Another kid Another dream tl;dr
04-05-2010
, 09:25 PM
Final Day
Awaking on our final day I was met with an all too familiar feeling of anxiety. At the conclusion of every trip I’ve taken, dating back to family vacations as a kid, I’ve experienced some degree of anxiousness. This is relevant because anxiety and patience aren’t quite Corona and Lime when it comes to collaboration. And every poker player knows that unless your name is Tom Dwan you cannot succeed on the felt without exhibiting patience.
An experienced professional (or anyone who values money for that matter) might’ve taken the afternoon off. With only one day remaining in town, I chose to play. Making my way to Bellagio, I stopped off at the “supposedly” world famous Pink’s hot dogs. After chowing down their version of the Chicago dog, I boldly concluded that Pinks was tastier then Portillos (Anyone from Chicago knows the magnitude of that statement). My fellow Chicagoan roommates dismissed the notion, blaming my judgment on the booze and lack of sleep.
The 5/10 game was slow when I arrived, but it would soon pick up. I was seated in the 8, coincidentally next to the same mid 40’s European gentleman as the day before. We got to talking and I asked him how long he was in town for. “6 weeks” he said while adding that he makes the trip annually. “Just for cards?” I ask. “Cards and clubbing” he responds. I laugh at what I believe to be a joke. He looks confused, guess it wasn’t a joke…
My first interesting hand came about when I was dealt A
9 in the CO. UTG opened the action with a limp and I bumped it up to 50. The BTN called, as did UTG. The flop hit me hard with the A
9
2. Checked to me I wanted to bet, but saw the BTN counting out chips. I elected to check and he made me look brilliant by firing 100. UTG called quickly and I bumped it up to 300. After countless chip shuffles the kid on the BTN folded, followed immediately by UTG’s all-in for 500 all day. I called while asking the dealer to refrain from turning over diamonds. Luckily the Ace on the turn made the river diamond irrelevant. My 45 year old club hopping friend tells me nice hand and that he “likes the way I play.” I smile and soak in the Ego boost. Sometime between then and my return from the pisser, the most important player in the game sat down….
Even though he showed up wearing aviators and an expensive watch, there was no confusing this guy with a poker player of any real skill or intelligence. In fact, he played each of his first 5 hands to the river, flipping over cards like Q7 and T6. It was like a gift sent from god; Reimbursement for my “Sauna experience.”
Sitting on a 1500 dollar stack I looked down at AQ
. The fish raised it up to 50 as he had been doing about 70% of the time. 3 callers later and I opted to raise the action up to 280 in the SB. As I expected, the fish called. What I didn’t expect was the CO’s all-in bet for 650 all day. I can’t say I was overly confidant I had him beat, but with the money in the pot I had to reshove and make the fish pay. He chose to fold. The board rolled out 842 Q K and I flipped up my AQ expecting to be winning a good amount of the time. That is until he trumped me with his AK.
Frustration mixed with anxiety proved to be a detrimental recipe. Searching my brain for a way I could’ve played the hand differently, I was pleasantly disrupted by another big hand. The very next hand the same fish raised it up to the same 50 UTG. 3 players AGAIN called, and I saw another must raise opportunity. With AJ on the BTN I made it 300. The fish called with 300 behind. QQ2 flop and BOOM the fish bets it all. I blame it on Pot Odds and stick in the bet. The final two cards roll out 8 K and I officially can’t beat anything. However, the fish shakes his head to indicate a raggedy hand. He flips his hand and I see a 4 and then…a 2. I laugh to cope with the embarrassment. I can’t help but wonder what my club hopping admirer thinks of my game now.
I rebuy for the 1500 vowing not to get out of line. Rounds go by and I continue to fold as the fish slowly builds his stack somewhere north of 2500 dollars. My anxiety grows. What if he leaves and I miss my chance? With my thoughts racing, I’m given one more opportunity to win my chips back. ..
With TT in the BB I reraise his MP raise to 200. He calls, to which I assess him a range of somewhere between 24 and Q7. Flop brings 665 and even though it’s my turn to act, he bets out 300. It’s not the first time he’s bet out of turn. In fact, I’m fairly certain he’s under the impression that post flop it’s a “first come, first served” system. I don’t mind however and shove in for 1300 all day, fully expecting him to call with any pair or draw. The enemy points at my chips, nods his head and says “call”. The pot is somewhere around 3k. The turn is a safe 3 and the river a seemingly harmless 2. The enemy starts smirking and I’m not sure what to make of it. That is until he flips up 54 for the runner runner straight.
I don’t waste any time in getting as far away from that table as humanly possible. I say good game, wish everyone luck and bolt to the Venetian to meet up with my roommates. Amidst a wind storm that’s only getting stronger, I don’t even flinch. Later in the night we head to the airport for the red eye flight back to Cincinnati. By the time we make our way to the airport I’ve calmed down, but still feel overwhelmingly dejected. A complete reversal of the pride and confidence I felt after leaving Vegas in January. Losing is one thing, but losing 2500 to a player of that caliber was very disheartening.
Although I finished the trip right around even on the poker front, it felt like a big loser with the great start I got off too. It’s tough not winning, especially after the profit I showed last trip. But for my well-being I'll chalk it up to variance, work on my game, and return for my next trip a stronger player with growing expectations.
Miami Matt
Awaking on our final day I was met with an all too familiar feeling of anxiety. At the conclusion of every trip I’ve taken, dating back to family vacations as a kid, I’ve experienced some degree of anxiousness. This is relevant because anxiety and patience aren’t quite Corona and Lime when it comes to collaboration. And every poker player knows that unless your name is Tom Dwan you cannot succeed on the felt without exhibiting patience.
An experienced professional (or anyone who values money for that matter) might’ve taken the afternoon off. With only one day remaining in town, I chose to play. Making my way to Bellagio, I stopped off at the “supposedly” world famous Pink’s hot dogs. After chowing down their version of the Chicago dog, I boldly concluded that Pinks was tastier then Portillos (Anyone from Chicago knows the magnitude of that statement). My fellow Chicagoan roommates dismissed the notion, blaming my judgment on the booze and lack of sleep.
The 5/10 game was slow when I arrived, but it would soon pick up. I was seated in the 8, coincidentally next to the same mid 40’s European gentleman as the day before. We got to talking and I asked him how long he was in town for. “6 weeks” he said while adding that he makes the trip annually. “Just for cards?” I ask. “Cards and clubbing” he responds. I laugh at what I believe to be a joke. He looks confused, guess it wasn’t a joke…
My first interesting hand came about when I was dealt A
9 in the CO. UTG opened the action with a limp and I bumped it up to 50. The BTN called, as did UTG. The flop hit me hard with the A92. Checked to me I wanted to bet, but saw the BTN counting out chips. I elected to check and he made me look brilliant by firing 100. UTG called quickly and I bumped it up to 300. After countless chip shuffles the kid on the BTN folded, followed immediately by UTG’s all-in for 500 all day. I called while asking the dealer to refrain from turning over diamonds. Luckily the Ace on the turn made the river diamond irrelevant. My 45 year old club hopping friend tells me nice hand and that he “likes the way I play.” I smile and soak in the Ego boost. Sometime between then and my return from the pisser, the most important player in the game sat down….Even though he showed up wearing aviators and an expensive watch, there was no confusing this guy with a poker player of any real skill or intelligence. In fact, he played each of his first 5 hands to the river, flipping over cards like Q7 and T6. It was like a gift sent from god; Reimbursement for my “Sauna experience.”
Sitting on a 1500 dollar stack I looked down at A
Q. The fish raised it up to 50 as he had been doing about 70% of the time. 3 callers later and I opted to raise the action up to 280 in the SB. As I expected, the fish called. What I didn’t expect was the CO’s all-in bet for 650 all day. I can’t say I was overly confidant I had him beat, but with the money in the pot I had to reshove and make the fish pay. He chose to fold. The board rolled out 842 Q K and I flipped up my AQ expecting to be winning a good amount of the time. That is until he trumped me with his AK. Frustration mixed with anxiety proved to be a detrimental recipe. Searching my brain for a way I could’ve played the hand differently, I was pleasantly disrupted by another big hand. The very next hand the same fish raised it up to the same 50 UTG. 3 players AGAIN called, and I saw another must raise opportunity. With A
J on the BTN I made it 300. The fish called with 300 behind. QQ2 flop and BOOM the fish bets it all. I blame it on Pot Odds and stick in the bet. The final two cards roll out 8 K and I officially can’t beat anything. However, the fish shakes his head to indicate a raggedy hand. He flips his hand and I see a 4 and then…a 2. I laugh to cope with the embarrassment. I can’t help but wonder what my club hopping admirer thinks of my game now.I rebuy for the 1500 vowing not to get out of line. Rounds go by and I continue to fold as the fish slowly builds his stack somewhere north of 2500 dollars. My anxiety grows. What if he leaves and I miss my chance? With my thoughts racing, I’m given one more opportunity to win my chips back. ..
With T
T in the BB I reraise his MP raise to 200. He calls, to which I assess him a range of somewhere between 24 and Q7. Flop brings 665 and even though it’s my turn to act, he bets out 300. It’s not the first time he’s bet out of turn. In fact, I’m fairly certain he’s under the impression that post flop it’s a “first come, first served” system. I don’t mind however and shove in for 1300 all day, fully expecting him to call with any pair or draw. The enemy points at my chips, nods his head and says “call”. The pot is somewhere around 3k. The turn is a safe 3 and the river a seemingly harmless 2. The enemy starts smirking and I’m not sure what to make of it. That is until he flips up 54 for the runner runner straight. I don’t waste any time in getting as far away from that table as humanly possible. I say good game, wish everyone luck and bolt to the Venetian to meet up with my roommates. Amidst a wind storm that’s only getting stronger, I don’t even flinch. Later in the night we head to the airport for the red eye flight back to Cincinnati. By the time we make our way to the airport I’ve calmed down, but still feel overwhelmingly dejected. A complete reversal of the pride and confidence I felt after leaving Vegas in January. Losing is one thing, but losing 2500 to a player of that caliber was very disheartening.
Although I finished the trip right around even on the poker front, it felt like a big loser with the great start I got off too. It’s tough not winning, especially after the profit I showed last trip. But for my well-being I'll chalk it up to variance, work on my game, and return for my next trip a stronger player with growing expectations.
Miami Matt
04-05-2010
, 09:36 PM
04-10-2010
, 12:38 AM
Have been a reader here for some time a have loved this thread really great writing skills. I am goin vegas for the first time this wsop not playing any of the events will be there just for the cas games as they should be quite juicy planning to spend alot of time at the V as that is where i have heard alot of good things any other recomendations for good 2/5 games? Any other 2 plus two readers out there for the wsop. Again great reports mooremoney keep it up.
04-12-2010
, 05:17 AM
I love reading your stories, especially the angles you use in them..
04-12-2010
, 05:33 PM
