with a smile on my face the whole way.

i call my buddy and tell him we're going out to celebrate, he congratulates me, and i stop to play a little celebratory bj before i can get to my room.

[GoAheadRiverMe]

[ QUOTE ]
part 9

saturday

i'm running short on time. i hop in the shower,

[/ QUOTE ]

I call bullsh!t on this one!