1. 2009-03-31 03:59:32

   Spring Break in Vegas

   I'm back from my "Spring Break" vacation in Vegas. It was more of a vacation than usual, which was quite enjoyable.

   Not Poker

   We stayed at the Venetian (thanks for setting all of that up, Ace) and I spent most of my time there, although others ventured out into the unusually warm (and ever dry) outside here and there.

   Here are some items that I feel are noteworthy:

   • I did make it to the Rio to see "Penn & Teller". Some of the tricks were visibly fake (we did have 3rd row seats), but overall it was a great show. I especially enjoyed the "Psychic" portion of the show. These guys are smart.
   • We went to Tryst at the Wynn. The waterfall + pond is pretty nifty for a club. It's layed out pretty well and it was not overly crowded. Thanks to Dan for getting us all in for free :D
   • We got a table in the mega-section at Tao in the Venetian near a group celebrating the birthday of some actor from the Soprano's. Be jealous :p This was my second time at Tao, and I think I like Tryst better. Tao is just too crowded. They opened Tao Beach and it was not as special as I thought it would be. It was fine/neat/cool, but not kick-ass.
   • I visited a spa (at the Venetian) for the first time in my life (thanks for setting that up, Megan). I recommend it. Wow. On top of the massage, they have multiple relaxation rooms, saunas, hot tubs, an "igloo" and other crazy stuff, as well as everything you need to get ready to go out. A one-hour massage can easily turn into 3 hours of relaxation for no additional charge.

   Poker

   I only played about 15 hours of poker, so I only lost about $300. Not a bad hourly rate, right? LOL. Ace and I managed to play for a few hours each day and also a couple of the nights. Jeff and Stephen from Vegas also joined us (thanks, guys) and so did Nio. Below are some memorable (and not so memorable) moments from the Venetian poker room... Enjoy :p

   My first session ended badly with me flopping a flush. That's a ridiculous statement, isn't it? My opponent had played and raised and won the last 3 hands, so I called his raise with . The flop was and I was in heaven. I checked and he bet. I just called because he was 3-barrelling the whole way to get his opponents to fold. The turn was the and it went check-bet-call. The river paired the board and he went all in. I called and he flipped over . Nice! The very next hand Stephen played in the small blind against the same guy. The guy didn't show because Stephen took his whole stack after rivering the his nut flush. Aargh hahahaha. Stephen bought me a drink to help me get over it :p

   Adrian and I played in the noon tournament on Thursday. It was $150 to enter, and we started with 7500 in chips. It has the same structure as the deep stacks, so it was pretty good. We woke up late and got our chips after a few hands had started. I flopped top two pair with and then we got up for the rest of the round to find some food. I lasted until about round 4 when I called an all in semi-bluff straight draw and he hit. Adrian lasted a couple more rounds, but we didn't money. I recommend this tournament. There were a few good players and a few stack-gifters. I felt comfortable at the table from the moment I sat down.

   I had a great session later that night. The best hand is when I defended a raise from the maniac in the hijack with my in the small blind. Four people had already limped, there was one call, so I confidently over-called. The flop was of course, so I donked right into everybody for $40 from first position. The relatively solid player on my left raised all in for $64, the player to his left took 3 minutes to (supposedly) fold two-pair, and the preflop raiser flat-called. I think he knew something about how I only donk in with the nuts... The turn was a blank , so I bet and he called $100. The river was another blank so we repeated. I showed the nuts and he showed . So I raked in a good $550 pot. Unfortunately, it was Ace who had the kings. LOL.

   Saturday nights are great for poker at the Venetian. I started out by stacking pocket aces with my , switched tables and stacked a drunkard with my nut straight (after check-mega-raising because I knew he'd call), and then finished building my stack up to $800 by bluffing the river for $100 with on a board of against an aggressive button-raiser only to get called because she didn't think I had a jack. She was right, but her pocket threes didn't hold! I'm going to write about my last hand of the session in the strategy forum to get some input. It was a crazy one :)

   Bye

   I'm really busy right now and expect to be taking some time off poker except for a game once or twice a month until I get finished with some of the other projects I have going. Thanks for reading, and I will catch up with the comments and questions here and on the forum as soon as I can.

   Posted by Jason M at 2009-03-31 03:59:32

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Comments on “Spring Break in Vegas”

1. • Posted by Jason M g 2009-04-17 03:05:43
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   • hmmmmm. i'll look for it next time :) i remember that guy. i remember some douche taking out my pocket tens with his kings when i was trying to isolate that guy. thanks, douche! LOL

2. • Posted by Graham g 2009-04-16 23:33:41
   • 

   • Hmm, my plans are in constant flux. Now my family is getting together in ND on July 4. We'll see what happens. Who knows about that room behind the waterfall? Remember that time when you got felted by the guy singing 'Devil's Right Hand' and left early? Later that night Nio, Galen and I went to Tryst (it was dead empty an hour before close) and saw some people walking in and out of a door behind the waterfall. Maybe it's just supplies. . .

3. • Posted by Jason M g 2009-04-16 04:04:44
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   • You know it!

4. • Posted by uzjedi g 2009-04-16 02:23:27
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   • WORD. This summer is gonna be kick ass. :)

5. • Posted by Jason M g 2009-04-02 04:44:47
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   • Room behind the waterfall??! Oh crap! Let's do that when we go in June/July. Ridz and I are playing in the WSOP during one of those months, so we will make sure we set that up with you. Awesome!

6. • Posted by Graham g 2009-03-31 21:45:14
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   • Unfortunately, it was Ace who had the kings.

     <forehead slap>

     Story of the trip as far as poker goes, eh?

     Sounds like you had a pretty successful trip outside the poker room, though. Did you get in the room behind the waterfall in Tryst? That's what I want to check out. You know I'm not much of one for clubs (especially crowded ones), but I bet they do up their VIP room pretty sweet. And a spa igloo? Now you're talkin'! Too bad you had to pay for it all with your own money...

     I'm thinking of getting out there some time in June or July. Let me know what you got planned around then. As you know I'm flexible.