View from Vegas May 5 2010

You would not expect Vegas to change too much in five short months – but there is a palpable hum in the air, which was sorely lacking during all my visits last year. My first clue was the humungous line up for taxis at the airport – last year I could just walk up to the taxi line and be the first guy in line.

The line up yesterday snaked for about 100 meters – and in that blazing sun I think I would have gladly paid for a limo or even a helicopter (!) to whisk me to the Venetian.

No such conveyances were available though, so I settled for the once-scorned tourist bus, which made approximately 17 stops enroute to the Venetian – but at least it was air conditioned!

At check in, the clerk advised me they have been at or near capacity for the past two months – which explains why they want to gouge me for $500 per night at the end of the trip after the promo coupon wears out! (Checking into a different hotel for that night)

This week there seems to be a big IBM convention at the Venetian so the place is crawling with blue shirts, short hair, and name badges.

I had no time for sins or vices; just get ready for dinner with the The Wolffs – Bobby and Judy – who have taken a shine to my writings on www.bridgeblogging.com – so we arranged a terrific get together for drinks and dinner.

We chatted our heads off for a few hours – and folks it doesn’t get much better than sitting with Mr. and Mrs. “Aces on Bridge” and being fed bridge hands and stories between the Caesar salad and veal marsala.

Anyway, whereas last year I had a host who provided me with VIP check in; airport limos; free access to the VIP lounge, and most food comped if on premises, this trip I am schlepping like everyone else.

Business was so sparse in Vegas last year, even my action was attractive to the hotel. But with prosperity how quickly they forget their friends.

Still, the play’s the thing – isn’t it? Never kid yourself that the amount of action they normally require of you to justify a free room is worth it. If the chip count is not going up, just fuggedabout it!

Anyway, last night I played a little (and I mean a little) blackjack at three tables, winning a modest amount each time. I had some energy to kill before bedtime, so I played some penny Spin Poker on a slot machine. Down $50 and rueing my decision, I got into a pressing situation, and was rewarded with a max bet down ( a grand total of only $6 or 600 units - it's a penny machine remember) with a Royal Flush (with a wildcard deuce) twenty times – resulting in a $120 payout and an eventual profit at the machine of around $76.

In bed by a respectable 11.30 pm (well that’s 2.30 AM my time but who’s counting), I was visited not once but twice by the shrill sound of a wayward bedside alarm clock which the previous joker in my room had set to 3 AM. Eventually ripping it out of the wall (couldn’t figure out how to switch the damn thing off) I got about 6 hours of sleep otherwise.

Downstairs for blackjack – a few short sessions before the daily poker tournament – they all went well till the last one – where I misplaced my customary discipline and patience and wiped out all my morning’s profits at one table.

For $150 I bought into the daily tournament – shoulder to shoulder with 90 other Venetian denizons anxious to claim a piece of the approx $4000 first place prize.

This ended too early for me. When the blinds were at the 7th level, I got all my chips in the middle against Mr. Super Stack. 1/3 of them pre flop when I raised large from the button with JJ to eliminate two limpers, but Mr. Super Stack in the big blind called me effortlessly.

With a hugely wonderful flop of J72 offsuit, Mr. Super Stack came out firing with a half pot size bet, and I (without too much evident enthusiasm) raised him all in. His stack had me well and truly covered 3-4 times over, so of course, he snap called with his KK.

The river alas was a cursed king, and instead of more than doubling up, I was out and on the rail. Ah well, such is the life of a tournament poker player. I ended up around 30th.

Earlier in the event I was in a three way pot with 66. I had raised to 3 times the big blind in late position; the button re-raised me, and the big blind came along for the ride. I was getting good odds to call, but I felt I was in a poor position with a low pair and not on the button – nevertheless I perversely called !

The flop was A 5 A rainbow. They both checked to me, and I looked down at a meager stack and understood my best chance to move onwards was to take this pot down. So I shoved all in – like a man with an ace or even 55 or A5. I wished I had more chips, since my all in was less than half the size of the pot - meaning they would get good odds to call me.

Can you believe what happened next? The button agonized and threw away a pair of kings, after an intense stare down. (He was in the middle of me and the next guy so you can see why he was reticent)

This left the big blind looking at his own pair of jacks, and at me for a hopeful show and tell. But I had my best deadpan look going, and after even more theatrics on his part, he also folded. They were quick to show the table what experts they were - making such big laydowns – so I could not resist – I turned over my 6’s.

This got a huge laugh and applause from the rest of the table – and had these two guys talking to themselves for the rest of the day. I guess they would no longer peg me as super tight.

Within an hour, Mr. Super Stack came to our table and put them both out of their misery on the same hand – when he spiked the nut flush on the river to oust their (tied) winning hands.

Anyway, I was out of the tournament, so I repaired to the blackjack pit to recoup my entry fee and get back in the saddle again. Me and the dealer – one shoe – I only lost two hands, playing two spots in a double deck game. And it was winning ugly. As is so often the case when “the press is on”, you win with hands you would not normally expect to.

Great ! Back up to a new high for the trip – and played a little longer until two jumpers came in and messed with my karma. I humored them for a shoe or two and as my chip stack was treading water, I said thank you and good bye.

Still, all in all, a great start to the trip. Viva Las Vegas!