Vegas in August - part 2 Poker Tournament

I forgot to mention the best thing about the Venetian - although I don't play heavy enough or long enough to rate a gold or platinum card, the last couple of trips they have given me "VIP check-in" . So when you arrive at the hotel, and see literally dozens of people in a snake-like lineup waiting to check-in, you can quietly smirk to yourself as you take the hidden doorway to the Venetian's equivalent of the Maple Leaf Lounge - and no one ahead of you in the line-up.

But the past few Vegas trips, including this one, the blackjack table gods have not been so kind to me - it has been hard to score a hit and run - since more often than not I am the one getting hit.

This morning I eschewed the morning swim (in light of my head cold) and sat down at a $25 table where I promptly lost a few hundred. The table next door was no kinder. So I caught up on some reading in the room and later entered the daily noon poker tournament.

Today I played MUCH better than yesterday - that is right up till the point where I got knocked out - 12th of 100 original players - just on the wrong side of the cashing bubble.

The blinds were now up to $1000-$2000; with a $300 ante, so with 7 players left at our table, each orbit was costing $5100. Still I had a decent stack of around $45,000. I figured if I made it to the final table, the average stack size would be around $80,000 - so I was a bit under the average at that time - but the pots were getting so large that it would not take much to put me in good shape.

All day I had been disciplined and laid down a number of hands that I believe saved my skin and lots of chips at those times. On the exit hand however, I did not play it safe. I had 99 in the small blind ($1000) and everyone folded to the button who made the standard courtesy raise of $6,000. This particular player liked to get involved, but usually backed off to a show of strength. His stack was slightly bigger than mine.

I decided my hand was not a hand that plays well after many flops so I decided to take down the pot then and there. I shoved all in. He agonized and finally called with AJo.

The board flopped K84 rainbow, and I was doing fine. The next card was a king and of course the river was a jack and I sheepishly headed for the rail. I don't think anyone at the table thought much of this - there had been lots of similar races by this point -but I knew I had mangled my position and the hand.

First, I think I should have just called his raise - if I don't like post flop developments I can get out and wait for another hand to make a move with. As it happens, with this flop, I can lead out fairly strongly with a pot or near pot sized bet. If he has a king, I'll get the vibe. If not, he will probably fold and look for another spot. I don't think this guy had the balls to raise me big time or all in with a bluff or semi bluff.

What a swing - I think I would have taken down the pot before the turn - and been alive and healthy - instead of guarding the rail as I did.

OK enough beating myself up. Any good hands? Well I got dealt AA in the BB with the blinds around $600/$1200 and a $100 ante. First position called; as did the SB; and I raised it up to $5000. The guy in first called, and the SB folded. I checked before the flop came down - called "checking dark" - I don't know what the book says this play may indicate - but it's my sense that it's often from a weak or ambiguous hand.

Well as it happens the board hit with A65 - two spades (I had no spades). Not a bad flop for me - and I have checked to the other guy. He shoved all in - he was either on a flush draw, an open ended straight draw; or maybe a big Ace. Anyway I called, and he flipped K9 of spades. My aces held up and I doubled up.

Early in the tournament I held KK and was involved with one other guy - he had position on me. The board was QJ107 after the turn - with no flush possibilities. The pot was pretty heavy and he shoved me all in.I knew he did not have AK. I didn't want to put my tournament life on a drawing hand, but I did have lots of outs - 4 aces; 4 nines; two kings; 3 sevens; and as it happens 3 jacks. If I folded I would be short stacked again and that's no fun.

Anyway I called and spiked an Ace on the river to best his Q10. I don't know if my poker expert friends would approve of my call, but it worked here.

A few orbits before the exit hand (with lower blinds)I had 97o on the button and I raised to $4000 which only seemed to interest the BB. The flop was 862 and he fired a serious looking $9000 at the pot - and again I think I made an error here. The flop had two spades (I had one) but I had a decision to make. I could fold (save some money); I could call and see what comes on the turn and see what his next move is - or I could raise.

I think if I am going to raise I should shove all-in. Anyway I folded - I did not want to get called and come down to a straight draw with only 8 outs. Chicken. I think the shove would have worked - he only had middle pair.

Generally I played small ball poker - trying to avoid the all-in shoot outs unless I felt I had an edge - more often than not I respected re-raises and re-re-raises, and this helped.

I folded a lot of Ace rag hands in most positions; and also let go an AK and an AJ suited pre flop when the action suggested I would either be an underdog or in a race for all my chips.

I played (and am generally playing) more hands post flop - which is the area of my game that needs the most work and the area I have been working to improve on - another reason why my exit hand was so bad. Big pre flop moves seem to be the purview of weaker players who are afraid to play some poker - and instead like to gamble.

Anyway, 6 hours of poker was for naught - financially that is - but for any bridge players out there I can tell you the buzz is almost as good as after a tough session of top level bridge - you relive the moments and the hands for hours afterwards - and it's not so much about the money I might have won - though for sure that's why I am here - bridge doesn't make me money yet I really enjoy it - same with a poker tournament.

After the tourney I joined Svetlana for a few hands of BJ and took revenge on the casino by scoring a $200 BJ on the last hand of a pregnant 2 deck shoe.

Came upstairs and bid some BBO hands with Keith and then back down for some BJ. Won another $150, then great dinner from the tasting menu at Zine in the Palazzo. After that, we sat down for some more BJ at the Palazzo - but the tables are filling up and the minimums are at least $50 (and those are hard to find)

I dropped a bit at two tables there and prepared to come back to the room. Svetlana plans to play some more so I scouted a table at the venetian for her while she went to powder her nose. First hand I split two two's versus dealer's two - scored a 21 with a double down and a 20 on the other hand and lost money as dealer pulled her own 21.

The shoe count got very favorable and I was pressing and losing. Svetlana came along and I advised her not to play so of course she immediately placed a bet - thinking this was some kind of advanced couples-speak for you gotta bet now!

Well it all worked out as I scored three big hands in a row in the second shoe; recouping the prior losses, and I got out of Dodge while the going was good.

I don't know where all the words come from - I wrote a ton here - I really have to stop this and just enjoy myself more here in fabulous Las Vegas.