Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[bobby1]

great stuff mate

[tikay]

So-called "string betting" appears not to exist over here, you simply grab a stack of chips, "cut them" on the table, & pull the rest of the stack back - quick, easy, simple, job done.

It's one of the great stupidities of poker in the UK, this string betting palaver. Honestly, when was the last time you saw someone try to gain an advantage by string betting? - in pretty much every case, it's just someone who's been careless in handling their chips. And yet the moment it happens, half the table are up in arms - most of them not even in the hand - "string bet!, string bet!" they shout in unison. I tend to think these are hen-pecked nonentities, who, at a poker table, suddenly feel possessed of power. It's such a nonsense. I suppose the rule (in the UK) may in fact be a sort of positive discrimintion, in that if the rule dd not exist, folks might then abuse it. 100 times more poker is played in America, but there's never a hoohah about it there. Wake up, UK, & grow up.

They also have a terrific rule in many Vegas Cardrooms in that if you show one card (after the pot is won) you have to show both, which stops the A-bit merchants smirkily flashing their Ace like big boys.

And while I'm on this rather high-horse, how many times have you heard the expression - "show one, show all"? I can't help but think that a tad of originality might help here - "show please" amounts to the same thing, but I guess originality is something we lack in poker. Probably the same hen-pecked guys who bellyache about string-betting.....Feel the power, eh?

[The_nun]

I detest the saying ..Chip n a chair ..chip n a chair...

[tikay]

OK, so we wrapped up Show 2 tonight at the MGM, & were indeed lucky to be joined by Jon Kalmar & his better half - my word he spoke well, particulaly of our new WSOP Main Event Winner.

Roland de Wolfe dropped in, too, & gave us a fascinating interview which will air in a week or two, great stuff. All things considered, it's pretty scary to listen to his views on how his game can further improve. I think he cashed 4 or 5 times this WSOP, not bad for a guy who thinks he has a lot of improvement in his game still to come.

Compo was muchly impressed by both Skalie & Roland's refreshing candour & humility.

Kevin O'Connll & Leona came along too. Fascinating to listen to Kevin's encyclopeadic knowledge of Vegas Hotels, as we surveyed it from our 25th floor vantage point, boy oh boy does he know Vegas inside out.

Compo gets on a Gatwick-bound jet plane later today, & I'll miss him, he's been terrific company, & I follow 24 hours later. We've both done some daft things out here, but that does not include wasting time, we've filled every day with work & play, just a shame we forgot about the need for sleep. I'm utterly wrecked, but nice wrecked, like.

I'm very tempted to return for a poker only (no work) trip later in the year, they have a smashing Fessie at Caesars Palace in about October I think.  If I can win a few pennies here & there, who knows, it may happen, but I ain't brave enough or good enough to risk too much of my Bankroll. We shall see.

[tikay]

I detest the saying ..Chip n a chair ..chip n a chair...

Yes, that's another one, again, surely not too hard to be a little more inventive? "Good fold" always tickles me, too. Good fold for whom, I wonder, as the winner quickly mucks his hand without showing.

"I woulda flopped the House" is another, after a R & RR pre-flop results in a 2-2-5 flop, like they would even consider calling with 5-2.

[ericstoner]

Nice work Tony, it's been fun reading you and compo's adventures over the last few weeks. I had planned to go out to Veges this year,for the seniors event, first time I'm eligible. Wasn't quite up to it, and as my sister said, listen to your body, i did, it said "leave it till later son".

Which bring me to October, how about a BLONDE BEANO, for a week Ware a likeminded group could go out there and really shake em up.

The more educated veges travellers, like yourself and others,could corral those with less experienced,and make it a real group outing.

[tikay]

Hero to Zero sums up today's Poker for me, after my excessive good fortune last night.

We finished work earlier than expected, & urged on by the maniac Compo, rushed cross to Caesars for the 11pm $120 jobbie. $120 being, I must add, $90 + $30 reg fee, so that puts in perspective the moans & groans we hear in England about Reg Fees - they rarely reach 30%!

I drew the same table as Compo, which thus promised fireworks, he in Seat 3, me in Seat 7, & Patrick Murray was in Seat 5, with John Hewston as Altenate # 8.

I made a great call on the second hand of the night with KQ on an A-Q-x flop, & was particularly pleased to have spotted Matey Boy's bluff.

The third hand had me UTG with  , &, full of myself, I decided to limp with a view to a check-Raise if anyone dared mess with me, this was the new super-aggressive (= cocky) Table Captain tikay about to impress himself on the game early doors. They walked right into my Trap, when local laddo Raised it up, & Compo called (no hand, lining up the post-flop steal I imagine), & I had no hesitation in moving all-in rapido, here was the squeeze play beautifully executed. Local Laddo failed to spot my ruse though, & moved in even rapido-er with  . One does feel such a fool when these misunderstandings arise, so that was that, out in 3 hands. Well, not quite out, I had a few hundred left, so it was even more embarrassing for me, as I had to sit there for a few hands while everyone thought (but did not say) what an idiot I must be. They were not wrong.

So I decided to play a little cash, in the $1-$3 game, probably the tightest cash-table I've ever sat at. $200 soon became $500, before a busted Compo strolled past, & suggested we meet at Planet Hollywood for the 0200 affair. I agreed to follow him later, I felt I could win a few bob here.

The $300 profit came in a weird way. A pre-flop R was called in 3 spots, & I decided to join the party with no hand, but the Button was mine. The K-T-3 flop bought no interest, & the blank turn elicited a silly $20 bet from the BB, called by all. Weird this, does nobody have that K I mistakenly mused? The River was the dream bluffing card - another Ten, checked round to me, & I bet the Pot, & all Pass, "I know you have the Ten" says Local Laddo flashing his K as he Passed...... I rather smarmingly showed my A-7.

So eventually, after warning the Table I would go when the Button reached me next time round, & still nursing the $500 stack (of which $300 was profit), I fell for that dreaded "last-hand" syndrome. We should NEVER play that last hand.......

I limped with  , & Mr Big Blind (an Englander, West Ham supporter) Raised it up, taunting me to call, which I did, as I know he's got nothing. We saw this flop.....

 

He bets $60, no doubt stilll at it, I make it $200, he dwells for an age."2 pair, or 7-9?, I know you have 7-9" says he, before illogically moving all-in for another $160 or more. Shit. OK, it's mostly Profit I think to myself, lets do it, & I make the call, & he proudly flips over his bag of spanners, matching spanners mind - both of them Aces......And I river the spade. So I grab a chip rack & jauntily march to the Cash Desk & cash in $3 shy of $1,000.

Over at Planet Hollywood, I again get all silly early doors, limping UTG with  , seeing a  flop, & refusing to believe oppo had the 9. He did, & I'm gone, just like that.

Gotta love the ups & downs of Poker, cant beat it.

[tikay]

Nice work Tony, it's been fun reading you and compo's adventures over the last few weeks. I had planned to go out to Veges this year,for the seniors event, first time I'm eligible. Wasn't quite up to it, and as my sister said, listen to your body, i did, it said "leave it till later son".

Which bring me to October, how about a BLONDE BEANO, for a week Ware a likeminded group could go out there and really shake em up.

The more educated veges travellers, like yourself and others,could corral those with less experienced,and make it a real group outing.

Don't tempt me Brendan, purlease!

One last story from today, then bed.

There is a "Hooters Convention" in Vegas tonight, & if I'm honest, I don't really know what this Hooters thing is about, but it was not hard to see that Hooters seems to equate to lot of easy-on-the-eye young females, fethingly dressed, with acres of bosom & thigh barely exposed, as it were. Three of them were in the lift I was in tonight, one said "Hi", & I casually replied "are you here for the hookers Convention?", which met with a stony reception. What a difference a K makes.

[Dry em]

They also have a terrific rule in many Vegas Cardrooms in that if you show one card (after the pot is won) you have to show both, which stops the A-bit merchants smirkily flashing their Ace like big boys.

Have to disagree, this is a stupid and needless rule and leads usually to no one showing anything. This "anti needle" rule is in place to stop people rubbing others down by showing one card and suggesting a bluff. My god, if you can't cope with someone showing you a bluff you're in the wrong game... There are many such rules that I found a pain, including some mind boggling ones at the Bellagio that I've written about before, including not being able to talk at all during a hand.

[Miami Vic]

Well done Tikay. Great reading your diary since I got back from Vegas. Just got to look back through it now to see if you mentioned me lasting longer in the Planet Hollywood tournie.

See you on the beach,

Vic from Miami

[booder]

excellent Diary Gramps........thanks for sharing your experiences.

[AlrightJack]

The Bellagio enforces the 'show one show all (cards)' rule, which I also agree is stupid and has probably arisen from a misinterpretation of the intention of the 'show one show all (persons)' rule.

The Venetian does not use this rule because aqccording to their supervisor 'its a stupid rule.'

There also do seem to be some rules about string betting in Vegas. Certainly at the Venetian and possibly at many other places as well - going back for more chips after the initial bunch have been cut out certainly constitutes a string bet. In some places they even have an 'over the line' interpretation, as is often found in the UK/Europe.

On another point, the tipping of dealers - I have nothing against dealers being rewarded by tips, but at what point is there an unfair advantage afforded to those players who tip well? I heard a few unsavoury stories while in Vegas of biased decisions in favour of players who tip well and at the expense of those who dont. The integrity of the game has to be protected and tipping is one of the things that threatens this integrity.

[Tonji]

There is a "Hooters Convention" in Vegas tonight, & if I'm honest, I don't really know what this Hooters thing is about, but it was not hard to see that Hooters seems to equate to lot of easy-on-the-eye young females, fethingly dressed, with acres of bosom & thigh barely exposed, as it were. Three of them were in the lift I was in tonight, one said "Hi", & I casually replied "are you here for the hookers Convention?", which met with a stony reception. What a difference a K makes.

 

[fearisthekey]

There is a "Hooters Convention" in Vegas tonight, & if I'm honest, I don't really know what this Hooters thing is about, but it was not hard to see that Hooters seems to equate to lot of easy-on-the-eye young females, fethingly dressed, with acres of bosom & thigh barely exposed, as it were. Three of them were in the lift I was in tonight, one said "Hi", & I casually replied "are you here for the hookers Convention?", which met with a stony reception. What a difference a K makes.

 

 

[tikay]

The Bellagio enforces the 'show one show all (cards)' rule, which I also agree is stupid and has probably arisen from a misinterpretation of the intention of the 'show one show all (persons)' rule.

The Venetian does not use this rule because aqccording to their supervisor 'its a stupid rule.'

There also do seem to be some rules about string betting in Vegas. Certainly at the Venetian and possibly at many other places as well - going back for more chips after the initial bunch have been cut out certainly constitutes a string bet. In some places they even have an 'over the line' interpretation, as is often found in the UK/Europe.

On another point, the tipping of dealers - I have nothing against dealers being rewarded by tips, but at what point is there an unfair advantage afforded to those players who tip well? I heard a few unsavoury stories while in Vegas of biased decisions in favour of players who tip well and at the expense of those who dont. The integrity of the game has to be protected and tipping is one of the things that threatens this integrity.

There are far worse threats to the integrity of our game than that, imo, the Nippers, colluders & hoohah merchants for starters.

It's true, Dealers could indeed be compromised by tipping, but not many of them, & I don't think the mjority should be denied tips just because of the few bad eggs that may be amongst their number.

They are underpaid & over-abused, & deserve better. IMO,that is.....