The Joker in Vegas

[Joker161]

Good couple of levels. I struggle to remember Omaha hands. There was one where I had AAQ7 and I hit the nut flush on the river. I got called on the flop and the river so it was quite lucrative. I"m going to have to type as I go because I can"t remember the others. I"m on about 28k. Bits and bobs after that, and then a really big hand. I raised it pre with KK86. I get two callers. Flop is 844. Check, check then I bet the pot. I get one caller. Turn is a two and there are two hearts and two diamonds. He bets big putting me all-in. I have a think. I didn"t think he had a four; he is quite loose and has shown a couple of bluffs already. Pushing with a flush draw? I decide to call and read him right - he had QQ and a flush draw. He said he didn"t want me to call. He hits the flush on the river. Shame, I would have been well chipped up if I had swerved it. Off to dinner now.

[Joker161]

A friend from work is in Vegas for a couple of days. I had breakfast with him and then persuaded him to play the fun $65 11am tournament here at the Mirage. Twenty runners, he managed 11th and I was out in 9th. I was getting short and kept saying to myself "when you finally push, make sure you are first in". Two hands later a loose player raises and I go all-in with AJs. She has AK. Skills. Off to the pool now for the first time this week and then my one posh dinner this week with said friend. I"ll probably play cash after I check out tomorrow morning, as is tradition. By the way, I hear we have a new Prime Minister. As you do.

[s4ooter]

Have a great time Joe, wish you all the best!!

[Joker161]

After a year off, I'm off to Vegas tomorrow. Hopefully I'll take in a couple of WSOP $1500 events and some Venetian $600 events. I'll try and keep you all posted via this blog, as usual. My best years were 2012 and 2015, so I'm due a win in 2018! Fingers crossed!

[littlemoley]

Good luck Joe.

[Joker161]

Monday 2nd July

Flight was fine. Got the key seat - 25C. Right by the door so massive leg room, and first off the plane. Watched three films. Two that I'd been meaning to watch - Molly's Game and Three Billboards. Both very good. Then a standard Neeson film called "The Commuter". Fine. Landed at 1.20pm, customs was OK, perhaps took 20 minutes, so by the time I got out the bags were ready. Taxi driver was an ex-dealer, so a more interesting ride that usual.

[Joker161]

I'm splashing out this year. The Nobu hotel in Caesars. Bit of a problem at the start. They wouldn't take my credit card. It's the new Virgin credit card. I ring the number on the back and we go through all sorts of security checks. The card still doesn't work. Apparently it's all about the fact that the hotel uses a swipe system, but this credit card is new and so advanced (?) that swiping is a security risk. The fact that I'm on the phone to him as it happens doesn't matter. Computer says no. Luckily I have my debit card with me. Lost air miles, though. Annoying.

[Joker161]

Went for a wander and eat at the Gordon Ramsey place nearby. Had a starter of Nachos and it was bigger than most main courses. No need for any more food. Played cash for a few hours. Started with $300 at a $1/$2 table. Down to 200, up to 300 and then got a bit lairy with KT. Bet the king high board. Call. Check the turn, he bets, I raise, he makes it another 100! Turns out he hit a set of sixes on the flop. Back to the room by 9pm to try and sleep. I have melatonin this year. Fingers crossed.

[Joker161]

Tuesday 3rd July

Woke up. Looked at the clock. 2.30am. Same as usual, then. Although I get some more sleep, so perhaps the melatonin is working a bit. Up properly at 5.30am and get a ham and cheese croissant from some posh new place called 'Guy Savoy Brioche'. Very nice. Watch the Sweden match in the hotel room. I think they deserved it, just. Shower, then off to the Venetian.

The plan is to get a new Grazie card (I left all my player cards at home), find a place for brunch to watch the England match, starting at 11am. I find a place with a screen and order food. There's no sound, but the menu looks nice. I get chatting to the barman as we watch the first 20 minutes. I hear a cheer in the background and decide to pay up and find somewhere with volume. I find 'Public House' and settle down to some over-sweet 'mocktail', given that I'm playing a $600 Deepstack after the match. Bit embarrassing when England go to extra time, nursing my one drink. When we get to penalties, it's clear that the place I was in before is about 20 seconds ahead of our TV because there's a massive roar when Colombia save our third penalty. I run over there to watch the end. England winning on penalties when we miss first! Blimey. By the way, Columbia deserved nothing from that match. Justice.

[Joker161]

The Deepstack events are in the Sands Convention Centre this year. It's a five minute walk along a very long corridor to a massive, uninviting concrete hall. Not the same as the Poker room. Shame. Because of the penalties, I arrive two hours late during the 15 minute break after the first four 30 minute levels. It's one of those big blind ante systems, so I go in at 200/300 with a 300 ante once a round. But I have 20,000 chips, so still plenty of play. Here goes...

[Joker161]

First hour: Levels 5 and 6.

I call in the SB with 55 after a raise and three calls. Flop KT6. Just missed! Shame. Then the raiser bets, first caller goes all-in, we all fold and the hands are KK and TT! I would have been third on the KT5 flop! Raise with 99. Reraise from a loose player. Button calls, I call. Flop 872. I make it 4K, call, then all in from the button for 13k. I fold, loose bloke calls, he has TT and button has JJ. Hmm. Perhaps wasted 4K there. Perhaps should have folded pre. Raise with AQ UTG+1. Call. Button reraises. SB goes all in. I fold, fold, button folds. SB shows AA. Might not be my day...

Being a good boy I fold AT in mid position. SB raises and BB calls. Flop is AT2, obviously, and they start betting into each other. Annoying. End the hour on 12k.

[Joker161]

Levels 7 and 8.

Card dead. Get AJ and miss the flop against three callers. Raise with 55, get three callers. Miss the flop. Five on river, of course. The blinds are now 300/600 and the 600 ante, and I'm down to 6k! Pushed with AT and got it through. Finally, I pushed with 76 and was called in the SB by a very tight player. Oops! I was expecting something big, but he only had 55, so it couldn't be much better for me. Missed. Out. That all seemed quite quick. I blame England!

[ian.ski309]

Hopefully you've got all of the run bad out of the way now.

Very best of luck Joe, looking forward to reading about the rest of this trip.

[Curlarge]

Best of luck mate. Great updates.

[Joker161]

Wednesday 4th July

Woke up at 2.30am, but managed to get back to sleep OK. Woke up again at around 7am, but I wasn't feeling that great. Perhaps the lobster bisque from last night? Went out and got a yoghurt/granola type thing, but that didn't help much. I lay around in bed watching Wimbledon and sleeping occasionally. Finally I make the decision not to play the $600 today at the Venetian. Need to relax and feel better for the $1500 tomorrow. I get something simple for lunch, and then decide to play the $150 daily at Caesars (very short walk).