Day 2
On my way to the Bellagio I stopped by the Miracle Mile shops at Planet Hollywood. Very impressive. From what I saw they have just about every store one could need. My personal search was for a pair of non-prescription glasses. My eye sight is as 20/20 as Barbara Walters. But ever since November when the sexiest girl in my Stats class had me try on her glasses and told me I looked cute, I’ve made a note-to-self to get a pair ASAP. My roommates proceeded to question my sexuality. But as Anmier at Quality Eye Wear explained, the nerd look is in! Plus Lebron does the same thing. You hear that roommates? LeBron does it. Is he a ***. I didn’t ****ing think so.
After finding a perfect pair of half-framed Tag Heuer’s I was all set to check out, when I realized I hadn’t even looked at the price tag yet. Whatever, can’t be anymore then what $200 dollars? 475! I haven’t even won any money yet Anmeir, I’m gonna have to come back at a later date.
With an empty face I head over to the B. 3 5/10 games running, shouldn’t be any longer then 10 minutes, the floor manager Pete tells me. To pass the time I stroll over to the sportsbook to check out the football games. My Bears were about to start and the B had them as 11 point dogs. Its been snowing non-stop for 3 days in Baltimore. I don’t care whose playing, their might not even be 11 points scored the whole game. I don’t sports bet but I have plenty of friends who do. I text all of them “Bears getting 11 stone-cold lock.” As a couple text back confirming the pick my name is called in the poker room.
Only one familiar face at my table, the internet kid with the Bryan Devonshire fascination. First orbit I raise in LP with A9 to 40, he 3-bets me very quickly to 120 on the BTN. Like suspiciously quickly. Can’t be that strong, I pop it up to 320. He mumbles to himself for a few seconds and folds. I’m not going to be run over today.
A few hands later I pick up AQ on the BTN. After a few limpers I make it 60 and 3 people call, including the SB call. Flop J 7 4 rainbow. Sb leads 150, all folds back to me. Good spot to represent a big pair. I make it 400. He thinks, flashes me a J and says this is no good huh, thinks some more and shoves all-in. WTF. Who shows cards and THEN shoves. Not that it matters I only have A high. I Hollywood for my table image for a few seconds and then fold.
At this point it all went downhill. For like 3 hours I’m not sure I won any hands, and I was involved in quite a few. I wish I had hands to describe, but honestly the last thing I wanted to do after getting crushed hand after hand was jot down how badly I suck. Most, however went like this. 2 people limp, I raise marginal hand in later position to 60. I flop Mid-pair, checked to me, I bet, someone raises I fold.
At this point my confidence was pretty low. Not winning a hand for a few hours and watching everyone and their mom check raise you, can really make you question whether you belong in a certain game. Not to mention I glanced up at the T.V. to see the Ravens putting a whooping on the Bears. Sorry guys!
In for about 2300 and sitting on a 1200 dollar stack I finally hit a good flop. With K
9
I opened to 40 in the CO. Only the table fish in the BB called. He’s been doing a lot of limping and a lot of calling. Your standard fish. Flop comes 9
8
7
. ****ing finally. He check calls 60. Turn is the very pretty 10
. Awesome, hopefully he caught some sort of straight. He checks and I fire out 110, he thinks, looks like he wants to fold, but puts in 110. River came the 4
. After another check, I put out a bet of 220. He thinks and just puts the remained of his cash in the middle, 400 I believe. I call the raise and turn over my King high flush, only to be trumped by his A
5
. Great. Just what I needed.
I go for a walk. I’m not sure exactly where, but I do a lot of talking to myself and have to appear semi-crazy to onlookers. Down to about 600 dollars and stuck about 1700, I tell myself I’m going to play short stacked until broke and then call it a day. I see a cute masseuse and tell her I would like a rub down. Not the best decision financially, but damn it felt good. Mid massage, Sasauna (the masseuse) asks me if anyone has ever told me I look like Jude Law. Was she just trying to earn her tips, probably. Do I care, absolutely not. For the rest of the day I’m Jude ****ing Law.
With my confidence refurbished and my shoulders loose, I start playing care free. Just as I had earlier when I didn’t win a hand for 3 hours, but this time my C-Bets work. Chip after chip, pot after pot, I work my way back up to 1300 when I get a chance at revenge against the Fish. I raise to 30 UTG w/ Q
T
and 6 people call. Flop comes K
J
5
. Jackpot. I lead for 120. Fish calls, so does the SB. Turn is the T
. Checked to me I bet 250. Fish calls and the small blind folds. One time can I please get a god damn club. River is the Jack
. Great, just ****ing great. I check, and fish bets out 300. Weird. He’s not smart enough to value bet a K. So I guess it’s either a J or clubs. Would he really call two bullets with just a Jack? I call. Fish quickly mucks. Phew.
2 hands later I pick up AA on the BTN. I make it 60 after a couple limps. The fish and one other come along for the ride. Flop Q
8
4
. Fish leads 80, I make it 200. He calls quickly, with his final 350 behind. Turn is the 6
and I shove. He calls and shows QT. The river comes a Jack and I rake in another decent pot.
Jesus so this is what a rush feels like. While it goes fairly unnoticed to the others who are more accustomed to the swings of this game, I've just won 1500 dollars in five minutes, and 2200 in a little more than an hour. You don't see those kind of swings at 1/2.
After another hour or so of folding, I call it a day with a 600 dollar profit. Not quite the level I’m looking for yet, but damn does it feel good after being stuck most of the day.