Oh no, not another ThinkerJE in vegas blog!!!

[ThinkerJE]

Sunday 21 June

I wake up at 1pm with a massive hangover and feel completely rubbish.  I am tempted to just crash for the day but I am in vegas to play poker so rush to get ready and get to Caesar"s before 2pm.  199 runners for the $340 megastack and a decent prize pool up for grabs.

14,150 @ 1st break (end of level 2)
Did not buy in until 5 mins before the break so I had been blinded down for 2 levels.  Si made it in for the start and is in good shap with 17k, I feel ill.

10,075 @ 2nd break (end of level 4)
2 limpers in front and I call with 99 on the button.  5 to the flop A 2 7, all check to me and I bet to pick it up, I caller.  Turn queen, check check, river ace he bets 1,500.  Try to put him on a hand, unlikely he has an ace or a queen and finally think he may have called the flop bet with a 7 so call, he shows QQ and I muck fast.  Bad read but he played it tricky and I thought I was ahead.  Also I re raise with AA and get 1 caller.  I bet the brick board and he folds.  I need to get action with my premium hands as I don"t get them that often.  Still feel ill, nose running like a tap.

19,550 @ 3rd break (end of level 6)
Played alot more hand these 2 levels, made re raises with AA and Ak to take decent pots and made a nice squeeze play.  Active player in mid position raises and gets 2 callers.  JT off in BB, I move all in and they all fold.  I actually got up to 25k but took a 5k hit QQ vs AK just before the break.  Just moved tables but in okay shape, still feel ill, actually it is getting worst.  Si is out after his flopped set loses to a turned flush, which means more time at the tables, probably not the best for bankroll at the moment.

28,000 @ dinner break (end of level 7)
Double up hand.  In SB QT make up, BB checks.  Flop Q 9 8 rainbow, I check he bets 3k, I move in for 13k and he insta calls (doh!!!).  Then he says "I am drawing" (hoorah!!!), QT vs 76, turn Q, river T.  Full house beats his straight and I am in good shape just below average chips at dinner.  I feel sick and try to eat something but can"t.

92,100 @ 5th break (end of level 9)
Guy who has raised and folded to re raises the last 2 hands again raises UTG this time.  I move all in with KK behind thinking he will definitely call his time as he will think I am making a move against him.  He tanks and folds again.  Then very tight lady raises in early position, I know she will have a hand AK minimium and I find AA next door.  I re raise expecting her to push.  She does and I snap call.  AA vs AK and it holds.  Then 2 orbits later the same lady moves in for 15k I call with JJ.  JJ vs AT and it holds again.  Then raise on button with KQ, BB shorty goes all in for 3k more, call.  KQ vs TT, queen on river takes another pot.  Still got good image as I am only showing good hands.  Also instincts are good despite feeling ill, raise 77 and get re rasied by solid player, quick fold, he shows aces.  Double average stack at moment, don"t do anything stupid.

97,500 @ 6th break (end of level 11)
Not played many hands.  Used position and image to pick up blinds and antes, good image, get respect when i move a chip, hopefully can use this later.  36 players left (18 get paid) still above average stack, no stupid mistakes.

150,000 @ 8th break (end of level 13)
All fold to me in SB with and I make up.  BB checks and flop is Tc, check check, turn completing my straight and giving me an up and down straight flush draw.  I bet 5k BB shoves and I snap call.  He is dead with T4 off and I win a 45k pot.  Then UTG raises to 22k and SS shoves for 36k, I"m behind with KK and move all in.  UTG tanks and folds AK.  KK vs 66, it holds and 20 players are left and I am in good shape.  2 tables left and we agree to chuck in $30 each so 19th & 20th get $300 each (no brainer).  One more level to play tonight and I am very tired and trying not to blow up.

139,000 @ close of day 1 (end of level 14)
17 left and we are in the money.  Last hand of the night with blinds 4k, 8k with 1k ante, active scandy raises cuttoff and I find A5 in BB.  I push and he tanks and folds KJ.  He asks if he can see my cards and I say choose one to turn over.  He turns over the ace, then proceeds to turn over the 5 aswell!!!!  Bloody scandies!!!  Absolutely made up to make money and day 2 and with $8,100 first prize it could be a good pay day.  Very tired so head back to bed as we are back at 2pm on Monday for day 2.

NO BAD BEATS - A cash in Las Vegas!!!

[Honeybadg]

... I like this piece of info the best ... "One of them was an actress who had played a hooker who got murdered on CSI" ... what a party line ... what are you meant to say to that?

What did you say to that?

Great tournament report ... ul exit ... hate it when players do things like that ...

L

[Honeybadg]

Sunday 21 June

I wake up at 1pm with a massive hangover and feel completely rubbish.  I am tempted to just crash for the day but I am in vegas to play poker so rush to get ready and get to Caesar"s before 2pm.  199 runners for the $340 megastack and a decent prize pool up for grabs.

14,150 @ 1st break (end of level 2)
Did not buy in until 5 mins before the break so I had been blinded down for 2 levels.  Si made it in for the start and is in good shap with 17k, I feel ill.

10,075 @ 2nd break (end of level 4)
2 limpers in front and I call with 99 on the button.  5 to the flop A 2 7, all check to me and I bet to pick it up, I caller.  Turn queen, check check, river ace he bets 1,500.  Try to put him on a hand, unlikely he has an ace or a queen and finally think he may have called the flop bet with a 7 so call, he shows QQ and I muck fast.  Bad read but he played it tricky and I thought I was ahead.  Also I re raise with AA and get 1 caller.  I bet the brick board and he folds.  I need to get action with my premium hands as I don"t get them that often.  Still feel ill, nose running like a tap.

19,550 @ 3rd break (end of level 6)
Played alot more hand these 2 levels, made re raises with AA and Ak to take decent pots and made a nice squeeze play.  Active player in mid position raises and gets 2 callers.  JT off in BB, I move all in and they all fold.  I actually got up to 25k but took a 5k hit QQ vs AK just before the break.  Just moved tables but in okay shape, still feel ill, actually it is getting worst.  Si is out after his flopped set loses to a turned flush, which means more time at the tables, probably not the best for bankroll at the moment.

28,000 @ dinner break (end of level 7)
Double up hand.  In SB QT make up, BB checks.  Flop Q 9 8 rainbow, I check he bets 3k, I move in for 13k and he insta calls (doh!!!).  Then he says "I am drawing" (hoorah!!!), QT vs 76, turn Q, river T.  Full house beats his straight and I am in good shape just below average chips at dinner.  I feel sick and try to eat something but can"t.

92,100 @ 5th break (end of level 9)
Guy who has raised and folded to re raises the last 2 hands again raises UTG this time.  I move all in with KK behind thinking he will definitely call his time as he will think I am making a move against him.  He tanks and folds again.  Then very tight lady raises in early position, I know she will have a hand AK minimium and I find AA next door.  I re raise expecting her to push.  She does and I snap call.  AA vs AK and it holds.  Then 2 orbits later the same lady moves in for 15k I call with JJ.  JJ vs AT and it holds again.  Then raise on button with KQ, BB shorty goes all in for 3k more, call.  KQ vs TT, queen on river takes another pot.  Still got good image as I am only showing good hands.  Also instincts are good despite feeling ill, raise 77 and get re rasied by solid player, quick fold, he shows aces.  Double average stack at moment, don"t do anything stupid.

97,500 @ 6th break (end of level 11)
Not played many hands.  Used position and image to pick up blinds and antes, good image, get respect when i move a chip, hopefully can use this later.  36 players left (18 get paid) still above average stack, no stupid mistakes.

150,000 @ 8th break (end of level 13)
All fold to me in SB with and I make up.  BB checks and flop is Tc, check check, turn completing my straight and giving me an up and down straight flush draw.  I bet 5k BB shoves and I snap call.  He is dead with T4 off and I win a 45k pot.  Then UTG raises to 22k and SS shoves for 36k, I"m behind with KK and move all in.  UTG tanks and folds AK.  KK vs 66, it holds and 20 players are left and I am in good shape.  2 tables left and we agree to chuck in $30 each so 19th & 20th get $300 each (no brainer).  One more level to play tonight and I am very tired and trying not to blow up.

139,000 @ close of day 1 (end of level 14)
17 left and we are in the money.  Last hand of the night with blinds 4k, 8k with 1k ante, active scandy raises cuttoff and I find A5 in BB.  I push and he tanks and folds KJ.  He asks if he can see my cards and I say choose one to turn over.  He turns over the ace, then proceeds to turn over the 5 aswell!!!!  Bloody scandies!!!  Absolutely made up to make money and day 2 and with $8,100 first prize it could be a good pay day.  Very tired so head back to bed as we are back at 2pm on Monday for day 2.

NO BAD BEATS - A cash in Las Vegas!!!

Great stuff - baited breath ...

[ThinkerJE]

Monday 22 June

I feel alot better today.  Brought some drugs to sort out my flu like hangover and managed to get some sleep.  Still can"t eat anything but I am sure I won"t waste away.  Si is playing the megastack at noon and my day 2 starts at 2pm.  I am guaranteed $1k and the prize pool is very flat with only $200 between 17th and 7th, the top 3 is where the money is and with my stack I plan to be aggressive and seek opportunites to get chips to take it down.

OUT 17th on the 1st hand of day 2.
Blinds 4k, 8k with 1k ante, my stack is 139k.  Early position raise to 33k, I find AK on button and ship the lot.  He calls.  AK vs AA (cooler).  No miracle, gone.  The hand played itself.  Under these conditions I am not playing AK any other way.  There are only 2 hands I don"t want him to have and he had one of them.  I am not folding.  I am not raising to 65k and then folding to an all in.  I could call but what if I miss the flop?  Absolutely gutted as I felt that the remaining players were quite passive and that if I got chips I could go really deep.  I stagger over to Si and tell him the news, then over to the cage to get the money.

I wander around for a bit and try to eat again, still can"t.  Enter the 7pm tournament at Caesar"s, 6k starting chips with 40 mins blinds 165 runners take part.

OUT 165th 25 mins into level 1.
UTG raises to 150 and 2nd position calls.  SB raises to 600 and I find QQ in BB.  I make it 2,000 to go and UTG calls, the rest fold.  Flop 988 rainbow, I move all in and get insta called by KK.  Goodnight vienna.  If he pushes pre flop I fold but I cannot get away on that board.  If I think about it a bit longer could have AA or KK there, but he may have AK or JJ also.  So total poker play lasted 30 mins today, Si is still in the megastack and going well.  I head over to IP to play pai gow, Si will join me when he busts so hopefully I don"t see him for the next 5 hours.  I am feeling pretty down so decide to have a beer (big mistake).  Rhonda & Elaine are on and remember my drink from the other night so keep them coming into the early hours of the morning.  Damm I love pai gow, great game to play and have fun with the table and dealers.  More bad news as Si joins me around 1am as he busts in 28th from the megastack.  We stay and consume more drinks, and play pai gow till 7am (again!!!).  Si is actually more sensible and crashed around 5am as we are going to play the venetain tomorrow with noon start.  They are getting crazy runners (over 900!!!) with a first prize of $72k!!!  I return to my hotel room and decide to push right through and not sleep, but pass out around 8.30am.

NO BAD BEATS - busting out of tournaments is bad for your liver...

[ThinkerJE]

Tuesday 23 June

Wake up at 2pm and feel utter rubbish.  Damm missed the noon start.  Text from Si saying it is rammed and so assume he is playing.  Finally drag my ass out of bed and head to the venetian to try and find him.  Can"t see him so assume he either did not enter or has busted already.  I text him to say I will be playing the 7pm Caesar"s and will catch up with him then.  Try to get some food down, very difficult again, no pai gow or drinking tonight.  Plan is Caesar"s then straight to bed when I bust as plan to go downtown to Binion"s to play the HORSE event on Wednesday.

Turns out Si did not register at venetian as the queues were too long so he joins me and 198 other runners in the 7pm Caesar"s tournament.  $160 buy in and a good structure with a decent payday for a final table finish.

3,700 @ 1st break (end of level 2)
Playing hands in position, I raise with 44 and get re raised behind.  I call to hit set and flop is A Q 8, it goes check check and the turn is a king, check check again.  Now I have him on JJ TT 99 and the river 2 means I can pick the pot up.  I bet 800 and he calls with 99 (hero call).  Later analysis shows he is a complete calling station but I did not know that at the time.  In lots of pots but can"t hit a flop.  Si in good shape up to 14k after AA & KK gets paid (how does he do that???)

3,600 @ 2nd break (end of level 4)
No cards, raise with AQ but have to release when I miss the flop.  Moved in a few times to take blinds but 300,600 when back, need to double up soon.

6,300 @ 3rd break (end of level 6)
Double up hand, SS moves in early, I find 99 behind, automatic with chip stacks.  99 vs KQ holds and I take a nice pot.  Moving in when I can and not been called yet.  Antes kick in next level and I am now under 3M so need to stick them in first and hope it holds.  Si still in good shape and under no pressure with 28k.

OUT 45th 14 mins into level 7
Moved in every time I could get in pot first (cards don"t matter at this stage), got it through once got called the 2nd time.  Not in too bad shape as my T6 vs 44, flop 4 and I have 500 chips left.  All in blind next hand and all out.  Si has over 30k now and going well.  Never got chips in this tournament and had to get funky alot earlier than I would have liked but the structure changing very quickly after a slow start.  I leave Si to win it and head back to hotel for some sleep as I am absolutely knackered.  Don"t get drawn to the pai gow table and rest up before going downtown to Binions tomorrow.

NO BAD BEATS - need to get chips early in the 7pm tournamnet.

[CrizzyConnor]

Really enjoying the read once again, looking forward to more!

[lukybugur]

Entertaining as always. Better luck with the cards JE.

[janc]

Entertaining as always. Better luck with the cards JE.

+1

[MAIR]

Entertaining as always. Better luck with the cards JE.

+2

[Waz1892]

Entertaining as always. Better luck with the cards JE.

+ 3...now the reports are coming in think and fast

[mike saban]

great read, good luck in the next one.

[ThinkerJE]

Wednesday 24 June

Wake up early around 9am and feel alot better after a good nights sleep.  First good news of the day is a text from Si saying he chopped the $160 Caesar"s at around 6am for $2,900.  A top result all round, me as I get 10% and him for his table debts.  I am heading downtown to play the HORSE at Binion"s and really looking foward to playing something other than hold em.  Get some breakfast down, still can"t eat that much but at least I can eat now.  Then get the "deuce to downtown" where they have put the prices up since last year, it is now "$3 one way, $7 all day".  First impressions of downtown are that it is still the poor relation of the main strip.  However Binion"s has undergone somewhat of a image change.  It has a much younger feel to it with girls in bikini"s dealing blackjack and a upgraded poker room.  It is also alot busier than last year.  I have a couple of hours to spare before the 2pm start and head over to the Golden Nugget to play pai gow.  Managed to turn $50 into $100 and also checked out their pool which is very nice.  The Nugget is definitely the best casino downtown and they have been getting huge numbers for their poker series, as have binion"s.  This is shown as 234 runners turn up for their $200 HORSE event, which is amazing for a mixed event.  7k starting stack and 30 mins blinds and the limit format means lots of early action and few early exits.

5,325 @ end of level 3.
Bleeding chips trying to hit flops in hold em and omaha and missing badly.  Razz was no better, although I was down to 3.5k at one stage but won a nice pot before the break with a made 76 on 6th street.  The limit format means it is difficult to make moves but I have a good table and I am really enjoying it (and to be honest using it as prep for the APAT World HORSE event in August).  Stud next. 

5,100 @ end of level 6.
Rolled up jacks that turned a house on 6th street won a nice pot in stud high.  Also hit 2 pair on another hand and I am up to 8k now.  Then give some back in stud h/l as I start off with nice drawing hands but fail to hit and have to release.  Trying to play for both pots in the h/l games is tough, especially as the aces don"t seem to be coming my way.  Picked up QQ twice in hold em to take blinds, which are starting to get huge compared to stack sizes.  Omaha h/l next and need to win a pot before the stud games with antes and bring ins.

OUT 133rd 20 mins into level 8.
Big hand in omaha.  I have AAK4 and 5 see a flop of T82 rainbow, I bet and get 1 caller.  Turn J, I bet and get called.  River Q giving me the nuts.  So I bet and get raised so I put her all in and she calls with a set of 8"s and a busted low draw.  Exit hand came in stud high.  A5 in pocket and 2 showing means I bring in.  A raise behind and I call.  5 on 4th street gives me 2 pair against my opponents K4 showing.  I bet and get raised which commits me as I only have 2 bets left and there is lots in the pot.  I stick the lot in and he shows 44 for trips.  I have outs but miss and are sent to the rail.  Really enjoyed the tournament and felt I played ok.  Probably played too many hands and I am short of experience in the h/l games so need to play more before August.  Jump on the bus back to Caesar"s and hope to catch late registartion for the 7pm tournament.

152 runners turned up for it and I only got there 20 mins before the end of level 2, which saved me from an early exit at least.

5,500 at end of level 2.
Mainy been blinded away but won a small pot when I finally hit a flop in the BB.

6,300 at end of level 4.
Raise with AK and get 1 caller.  Flop AKx, I bet and he folds.  Raise in position with AQ and get min re raised by tight old guy in BB, so fishy and fold, he shows kings.  Usual story, 300-600 when back and only 9M so need to double up soon.

15,500 at end of level 6.
Double up hand.  UTG limps, I find AA in mid position and make it 2,100 to go.  All in behind for 5k, UTG thinks and folds.  AA vs KJ(!?!?!), KT9,2,9 board and I am up to 11,800.  Then I raise early with QQ and SS goes all in behind, chip daddy BB also calls.  Board KJT,4,2, checked all the way QQ vs AT (ss) vs A5 (BB), I win nice pot of 5,500.  Also find JJ and take the blinds.  Good shape now, good table image, 47 players left, antes kick in next level.

OUT 27th 23 mins into level 8.
No hands and always action in front means I blind away for 3 orbits and do a third of my stack.  I am down to 9,800 with blinds 800-1,600 with 200 ante, I see an ace in late position in an unopened pot and move all in.  BB calls A8 vs K7(!?!?!?), king in window, all she wrote.

Played well, cards dried up at the wrong stage, can"t believe BB called me with that filth but this tournament has it fair share of fish in it.  No drinking tonight and so head back to hotel to get some rest before the megastack at noon tomorrow.

NO BAD BEATS - K7 off???

[CrizzyConnor]

Great read once again...  

[MJS]

Great news on the cash buddy!  A slightly unorthodox method of preparation for a poker tournament but hey, if it works.

Have you decided to play in the WSOP this year? You did mention it earlier in your blog...

Horrible call by the K7 off guy, was he priced in or something?  Maybe it was one of those "its my favourite hand" morons that can"t even spell poker.  A little bit like my J10 guy in Dublin.  Nevermind, don"t tap the tank!...

Anyway, keep it going and hopefully the cards/luck will come your way.

[APAT]

Great to see the blog up and running and as entertaining as ever.  GL for the rest of your trip James.

NO BAD BEATS - just a damn fine read.