Trip Report for First Trip to Vegas... Long - Maybe Boring.

[lowpockets]

I made it to Vegas twice this summer. The first time was just one night. I managed to spend an assload of money drinking and playing blackjack and roulette at many Casinos (Hooters, New York New York, Monte Carlo, Bellagio, Ceasers Palace, then I don't remember the rest of the night). The toll for the weekend was more or less $1000 and it included no poker. Big Mistake.

The very next weekend though, I figured I would go back to Vegas and actually do the thing that makes me money - play poker. I did and I did. It was a good weekend. I thought I had around $500 in my bank account, which was plenty enough to get me into the first 2/5 game that I could get my hands on. I was wrong - I only had a little over $100 (rental car place over-booked me like 250 and then a little bad book keeping on my part accounted for the rest). No problem though because the first casino in on I-15 east heading into Nevada is at the [censored]-hole exit known as Jean, Nevada. My buddy I was with isn't a big poker guy so he said we should stop there and play the 2-6 spread limit game they have (using nothing but 1 dollar chips and half dollars for the rake). I was low on cash and figured this might be a decent place to stop in and increase the very very shabby bankroll for the weekend. As much as I hate limit I figured I would hate spread limit just as much. This may be true - but I doubled up fairly quickly when these absolute morons. I had to leave within the hour because the casino, Buffalo Bills, was freaking depressing. The cheap fake buffallo and low lit floor freaked me out too.

BR for trip = $215

The logical next stop was one of the strip $1/2 games with a $200 buy-in. I got a call as we pulled off I-15 onto the strip that some of my buddies were drunk playing the 1/2 at Paris. I was skeptical, but it turned out to be a great great decision. The Paris game was a 50-300 buy-in. It was juicy as hell and average stacks were around $400 - no [censored]. When I got to the game I was very pleased to see every player at the table with some sort of alcohol. Nice +EV immediately. I ran my stack up to around $1100 in this game until it broke and the two 1/2NL tables combined into 1. Immediately upon arriving at this table the cocktail waitress was delivering the entire table shots of goldschlager. I have a scar on my knee from an incident relating to goldschlager so when the waitress offered me my shot I informed her I was mormon. She gave the rest of the shots out (including a couple double shots) and I then informed her that I would like a Bud Light. The game was so crazy that it quickly became either -EV or the variance at least skyrocketed to the point that my feeble weekend br couldn't hold up too well. I ended up cashing out with $700.

After some sleep at our hotel, Hooters (ghettoooo), I headed to Bally's (next to the Paris where my soon to be drunk again friends wanted to play) to play some $2/$5. The game was just ok. There were two Nordic dudes with each having at least $2K, 1 crazy crazy guy whose stack fluctuated between $1500 and $0 many times, and a few rocks. I played for around 3-4 hours and after being up $25 bucks I decided I would give it a break.

BR still = $700.

We started drinking of course and around midnight I consented to playing some more $1/$2 at Paris, this time with the max buy-in. I was about as excited to be playing poker as I would have been to find out that I had cancer. Around 30 minutes into the session though I got very lucky, hit a King High straight flush and doubled up my chip-count as well as hit a $543 dollar high hand jackpot immediately turning my $300 into around $1200. This didn't help my motivation and I quickly made my way back to Hooters to try to rack up some comps playing some BJ. I put out $200 and started with $25 bets. The table went hot and at $575 I told myself, the dealer, and the table that I was done at $600... I know you can guess what happened next - busto. I made it to sleep at 2AM though with the plan of being out of the Hotel by check-out and ready for another long session of 2/5NL - my regular game.

BR = $1400

This time I headed across the street to the MGM. I really enjoyed their poker room. They had an awesome rake structure and I liked being able to watch the tiger display while I played. Plus, there was a really hot girl sitting at our table which made for a nice view. One guy at the 2/5 table busted out of the WSOP ME within $20. That sucks. Luckily for me though, I played at the top of my game and had a little luck as well. Over the course of 5 hours I had a stack of around $2500+. I laid down QQ's pre-flop to a very tight player for his moderate 3-bet. I also called another guy down with a middle pair on a scary board for a $700 pot based on a read and it paid off.

BR = $3400

Nice fricking ROI for that $100 ATM withdrawal huh?

After this I went to the resturant "Steak" at MGM (I think that was the name). I spent over $300 for 2 broke guys and myself to get some awesome filets and alcohol.

Weekend net after paying for dinner, hotel, gas, lending my buddy $200, and spending over $1k the previous weekend = +1500

Standard?

[Jago]

man that sounds awesome. $100 -> $3400 sounds like a lot of fun

[lowpockets]

Indeed it was...

[Hornacek]

Nice run.

[ QUOTE ]
I thought I had around $500 in my bank account, which was plenty enough to get me into the first 2/5 game that I could get my hands on.

[/ QUOTE ]

You seem to be underrolled.

[lowpockets]

If I didn't just buy a new A4 I would be fine... :-\ My role is plenty big for 2/5 but I was in California for business - not poker and only had access to credit cards and my debit card account.

[Hoss1193]

Nice run at the tables.