Posted by Dr Fro 2:18 PM
From the mailbag:

From: Junell
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2004 5:51 PM
To: Dr Fro
Subject: Vegas

After 8 years away, I finally made it back to Vegas this past weekend. Itwas a joyous homecoming akin to a reunion of long lost siblings. After 3 days and nights of nonstop gambling, I finished the weekend with a small profit of $375. While not very significant, it's always good to make it out of Vegas with a profit (no matter how small). More importantly however, $375 is misleading because it gives the impression that I didn'tgamble much. Nothing could be further from the truth. Of the 71 hoursIwas in Vegas, 48 was spent at a table. Here's how it went...

$8-$16 Hold 'Em (Bellagio), 2 hrs, +$205
No-Limit Hold 'Em (Bellagio), 5 hrs, ($200)
Satellite to the $1,000 NL tournament (Bellagio), 1.5 hrs, 3rd Place(netcost -$40)
Satellite to the $1,000 NL tournament (Bellagio), 1.5 hrs, 3rd Place(netcost $240)
Blackjack (Ceasars & Paris), 5 hrs, ($430)
No-Limit Hold 'Em (Golden Nugget), 6 hrs, ($700)
Blackjack (MGM), 3 hrs, + $1,050
Blackjack (Mirage), 1 hr, ($200)
Blackjack (MGM), 1 hr, + $190
No-Limit Hold 'Em (Bellagio), 15 hrs!!, + $310
Blackjack (MGM), 2 hrs, + $625Craps (MGM), 1 hr, ($60)
Blackjack (MGM), 3 hrs, ($250)
VideoPoker (Airport), 0.5 hr, ($30)

As most of you know, the Bellagio is the poker mecca. Constantly full, it's hard not to get excited from the buzz of 25 packed tables. Additionally, you have the crowd of onlookers standing alongside the outside tables watching the games. Couple that with the occasional"celebrity professional" sighting, and you're in for a good time (while there I saw Johnny Chan, Scotty Nguyen, David Sklansky, Eskimo Clark, and"World" Hennigan). Overall, I was very pleased with my Hold 'Em performance. Each time I played, I took a commanding chip lead at the table and used it to push everyone around. On both nights I played, I could've walked away with$1,200-$1,500 profit. Unfortunately though, I stayed too long and was on the losing end of 2 big hands that limited my winnings. The first was at the Bellagio's No-Limit table. The buy-in was fixed at$200, and after 3.5 hours I had approximately $1,300. I loosened up, saw more flops, and tried to push people around to buy more pots. While it worked in the beginning, it began to wear off. This strategy, combinedwith a few missed hands and some cold cards, brought my stack down toapprox $950. A young guy at my table, who looked like a Backstreet Boy, had built up a respectable stack (~$700), and used it very aggressively. He had gone all-in 3 times in the past hour, once showing a bluff. I had reluctantly laid down some decent hands to his raises, and was waiting patiently to put him all-in. I wanted his stack, and was determined to get it. Then came the hand...While in middle position, I'm dealt KQo. In early position, Backstreet made his usual preflop raise to $25 (happened almost every hand). I smooth called, and a short stack on the button raised all-in for $80 more. Backstreet and I both call. The pot preflop is approx $320. The flopis K82 rainbow, and I now hold top pair with a Queen kicker. Backstreet leads out with a bet of $150. I instantly thought about his previous bluffs, aggressive play, and what he might be holding. For whatever reason, I didn't put him on KK or AK, but instead figured he had Ax, an underpair, or maybe even a Kx. I also doubted that he would lead out with a $150 bet if he had hit a set. I also considered that his previous bets had forced me to lay down some decent hands. It seemed like he was trying to buy the pot to get me out. The combined pots were now $470 (before my call), and I knew that if I smooth called him, I'd be faced with another big bet on the turn (likely$300-700). I decided I couldn't get away from this hand, and that it was likely that my stack was going in (either now or on the turn, and either because I moved in, or because he put me in). I didn't want to give him the chance to put me all-in or give him the pot odds to call my possible all-in bet on the turn, so I decided to move in right there, making it $850 to go. This raise constituted 95% of his stack. Of course, I was hoping he would lay it down so I could be heads up with the button for the remaining pot of $320 (if I lost to the button, but forced Backstreet tolay his hand down, I would net +$45 on the hand). I also figured I was in pretty good shape should he call with a weaker hand.Backstreet went into the tank, taking approximately 5-6 minutes to make his decision. His 5 minute staredown was one of the longest I've everexperienced, and I was not the least bit comfortable that he was taking so long. To make matters worse, he turned his cards face up (before he made his decision) so that I, and the whole table, could see that he held AK. Iwas dominated. I'm not sure what the poker etiquette or rule is on revealing your hand during the hand, but I've seen it done a few times, and I think it shouldn't be allowed. It's a cheap way to get a reaction from your oppponent (believe me it's very hard to keep your composure when you see that you're about to lose (or win) a pot of $1,700.00. Anyway, I did my best not to give him a read, and he didn't seem to pickupon anything dispositive. But after a few more minutes he finally looked up, said "fuck it. I call." All I could do was rap the table and tell him"good hand". The player next to me immediately looked over and said that there is no way he would've called that bet with only top pair topkicker. That made me feel somewhat better but it also made me wonder whether or not my move should've been made against one of the "rocks," not the tablebully. In the end it turned out that the button (who had moved all-in) had AA. His Aces held up, and the button took the main pot of $320, Backstreet took the side pot of $1,700, and I took the next cab home. Net winnings for 6 hours of play: +$5. Some of you may disagree, but based on the situation, what I held, Backstreet's previous actions, and the likelihood that I held the best hand, I still think I made the right move.The second big losing hand took place at the No-Limit table at theGoldenNugget, and was remarkably similar to Men the Master's play in the WSOP(except that I had a better hand). I was dealt JJ on the button. I raised $40 and was called by 3 people. Flop was J82. I had top set, but therewere two spades on the board. First position bet $25, the idiot in middle position called, and late position folded. I immediately raised all-inmaking it $400 to go. First position folded, but "idiot" calls with a spade draw (K7 spades). The flush hits on the river, and I'm forced togive up over 5 hrs of profit. That's poker, but yes, I did give him a few choice words before I left. :) The only other hand worth mentioning was a big score I made against a guy who slowplayed a straight. I was dealt QQ in late position. It was raisedto $20 before it got to me, and I merely smooth called the raise, hoping to build a good pot while not revealing any strength. 4 players saw the flop of AQJ, and I now held a set of queens. It was a good and bad flop for me. First I knew that everyone else likely paired up, and I was going to get plenty of action. However I was very concerned about the straight. First position bets $40, and is called by "Slowplayer". I raise making it $75 to go. Both players call and the pot is now approx $300. The turn is aTen, \just about the worst card I wanted to see because anyone holding a King now has me beat. Both players check to me. I contemplate betting, but quickly decide the fallicy in that move because anyone holding a King is likely to move all-in on me, and force me to lay down my set of Queens. I check. The river pairs the board with another Jack, and I now have QQQJJ. Bothplayers check again to me, and I immediately move all-in for $300. First player folds, and the Slowplayer quickly calls with Broadway (which he made on the turn). He's shocked and extremely pissed when I show him myboat. I casually remark that it's his fault for slowplaying and letting me see the river card for free.

Specific hands aside, I also wanted to mention my take on the various pokerrooms in Vegas. Bellagio has a good variety of games $4-$8, $8-16,$20-$40, and $30-60, No-Limit with $200 fixed buy-in, and No-Limit (inthehigh stakes room where the pros play) with a minimum $600 buy-in, but nomax. The dealers told me that most players buy-in for approx $2,000. Golden Nugget has a pretty good room, but I've been told that they're about to downsize it to only 8 tables. There's not as much action and the table sare for smaller limits $2-4 and $4-8. The No-Limit table is $100-$500 buy-in. I enjoyed playing here. The Luxor is a piece of shit with about 10 low limit tables. They do have one No-Limit table, but it's a maximum $50 buy-in. Not worth your time. Other than Bellagio, the Mirage has the best room. About 20-30 tables at all limits. The No-Limit table is a flat $300 buy-in. I really liked this room, but didn't want to wait for a seat (too drunk at 2am). Finally, the Bellagio has the best "eye candy" of all with tons of hotchicks in skirts so short they could double as belts. I'm looking forward to my next trip.

Mark

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