The (Comic) Strip Presents - One Goes Mad in Vegas

[Simon Galloway]

Andrew,
I am out there in a couple of weeks.  If you find yourself in the Bellagio, would you mind having a look at the mid limit games and reporting back please?  E.g. what time of day you were there, how many 15/30 -30/60 games were going, were they shorthanded or full with a long list, etc.  I've heard the games are drying up a little bit, would appreciate a preview of what I am about to encounter...TIA!

[AndrewT]

My body clock is still totally out of whack - I'm waking up earlier here than I do when I have to go to work at home. It does mean that I'm able to have proper breakfasts - I would never have guessed that sausages, eggs and pancakes with maple syrup would be served on the same plate.

After breakfast yesterday I played a little bit of cash and managed to drop $275. Ran TT into AA when if I'd been a bit sharper (ie not full of eggs, sausages and pancakes) I'd have made the fold preflop that I had sensed might be the right move. I managed to pick up tells on two of the players at the table, but sadly never got a chance to get involved in a big pot with either of them before I went over to Caesars Palace for the noon $340 tourney.

There were 65 runners and I managed to get put on what was easily the toughest starting table. All the other players bar one knew what they were doing which, while making it difficult to accumulate chips, actually made for an interesting time. Bluffing and picking off bluffs played more of a part than usual over here and I particularly enjoyed calling bets on turn and river on a KT6K3 board with JJ, knowing they were good.

Got off to a flyer flopping a full house with A5 on the second hand and by the time our table was the first to break I had moved up to 14k from 12.5k. On table two the players were a lot more donkeyish and I managed to knock out a shortstack with KK before that table was broken. I bounced around at or below average chips, grabbing some blinds and antes every now and then, until just before we broke for the final table when I dispatched a player with KK v his push with J8.

I had a great seat at the final table, with the world's three biggest nits directly to my left, meaning at least one cast-iron blinds steal per orbit. Had to fold once to one of the nits' big blind push (a very genial old guy who later told me he had KK). The table was generally very tight and once the shortstack had got knocked out (meaning we were all in the money) we played for quite a while without losing anyone.

I eventually went out in 7th for $946. See if you can guess my exit hand.

a) Ran KK into AA
b) Had AA v KK and got sucked out on
c) Lost a race with AK v JJ
d) Restole from the BB with 78o to find the raiser had KK...

In fairness to me, he was one of the only two other players at the table (both from my original starting table) who showed real signs of game, and he'd raised my BB something like 4 times in the last 5 orbits. Still, the money wiped out my cash losses from earlier.

Caesars Palace is home to possibly the greatest idea anyone has had - the Pussycat Dolls Casino. This is essentially a group of blackjack tables where the croupiers are dressed like strippers. Whilst other similarly attired young women gyrate around poles behind them. I know I'd struggle to remember perfect strategy in such a situation.

Many of the croupiers had clearly had boob joobs. Their breasts had no 'give' in them at all when they moved about. I've noticed that boob jobs are far more prevalent here than in the UK, and not just among 20-something women in the entertainment industry. Many older women have ridic pneumatic frontage, totally out of proportion to the rest of their bodies, and they appeared to be just regular women (ie not hookers), out and about with their very ordinary looking husbands. A good, honest cleavage appears to be something of a rareity in Vegas.

On the tube to the airport, and out here, I've seen the following places.

Earl's Court
Barons Court
Bally's Casino
Caesars Palace
Players Club

I've tried to rationalise the apostrophisation on display here but I can't - it hurts my brain.

[AndrewT]

Andrew,
I am out there in a couple of weeks.  If you find yourself in the Bellagio, would you mind having a look at the mid limit games and reporting back please?  E.g. what time of day you were there, how many 15/30 -30/60 games were going, were they shorthanded or full with a long list, etc.  I've heard the games are drying up a little bit, would appreciate a preview of what I am about to encounter...TIA!

I had a quick shufty at the Bellagio on Friday just to see how many runners the $1,000 tourney had got. Not many was the answer (don't think they even filled two tables) and the room did seem emptier than I was expecting. Didn't look at the particular limits being played but will have a look next time I'm there.

One disadvantage of coming here whilst the WSOPE is on is that I probably won't get to see Bobby's room in action, as most of the players are in London.

[Newportlad]

Andrew, i dont know what stakes you are playing in the Cash Games, but i was out in Vegas a couple of weeks ago, and the Monte Carlo had very soft 1/2 Cash. Not the biggest card room in Vegas, but they were all very friendly, and there was always a game running.

[AndrewT]

Andrew, i dont know what stakes you are playing in the Cash Games, but i was out in Vegas a couple of weeks ago, and the Monte Carlo had very soft 1/2 Cash. Not the biggest card room in Vegas, but they were all very friendly, and there was always a game running.

I'm just playing $1/$2, with a view to maybe playing some $2/$5 next weekend if I run good.

I don't think there really is a 'tough' $1/$2 out here - the biggest barrier to profit is your own discipline to just play basic ABC stuff and not do anything fancy. There will always be a couple of people who don't know what they're doing to donate.

[The_duke]

There will always be a couple of people who don't know what they're doing to donate.

Hey I don't get there till November

[Claw75]

One disadvantage of coming here whilst the WSOPE is on is that I probably won't get to see Bobby's room in action, as most of the players are in London.

did you go and sit in there on your own safe in the knowledge that no one else would turn up?

[Woodsey]

Andrew, i dont know what stakes you are playing in the Cash Games, but i was out in Vegas a couple of weeks ago, and the Monte Carlo had very soft 1/2 Cash. Not the biggest card room in Vegas, but they were all very friendly, and there was always a game running.

There are no easy or hard rooms in vegas, that is just down to the players that are there at the time. If a game is too rocky just go somewhere else, there is always a good game somewhere. Also the games are considerably tighter during the week, if your going to play higher do it from Thurs-Sun as a general rule when the games are likely to be weaker.

[Ecosse]

Where's the pictures Andrew ?

[Kev B]

Loving the thread Andrew but defo need pics.

[The-Crow]

I have a picture of Caesars Palace

My motorbike jump across the fountain was fun

Had to try it 3 times before I got it right

[AndrewT]

Pictures will have to wait - I only have my phone with me and I haven't got the cables to upload them.

And I haven't taken any photos anyway - but will promise to get some Pussycat Dolls Casino action.

I have finally booked a winning cash session - woooo! Won my one big hand calling a $15 raise from a quite aggressive English guy (plays at the Gutshot) with  . The flop is  and he bets $30. I raise to $100 and he pushes. I snap call and we see blank cards and my 4 is good, so I can only assume he was pushing with two diamond overcards. That bumped me up to a $515 stack.

Dribbled down a bit with hands that never worked out before I made my first soul-read out here. A completely tight player, who only ever put chips in the pot with a monster, check-called a turn bet from me on a three heart board. The river was a non-heart and he bet out. The thing that struck me was that he put his chips down on the felt at me. I was in seat 3 and he was seat 6, yet he almost stretched his right arm out at me to put the bet down. This is a famous bluff tell (the bet is a challenge - 'call that!!') and, even though I only had third pair, 6 kicker, I was sure I was good and made the call.

'Can you beat Jack high?' he said, and when I tabled my hand I got a load of 'Whoa, nice call' comments from the other players. Even though it was only a $60 pot, it was the highlight of my cash poker thus far.

I finished up $109. It is now 9pm - I'm going to go get some sushi and then see if I'm still awake to play some more poker.

[Karabiner]

Have you checked out the Hard Rock's new card room yet Andrew, it's supposed to be lovely.

[Dingdell]

Pictures will have to wait - I only have my phone with me and I haven't got the cables to upload them.

And I haven't taken any photos anyway - but will promise to get some Pussycat Dolls Casino action.

I have finally booked a winning cash session - woooo! Won my one big hand calling a $15 raise from a quite aggressive English guy (plays at the Gutshot) with  . The flop is  and he bets $30. I raise to $100 and he pushes. I snap call and we see blank cards and my 4 is good, so I can only assume he was pushing with two diamond overcards. That bumped me up to a $515 stack.

Dribbled down a bit with hands that never worked out before I made my first soul-read out here. A completely tight player, who only ever put chips in the pot with a monster, check-called a turn bet from me on a three heart board. The river was a non-heart and he bet out. The thing that struck me was that he put his chips down on the felt at me. I was in seat 3 and he was seat 6, yet he almost stretched his right arm out at me to put the bet down. This is a famous bluff tell (the bet is a challenge - 'call that!!') and, even though I only had third pair, 6 kicker, I was sure I was good and made the call.
'Can you beat Jack high?' he said, and when I tabled my hand I got a load of 'Whoa, nice call' comments from the other players. Even though it was only a $60 pot, it was the highlight of my cash poker thus far.

I finished up $109. It is now 9pm - I'm going to go get some sushi and then see if I'm still awake to play some more poker.

Love that information Andrew - more tells/bluffs please.

Nice to know you are having a good time but what's it like doing Vegas solo? Does it help concentrate the mind towards poker?

[AndrewT]

Nice to know you are having a good time but what's it like doing Vegas solo? Does it help concentrate the mind towards poker?

It should do, but the biggest drawback to my poker thus far has simply been my body clock - I'm ready to drop at 10pm. Don't know what it is (air-con, possibly) but I'm getting properly tired at night, going to sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow before 11pm. I'm then waking up early and the cycle continues.

Did a bit better today, as I woke up at 5am for a drink of water, turned on the laptop for a bit and then had to spend over an hour sorting some stuff at work and it was 7am by the time I got back to sleep, and I re-awoke at 10am, so I might be able to go a bit longer today.

I have discovered that proper big breakfasts are great - after stuffing myself when I get up I don't need to eat anything for at least 12 hours. Back at home I normally just have a pastry when I get to work and at weekends I can go for a while on just tea and toast so I'll try and fit proper big breakfasts into my life when I get back.