(First) few days in Vegas
So, five days into Vegas, and no blog, no photos. What's been going on?
The main answer is, I guess, not a great deal.
I managed to nick seat 36D on the way over with BA. That, as I hoped, snaffled me a three-seater to myself.
I then had to pick up my rental car. I had planned my route from the airport to the Flamingo, but had not allowed for the fact that the airport pick-up was nowhere near the airport terminals! So, after working out how to drive my car, I took the Strip to the hotel. Luckily the traffic was not too bad.
Parked car, checked in, collapsed into sleep until 10pm. Got up, ran well. Won $200.
I should have won more. Because it was my first session I was not quite in tone with opponents' ranges and willingness to call. So I overraised six limpers when I picked up AA in the big blind (raised to 10x, everyone folded). I also left about $30 on the table with KK on a board of Qxxxx, when I was fairly sure opponent had QJ or something similar. But I checked behind on the river.
The last hand was a distinct misplay from me, although I still won more on the hand than I should have.
I picked up 77 UTG, eight-handed in a loose 1-2 game, and made a "defensive" raise to 3x. Called in three other spots, including a loose French guy in the BB and a loose Chinese guy on my left.
Board came J97 rainbow. French guy bets $8 and I raise to $20. Chinese guy calls. French guy calls.
Turn was a 3, creating a diamond flush draw. Check from French guy. Bet of $65 from me, leaving $130 behind. Call from Chinese guy, leaving him $55 behind. Call from French guy, leaving $60 behind.
River brings Q of diamond. Checked round. French guy shows J9o. I show set of sevens, Chinese guy mucks.
I can't believe the French guy's play here on the flop, although it meant that I won more money off the Chinese guy on the turn. But I should still bet the river, simply because I have to call a bet from anyone else.
Thursday I lost a bit, and it rained. I drove to the airport to pick up my friend Barb. Her plane was late. I hung around the airport. On the way back (about 11.30pm) Las Vegas seemed basically to be underwater. It was a bit of a frightening drive.
Friday I lost, mainly dribbling money away. Saturday I lost, mainly dribbling money away. By now I was down $150 for the trip. I was cursing my failure to fully exploit my hands on Wednesday night.
Friday night we had a fantastic meal at Mon Ami in the Paris. Wonderful value, gorgeous steaks.
We then came back to the Flamingo and I got my first experience of a hot craps table. Barb was playing the chips, but I was half-staking it. When she got $100 up, I "cashed out", taking my half. She carried on and won another $200. The table was smoking - people were coming along asking if they could "squeeze in" (Barb thought they wanted to get onto a hot table - I thought it was because they just wanted to be seen to be "part" of the winning table, even though they themselves hadn't won any money). I guess I'm just a cynic.
Today (Sunday), I drove Barb to the airport for her flight back to Peoria. I came back to the Flamingo to take advantage of the best bonus of the week.
They "splash" the pot on one table every time a score is made in a selected football game. This time it was Dallas v Pittsburgh. I got lucky with KQ in the small blind after our table got the $100 splash. It was limped round to me, so I shoved my $100 (I have been sitting down with $120 rather than $200 this trip). Everyone folded round to the guy on my right who felt obliged to call with 86o. My King high held and that was $200 up.
An hour later a more bizarre hand occurred when I flopped the second-nut spade flush on the turn on a board of KQJ4 all spades. Opponent bet $30. I can't see him having Ts9s, so I guessed my As was good. I thought, decided he probably had QQ or 44, so shoved for $200. He snap called and said "I have Ace flush". Since I had an Ace flush, this raised some interesting questions. In fact, he had the Ace of Clubs. Right colour, wrong suit. Kerching. $450 up.
The main answer is, I guess, not a great deal.
I managed to nick seat 36D on the way over with BA. That, as I hoped, snaffled me a three-seater to myself.
I then had to pick up my rental car. I had planned my route from the airport to the Flamingo, but had not allowed for the fact that the airport pick-up was nowhere near the airport terminals! So, after working out how to drive my car, I took the Strip to the hotel. Luckily the traffic was not too bad.
Parked car, checked in, collapsed into sleep until 10pm. Got up, ran well. Won $200.
I should have won more. Because it was my first session I was not quite in tone with opponents' ranges and willingness to call. So I overraised six limpers when I picked up AA in the big blind (raised to 10x, everyone folded). I also left about $30 on the table with KK on a board of Qxxxx, when I was fairly sure opponent had QJ or something similar. But I checked behind on the river.
The last hand was a distinct misplay from me, although I still won more on the hand than I should have.
I picked up 77 UTG, eight-handed in a loose 1-2 game, and made a "defensive" raise to 3x. Called in three other spots, including a loose French guy in the BB and a loose Chinese guy on my left.
Board came J97 rainbow. French guy bets $8 and I raise to $20. Chinese guy calls. French guy calls.
Turn was a 3, creating a diamond flush draw. Check from French guy. Bet of $65 from me, leaving $130 behind. Call from Chinese guy, leaving him $55 behind. Call from French guy, leaving $60 behind.
River brings Q of diamond. Checked round. French guy shows J9o. I show set of sevens, Chinese guy mucks.
I can't believe the French guy's play here on the flop, although it meant that I won more money off the Chinese guy on the turn. But I should still bet the river, simply because I have to call a bet from anyone else.
Thursday I lost a bit, and it rained. I drove to the airport to pick up my friend Barb. Her plane was late. I hung around the airport. On the way back (about 11.30pm) Las Vegas seemed basically to be underwater. It was a bit of a frightening drive.
Friday I lost, mainly dribbling money away. Saturday I lost, mainly dribbling money away. By now I was down $150 for the trip. I was cursing my failure to fully exploit my hands on Wednesday night.
Friday night we had a fantastic meal at Mon Ami in the Paris. Wonderful value, gorgeous steaks.
We then came back to the Flamingo and I got my first experience of a hot craps table. Barb was playing the chips, but I was half-staking it. When she got $100 up, I "cashed out", taking my half. She carried on and won another $200. The table was smoking - people were coming along asking if they could "squeeze in" (Barb thought they wanted to get onto a hot table - I thought it was because they just wanted to be seen to be "part" of the winning table, even though they themselves hadn't won any money). I guess I'm just a cynic.
Today (Sunday), I drove Barb to the airport for her flight back to Peoria. I came back to the Flamingo to take advantage of the best bonus of the week.
They "splash" the pot on one table every time a score is made in a selected football game. This time it was Dallas v Pittsburgh. I got lucky with KQ in the small blind after our table got the $100 splash. It was limped round to me, so I shoved my $100 (I have been sitting down with $120 rather than $200 this trip). Everyone folded round to the guy on my right who felt obliged to call with 86o. My King high held and that was $200 up.
An hour later a more bizarre hand occurred when I flopped the second-nut spade flush on the turn on a board of KQJ4 all spades. Opponent bet $30. I can't see him having Ts9s, so I guessed my As was good. I thought, decided he probably had QQ or 44, so shoved for $200. He snap called and said "I have Ace flush". Since I had an Ace flush, this raised some interesting questions. In fact, he had the Ace of Clubs. Right colour, wrong suit. Kerching. $450 up.