ITH Poker Forum

[Doc T River]

I love the trip reports you and Chris are doing.

[chrisjp]

Ah man it's to have the Shark if old back

Groovy readin

Request for folk reading on small screens

More paragraph breaks. And more space in the paragraph spaces

<Chrisjp edit> Pauli, you putting in for ITH edit chairman? OK, as nside's official Vegas rooter I have given Paulif a break and done some minor nside reconstruction. Understand I'm doing this only at paulif's request and at my own peril. Also it took me < 5 minutes so no big deal....

OK now I'll go back and read the report for the first time.

[chrisjp]

the Asian guy sits down next to me and I promptly start to terrorize him. He folds his big blind and then raises his small blind against my big on his second hand. I call with A9 and flop an Ace - bet/call. The turn brings a second Ace and he bets again, so I raise. My line doesn't look much like an Ace, probably second pair. He calls. River blank, check-call-muck, thank you very much.

Next orbit he raises the button first-in and I three bet the small blind with KQ. He calls and then raises my flop bet on a King high flop. I figure he has AK. Turn is a lovely Queen, thank you very much. I check-raise the turn and bet call the blank river and he tables AA in some disgust. Like two hands later, he open raises and I 3 bet with 99 and he four bets. T87 flop, bet call. Turn duece, bet call, river Jack, bet-raise-call. I show the straight and he says he isn't going to play against me again. He can't beat me. For the rest of the time he's alive he keeps looking at me every time the action is on him and usually folds.

^^^^^^^^^ is why poker is just the greatest!!!

[chrisjp]

I raise JJ from EP and he three bets his button. I call and the flop is bingo J43hh and I lead into him and he raises, so I quickly three bet and he calls, looking smug. They've seen me do this with flush draws, so I hope that's what he puts me on. The turn is a black Ten and I lead again and he makes a big show of pondering and then raises. You can go ahead and turn your overpair over now, sir. I three bet with much less drama and he looks confused and calls. The river is the damned Ace. I think about it for a while and decide he either has KK or AA. If he has KK he might fold to a bet and might bluff if I check. If has AA, well, duh. I check call, he tables the Aces and I muck as unemotionally as I can manage. Three hands later, the level ends and I'm down to 5,400. Almost all the way back to the starting stack. Bummer.

The only good thing about LHE. In my NL I get to go home now--or double him up.

[chrisjp]

OMG that 98 flush losing to T2s... Just don't see that in NL. So I'll stick to NL.

[chrisjp]

Great Report!--except that I don't get to read about Day 2
Buzio's beats Quiznos, no doubt about it.

Chris

[nsidestrate]

OMG that 98 flush losing to T2s... Just don't see that in NL. So I'll stick to NL.

You aren't supposed to see it in limit either. That guy was amazing. He could literally have turned up with almost anything there. If only it had been 65s I might still be playing!

[nsidestrate]

I'll keep this relatively short since this isn't chowhound. Since I no longer had plans for Saturday, I spent the day with Suited. We took the town car to Bellagio where Armani had shipped in more stuff for her to try on that they didn't have Friday. Of course it fits and looks awesome, so she extended her lead over me. Its really funny to be walking down the casino with her in shorts and a t-shirt at one moment and then looking like a rock star in an Armani suit a minute later. We got her back in normal clothes and did a tour of Aria (I'm not a huge fan, actually -- I prefer the Cosmopolitan).

We did lunch in a the fast casual place by the same chef who is making our dinner. The concept is Chinese/Mexican fusion and its pretty amazing. I had a margarita that comes with a sea salt foam on top that was out of this world good. The young lady sitting next to me was watching me try it and gushed "Isn't it AWESOME?" as soon as I tried it. I felt bad for the poor girl, because apparently someone stole her pants and she was forced to just wear a shirt. I'm sure she was uncomfortable, because when she sat down it didn't even really cover her hipbones. Or so Suited said. I don't notice that sort of thing. We also had a scallop ceviche and some shu mai. The dumplings were flavored with cumin and the sauce was brilliant, but the scallop was the star. It was perched atop a key lime, which you upended into your mouth and squeezed, so that the spice, juice and scallop all mingled together into a perfect bite. I was so impressed that I was ready to go directly to dinner.

Dinner.

Oh my God, where to start. I walked up and said that we were here to dine at e! and was immediately greeted by "Of course, Mr. Shark! We've been expecting you." I dunno how they did that. We had a quick champagne cocktail and were soon escorted into a private back room behind the bar. The chef told us we would be starting with a gin and tonic. I'm not a huge fan of gin and tonic, but what the hell? He poured several shots of gin into a metal bowl. Next he opened a large thermos and poured liquid nitrogen into the bowl. The table soon was covered in smoke as the nitrogen evaporated and he thrashed the bowl violently with a whisk. He kept adding liquid nitro and it looked like a movie special effect or a rock show. When he was done, the gin was a huge fluffy ball of mostly air and frozen gin. He then prepared the glasses with a pool of preserved lemon goo, spooned in the gin ice slushy over top and then produced a whipped cream dispenser thing which contained foam of tonic water which he filled the glass with. They shaved juniper berries and lemon zest over the top and served it with a spoon. I actually do like gin and tonic, if they are prepared by Merlin the wizard.

On and on it went. They actually served 22 separate dishes, along with paired beverages (wine, beer, sherry, expresso, you name it). A highlight was an Apple cake thing. The apple was somehow turned into a puffed up tube about the size of a twinkie. It looked just like styrofoam. Inside the tube, they took goat cheese and whipped it with a stick blender and then put it into a container and puffed it full of nitrous oxide so that the result was super-light airy spray cheese of the gods, which they promptly injected into and filled the apple tube. They then topped it with a thick line of sweetened hazelnut sauce. Oh my God! Each bite immediately melted into a liquid in your mouth, like cotton candy. It just made you laugh out loud.

This guy had a review of it that had about half of the same dishes. It will give you a better idea of what it was like. I would be willing to kill people to eat there again. If I can find anyone else in Vegas who agrees that this is something to experience, I'm going to do it again. I've eaten at many of the best restaurants in the world and I have never done anything remotely as cool and exciting and tasty as this in my life. I am totally in love.

After that, we did a little bit of craps and Pai Gao poker. I'm sure I didn't notice an endless parade of women with similar issues to the girl at lunch. Single dudes who aren't 100 years old should make a note. Spend some time on weekend evenings at the Cosmopolitan. Trust me.

Suited and I had a fairly early night, because she had to be up at the crack of dawn to catch her flight back home. Because I'm a great guy, I got up with her, fed her breakfast, packed her bag and escorted her to the airport in the town car to make sure she had not problems getting on the flight and all of that. Once that was done, I obtained a rental car and headed back to the Manadarin Oriental for the sad task of packing my bag and taking my talents to the Rio. The Rio isn't a terrible hotel by any means. But after the MO, it is going to feel like I'm in prison. But it is sooooo convenient to be able to just amble up to my room on breaks or at the end of the night.

I actually have three free nights from the Wynn at the end of the trip, so I'll move three times. I'm actually looking at some good offers from the MGM, so I might even do four hotels. LOL.

Back at the hotel, I continued my couch to 5k plan by hitting the treadmil, showering up afterwards and packing up my shit. I still have an hour to kill, more or less. I hate to get there early for this event, because it is a HUGE zoo. Looks like it will be a record field again. Despite the issues with Tilt, it looks like fields are very strong this year.

[nsidestrate]

The 1,000 event. I actually wrote brief notes on every hand of significance I played.

The first hand I played was actually one of the dumbest plays I've made in a long time. I opened QTs to 75 on the CO and the SB three bet a min-raise to 150. Nice. I call, obviously. The flop is QQT and it goes check-check. I sometimes bet there, but chose not to. The turn was another ten. Now I'm hoping that he's willing to call off with an ace. I bet about 200, hoping bet bigger on the river. He tosses in a 500 chip, intending to raise, but actually calling. He protests to no avail. I more or less act like it has to be call and I'm glad, since that will be the ruling anyhow. He bets 600 on the river and I inexplicably call. I remember thinking that it had to be a chop or he'd fold, but it was still idiotic.

Next hand I make a possibly bad decision to call a 75 chip raise in the small blind (which is actually a big blind) with Q8s. The flop comes down AQJ and it goes check-check. The turn is an 8. I check-raise his 100 chip bet to 300. The river is a T and it goes check-check and he shows QJ to take it down.

I raise 55 on the button, BB defends. Flop 78Thh. I cbet to 100 and he calls. The turn is a 9 and it goes check-check. The river is 8 hearts and he bets 400. I can't see the Ace doing that and I turbo-fold.

4 limpers to the aggro CO who raises to 125. I call with KQs, probably should have 3 bet. Flop is 885 and I float 300. Turn is an Ace and he bets 900 and I fold.

3,200 at the end of the level.

Up to 25/50 now. Big time.

Two limpers plus the small blind, I check option with K9cc. Flop comes T75cc, giving me flush draw and an overcard. SB leads 100, I call, MP calls, one fold. Turn is a 9, giving me a shit pair and SB still fires 400 and only I call. Pot now 2k or so and the river is a King, giving me Kings and Nines. SB bets 800 and I call. KT him, down to 1,850 now.

Level 3, 50/100

I open to 400 with KTss over one limper. Button, who is one of the better and trickier players at the table asks for my stack size and then 3 bets to 1,100, so I shove to 1,800. He calls with 88 and I hit a ten in the window.

Jon Turner moves two my left. As I write this, he is still amongst the chip leaders with 90 left in the field. As pros go, I guess he's one of the better ones to have on my left.

I end the level at 4,300 by stealing a bit more than average.

Level 4, 75/150

I open AQ to 450, BB calls. He's a new player, looks like a southern california player. Tons of jewelry, headphones, huge watch. Reminds me of Teddy "Iceman" but not him. Flop comes Q43r and I cbet 600, he calls. The turn is an Ace, and I probably should check behind, but I bet 1,000 and he shoves for like 800 more. I'm not loving this, but really have to call. He has 44 and I'm down under 2k

I don't get a chance to open and 7 hands later I get 99 and the fairly active guy in MP opens to 450. I shove 1,550 and he has QQ. gg me.

I make the phone calls, chat with Taard who convinces me to play the $175 deep stack, rail Yanks in a satty. Yanks runs like god while I'm there and gets heads-up with like a 3:1 chip disadvantage. He proposes a sweet chop of one lammer each and the other guy keeps the cash (Like $165 or so I think) I try not to chortle as the nice accepts the deal. I help him feel better about the chop by pointing out that one all-in will change everything and Yankees is a lucksack. I check in and meet up with Bugs Bunny before the 6 o'clock deal. We agree to a 3 way 10% pool, so they promptly bust out. I drink profusely and flop a flush, turn a royal on the first hand. I get paid. I keep flopping or bluffing and have doubled my stack by the first break. The structure is goofy, I go card dead and eventually end up out with like 70 left or so. Yanks texts a proposal of drunk 1/1 no limit at Hard Rock and Bugs and I taxi over there. We end up seating in seats 4, 5 and 6. I'm drunk and talking shit to everyone. I play about 95% of my hands and obviously make money. Brent is a nit (duh!) and Bugs plays good. I'm pretty sure we all made money. I lose my first three hands and have to rebuy. I'm not allowed over $100, so I pocket $50 in chips and buy $100. I completely forget these chips and end up with them in my pocket the next day. Luckily, the Rio will cash their chips. When we leave the Hard Rock, the sun is out. This is quite disconcerting.

I wake up more or less intact, have some noodle soup and get my hair cut. Afterwards, I head to the Bellagio and play 20/40 from like 4 to 11 and cash out $1,600 in profit. I think I'm going to call that a Macbook Air. Tomorrow, the apple store.

[Dogs]

I think I'm going to call that a Macbook Air. Tomorrow, the apple store.

Don't say things like that. My 13" thread is about the Macbook Pro. You're just going to confuse me again now, and I was looking to visit the Apple store myself at the weekend.

In case you didn't know because of being in Vegas playing poker and drinking and all, they've announced Lion for a July release. I'm expecting you to walk out with a voucher for a free upgrade (worth the princely sum of $29.99).

[jeffnc]

I'd actually be more comfortable with PLO8 than regular O8. I think I'm actually too nitty.

One big difference is in limit you can call on the river and get quartered and you're fine.

[jeffnc]

Man, you're stylin out there! If I can't be there, glad I can read about it......

[Misunderstud]

Man, you're stylin out there!

The perfect verb!

Does anyone remember that TV series Sliders, where the heroes kept disappearing through wormholes into parallel worlds that were like ours but at the same time nothing like ours? That's where I feel nside is when I read his TRs.

Very entertaining, Mr. L.

[nsidestrate]

Alrighty then. Yesterday was fairly boring. I woke up late and had my usual lunch of spicy tuna roll. I'm officially tired of them now. The best thing about them is that they are spicy enough that you don't know if the tuna sucks. I hoped to play cash games at the Rio, but the game wasn't going yet.

I decided to give the $125 sats that Chris and Brent grind a go. I get seated very quickly and make some early mistakes by splashing around in the 25/25 and 25/50 levels. At least they should have been mistakes. I think now that there isn't much point in getting involved in those levels. One guy busted two players in the first two levels to chip up to T$2,500 and the chip lead by far. He was the third one out. I honestly don't think an early double in these things is worth that much. You might as well just chill for 20 minutes or so until you are in pushbot mode. The limits go 25/25, 25/50, 50/100 and you start with 1,000 chips. By 100/200, we were 3 way. You get the picture.

I'm pretty much all-in twice an orbit for some time. I build my stack relentlessly with blind steals, including a guy who raised to 400 with 900 chips left and then folded to my shove. He explained that TT was no good there. By some miracle of the poker gods, I had KK so I showed him so he could know what a "good fold" he made. The table marvels at my card rush. I get called by AJ when I shove A7 and they may realize that perhaps I don't always have the nuts. I flop a 7 and he's out. It was my only suckout.

3 handed, it is me, a semi-clueful guy (who likes to raise 3x and then shove most every flop) and a nitty old dude. I really dominate the 3 handed play, shoving pretty much constantly and annoying the shit out of the old guy. When we are three way at 150/300 and he has a stack that ranges from 2k to 3k or so, he plays the button like this: Fold about 70% of his hands, open limp about 20% of his hands and raise to 900 with 10% of his hands. After seeing that his limps are hands like QT and knowing he won't ever call with them, I start to jam over almost every single open-limp, playing the hand just like I would if it was blind vs blind. It gets under his skin and now he sometimes starts to limp, looks at me in disgust and folds. I really want to laugh out loud. The live calling range to shoves is so ridiculously nitty that open shoving every hand is almost certainly profitable. You can't really do that, I guess, but it would be a legit strategy.

The semi-clueful guy ends up knocking out the old guy on a cooler. We enter heads-up and I've got 6k to his 4k. I think I actually had 6,300 or something. He asks me if I'm willing to make a deal. He offers to split the chip and I take the cash and I tell him that isn't enough for me. I offer to pay him $400 and he accepts. The two biggest sources of profit are deal making and pushbot lol-ness.

I play another one and I have about 1,600 chips at 50/100 in the big blind. The Button (the best player at the table who isn't me) open shoves 800 and the SB calls all-in for 400. I'm honestly not sure what the right action there is. I'm 99% sure that Button will shove at least half his hands there (he probably should shove everything) but SB won't call without something. Probably any ace, any two face cards, any pair? So, the main pot has 900 and I need to call 300 to cover that. So I'm getting 3:1 on that money. There is another 400 that I'd have to call at even money against the Button. I think this is almost any ATC call, but no one else at the table would do that at all. I end up calling with J8s. Button has Q4, SB has A3. Nobody pairs and I'm down to 800 chips. Chris, do you fold there?

I shove my 800 a few hands later with 88 and get called by AT and lose the race. Net profit about $600. The Rio now has the cash game going, but Iceman is sitting and he is in full effect today and I just can't deal with it. I head over to the Bellagio to try to repeat my cash game domination. The table isn't that good and I'm not really feeling it. I end up down $200 and decide to play the 6pm "deep stack" at the WSOP. I bust in the first level when I flop top set on a board of T75hh and get it in against AKhh. He catches and I decide to wander over to Cosmopolitan to claim the free $100 that Suited and lost earlier in the week. No credit for craps losses, so I play video poker and grind for like 60 tedious minutes before losing it. I claim my free $100 which comes in "match play." I play through that and cash out $125. So I profit $25 from the freeroll. This is a bit of a waste of time, I guess, but free money is free money. I promptly give it to the Chinese Mexican fusion place in exchange for some mega-awesome food.

I really should stay up late to get ready for a long night tomorrow, but I don't. I crash around midnight and wake up at 5:30. Perfect.

[nsidestrate]

By the way, I heard from two different players today that Full Tilt was offered enough money to pay everyone out, but the current management team would lose control of the site in exchange. They declined the deal. Depending on who you ask, this could be part of the reason that Ivey got pissed off and filed suit.

At this point, the Tilt scandal is shockingly similar to the PokerSpot thing.