I am awoken on Monday morning by the phone ringing. Its Jon telling me he still feels rough and that he won"t be leaving his room today. I do the neighbourly thing and head out for water and bagels to take back to the invalid (and I didn"t get a tip!!!). After this I head down to Ceasar"s for the megastack event.
The first thing I notice on my way to the poker room is that there is a slots tournament going on. It is hosted by the big man himself (Ceasar) and his helpful assistants (Cleopatra, comin at ya). Not sure how you win but it involves about 100 people hitting the buttons on a slot machine over and over again very quickly. Now this takes me back to Daley Thompson"s decathlon on the speccy 48k. I managed to break the rubber keys on the key board playing that game, not to mention 2 joysticks. If I could re capture the old form I would definitely be in with a chance of winning, most of the opposition were from the blue rinse bridgade anyway (taking a break from keno).
Ceasar"s $235 NLHE, 478 runners, 7,500 satrting chips and 50mins levels.
7,850 at 1st break (end of level 2). On the 2nd hand I make up in the SB with A3 off and 4 players see an unraised flop of A 3 9 rainbow. I am loving my digused hand and bet out 200 hoping for action. The next guy calls and button lady raises to 500. Now she could have a set or A9, or maybe AT or AJ in this spot. I am wary and just call. Then original caller raises to 2,000. Button lady then moves all in for 7,500, and I quickly fold as it must be set over set (3"s vs 9"s right). Matey calls and button lady has A9 for top 2 and matey has AJ for top pair crap kicker. 2 pair holds and matey has done his entire 7,500 stack at 25-50 blinds with AJ (nh, wp, gl...). I could have done some chips if matey does not get involved, however I have only done 500. I raise in early position to 300 with AQ and get 4 callers. Flop is
and I bet 1,200 and get 1 caller behind. Turn is As and I bet 2,000 nd he folds KQ and I win a nice pot. Other than that I am playing tight and building a good table image. There is a lady at the table with very obvious breast implants. Despite her being of a mature standing I simply cannot take my eyes of them. They seem to follow you around the room and it is very distracting. I am yet to play a pot against her (they give her additional fold equity).
5,300 at 2nd break (end of level 4). The lady with the implants rasies UTG and it folds to me in SB with
. She has played very solid and I am wary that I may be losing and also that I am yet to play a pot against her and the twins. I decide to take them on and call and I am very happy with a flop of
. I check and she checks behind (the septics always seem to check the flop when they raise pre flop, very annoying of you intend to check raise). Turn is
, I bet 1,200 and get called, River is
and it goes check check, she had JJ and I win a nice pot. It is a very crazy table with lots of overbets and all in moves into unraised pots. Matey moves all in for 4,500 (blinds 200-400) and I wake up with KK behind. I move all in and its KK vs JJ and a jack on the flop see me down to 4k. I am running so bad with kings on this trip, I should just fold em. Soon after I find QQ in early position and get 1 caller to my standard raise. I move in on a 979 flop and get an insta fold. I have only turned over premium hands and have a good table image. Blinds 300-600 when we go back so need to double up soon.
19,700 at 3rd break (end of level 6). There are 2 limpers and look down at an ace in the SB. I move all in to pick up the dead money and hate it when the 1st limper calls. However I love it when he shows 55 and we are off to the races. A6 vs 55, flop is KT2, turn Q, river J. I suckout broadway and are now up to 10k. The very next hand it folds to me and I find As ks on the button, I standard raise and BB moves all in, I insta call and its AK vs AT. The best hand holds and I am up to 20k in 2 hands. I still have a great table image and get no action when I raise. I am trying to pick up the blinds once an orbit in order to survive and give me time to find a proper hand. Blinds 600-1,200 with 100 ante when we go back, I am in good shape and need to stay out of trouble and not do anything stupid.
I bust out in 98th, 8mins into level 8. I did not play a single hand during level 7 due to being card dead and lots action before I act. I am down to 14k with blinds 800-1,600 with 200 ante. Short stack UTG moves all in for 5,500 and I am next to act with 88. I could fold but with my stack I need to get chips and UTG has a wide range of pushing hands. I cannot call and must move all in to isolate and hope it holds. If I lose I still have 8k to get funky with. I move all in and the monster uber stack on the button moves all in. I turn to UTG matey and we both know we are crushed. Its 62 vs 88 vs KK and he knocks us both out. I like the play and I was just unlucky to find kings behind.
I got knocked out at 6.45pm and managed to grab some food (chilli cheese dog and it was top) before reistering late for the 7pm tournament at Ceasar"s.
Ceasar"s 7pm $150 NLHE, 198 runners, 5,000 starting chips and 40mins levels. We get underway at 7.15pm and I still have bruises on my boat from where the deck kept hitting me.
12,400 at 1st break (end of level 2). I play 76 and get a 89T flop and manage to double up against a guy with a flopped set. Play 88 and get a 873 flop, no action. Play JT and get a 879 flop and manage to get 1 bet called. Play
7S and get a
flop, no action. The only setback was when I raised on button with KK, BB re raises and I decide to re pop as I hope my loose image enduces the push. He flat calls and then bets out on a A99 flop. I insta fold my KK face up, he definitely had an ace. I hope my super loose image will pay off when I get a hand in later levels.
10,600 at 2nd break (end of level 4). I have moved tables and been named the "English Maniac" by a septic with a very dry sense of humour. The main hands involve my limping on the button with A9 with 1 limper in front. I intend to use my position to take the pot away if I get a chance. SB makes up and BB checks. Flop is
and SB fires 1,000, fold, fold and I think I am winning. He could have a flush draw or straight draw and is trying to pick up the pot. He only has 3k back so I raise to 4k and it gets called. He has A2off and A9 holds and I win a nice pot. The other was a mad hand, perhaps the maddest and sickest I have ever been involved with. There are 3 limpers and I make up in the SB with 77. BB checks and the flop is 799. I check and cutoff bets 3k. I put him on a 9 and know I will get all of his chips, I could re raise but decide to call and let him bet the turn. The turn is the sick part as the dealer shows another 9. The one card I don"t want, Matey nows acts out of turn and announces all in. I tell the dealer that he is killing me and that it is the sickest turn card ever. I fold 77 face up and I am not happy, he had a 9. On a good note if I re raise the flop I am out of the torunament, at least I am still in. The blinds are 400-800 when we go back and I hope I can find a double up spot soon.
I bust out in 96th. There is a raise in early position to 1,700 and 2 calls behind. I find QQ in SB and move all in and get a call from the original raiser. I think I may be in trouble and he has KK. No help from flop and it is goodnight from me. The hand played itself at that stage, that"s poker.
I am a bit mad about the whole situation and head back to the Circus to chill out. My original plan was for beer & video poker, however I notice laughter from the blackjack table and find a couple of ladies playing single deck $5 minimum. I ask if there is a free seat and straight away the english accent does the business. I joined the game and drink beer with Bridgette & her girlfriend Dinita (that is how they introduced themselves, I explained that that would mean something else in the UK but they confirmed that they both liked men). However it turned out that Dinita was married with 2 kids and Bridgette had a mad possesive boyfriend. At least there are some women in Vegas who will talk to me who aren"t hookers!!! The next couple of hours were alot of fun and helped me to forget the woes of the poker table. I ended up $30 in profit and quite drunk again. I retire for the evening (again alone).
NO BAD BEATS - 9 on the turn, you are having a laugh...
