The Fossil does Vegas

[Erimus]

Cheers Ger, probably arriving Manchester 5pm time, assume you will be up and gone, have fun in the sun.

Is there poker on this trip or just sun and drink ?.

I had the same script problems but my technical knowledge overcame it, kept pressing cancel till it got sick of me and it eventually let me through, this skill learnt from repairing TVs back in the day by giving it a swift kick, knowledge is power.

Enjoy.

[Erimus]

Well it"s that time of year again, my yearly goal in poker is make enough to pop over to Vegas in November to have a splurge, obviously I would of liked to have won life changing money in the previous 10 months but playing in a £30 local games ain"t going to do that. This years online volume has reduced to a virtual trickle, on a $2k downswing on Stars, but a £3k upswing on Sky, averaged about £500 a month both live and online overall, but other then when I was staked I always remove winnings from sites and spend on life stuff, it"s always better to buy stuff with winnings than just redistribute to the poker community, (they may get it back eventually but at a slower rate).

December always a quiet month for me with Poker and again will see how I feel in January whether to deposit an amount to grind up or just pick and choose games as and when, the latter being the most likely.

I am still watching a bit of twitch with Jamie Staples who as a pro is currently on a $40k downswing, would I want to do that ?, no way, couldn"t get my head around losing an amount which would pay off my mortgage with change.

He is still a winning player and no doubt gets cash from twitch and stars but being an online poker pro just doesn"t appeal, he seems to have the mental game for it, hard way to make an easy living.

If you are new to this blog my previous 3 encounters in Vegas can be found on Page 1, Page 25, Page 36, in tennis terms I am 2 1 up going into the 4th set, this could be the decider or will i be there next year for the decider, we shall see.

Current form if there is such a thing in poker is bang average, winning, losing, breaking even, but usually most of my decisions are correct at the time, the deck plays out as it plays out, it"s one thing we can"t control. Actually not played many local games in the last few weeks, didn"t want to burn out before this trip.

I have a list of tournaments to play, the 3 in the previous posts are probables depending upon making any Day 2 s, will determine other games to be played. Variance higher this year as 2 highish buy ins may dent morale and may just induce a more touristy visit.

Leaving for Manchester in a few hours, have a drink at the hotel then ready for the flight at 9:30 Wednesday morning, Gl me.

[Scousebill]

Good Luck

[pokerpops]

Just enjoy, and let the score look after itself.

See you when you get back

[ian.ski309]

GL GL Looking forward to reading about your latest adventure !

[Erimus]

Trip started with no problems, other than me arguing with the sat nav at 6am, it insisted I turned right when it was pretty obvious it was a left as the car park was there, I could see it, it continued the argument as I parked up, no doubt it was my fault as I probably miss keyed the post code.

Impressed with the new Thomas Cook A330 planes, seem to have a bit of extra leg room and chairs were comfy enough.

First bad beat of the trip, stewardess comes along and asks if I am travelling alone, looking like an upgrade to premium here, I knew travelling in a 3 piece suit and one of my new hats would come in handy, however I was just lead to some empty seats on the other side of the plane, think it is known as weight distribution, been eating too many pies !, reminds me of a helicopter trip on the first trip to Vegas, remember that Phil ?, he would be crap in a guess your weight comp. Film was poor though, all it was was a plane taking off and landing, although it did tell you were in the world you were in real time.

The next decision was whether to sleep or just ride it through, last year jumped straight into a Venetian $200er, (which paid for the trip finished 4th for $1300), brags been thin on the ground lately got to take advantage.

The above comp nearly killed me last time as I was dead on my feet for 2/3 days, travelling 10 hours then another 8 to 10 hours in a poker comp, literally had the matchsticks holding my eyes open.

Decided food and drink and a wander would be better prep as playing in a Seniors event on Thursday at the Venetian, it starts at 11am, guarenteed at $30k with a $400 buy in, let"s do a win here, if not there is always the $500k guaranteed at Planet Rhino or Spearmint Hollywood Friday/Saturday, either is a $500 buy in, one could be life changing money, the other could just be life threatening if found out, still What happens here stays here i have heard, decisions decisions, to be continued.

[Erimus]

Decided not to play last night and instead had a wander up the strip, had a few drinks in the rock place in the Miracle mile shops, just people watching, there seems to be a lot more beggars on the streets than previous visits, usual signage "kick me in the balls $20","what you staring at, it"s my job" etc. It"s a weird place is Vegas.

The usual card snappers are out in force, job description would insist that they must be under 5ft tall as they are all tiny, must be a stealth tactic, so that they can pounce without you noticing, anyway my scrapbook is now almost full with the full A to Z from Adele to Zack, (don"t know how he got in), 50p a look.

Currently at the Venetian waiting for my first event $30k gteed Seniors event, it"s a 2 dayer, start with 12k I think and a 40 minute clock with all the levels, plays till level 20, so a long old grind if I get there.

Disclaimer, I don"t have a scrapbook, so don"t ask for a look.

[mousebob]

Bringing back some good memories & getting jealous.
Note to self....must play a few wsop sats next year.......
Have a good time & lots of success.

[Erimus]

First break report, table fairly active, by that I mean we are all breathing # seniors.

No action when I flopped nut flush, loads of action when I flopped set with 10 10 board 10 K Q, j on the turn, urgh, no pair up chopped pot not including me.

Guy flops 2 straight flushes one after the other, don"t see that too often.

First break back to 12k, antes next, leggo.

Good news, bad news, we made level 7, and we peaked at 18k, then lost a chunk to runner runner flush, I called his value bet as I didn"t notice the 3 diamond board, cards too small, eyesight failing, meh whatever, I was good till he hit, then my nut flush draw didn"t get there v shorties all in so we are going back with 12k to 300/600, which is starting stack for late entries, obviously we need a double in the next level at least, watch this space.

Edit, We lose our flip AQ v 99, food drink onto the next one.

[Erimus]

Day 3, from the off we knew this was going to be a high variance trip with a few decent buy ins on the schedule so we can"t be too bothered about not cashing yesterday and if I am totally honest the rest of the games as well.

Today there is a$500k gteed at Planet Hollywood, it"s a 2 day event 6 day 1 flights and Day 2 Sunday.

I could skip it and play lower buy ins but as I am here, may as well go for the glory.

I brought over enough cash to cover the schedule and if it disappears so be it, me returning with a few hundred ain"t going to make a lot of difference in the grand scheme of things.

It will be a one bullet affair even though it is a re entry tournament, get coolered early on, so be it, get on the drink, ready for tomorrow which we will contemplate after this one.

Same as yesterday, will write up a quick summary of events at the first break if I get there, Gl me. Back to the tennis score Brian leads 2 sets to 1, but is 0 1 down in the 4th.

It"s daft o clock over here so going to try and get a few more hours kip, playing the 2pm flight, 10pm uk time I think.

[Erimus]

Made first break going back to 200/100/25, started with 12k got 15k, nothing exciting other than flopping a straight with J 10, table ok, not much 3 betting or aggression, perhaps this will increase in the next session.

Playing upstairs in Planet Hollywood, lighting could be better and again cards are tiny, after yesterdays game  making sure I can read the board correctly, they need 400 more runners to hit the guarentee, pretty sure that will be reached in tomorrows 2 flights, averaging 170 per flight so far.

There is a charity game on tonight, think Jenifer Harmen has arranged it, a load of celebs are attending, only recognise one or two names, Vannessa Rousso, Dutch Boyd, the red carpet has been set up and the crowd is expectant.

There has been no extensive tanking and play has been quite quick, the last dealer though has been fairly slow, the tables don"t have the auto shufflers on, hopefully he will have moved for the next level, will update after level 8 or if I am Busto.

[Erimus]

Just read the BBC news, wtf is wrong with this world.

[Erimus]

20k going into 600/300, been hard work this one, it"s only a 30 minute clock but because no levels been removed the structure is fine.

33 twice is the only pair seen so far, rivered a set with it but board was too dodgy to value bet, it was good though, maybe see you at level 12, back to the grind, apparently loads of celebs are here, don"t recognise anyone though, quite a few posh dogs dressed up to the nines.

Too many beautiful people here for me, recognise Andy Bloch, Allen Cunningham from the old high stakes poker game.

I swear some of these dogs are better dressed than me lol, any back to the grind.

[Erimus]

Out level 10 QQ into AA, pretty standard stuff.

Over it, beer time, not sure about Saturday, probably Binnions and a trip to Fremont Street.

Stupid game.

[Erimus]

I cant be pestered to go downtown to Binnions so had a scout around on poker Atlas and found a $25k gteed at the Wynn, decided to jump into that one, starts at 12pm, $225 plus $100 add on.

I could of had another bullet at Planet Hollywoods game but this option lets me play the $250 at the Venetian tomorrow and an Aria game on either Monday or Tuesday, currently 0/3 so getting thumped in the 4th set. The roll is almost depleted apart from the sealed envelope, which will be unsealed in the next 3 days, it won"t be being spent on poker, got to have a morale boost somehow.

Still pretty shocked about stuff in Paris, in Vegas they switched off the lighting on the Eiffel Tower outside the Paris hotel as a mark of respect, which I thought was a nice touch, pretty unbelievable people can sink as low as this, normal citizens just doing ordinary things being slaughtered in the name of what, sad times.

Had a face time convo with Susan this morning via my son, she is ok but just wants to be back home asap, she really has the rough end of this deal.

Back later with the outcome, usual reports at the break, gl me.