Vegas Trip Report - Mild Times and Low Stakes

[roundcat]

Sorry, no hookers or blow here, but plenty of poker from day two on.

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Sunday night, September 17, Las Vegas

My plane arrived on time after a choppy ascent which led to checking the seat back pocket for very important presence of barf bag. The airport was a zoo with outbound passengers. In-terminal car rental counter was closed so I took the shuttle to the lot and was last in a long line of renters. Somehow managed to rent a vehicle identical to my own, but a newer year, and immediately experienced jealously of updated dash style and features.

Checked into Emerald Suites hotel after 11:00 pm and my “non-smoking” room smelled very strongly of smoke, complete with an ash tray on the table. Called the front desk and was told that on busy weekends they let people smoke in non-smoking rooms anyway. Hmm, OK. Got reassigned to a room which was guaranteed to be smoke-free because it had recently been occupied by an elderly couple (and we all know the elderly don’t smoke). Room turned out to be a 2-bedroom instead of 1-bedroom suite, which only had past smoke smell instead of fresh smoke smell. Unfortunately free high-speed Internet wasn’t working. Decided to deal with that in the morning.

The room was ground floor with windows and a sliding glass door opening right onto the parking lot and public walkways. Why didn’t I stay at a high-rise casino hotel for an extra $30? Really wasn’t feeling terribly secure there, but did manage to get to sleep. Dreamed someone broke in and I was poised to escape out the window. Dreamed there was a scorpion in the room. The phone rang around 6:00 am and I ignored it, then it rang again at 6:10 so I thought it might be something important. Got out of bed, unlocked bedroom door, stumbled through living room, and picked up the phone only to hear hold music and recorded “Thank you for your patience. Someone will be with you shortly.” Held the phone to my ear out of sheer curiosity for about eight seconds, then hung up. Unplugged phone to ensure continued peaceful sleep.

Monday, September 18, Las Vegas

Managed to get back to sleep after early morning phone incident and finally dragged myself out of bed around 9:30. Wandered to the hotel office, was given new cat-5 cable in an effort to correct my Internet problem, and after lack of improvement was told to come back later to switch rooms. Humph, I was just getting comfortable. Called a message board acquaintance and arranged to meet later for a poker tournament at Treasure Island. Considered wandering over to the Orleans buffet for breakfast/lunch but instead located an Albertson’s and loaded up on groceries: frozen lasagna, mini quiche, tomato rice soup, Sprite, single serve Apple Jacks, bananas, nectarines, broccoli, salad dressing, raisin snails, and ice cream sandwiches.

Ate lunch, napped, futzed around with the Internet connection some more (including unsuccessful foray to new room), then headed out to Treasure Island. Why had I never rented a car here before? Back streets were nearly deserted. “Are you Gloria?” I asked the first woman I saw waiting outside the poker room who fit the description. Nope, not her. OK, donated $2 to nickel slots, then checked back and located the correct Gloria. We grabbed some seats in the lounge and got drinks. She chain-smoked and we talked about Vegas and the message board.

Tournament started out promising. Chatty guy across the table was from the other side of my state (Washington), and big dude on my left (BDOL) folded the first hand in the big blind when he could have checked his option. I won the first pot with A4 when two aces came on the flop (I checked the flop, then lone opponent folded to my bet on the turn). Second hand gifted me with pocket AA and allowed me to score a large collection of chips from BDOL, who kept calling sizeable bets with nothing but a draw. Eventually, though, my tournament took a turn for the worse against BDOL. Short stacked and playing from one of the blinds, he moved in on the turn and I immediately called with two pair, AA and 88. He was on a draw and sucked out on the river to make a 5-high straight. He then proceeded to suck out massively and consistently against everyone at the table, calling large bets with garbage and building a mountain of chips after always getting his money in with the worst cards. It’s a small consolation that he eventually ended up going out before I did. My tournament ended when I minimum-raised preflop with AQ offsuit (was short stacked and should have pushed all in – feeling too tight with my chips as we were approaching the final table). The flop came 555, I bet about half my stack, and another player put me all in. I had to call and he flipped over K5. Boo. An all-in preflop raise would have driven him out. I wouldn’t have even limped with K5 offsuit much less called any kind of a raise, but hey, whatever. I guess he was trying to emulate BDOL.

Wasn’t feeling too fabulous after the tournament so headed back the Emerald Suites for another round of Internet connectivity wrestling. The people at the front desk said the wireless connection isn’t coming from their place, so it must be from the Orleans next door. Well, no wonder it’s spotty. Unfortunately it’s all I had since the wired connection wasn’t working. So much for playing lots of non-felony online poker during my trip. Should have stayed at the Sahara. It’s kind of a dump, but it has a good poker room and the broadband access works. Would have been worth the extra ten bucks a day. After my last stay there at least I know how to fix the lamps.

Would have headed over and checked out the Orleans Monday night if I’d been feeling better, but gave up on the web connection – even the lame pirated wi-fi wasn’t working – and called it a night. Unplugged phone to ensure peaceful sleep.

Tuesday, September 19, Las Vegas

Decided to wander across the street and check out the 12:00 limit hold ‘em tournament at the Orleans. The place is seriously convenient… not only is the casino right across the street from my hotel, but the poker room is directly through the closest door. Turned out their tournament structure changed and, starting that day, Tuesdays are no limit with a $40 buy-in, single $40 rebuy, and $5 dealer add-on. I did all of them up front for a total of 3,250 starting chips. What I really liked about the tournament was that it had bounties, and for each player you knock out you’re given a $5 real money chip. I ended up playing for over four hours and went out 9th of 54, just two away from the money. Unfortunately didn’t notice a raise in front of me and shoved in with A9 offsuit on the button. He had 99 and they held up. Earned three bounties, though, which was some consolation. The players at that tournament were mainly older men who looked like they’d seen the inside of a casino more than I’ve seen my own face in the mirror. When I walked up to the sign-up table one of them immediately looked at me and jokingly said, “Hey, no professionals here!” Apparently I’ve got “FISH” or “NEWBIE” written in magic ink on my shirt. I’ve been playing for just under a year and am a decent but certainly not expert player, and I’ve always been accused of looking sweet and innocent. The level of play at the Orleans is worlds better than at TI. I didn’t see even one bizarre play or major suckout during Tuesday’s tournament.

Dinner was a banana, three ice cream sandwiches, and tomato rice soup. Then it was back to the Orleans with my $15 in bounty chips and a $15 voucher from the video poker machine (down from $20 while killing time before the tourney). Massive guilt ensued after dumping about $80 into video poker and slot machines. I know better than to go near slots. Some friends of mine swear video poker has been good to them, but I can see why most people say it’s –EV.

Decided to try out the 2/4 hold ‘em game and bled chips for the first hour. My $115 buy-in shrank to around $30 and I envisioned slinking away from the table soon with nothing. It was a loose passive table with lots of limping, checking, calling, and chasing. Preflop raises were practically nonexistent. The first time I raised before the flop the girl next to me looked at me as if I had sprouted an extra head. I won a big pot that time with AA, and from there my luck went on the upswing. I eventually racked up and cashed out with $128.50. Don’t ask me how the fifty cents got in there in a 2/4 game, but we were playing with quarters as well as $1 chips. The $13.50 profit isn’t a great hourly rate for three hours of play but I was pleased to have made such a big comeback and end up ahead.

Getting ready to turn in for the night I was still dwelling on my tournament exit earlier in the day. I could have made it through a couple more orbits without going broke and possibly held on until making the money, thus winning enough to validate the Vegas trip, but I believe its purpose has been served anyway, and the optimist in me says we can only learn from our mistakes.

Wednesday, September 20, Las Vegas

Last day in Vegas. Despite the “No Moleste” sign I was hassled by housekeeping shortly after 11:00. They were under the impression checkout was at eleven, while I thought it was noon. Don’t know why I would imagine that, except for the fact that it was printed on my hotel confirmation. Was rushing to get out the door and to the Luxor by noon anyway for what appeared to be the shortest tournament in town, which would leave me plenty of time to get to the airport. Still loving the car rental.

Bought in to the Luxor tournament for $30 and got 400 chips, then bought another 200 at the table for $3. Seems like they should just charge $33 up front for 600 chips, but whatever. Normally I wouldn’t play a tournament with 15 minute levels and such a small amount of starting chips, but I knew my time was limited. Won a couple of small pots right out of the gate, but lost the rest in short order. Raised $150 (three times the big blind) with A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] and got one caller. The flop was low cards with two diamonds and I made a $200 bet hoping my opponent would fold, but he called. Check check on the turn, and on the river he hit his flush draw. Soon after that I was short-stacked and in the small blind with A[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], everyone folded to me, I pushed the rest of my chips in, and the big blind called with K9 offsuit. I knew before the flop even came that he was going to hit his king (because isn’t that the way it always works?) and I was out. The first dealer we had was complaining that tournament participation was way down – they used to get up to 80 people for their noon tournament, but today it was only 23 – and with such a terrible structure I’m not surprised other rooms are getting the business.

Since the tournament was even shorter than anticipated, at least for me, I jumped into a 2/4 limit game. It was a much more social crowd than at the Orleans, probably because many of the players were vacationers, and a chatty lady next to me from Vancouver pointed out that one of the men at the other end of the table looked like George Bush. Hmm, so he did. He was the only truly terrible player at the table – folding when he could have checked, betting out when he should have been cautious, and failing to raise or even bet with the nuts. During one hand he ended up getting trip fives on the river and simply checked it down with the rest of us. I’m not sure he noticed he had a five in his hand to go with the two on the board. This was another loose passive table – lots of limpers, lots of callers, few raises. I turned my $60 into $72 during the hour and a half I had to kill before heading out to the airport. Again, not a stellar hourly rate, but I was happy to come out ahead. One guy at the table said he’d been there every day for the last 15 years since it opened, except Saturdays, because he plays somewhere else on Saturdays. Has the Luxor poker room really been open that long?

Fueled up on my way to the airport at an Arco station that didn’t accept credit cards. No explanation, just didn’t accept them. Cash only. Odd. Good thing I had cash. The lady in front of me in line indignantly abandoned her purchases at the counter.

My connecting flight back home was delayed so I was rerouted through Denver and had to endure a middle seat and bumpy descent into DIA. I feared the same for the last flight, but got lucky on both counts. The flight in front of mine was departing for Toronto, and they repeatedly paged a passenger who was last on the list to board. She rushed up to the counter at the last moment and had been sitting at the gate the whole time, fixated on her laptop with earphones on. The exasperated ticket agent managed to get her on the plane but not without difficulty. “I heard you page her,” I said, and the guy next to me said, “Yeah, about thirty times.” We all had a bit of a laugh. I asked if they happened to have any window seats, and she said no, and I said something to the effect of OK, just thought I’d check. She then ripped up my boarding pass and printed a new one, handing it to me with a smile. I thanked her and headed on my way, and was delighted to find myself right up front in the exit row, with empty space on my right and more leg room than I could possibly need. Sometimes making someone smile goes a long way. I spent a pleasant flight amused by listening to the in-flight version of XM Kids, featuring such hits as “Funky as a Diaper” and “I’m Going to Throw a Tantrum on the Floor,” as well as rocking songs about kangaroos, lost cats, and barnyard animals.

I’m ready to go back to Las Vegas already.

[Obfuscation]

[ QUOTE ]
[Monday, September 18, Las Vegas

So much for playing lots of non-felony online poker during my trip. Should have stayed at the Sahara. It’s kind of a dump, but it has a good poker room and the broadband access works. Would have been worth the extra ten bucks a day.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't get it. I know about the WA law, but you went to Las Vegas to play online poker? What am I missing here?

[ QUOTE ]

I spent a pleasant flight amused by listening to the in-flight version of XM Kids, featuring such hits as “Funky as a Diaper” and “I’m Going to Throw a Tantrum on the Floor,” as well as rocking songs about kangaroos, lost cats, and barnyard animals.

I’m ready to go back to Las Vegas already.

[/ QUOTE ]

*blinking*

[RyanCMU]

Nice report. However, I never understand why people would want to play internet poker in Vegas of all places.

And next time, your in Vegas, don't be so frugal.

But thanks for the report.

[roundcat]

No, I didn't go to Vegas to play online poker. I went to play B&M poker, but hoped to spend some of the down time in my room playing a few games online. You know, like reading before bed.

The frugality stems from the fact that I'm currently putting a 41-year-old through college.

[Yo Adrians!]

Curious as to why you didn't try to play at any of the good card rooms in Vegas since you were there. Wynn? Bellagio? Caesar's noon tournament? The Venetian? MGM?

I'd rather go to Vegas than, well, not go to Vegas any day. But man, I'd be embarrassed posting a trip report like this.

[roundcat]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd rather go to Vegas than, well, not go to Vegas any day. But man, I'd be embarrassed posting a trip report like this.

[/ QUOTE ]
Sorry, I won't bother next time.

[MrBrightside]

I'm gonna defend this guy. Not everyone is a "balla" who has thousands of dollars for a bankroll. Some of us have serious money issues and get a little ahead online and cash out. Me, I'm saving for my kids college.

However, I will say this: Why don't you stay downtown? There's a lot of great low-limit action and it's cheap, cheap, cheap. My wife and I have stayed at the plaza the last two times. They have a 7 p.m. and Midnight tourneys for about $70 and $100 respectively and you can play the other rooms like Binions and Golden Nugget.

And blackjack? $3..

Plus, I played some $10 blackjack for one night at the plaza on my last stay (good double deck game). Did well (won $350) and got up to $25 bets for quite a while. My wife and I had gotten players cards and used them. Just had that one nights play for the both of us and just got a free room deal in the mail a few days ago, so looked like that payed off.

[StevieG]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'd rather go to Vegas than, well, not go to Vegas any day. But man, I'd be embarrassed posting a trip report like this.

[/ QUOTE ]
Sorry, I won't bother next time.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not like that.

But the collective experience here is that it is worth staying where you want to play. Your experience only adds to that conclusion.

[Yo Adrians!]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'd rather go to Vegas than, well, not go to Vegas any day. But man, I'd be embarrassed posting a trip report like this.

[/ QUOTE ]
Sorry, I won't bother next time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey, seriously, it's not like that, and I apologize if I came off to harsh. I just mean that there are way cooler places to play cards - low stakes, even - than those places. That's all I meant.

Vegas is for living a little. I understand not everyone has a ton of cash to spread around out there. I just hope that next time you go, you take a chance or two and play at some nicer places.

And, again, apologies for coming off harsh.

I love reading trip reports ... I just like them a whole lot more when the person writing them sounds like they had fun, and you just didn't even sound like you had much fun. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong.

[BadMoon]

Nice story dude, and as a bonus everybody's telling me where I can go for low stakes games in vegas!

That is all.