So I find myself sitting around the apartment, bored and a bit lethargic. I don't even realize sometimes that the overcast weather can have some weird effect on me given that I'm more of a night person and Vegas is blazingly sun-infested 95% of the time anyways. Probably going to play a few MTGO drafts then head out to the tables. I'm feeling a bit ambitious for tonight, so if the table accommodates it I'd really like to try and super LAG things up on the first BI, obviously it will be situational whether I can shift things up, and if I tank the first BI in the effort I will be defaulting back to my norm. I'm feeling pretty confident having won seven of my last sessions and would like to finish this weekend out strong. Naturally, its not if but when Ill get bit and trend down a bit, but going into a game with those thoughts is counterproductive.

LAG mission success. Ended up going to the Excalibur...yeah I know it's like pretty low-ball'n but its where I started playing when I moved here years back. I know the staff pretty well and am very comfortable there, and as such, have a habit of returning if I want to play around outside my standard norms (TAG).

Had a lot of comps hanging around so grabbed a late dinner at Buca before playing. The place seems to get some flack, and while it isn't a 5 star Italian place at the V, it's pretty damn satisfying. The shrimp diavola is ususally my go-to, but got the stuffed chicken breasts in a basil cream sauce tonight. The waitress felt the need to alert me that this dish is pretty substantial and was usually shared with 2-3 people. Naturally I consumed the entirety solo.

After dinner went downstairs and wasn't thrilled with the games, decided to walk over to Luxor. Found about what I wanted @the 1-2 and set to work playing the old table captain game. Given my M.O. for the night and a full stomach, it seemed acceptable to have a few drinks. Cap and diet was the drink for the night. I drastically lightened up my 3-bet range all the way from MP on +hammered from cutoff-highjack-button with nearly any 2 and was meeting very little opposition. The table was very conservative, a mix of loose passive and some genuinely seemingly scared money spots. Floated an old guy's flop bet after he had flat my !3 pre and yet he led out on a J79 flop w/2 hearts (I held pp 1010 but felt I was behind after this elderly nittish guy led out after calling my rr pre oop), we chk/chk a blank turn and he visually grimaces at the Qh river before checking into me. Hes in for about $90 this hand and has a little under $200 behind, pot is about $200 so I bet about 3/4 pot @$145 (still leaving a decent amount behind me). He asks "called me with a flush draw?" to which i replied "well I had more than JUST a flush draw"...he mucks KK up. After table let me run the show for 90 min or so I decided to show a few bluffs then tighten up, and do some casual reading (literally...not like hand reading), definitely payed off as shortly after a semi-competent player decided to call my 2 pair down 3 streets with TPMK, pretty certain this player never does this w/out the previous aggression and perhaps the advertised bluffs goading him into it. Played just over 3.5 hours, in for $300, out for $875. Btw I picked this little flier up at the Rio last night for a mtt buy ins promo for hours at Ballys this month and August, seeing as I play there a lot anyhow I will likely try to take advantage of it, especially with the double hours offered from 2a.m. -10 a.m.

Buca stuffed chicken breasts


In for $300 out for $875 (this pic is a bill or so light from final count)



Flyer for Bally's Promo

Great thread! Keep it going. More pics of food and women please.

Good thread!

Thanks and thanks again for reading. There will never be a shortage of women and food on this thread I assure you, though this latest round are, unfortunately, fully clothed.

Got out later than I wanted to again tonight but still made it down to the Rio in time to catch some closing action. Walking into the Amazon Room with the spectators and camera crews milling around, I was reminded why I've largely avoided the WSOP scene this year. It's certainly not any distaste for the events, conversely I find myself somewhat envious of the other players. I love the challenge, the buzz, and the spectacle of big live mtts, and every year I say something to the effect of "next year Ill really put in an effort on the mtts". Every year I'll play a few little $150-$600 tourneys with mixed results, but ultimately default back to the cash games I know I can dominate with consistency. The very nature of these large field mtts goes against my ingrained values as a cash game grinding nit, yet I can't help but be curious and a tad jealous. I can say from experience that there's little more tilting and agitating for a cash game player than playing out a 8-12 hour mtt grind and then having nothing to show for it, however that's quickly forgotten when confronted with the undeniable glamor of these events. The last few months I've been diverting 10-15% of my cash game wins (gross not net) to a separate account that I want to commit, along with a substantial investment of time/effort entirely to mtts next summer. It's only about $1800 at the moment but by next summer might be respectable enough to mix things up.

After the M.E. players bagged up for the night, I headed over to the Orleans for some 1-3. The Orleans game is a 1-3 nl with a $500 buy in, and I was in the mood to play a little deeper. Unfortunately, The prior thoughts were still nagging at me and I couldn't get my head in the game or really relax and enjoy myself. Obviously I could never stomach putting out $10k for a tournament, however I certainly regret never playing some of the smaller events and taking some satellite shots at the biggy. Being over-cautious has served me well in providing a sense of security and consistency, however I also know it is likely holding me back and inducing a stagnation of sorts that I need to start consciously working against. Ugh sorry my mind is trailing off on me with illusions of grandeur haha...anyhow so it took me much longer than it should have and down -$130 to realize I was at a pretty unappetizing table and ask for a table change. New table wasn't great but was substantially weaker and allowed me to chip up $90 back playing unappetizing ABC. Still just couldn't get myself zoned in...I didn't WANT to be there like I would normally 95% of sessions I play, I wanted to be bagging up from the M.E. as ludicrous as that sounds. Considering this table still wasn't remotely juicey, I decided to call it a night down -$40 and after only 1.5 hours to end my 8 session streak in a less than dramatic fashion.

I've ran/played pretty well thus far this week but have put in pretty weak volume hour-wise, I definitely need to get back to grinding it out, likely over at Ballys for that promo i mentioned earlier. I really think I need a little vacation soon though to get my drive back strong, I'm thinking I'll head out to Socal for a week or so after July ends then try and transition into more of a 50-50 on my 1/2/2-5 sessions when i get back rather than the roughly 80/20 it is now...baby steps but I need to twist my own arm a little and leave my safe zones. It's very hard, for me personally anyways, to break habits that served me reasonably well.

Sorry this post ended up being more melodramatic and 'bloggy' than I had intended...without further adieu, lets get to some WSOP pics. I tried to snap some shots of players and big stacks +a little rail candy. Photos were coming out bad though and I got disciplined for having flash on at one point. I don't really follow the mtt scene so I cannot provide names for the pictures.

In a sea of overly serious hoodie types, this dude had some character


feature table


feature table closer


Maria Ho?


Some host chick I assume...had an ESPN Mic


another Mic girl


solid 8.5/10...couldn't resist...hhhhnnnnnggg


guy with the black hair had the stack and demeanor of a serious contender, the old dude in the foreground...don't know his name but I KNOW Ive played some llsnl and small buy in mtts around town with him


Bag'n em up


...srry no sexy food pics for tonight, in my distraught state I hit a McDonald's on the way home and crammed some barely edible carcinogens down my throat

You're living the dream. I take my hat off to you well done sir! Keep rolling!

GF is total class, my compliments!

Sub.

11.p.m. Saturday 7/12/14: I strut into the Bellagio poker room and take my seat at 2-5, buying for the $500 max because I'm baller like that... The table just looks great, very casual looking players and an older Asian couple who speak little to no English. I sit 30 minutes or so card dead so feeling out the table, get down about -$180 so recap up to the $500. As it turns out the elderly Asian couple are actually just learning how to play! Their pockets are deep and they enjoy calling down with anything almost just to see what happens. I'm able to slide under the radar and just iso these 2 relentlessly, shutting down when I miss and value betting to death anything with showdown value. Chip up to $1300 over the next hour, life is good. In comes macho-aggro spewlag Greek guy adorned in heavy gold jewelry. He slips into a table captain role blasting a standard $25 pre from MP-button with a seemingly endless range. I wont go into detail but he terribly plays up to a $1500 chip stack over the next 30 minutes. I get a seat change to his left and prepare to get my shot in4deepstax...it happens, the hand develops great, I flop a monster, turn improves me, build the pot up and he shoves on paired river...$1800 pot to me (effective to my stack since he had more chips) and with me having $750 left behind. Potentially biggest pot/hand win of the year for me (the higher stakes guys will lol at this) and I FOLD! My hand strength and the way it played +his image on table allowed for a marginal call, but live reads (yeah lol live reads) and instinct were leaning towards fold. A typical inner battle of mathematical ranging in resulting logical decision Vs conflicting instinct/reads ensued and I went with instinct; What good is experience if you don't use it. Of course if I lose I'm down -$680 and my decent weak gets pretty mediocre fast but I honestly don't think this had any bearing on my decision. He wasn't going to show but I started racking up my remaining $750 right after the fold and he showed. I wont mention his hand yet because I'm hoping for some feedback in the llsnl forum. If you want to comment on the hand or just know the details check it out here: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/17...epish-1459079/

I calmly walk off, steaming on the inside that my +$70 session could have, under slightly different circumstances, been +$1870...R.O.T. ftw lol.

~3 a.m.: I hit the restroom on the way out of the B and am standing at the urinal bemoaning my bad luck in melodramatic fashion when true Vegas magic happens...

I hear a loud clang and turn to see an absolutely horribly intoxicated dude stumble into the restroom and audibly clang off the hand dryer/dispenser thing. His eyes are glazed over with a look like he was lost in the desert or from some ill-fated Everest expedition. He finally targets the object of his desire, the urinal to my right and does sort of a lean-run-fall over to it. He slams both hands against the wall for support and lets out a loud "Ughhh...Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" This is when it hits me that somethings wrong...I cant recall any sort of zipper sound or fumbling for a button, not even a tell-tale shift of the pants...this segues into another disturbing thought...for a guy in such obvious urinary distress, why was there no sound coming from my right??? I hazard a small glance to the right...and then down just a bit...all is soon revealed. A dark dark splotch, roughly the shape of Australia mars the center of his guy's totally secured, undropped khaiki pants! As I watch, totally engrossed and shamelessly staring at this point, not that he notices this at all, the shape expands into something more like N. America...then gravity kicks in and Central then S. America start filling in down one of the legs! This dude is pissing all over himself and by all appearances absolutely loving it. A minute or so passes then he his ****-eating grin transforms into a more neutral expression...then one of actual mild shock as he realizes what hes done. (something like - - ) He shambles into a stall and pulls his phone out, I can't make out all of the muffled/slurred conversation but the it was clear he was trying to tell or convince someone to bring him some pants.

I head out to my car still smiling and with the big losing hand totally off my mind. This town is definitely not for everyone, but I love it here.

My only regret was, being so in the moment during the large hand and subsequent restroom event, I failed to pull the phone out and snap pics.

I spent today (Sunday) eating some good food at Famous Dave's BBQ and getting some things done around town, bailed on the strip but played some 1-2 at GVR for +$180 making it +$1790 for this week.

GF gets some strange satisfaction from washing/waxing the car...who am I to deny her that?


Finally clean...until it rains again anyways


Ate at Famous Dave's...best chain type BBQ imo, hits the spot when I miss the south-east where I grew up. This is called the 'Manhandler' it's like 1/2 pound of brisket on a bun topped with smoked sausage links and spicy hellfire pickles. The cornbread muffins kick ass as well. All for under $10 bucks. If I wasn't obsessive about working out, I think I'd be one of those 400-600 pounders on T.V. talking about how "food was always there for me"



Sauce sampling is a must


GVR, in for $300 out for $480


Really nice sunset tonight from the unusual moisture/clouds we've been having



Mandatory car porn shot from the other night

Vanquish right?....they are the ****in nuts....prolly my must have car if if i strike it rich

Db9 I think, ya they all are sick, I think Vanquish is my favorite as well. I was thinking the same thing if I hit it rich but then I saw the Bimmer I8 and its tough...

Nice pic.
Horrible spot on the river.
Not sure what I'd do.
I am going to guess he shows QT given the tone of your post.

Enjoying the thread. I remember you from elsewhere (the pic with the glass to your eye did it) and will be interesting to follow you. Nice set of wheels

Nice thread OP but...

FAMOUS DAVES IS ****ING TRASH

lol...I couldn't judge them based on the merits of their ribs ect because I get this sandwhich every time and its amazing. It is a chain though so youl get some pretty nasty variance by location. Reminds me of when I would eat at chillis and applebeeze all the time growing up and the food could swing all over the spectrum by location.

thx, yeah I used to post on AVP a lot, stopped a long time ago when it just got so dead/debunked

-1. There are a lot of bad BBQ places out there, but Famous Dave's isn't one of them.

This is shaping up nicely.

Loving the writing style. Loving the selfie (know who to avoid when I'm donking around south strip )

Obviously doing some things right; OP is showing us his LVL, in LVL and that is A-OK with the Dude.

I think it was Gucci Mane who once famously said "I shook them haters off" and you're gonna get those, keep it pushing as always tho.

Stay black.

Hey Thanks ...I was re-reading some posts though and realized I've made a few horrendous grammatical errors. I'm a little rusty and have a habit of just typing off the top of my head as I recall things; If my thoughts shift mid-sentence it can end badly. I'll try and peruse future posts before submitting to make things a little more palatable.

Hoping to put in another strong week, but its going to likely take more hours than last week as I just kicked it off -$300 in the hole during another 2-5 session. I'll likely post a bit on it and some pics tomorrow but have to crash early, I have to go to the gdam DMV tomorrow morning which is gonna suck big and probably throw me off for the day.

Disclaimer: i live in Kansas City.

But come on. Overpriced and often cold.

^all that under $10 overpriced?

I'm digging this read too. I respect the nittyness/caution combined with solid results. I also like the reports from Excal, Orleans, RR, Bally's etc. There's enough TRs here already that are B/V/A focused over and over. Seems you have a handle on mining the 2nd & 3rd tier places to keep your variance low.

Good job with your personal car washer there, but I was at a self serve place like that once and the guy that worked there told me not to use those brushes on my car. Said that most people are using those to go over their wheels and rims real quick since the timer is ticking and the bristles pick up a lot of dirt and will give your paint job swirls. Just an FYI since it's made me notice that on my car.

thx for the tip yeah I need to go get the thing clay barred and such, ultimately doing a vinyl wrap though

nice.

Monday night 2-5 @the Wynn. Bought in deep, table seems a little tough but I'm hoping the depth will still give me a good edge. I chip up an hour or so establishing a pretty tight image. Unfortunately the largest pot I played was vs this 16 year old looking Asian kid with Beats headphones, very solid, mostly TAG but can loosen range. I went $25 from hijack with pp77 in folded pot, V calls from bb. Flop 7-9-J rainbow, I bet $50, he flats, turn brings a Q, he checks, I bet $125, he flats. River is a 5, no flush; he donk bets $75 into me which I misinterpret as defensive, like mid-str trying to price down the showdown...were both over $1600 before start of hand. I feel like getting more value here is necessary and make it $225, he tanks for a really long time during which I think hes debating call/fold but then makes it $485!?!? Unfortunately it appears he was trying to induce something, I fold, my image dictated I wasn't firing 2 bullets there without a strong/made hand and we really don't have the history in my opinion that he would think he could get me off a strong hand as played...I just don't see any bluffs here with the flat on flop and turn unless he had some bizarre plan to take it away from the beginning which makes absolutely no sense then to donk out the $75 on river. I'm pretty happy with my fold in this situation, I think calling is burning $ vs this V here. Down -$300 I take my ball and go home lol.

I'm a little upset with these last 2 2-5 sessions, and they really feed into my whole 2-5 trend here. I've got over 400 hours now recorded at 2-5 but with a win-rate only a few dollars above my 1-2. I don't think it's indicative of my potential rate at this level, I've just ran somewhat poorly and come out on the downside of a number of big situations, I also have possibly had some confidence issues in 2-5 games but I'm well past that now, just need to put together some momentum. Anyhow, going to take a brief respite from 2-5 while I knock these promotional hours out over at Ballys.

Today (tues) I had to get up early and go to the dam DMV, place sucks so much...stuck a few hours then had to deal with Kinesha who seemed poised to bite someones head off. Saw a hot Cuban/Puerto Rican chick in enticingly short cutoffs that looked +EV until her boyfriend strutted up...turned out the bf was a butch Hispanic chick in Jinkos and a backwards hat...that chicks got game i guess.

I usually take Tues off playing, and so will definitely do so today after having to deal with DMV. Probably gonna skip leg day at the gym too and crash early since 2+2r 'crashwhips' wants to go hike up the backside of sunrise mountain tomorrow. Ill try and take some pics, supposed to be 104F and partly cloudy which is pretty mild for this time of year here, we may survive.

I mentioned earlier in this thread that every year at WSOP I salivate over the loose Omaha games I see but I'm not confident enough in the game to sit in...subsequently I tell myself every year I'll put in the time and work to get there. Going to get an early start on things this year and really follow through. I picked up this book today, seems pretty basic but the same author has some 'advanced theories' books I'll get after if it doesn't suck...I'll be pretty bored tonight so should put a big dent in it and get an idea if its worth reading. The goal is to read one Omaha book a week or until I can find no more before next WSOP as well as play 4-6 hours of Omaha live/week.

This post is sort of all over the place but largely reflects my day today, unfocused, unproductive, and unsatisfying. Might skip tomorrow night at the tables too if the climb/hike wears me out but I'm looking forward to putting in 35-40 solid hours of A-game at Ballys Thurs-Sun; See if I cant pull a good week.

The Seventh Circle of HELL (aka DMV) ...chick on left is 'meh'...would bang.


Saw this when I stopped for lunch, was smitten at first but looking at pics having doubts...clearly a stab at the Porche Panamara idea and the carbon trim and such were nice but is the whole hatchback/stationwagon thing necessary on a Ferrari?



PLO book, hoping its decent since the selection is limited on non-nl games at the bookstore here and most of the other Omaha books are by the same author...

When are you going to reveal results for the flush you folded?