Trip Report
Arrived in Vegas on Thursday night, just went for a walk and a look round the
Hilton Casino; doubt I’ll ever bother again. There were signs up for a poker
room that did not seem to exist; perhaps someone could shed some light on that
one for me. Then had a quick beer and turned in for the night, 20 hours
travelling is a killer.
Friday had breakfast in The Sherwood Forest in Excaliber, grease all over the
plate, gristly steak, cold tea; no one got a tip and another place to avoid.
Then on to the Orleans for the lunchtime tournament where the first thing I did
was put in the big blind out of turn, I went to take it back and the dealer
called it a bet and made a comment about angle shooting; ok no problem I leave
it in, I love playing 83o UTG, Rag flop, I bet everyone folds; maybe they
believed the dealer. My cards barely improve and I finish 11 of 50.
I then went to the Venetian and played the Friday night bounty tournament, I had
never played there before, but this is definitely one of my favourite card
rooms, appeared smart, well run and the tournament structures are good. I picked
up one bounty of a short stack; a whole $10; but that was the limit of what I
could get going and busted out around half hour after the first break.
Then on to Bally’s, just playing 3/6 limit; being card dead playing no-fold’em
hold’em, I drop another $120; great start to the trip.
Breakfast at Mardi Gras, apart from the steak being undercooked (ok, that’s my
taste), it was good, things are looking up.
Saturday afternoon played some 2/4 in Flamingo (going back to basics, as I
always seem to win there), had a wander round and something to eat, then some
3/6 in Ceasars; back on track up $70 then played the 11pm there. I should know
better, $120 buy-in including $30 vig and that horrible blind jump from level 2
(50/100) to level 3 (100/200 with 25 ante), I hold my own for a while but
eventually finish around 26 of 70, after going nowhere slowly. Bust out just in
time to get the last monorail.
Sunday I decide to go and play the noon at the Venetian. I sign up and then go
up to the food court for something to eat, I chose Nathan’s chicken wings and
crinkle cut fries, heh, those weren’t those crappy McDonalds’ style fries, they
are proper chips, real potato; the wings are good too; 10/10; I’ll be back. For
a change I am not card dead and generally on my A game. I am going well until I
fall foul of a hole in my game; not believing the big blind when they play back
at me; first time I am right to call but the BB hit a 4 to his A4o against my
A7s and half my chips are gone; second time I just plain ran into Aces and
that’s me gone, 6 ½ hours, 16 of 105 paying 9. As I got up I seem to have won
some respect from the other players, but I would have preferred to have just
gone unnoticed with the money.
On to Ceasars to unwind playing a bit of 3/6 hold’em, the idea being to just go
and cane the free beer for an hour or so and give up before I get too drunk. ½
hour later I am stuck $60, an hour after that I am up $200. Then some others on
the table and the next table persuade the house to start a 3/6 HORSE game, I
join in and 4 hours later my sobriety has gone and so has the 200 I won at the
first table.
Monday; I get up very late. I decide to play the 5pm Pot Limit Omaha tourney at
Ceasars. I sign up an hour before as usual and go for something to eat; have the
Turkey Plate in the food court in the Coliseum, good apart from those plastic
compartmented tray/plates it is served on. I play tight early and am going
steady, the Americans are all asking about Pot Limit Omaha being big in England
and perhaps seem intimidated by having 4 English in the tournament going strong.
At my second table I find myself playing with a fairly well known actor; Tom
Mcgowan from Frasier; he said Omaha is by far his favourite poker game and he
eventually made the final table without cashing; nice guy. I go to the final
table with 2nd highest chip stack, half the chips on the table are with me and
the chip leader. I get very aggressive in my play and carry on building chips.
The inevitable 2 get heads-up and after 20mins sparring, I am out chipped 2:1
and we chop. Perhaps the Americans were right to be anxious about the European
players with England 1st, 2nd & 3rd, Germany 4th. I decide to have an early
night and get back to my hotel at 12:30, but I am still propping up the bar
5:30, oh well its Vegas.
On a side note; I must be slipping, only propositioned by two hookers in 4 days
! Also a note for Paul P; I found Sierra Nevada and Sam Adams on tap in the
Mardi Gras; and at half the price of Bellagio.
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