1st Vegas trip report 6/2-6/9, $2/4 - $4/8 limit, 9 rooms (part 1)

[jively]

Well, I enjoy reading everyone's trip reports, and I learned a lot, so I will reciprocate with my own trip report. My fiancée Jenn and I went to Vegas for vacation, and I got 9 opportunities to play. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Jenn has learned to play hold'em as well, which is convenient. She’s very cool.

The info from www.AllVegasPoker.com was good, but the limits stated on the web weren't always available. I would suggest calling the room to see what limits are going before heading over.


MGM, Saturday afternoon, $3/6

Our first session was on Saturday afternoon at MGM. I played $3/6 with an interesting fellow. There was an older Indian guy who was raising every hand pre-flop blind. Strangely, it took me over an hour for it to be clear! (My initial notes said "a lot of pre-flop raising.") I was playing cautiously. In 2 1/2 hours I think I won two hands, one where ATs hit a pair of Aces and held up, and another where my pocket Jacks held up. On the Jacks hand, I was in early position and limp-reraised, knowing the Indian guy was going to raise blind. That was the first time I ever limp-RRed.

We played 2 1/2 hours, and I ended down $19. Jenn played 2/4 and ended down $10.


Saturday night we saw Blue Man Group at the Venetian. It was seriously awesome. It was very funny, and had outstanding and creative music. I highly recommend this show. We then had dinner at Tsunami, a pan-Asian restaurant, and then checked out the cool fake sky and canal built inside the Venetian. It was really incredibly realistic. If you are going to Vegas and have not been upstairs in the Venetian, definitely see it. Jenn and I took a gondola ride as well. That was romantic, particularly because the drivers sing Italian songs during the ride.


On Sunday, we went to the Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. Jenn is from the south and really enjoyed the gospel singing and the southern buffet. There was a WPT event there, a $10,000 buy-in tournament on the first day, and I was able to walk around and recognize a lot of famous players. I saw Daniel Negreanu, Barry Greenstein, T.J. Cloutier, David Sklansky and John D'Agastino. I think I saw Huck Seed but I'm not 100% sure. (I took some pics on my camera phone, but haven't really looked at them yet.)

I think Mandalay Bay started at $4/8, so was too high for Jenn to play, and I had a number of Mimosas with brunch, so we decided not to play there. We walked over to Luxor, and after some time looking around and playing their excellent selection of retro video games, decided to play poker there.


Luxor, Sunday late afternoon, $4/8

I played $4/8 at Luxor, but the blinds were only $1 and $2. It was an interesting structure. It led to a lot of 5-7 way limp pots, or 2-3 way raised pots. There were a lot of regulars there. There were a couple of promotions where at my table, they were trying to get a lot of hours in per week. Jenn played $1/2 and then $2/4. At her $2/4 table people were trying to win $20 pots so they could get tickets towards a jackpot promotion. She commented that people were playing like maniacs so the pots would be bigger, which changed the character of the game and made it harder to read.

Anyway, I started off hitting a couple of flops. I had AQs and turned a straight. I limped K9s from EP and hit 2 pair. And I flopped a flush with my A9s, all in the first 15 minutes! Those hands brought me up by $100. I gave a lot of that back over then next hour or so.

I had KQs and raised PF and had a cold caller behind me. I flopped a King, and bet the flop, turn and river. The cold caller calls all the way down and showed AK! Nice hand, sir!

I finished the 2 hour session up $42, so I was up $23 for the trip. Jenn played $1/2, moved to $2/4 when her table broke up, and ended down $47.


Excalibur, Sunday night, $2/6 spread limit

We then continued up to Excalibur and played there on Sunday night. This was my first spread limit experience. There was a lot of drinking at the game. It was mostly 20-somethings who liked to talk about baseball and football.

I started off with AQo in the big blind. I raised $6 pre-flop, and it was heads up. The flop came QJx. I bet $6, and he called. The turn was another Q. I bet $6, he raised, and I 3-bet. He called. The river was a T. I bet $6, he raised, and I called. He showed QT, and hit a 3-outer on the river. I tried to remain calm and not be flustered. I think I played it fine, and that's just poker.

Not long after, I had something like Q9 of hearts, and limped from MP. It was 6-ways, and the flop came something like AKx with 2 hearts. I don't remember exactly, but I think I bet, some callers, and a raise. Some callers, and I called, and it was still 6-way. The turn was a blank. Checked to the flop better who bet, and we all called again, building a really large pot. The river was a heart, giving me the 2nd-nut flush. I bet, and got 4 callers. The player to my left had Jx of hearts, to just miss, and I took down the big pot. "Making your flush on the river in a big pot is a lot of fun." GSIH, p. 59.

There were some other lessons learned by the spread limit. I had AK from UTG and raised $6. It was folded all the way around. $6 is maybe too much to raise from EP with $1 and $2 blinds. The next hand, UTG raises $6 with QQ and it is folded around. Maybe $4 or $5 is a better raise there.

Another player played a hand where they bet the flop, bet the turn, and then bet the river when it was heads up. The opponent folded, and the winner showed a busted flush draw. I thought that it was interesting, so I tried it myself. Didn't work though; they called the river. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Near the end of my session, I hit a couple of sets. Yay! My set of 10s turned into 10s full and I won. But then my set of 8s lost to a straight. I ended the 1 3/4 hour session up $54.50, making me up $77.50 for the trip. Jenn ended down $15, playing the $1/3 spread limit game.


On our way back, we rode the roller coaster at New York, New York. It was a longer, better ride than we expected. In our opinion, the best roller coaster ride in Vegas.

I'll post more later, especially if anyone finds this interesting. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] The other rooms were Aladdin, Sahara, Treasure Island, Monte Carlo, Imperial Palace, and Silverton.

-Tom

[dinopoker]

Absolutely, post more. Solid report. Does Jenn have any sisters?

[jively]

[ QUOTE ]
Absolutely, post more. Solid report. Does Jenn have any sisters?

[/ QUOTE ]
LOL, no. She's an only child.

-Tom

[surfinillini]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Absolutely, post more. Solid report. Does Jenn have any sisters?

[/ QUOTE ]
LOL, no. She's an only child.

-Tom

[/ QUOTE ]

please post pics

[pyedog]

[ QUOTE ]
Not long after, I had something like Q9 of hearts, and limped from MP. It was 6-ways, and the flop came something like AKx with 2 hearts. I don't remember exactly, but I think I bet, some callers, and a raise. Some callers, and I called, and it was still 6-way.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice report, sounds like a great trip. You should cap this flop for value with the high flush draw as long as you won't knock out too many of your opponents. If it is 5 or 6 way to the turn you definitely want to build the pot on the flop as you're 1 in 3 to hit a flush by the river.

[jively]

On Monday, we went to the Grand Canyon. We took a tour from Vision Air. A shuttle bus picked us up at our timeshare and took us to the Las Vegas Executive Airport. We boarded a 19-seat plane (Dornier 228 - Jenn likes airplanes. She's an air-traffic controller) to the Grand Canyon West Airport at the top of the canyon. We then took a helicopter to the bottom of the canyon. Next we had a relaxing (albeit sweltering hot) pontoon boat ride down the Colorado River.

It was remarkably beautiful, a must-see. We took a helicopter back up, and then a tour bus took us to 2 scenic overlooks. We had a nice Native American BBQ meal at the 2nd one. Then the bus back to the airport, the 19-seat plane back to Vegas, and the shuttle bus back home. It was supposed to be 6 hours from pick-up to drop-off, but turned out to be about 7 1/2 hours. It was really fun but very exhausting. Plus it was about 114 degrees that day, so the trip really wiped us out. We finished the day off in the pool/hot tub at our timeshare.


Aladdin, Tuesday afternoon, $2/4

We got back to poker on Tuesday. After the Aladdin buffet, we decided to play poker there. They only had $2/4 limit, so Jenn and I played at the same table. That session was kind of interesting.

There was an Asian LAG guy 2 to my left. On one hand it was folded around to me on the button. I had A2o, so I raise to try to steal the blinds. His girlfriend in the SB folds, but he 3-bets. I call.

The flop totally misses me. He checks. I didn't know if he was adjusting to short-handed play or not. I bet, and he check-raised. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] That sucked. With an Ace, I probably should have just gotten to showdown as cheaply as possible. I felt stupid after he CRed me when he was the PF 3-better. I forget if I folded to his raise or his turn bet...

That Asian LAG guy ended up hitting quads and won a $500 jackpot... That was kind of cool to witness.

Anyway, I won a couple more pots and ended the 2 1/2 hour session up $44, putting me up $121.50 for the trip. Jenn won $8.


That evening, Jenn and I met one of my firm's clients for dinner. They are Chinese, and took us to an authentic, family-style Chinese restaurant west of the strip. They then drove us downtown to see the Freemont Street Experience. Now that is a seriously big TV. While we were waiting for the show to start, we went into Binions to see the wall of WSOP champions. We wanted to play that night, and decided to have them drop us at the Stratosphere. However, they didn't have a low limit for Jenn to play, so we didn't play there. Also, we learned that there was no longer a roller coaster on top, and there was a long line to go up for the view and other rides, so we didn't go up. Instead we walked to the Sahara to play there.


Sahara, Tuesday night, $2/4

We started by riding Speed, the roller coaster at the Sahara. It's a short coaster that accelerates you in a big hurry, does a loop (or 2?), ends up a big hill, and then does the same thing backwards. Very nice.

Jenn and I were at the same $2/4 table at the Sahara. This was my split pot session. I split 4 pots there before winning any! It was really frustrating. I had KJs and hit top pair, and split to another KJ. My JJ and cracked by a straight. I had 88 and found myself in a 6-way pot that was capped PF. With 24 small bets in the pot, I had enough pot odds to call one on the flop with my 2 outs. However, I missed. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Then my KQo split top pair to another KQ, and then my KTo split top pair with Jenn's KT. Finally, my AQo split another top pair with another AQ.


This was the session we played with the Swedish guy. The 2 1/4 hour session ended with me down $24, and up $97.50 for the trip.


On Thursday we embraced our inner geeks by going to the Las Vegas Hilton's Star Trek Experience. It was well laid out, with two interactive rides, and actually lots of fun. We then had lunch at Quark's. W walked over to Circus Circus and rode the roller coaster at Adventuredome, which was pretty good, too. So, we got to ride all 3 coasters in Vegas.


Treasure Island, Wednesday afternoon, $2/4

We played a quick $2/4 session at Treasure Island at the same 2/4 table. There was a LAG in the 1-seat that seemed to raise a lot preflop. Seemed like she raised every A-rag, K-rag, Q-rag, and so on. I was hoping to get a nice hand to isolate 3-bet her, as I was only 3 seats behind her, but I didn't get the cards. She seemed like more of a no-limit player. She would bluff heads up on the river with nothing. On one hand, she bet the river, and was called by a southern woman. The LAG shows King high, and the southern woman mucked! I guess you don't see that every day.

On one hand, I had J9s, limped, and hit top pair. I bet the flop and had callers. I bet the blank turn and had 3 callers. The river was an offsuit King. I wussed out and checked, and my Jacks held up. I guess I missed a value bet there...

Over the 1 1/2 hour session, I won $51, making me up $148.50 for the trip. Jenn won $79 for her best session of the trip (once flopping AAK with big slick).


We went right across the hall from the poker room to Mystere, one the Cirque Du Soleil shows. It was pretty cool, lots of acrobatics and drum music. We then had dinner at Isla, a Mexican place with over 100 kinds of Tequila. Good eats.

Part 3 to come.

-Tom

[inside??]

This thread is worthless without pics of Jenn. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[dwedeking]

1. Need pics of Jenn [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

2. Did the Vegas trip this weekend. Didn't get in the number of hours I wanted to playing poker but managed to hit a number of rooms.

Saturday Afternoon - Mandalay Bay 4/8 w/ semi 1/2 kill
This had to be the tightest game I've ever played. Played for 4 hours and only saw two pots of any size. I raised twice UTG and had everyone fold to me. The game had a bizarre 1/2 Blind and 1/2 kill (only 3 on the Kill) that I thought would get the action going pre-flop but no way. Waste of time if your looking to build a bankroll. But way fun to piss off the local tight nits by raising with marginal hands pre-flop and post flop.

Sunday Morning - MGM Grand 2/5 NL
Nice poker room. Obviously running very few games on a Sunday morning (I grew up in a family run bakery so 5:30 am is middle of the afternoon for me). The game was a challenge for me as I'm a limit player. Most of the players were the semi-serious leftovers from the night before, so not the usual loose passives I'm used to.

Bellagio - Morning/Afternoon
This was the best room I visited in Las Vegas. I played the 4/8 and we had a good mix of newbies and tourist players. The room was very pleasant and the service was good. I'd read about the "standoffishness" of the staff but didn't see it on this morning.

Monday - Treasure Island.
Only spread 2/4 at noon. Uber noobie game. No one raised before I showed up and I saw any two cards playing. They only had the single table running with live games and a tournament going (20 people).

Monday Afternoon - Venetian.
Nice room. Unfortunately it was filled with tight locals playing to get the hours for the free roll.

Overall I was amazed at how tight all the games where compared to Southern California games. If you hate calling stations that suck out on your hands all the time, visit vegas. You'll beg those fish to come back and build your pots for you.

[Arbitrage]

Limp re-raise with JJ in EP at 3/6? You're building a pot for someone else.

[Annulus]

my wife and I also just got back from Vegas last weekend. We stayed at TI and that is where I did most of my playing. Mostly just $4-$8 limit and one $55 sng. I thought the room was very small but cozy, nice staff.

The funniest part was the one geek playing at our 4-8 limit table. It was about 2am and just about all of us were drinking/drunk and splashing chips in the pot except for the geek (prolly a 2p2er!). Anyways, the dude was taking serious notes in between hands. He was writing down all the action taking place, notes on all flops and what cards people play. He was very serious about it. I could see the notebook as he was directly to my left. I was totally amazed. Not sure if he was doing some kind of statistics project or what have you. When he played A4os for 3 bets from MP I knew he was not good. But anyways, I guess you had to be there. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]