The thing most internet players don't really get is that in live games, especially 1/2NL and 2/5NL, 80% of players will simply not fold top pair decent kicker.

Seriously,

Lets say you put villian on KQ, QJ, Q10, and the board comes Q76

no matter what you do, villian will not fold. In fact, you could be representing a big pair, continuing your preflop raise. And you will hear this dreaded line, "Yeah, you probably got me beat, probably got KK or AA but I call. I'll donate... I'll pay you off...."

In a live game, 80% of the players are simply biologically incapable of folding top pair.

Another fold that is impossible and fun to watch is when a player flops a set on a 3 suit board. Turn anouther suit, river puts a 4 card straight out there as well as their being a 4 card flush out there.

In this situation, i've seen many (30%) players call due to tilt. It's obvious you have a flush or a straight, Stevie Wonder could see it. But they will check call your all-in LOL

anyways, just remember all this for your next trip

Also, you missed like 1.46 boatloads of value in this hand. turn is fine... raise flop and shove river, IMO.

True that live players do not like to fold top pair, however if you want to be beating cash games, you need to be getting profits in non showdown winnings, which will make you have to double barrel sometimes...

You really need to pick your board structures on where to double barrel and where not too, if the flop comes AK2.. and the turn is a 2.. you bet your ass his not folding.. However if the board is T52 and he calls u then the turn comes a King/Queen/Ace he is more likely to fold his ten..



Truth.. why would u raise the turn, then when a pretty nice blank comes on the river (if he had a straight im sure he bets it on the river, or hit 2 pair) you don't valuebet KK there, He prob had like A/T there? maybe even K/T

I don't know if anyone noticed but the 3rd heart came on the river. I could've raised the flop but by just calling I got him to bet out and call the turn. If its the 8 of spades of course I bet it but at that point I kind've figured he was folding all of the hands in his range the I beat

I'm really enjoying these reports. Keep them coming, which would also mean keep winning.

OP, I'm just curious, is there a reason you don't feel like you could make it in mid-stakes online if you put the time in? You said you've come to grips with what you're capable of and what you're not. Do you feel like it's more natural ability holding you back or the amount of time and energy you're willing to devote?

This.

Seriously.

Your TR writing is at least as good as that of most of the novels that I've read lately.

I'll echo a lot of what has already been written.

OP, you write better than most 40 year-olds that I run across, and you think about the game in the correct way as well. (Or shall we say at least the way that I think is correct, for all that that's worth! )

Could you "make it" playing live full-time? Who knows? If the ability to string coherent sentences together were an accurate barometer of poker success, Phill Hellmuth would be broke.

But passing up the ridiculously priced glasses, the plan to finish your degree, and several other points illustrate that you have a maturity that at least gives you a leg up on the majority of people who try to walk that road.

Keep your chin up, have fun, and continue taking the shot. You're young enough, and having the education to fall back on gives you the freedom to roll the dice right now. And you never know....

Best of luck.

agreed, think this applies 100% to middle aged and seniors, they will never fold top pair

Day 6

My flight touched down in Chicago about an hour before our families' annual Christmas Eve party. Cousins, Aunts, Uncles. Usually about 40 Moores in one place at the same time. For about 30 of them, this is the only time I will see them all year. Out of those 30 I usually forget about 7 names, which leads to some awkward conversations. They usually go something like this. “Hey Matt. Jeez you’re getting so old! I remember when you were like this big.” “Hey…you. Yeah I guess I am getting old. One year older then last time you saw me.” I try to then slowly walk off, hoping to avoid the other handful of people whose names’ slip my mind.

This year the small talk was a little different. Word had spread that I was spending the month in Vegas playing poker, leading to the typical questions from clueless relatives. “You’re spending the whole month gambling!” “How much do you bet?” “Have you seen any famous people out there?” I want to tell them how poker isn’t really gambling, it’s actually quite similar to what my dad does (He’s a stock broker). But I don’t. I don’t wanna exert the mental energy. Instead I tell them about the time I saw Kim Kardashian at the Bellagio, and how I’ve played with Don Cheadle. That usually satisfies their curiosity.

2 days later and it’s time to get ready to head back. My flight requires me to leave for the airport at 4am on the 27th, 2am Vegas time. I rationalize that it probably wouldn’t make any sense to go to bed since I wouldn’t fall asleep until 1 anyways. Instead I go out with some friends from high school. We shoot the **** in between a case of Coors, and a fifth of JD. I like talking with them about Vegas. Their questions come in the tone of awe and admiration, instead of condescension.

Pretty sauced up, we get the cards out for some Black Jack. I’m the designated dealer because, well, I’m the only one who can afford it. First hand I’m showing an 8. Jack and Stew stay on 14 and 15. They don’t get it. **** Vegas, I should just stay home and deal Black Jack all break.
2 hours later and 40 dollars richer I check the clock and realize its 5:00. Fukc, fukc fukc. My sober friend trades me a ride to the airport for my BJ winnings. I get to the gate just in time for the lady to tell me that she’s in the process of giving my seat away. Alright, well stop giving it away, I’m here. Sorry sir, I’ve already began the process. Very very offensive insults make it to the tip of my tongue. I hold them back and instead ask the Rosanne look-a-like to find me another flight.

One connection flight in Phoenix, emergency landing in Denver, and 2 middle seats later, I’m in Vegas. However, I’m drunk. Not booze drunk, but the type of drunk you get when you haven’t slept in 30 something hours and the 5 hour energy shots are running on their final minutes.

I check into my new room at the Signatures. Peter at Blue Chip Management told me I couldn’t have a strip view for this portion of my stay because those were guaranteed to others for New Years, but that instead I could move up a couple floors. Whatever. I get on the elevator and go to press the “14” button. 11, 12, 14. Mother ****er. There is no 13th floor. IM ON the 13th floor. Just because they changed the god damn number on the stupid elevator DOES NOT mean my floor isn’t thirteenth from the bottom. Thanks Peter, you traded me a strip view for two weeks of bad luck. I consider going back down and asking for a room switch, but that contradicts my one poker superstition. No matter how bad I’m running in one seat or how cold my cards are, I NEVER, ask for a seat change. Never. Consider yourself lucky Peter.

I go lie down in my room and just want to watch some TV and take a nap. Unfortunately I can’t find the remote. I check under the bed. Is that the remote? No, that’s a used condom. You’ve got to be kidding me. I think about my superstition. **** that. The 13th floor was one thing. If there was a used condom sitting on the 3 seat, you best believe I wouldn’t sit back down until I had the 8. I plan on calling down later to request a room switch.

Anyways I can’t sleep. Maybe it’s the certain kind of restlessness one gets from endless hours awake. Or maybe it’s the image in my head I have because of the present Peter left me under the bed. Either way I head out to the Venetian for some 2/5.

After re-evaluating my game, I’m eager to get back in action. There’s 2 seats open, Cathy tells me. One in the 3 seat next to a 300 pound man, getting a massage with half his Ass crack showing, and another in the 9 next to the most beautiful, big breasted, blonde woman that I have ever seen in a poker room. “I’ll take the 9.”

One limper and Butt-crack Bob opens to 25 in MP, I pop it up to 75 with AK. Gets back to him and he shoves for 220 all day. I call and am virtually drawing dead when he flops his 3rd Queen. Not the best start.

A bit later I get a small rush that sees me raising from UTG and the BB on back to back hands, then taking down both pots amongst multi way action with a simple C-Bet. Very next hand I’m in the SB with KQ and 3 limpers to me. I make it 25 to build a pot. Everyone calls and the flop comes J84. I whiff the check raise. Turn comes the 5. This time I lead for 55. Butt crack Bob min-raises to 110. It gets back to me and I shove him in for his final 300. He says, I’ll gamble and puts the money in with the naked Ace of spades. River bricks and I’m now up 250.

All the while I’ve been talking to the beautiful woman in the 8 seat. I find out her name is Carrie and she’s originally from Montreal. She lived in Los Angeles for 10 years but “work” has brought her to Vegas. OMG she’s a porn star. Has to be. She probably thinks I’m just being nice, which I am. But I’m also figuring out information about her, which I’m relaying back home to my friend Jack, a complete Porn Aficionado. I eyeball her measurements and send him her basic info, which he tells me he will research when he gets home.

Anyways, after a couple hours of playing real solid, tight, aggressive poker I get involved in a hand with the most competent player at the table. I open in MP to 20 with 55. He bumps it up to 75 on the button (the 4th time he has 3bet me), and the completely incompetent lady in the BB calls leaving 40 behind. Now the old Matt would know the BTN’s doing this with a wide range, but counter with a fold or a call because the Old Matt is a biatch. The new Matt makes it 200 thinking the raiser will fold most of his range and I can flip with the old lady with dead money in the pot. That plan gets derailed when the BTN calls after deliberation and the lady puts her final 40 in the pot. Flop comes AA8. I’m still not convinced he has a strong hand, but think he could easily have 66 through 10 10 that I have to push out. I bet 160 confidently. He thinks forever and folds 89 face up. The turn and river come 2 blanks and the lady flips up KJ. The table is quite impressed to see me rake in the pot with 2 5's.

Up about 700 I get involved in one final pot. I limp UTG with A8. Guy from previous hand makes it 20 in MP. 7 callers total and we see a flop of A93. Checked around. Turn brings the 7. I lead for 80. One caller and a local raises to 270 on the BTN. My hand really isn’t all that strong, but the local’s line isn’t very believable. Could easily be a squeeze. I call, thinking I’m already winning a good percentage of the time. Other player calls as well. River brings 7 and the local bets 275. I guess I was wrong, plus I’m definitely not beating 2 people. I fold. After watching him play for a bit, the local plays rock tight and wouldn’t make that play with anything but a set, which turns my hand into simply a dry flush draw. Oh well.

Turns out the women next to me is not a porn star, or one that Jack can locate at least. Just a beautiful poker player, and very sweet women as well. I’m disappointed, but really enjoyed talking with her.

I leave for the night up about 450. While the score isn’t that large, I’m extremely happy with the way I played. A lot tighter and thought provoked. There were two other hands where I layed down a set and an over-pair to tighter players and was right. Making big folds is the first sign to being close to the top of my game. It’s tough to do, however, when stuck. So here's to getting off to a good start today...

Subscribed

Nice TR Matt. Good luck the rest of the way and keep us updated!

Day 7

It’s 9 o’clock at night. The last legs of tonight’s session. With 1300 in front of me I open to 20 UTG with AQ. 4 calls and we see a flop of Q22. I lead for 50. One call and it gets back to newest player at the table. A middle age Asian man. He’s 800 deep, though you wouldn’t know it without asking. He doesn’t even have his chips yet. He makes it 200 just like that. All he had to do was say the number. Do I really want to risk today’s profit with just a lousy queen on a paired board? Lord knows he’s going to fire the turn and river. He’s young and Asian after all. The old Matt might’ve folded, saved his final 700 dollars of profit and called it a night. I really could’ve folded. I call. Two players to the turn as the 10 peels off. I check fairly quickly. 400, he says, about as confident as it was quick. Still no chips. It reminds me of my internet days. How easy it was to make hero calls and massive bluffs, when all you had to do was click a button. No chips, no hundred dollar bills, just a simple left click. Why so much? Wouldn’t he want me in if he had a 2? Or maybe he thinks I’m chasing hearts. I stop thinking. As I often do in big spots. Thinking makes me consider silly irrelevant variables when all that’s really taking place is a simple chess match. I don’t believe him. I shove in. Snap call.

Woke up yesterday and decided I was going to play the 2/5 at the Venetian and Hard Rock this week, while getting ready for the 5/10 game and New Years Eve travelers this weekend. I think I’m going to keep the rest of my play for the trip at the Venetian. The whole experience is just worlds ahead of the Bellagio. The staff, the chairs, the smell, the game structure. All of the “extra” elements certainly make up for whatever EV is sacrificed by passing on the softer games at the B.

I Headed over to the poker room at about 2 O’clock and got on the table right away even though I was 6th on the list. Thank you Cathy. The game was real similar to yesterdays. Very tight and very passive, but very beatable if you’re capable of demonstrating patience and not forcing the issue.

First hand I get involved in is with the table fish. The only player at the table that has exhibited any kind of gamble. I 3-Bet his 20 dollar open to 75 and he shoves for 200. The cards come out 2 5 8 8 10 and somehow he couldn’t beat AK.

After a couple more small victories with AK I’m up about 400, when a new guy sits down in the one seat. He takes off his bracelet and uses it as a card protector. It’s gold, and says World Series of Poker on it. How the **** did this guy win a gold bracelet?? He’s old and fat. Only table it looks like he’s conquered is the buffet. Then again, I guess that’s how most poker players look. Feeding on chicken fingers and cherry cokes isn’t exactly the recipe for a defined figure. Unless of course you’re looking for the defined belly. It makes me think of the aura and prestige that one of those silly bracelets has. It’s the reason 99% of players picked up the game in the first place. But in this moment, staring across the table at this man, it’s the last thing in the world I want. Not if it comes with that body.

Aside from his belly, the first thing I notice is his attitude. Very condescending and entitled, but hey he won the WORLD SERIES OF POKER, so I guess it’s alright. Someone makes a comment about how this isn’t Omaha. I take it that’s his area of expertise. It doesn’t take long before I get involved in a hand with him. I raise the button to 25 with K10 and he comes along for the ride. Flop comes 10 6 4 and he leads for 45. I call. Turn 3 he makes the same bet. I make it 150, he calls. River 2 and we go check check. His 99 is no good. Score one for the good guys.

The Bears are about to play and I strike up a conversation with the man across the table. I tell him the Bears are always due for one surprise each December at home. “You wanna bet on it he says? Say 100 bucks?” Absolutely. Gotta love my ego. He tells me the line is 7 and we finalize the bet for a Benjamin.

I head to the Palazzo sports book for some dinner. I’m watching the game when I look up at the big board to see (+8 ½) next to the Bears name. That sneaky ****ing bastard. I guess it’s my fault for not checking. My first non-poker bet in Vegas, and my first hustle.

After dinner I head back to the table. I lose some chips when I have to lay down my AA on a Q765 board. The turn check raise told me all I needed to know (player showed 89). After chipping back up for a couple hours, I’m ready to leave up 800 bucks, when I remember my bet on the Bears game. There’s 6:00 minutes left and I need to stay ‘til the end of the game to square up. I can’t see the TV, so I switch seats to the other side of table. Wait a minute, I NEVER switch seats. Whatever, I’ll just fold for 20 minutes and watch the game, I tell myself.

So there it is. The only reason I’m involved in this pot in the first place, I got hustled. I went against my one superstition and switched to a seat that I wasn’t supposed to be in, playing cards that weren’t supposed to be mine. The 5 seconds between the flipping of the river and the flipping of our cards felt like the 5 seconds before you die. You know where your life flashes in front of your eyes and it seems like an eternity. Except it wasn’t my life, just my thoughts. You played so well today, now you’re going to give it all back with one ****ing pair. You could’ve left even for the trip? Could’ve begun your fresh start with your newfound confidence tomorrow. But you had to shove it in. River comes the J. He flips up confidently. I see paint. Twice in fact. The Q registers first. Then the K. I check the board. No king. No flush. No straight. My AQ is good. I rake in the 1600 dollar pot and rack up my chips soon after, feeling ecstatic.

Up about 1000 for the trip, I don’t want to see the red again. Starting today I will make my push, my run.

Oh yeah, the Bears covered…Karma.

Just want to post here, great read

AKA the Vikes did what they do best -- snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

But you really need to get over your aversion to switching seats.

Epic thread, epic writing.

Could you be specific with the hands v Asian and v KQ as to what they had?

Great read

The Asian had the KQ?

Yes, clearly.

If you ever intend writing a book,let me know,love real pokerstory's and especially the way you write!!!

Huh? I guess this is why I don't play poker much any more, why is it so clear he had KQ?

Because he is writing stream of thought hand histories (in italics) while adding actual trip reports aspects.

So add the two italics sections together to clearly get what the hand was

So there it is. The only reason I’m involved in this pot in the first place, I got hustled. I went against my one superstition and switched to a seat that I wasn’t supposed to be in, playing cards that weren’t supposed to be mine. The 5 seconds between the flipping of the river and the flipping of our cards felt like the 5 seconds before you die. You know where your life flashes in front of your eyes and it seems like an eternity. Except it wasn’t my life, just my thoughts. You played so well today, now you’re going to give it all back with one ****ing pair. You could’ve left even for the trip? Could’ve begun your fresh start with your newfound confidence tomorrow. But you had to shove it in. River comes the J. He flips up confidently. I see paint. Twice in fact. The Q registers first. Then the K. I check the board. No king. No flush. No straight. My AQ is good. I rake in the 1600 dollar pot and rack up my chips soon after, feeling ecstatic.

Great thread. Keep it coming!

thanks folks, I love his writing style, but I guess I lost track of the hand during the stream of thought

Day 8

Not much to report on today. On the way to the Venetian yesterday, I got a call from my buddy who was heading to the Hoover Dam with his Pops and wondering if I wanted to come along. A day away from the strip sounded like a pretty good idea, plus I heard Hoover Dam is one of those places you're supposed to visit before you die.

Place was pretty incredible. Took the tour, watched the 10 minute movie, got the whole shpeal. I took some pictures too, but I guess you can just search the web if you really wanna know what it looks like.

Traffic was bad and by the time we got back it was already 6:30. We tried to eat at Lotus of Siam, as I've heard incredible things, but the wait was an hour and a half. Speaking of, anyone have any "local" dinner suggestions? Hidden gems?

Two more of my friends got in town at around 9 and we all headed to the MGM for craps and drinks. I don't understand the "one drink at a time" rule. One would think the MGM would want their players as drunk as possible. The craps dealers were also quite unfriendly, presumably because we were kids? IDing us at 2 separate occasions. Same guy. Like really dude? Did you miss something the first time? Just a very unfriendly atmosphere in general, which is not what a craps table is supposed to be like. I swear sometimes I could run this place better.

On the same note, I heard today that the golf courses at the Wynn and Mandalay Bay are both 500 dollars. 500 ****ing dollars. And they wonder why they don't get any play. Don't you think buisness would be better if you charged a reasonable rate? Like even $150 maybe? You could play Bethpage Black, TPC Sawgrass, AND St. Andrews for that price, and still have money left over for hot dogs at the turn. Makes no sense to me. However I'm sure there's a method to their madness.

After craps we ended the night at Studio 54 which was a pretty good time.

Heading back to the Venetian today, maybe I can make enough to play golf on the strip! Not.