My Vegas Trip

This was my first trip to Vegas since I started playing poker. It was quite a whirlwind trip since I flew in Thursday and left Saturday morning. I slept a total of about 4 hours while there...

I flew in with enough time to get to Ceasars, change clothes in the parking lot, register for the 3:00 $70 tournament that's capped at 50 players. They didn't give you very many starting chips but the blind levels were long enough to give you time to play. I went out 10th when I made a move with TT, got called by a stack about 100 more than me with 55 and he flopped a 5.

I felt certain I would cash in that game. The vast majority of the players in that one were relatively weak. That's probably a product of the cheaper buy-in but for the most part I was controlling the table and was chip leader at my table before we consolidated to 2.

From there I got in the $1/$3 NL cash game. I ran into a couple tough hands including a royal flush and went from -$200 to +$200 in an hour and a half. It was this frail old lady that barely knew what day it was that got the royal flush. I was betting into her with top pair then when the flush card came and she bet I got out of the pot. The dealer asked her if she had a royal because there's a bonus for big hands like that. She was so confused and almost mucked the cards and missed out on the $150 bonus. I think the bonus was about $1,100 the day before but somebody hit it.

From there we went from casino to casino playing for 2 hours or so each. You kill a lot of time walking and waiting for a seat but I wanted to see as much as I could while there.

We played until 4:30am which was 7:30am my time back home so we drove back to his place to sleep.

I was up again at 9:30am so we could get cleaned up, eat and make the 12:00 $80 tournament at The Orleans. That was by far the best tournament we found. They gave you 4000 starting chips which was more than most and 20 minute blinds which was a little quick but about average. Out of 60 I finished 16th. Again, I was chip leader before we consolidated to two tables. I was in good shape but got a bad string of cards while it's an all-in fest and got blinded pretty low until I had to push with QT and got called by AQ.

Played cash games at different casinos until 7:00am and headed straight to the airport to come home.

This is what I learned.

Everywhere we went it seemed to be the same story. There was a mix of locals and tourists and the locals were obviously looking to prey on the tourists like vultures. The second day I purposefully had on a Hawaiian shirt to look like a tourist. I believe it had an effect. I seemed to get less respect so I got paid on big hands.

Anyway, the locals were pretty easy to pick out. If you found a table with tourists you could win fairly easily until they got cleaned out and got replaced with a local looking to get in on the action. Next thing you know, you were surrounded by sharks and you are the bait.

The only time this wasn't the case was when we got seated at the table that already was full of sharks.

I didn't find one casino that stood out as the place to go. I made the most money at Paris but I think that could have been anywhere.

I think I played my best poker while there until my last few hours because I was so tired. I had a steady flow of coffee and Red Bull coming but at some point it just stops helping.

My biggest hand:

I was at Paris and was down $50 or so with a $150 stack playing $1/$2 blinds.

Position: UTG
Hole Cards ATo

I had been looking to make a move and I decided this was the time.

I raise to $12 and got 2 callers in late position. One of which had made a move on me and I backed off earlier so I felt he thought I was weak and could come after me again.

Flop = KJ3 rainbow.

At this point, I could either back off and give the hand away since there was a good chance one of them hit the flop or represent strength and try to take the pot down right there. I opted for strength. If they fold I win a good pot, if they call and I hit the Q I win a huge pot, if they call and I don't hit a Q which I figured was probably my only out I lose a good chunk but I felt the potential benefits outweighed the risk.

I bet $25 (2/3 the pot) enough to induce a fold of a weak hand but not enough to commit me if an A hit. Both call.

Turn = Q

BINGO!!

This was my toughest decision at this point. Do I bet and hope to get called again and how much? Small bet might represent weakness but could also be fishy. A big bet could scare them off so I opted to check to the aggressive guy that I felt I was weak and could push me off the hand.

$50 from the aggressive guy.

BINGO!

I think for a second and push all-in. The other guy in the hand calls all-in as well but he was pretty short at this time so it wasn't much for him.

Aggressive guy says stuff like, "do you have a set?", "there's no way you have AT"...

He calls. (I had him covered)
River = blank and my str8 holds up.

I didn't see the other guys hand but aggressive guy slams his AK on the table after I show my AT and storms away.

He came back in a few minutes and shook my hand but DAMN it felt good to win a hand like that!

Next time I go I'll do things differently. I'll play more tournaments and bounce around less. If I get surrounded by sharks I'll change tables if I can but try to stay away from changing casinos. It's hard and a distraction to start over every 2 hours.

Over all it was great experience and I hope to do it again very soon.