Another kid Another dream tl;dr
06-14-2010
, 05:11 PM
Freerolls
In a city built around spontaneity and with minds that crave excitement and disconformity, It's come as a surprise to me that Casey and I have stuck to a solid routine. We wake up between 9 and 10 everyday. Between then and 2 we workout, eat, sit by the pool, read and write. For the next 5 to 6 hours we move shop to the Bellagio for our daily poker sessions and for viewing of whatever sporting event is on for the day. Around 8 o'clock we retire back to our place for one final meal, before we head out to our newest tradition, 1/2 NL at the Hard Rock.
To Casey, the Hard Rock is another session for the day, a chance to get unstuck or build on whatever profit he made earlier. To me it's just a chance to splash around a few pots, get tipsy, and joke round with a far less serious poker crowd then the ones that infest the strip. Not to mention a chance at winning one of their many generous poker promotions. Be it 96 suited, KJo, 36o, or any full house, the Hard Rock provides plenty of opportunities for their players to win cash, bottles of liquor, and free hotel rooms.
I usually stay about 2 hours, try to win every single pot I enter, and then stumble down Koval, back to our apartment. Casey on the other hand, can sometimes play until to middle of the night. So it came as no surprise when he informed me about a $2700 freeroll they were offering sunday morning to all players who played 10 hours that week.
Upon arriving, it became obvious that this was the weekly meet up of a small stakes poker club. Jokes about check-raising and suited connectors set the mood for what I should've known was a friendly attempt at splitting the promotional money amongst the regulars. Casey fit right in, telling stories of his Aces cracked and recalling hands that the drunk guys were playing at 4am the night before.
I however, had made the cut by 15 minutes, clearly on the outside of the Hard Rock Poker click. Out of the 30 or so who entered the tournament I was part of the half that the regulars were hoping to weed out before chopping the money. Needless to say It didn't help my shot of gaining membership into the group when i shoved 5
T for 2k at 200/400 only to crack a regulars QQ on a K475T board. Or a couple hands later where I was given the QQ and got called allin by QJ because "I SAW HIM SHOVE 5T, HE CAN"T HAVE QQ?!?!?"
With 14 players left my stack was up to 6500 from the starting 1k. The first place $800 prize was certainly realistic. So with 3 stacks under 2k and one at 800 with 300/600 blinds I thought it was ridiculous when one of the bigger stacks suggested a 14 man chop. Speaking from a competitive and EV point of view, I was the only player to decline the offer. For the next 3 hands I paid the price in the form of evil glares and silence. Then when the 800 stack shoved in and the BB folded AK I realized that I was the one being ridiculous. No one else was trying to win the tournament, just survive to a chop. Keeping the morality of the group strong was more important than one player scoring big. So before they decided to burn me at the stake, I changed my stance and the chop was on. $170 bucks, but more importantly to the group, everyone was a winner.
After the half-field chop I took my profit over to the Bellagio for some 5/10. This game, however, was a tad different then the nit fest at the Hard Rock. Immediately upon sitting down another new player joined the table to my direct right. After three 3Bets to start the day it became apparent that he was here to gamble. After busting a player preflop with AQ to AK, he called a pot-sized $500 bet on a 4flush board with a set to beat his bluffing opponent. Unfortunately, for the hour he played, I picked up zero hands to get involved. And after increasing his $1500 starting chips to $3000, his strength eventually became his downfall, as his bluffs and hero calls torched his big stack.
After he left the table, the cards came my way, and I was able to take over as table captain. 3betting and CBets helped grow my stack to 1400 when i got involved in my first big pot. With 9
J in the BB I called a 40 open from a weak-tight conservative player UTG, after 3 players had already done so. The flop came T9
7 and I began the action with a check. UTG led for 120 into 200. After two folds the BTN called with what looked like a T or a flush draw. Back to me and I saw too much money in the middle to fold but not enough hand strength to call. So I shoved in. They both folded and I was up to almost 1900.
A bit later I got involved with the next best player at the table, who I had been chatty with for the past hour. He raised to 40 and I called on the BTN with 89 The flop came 3
89 and he led for 80. I made it 240 and he called after some thought. The turn was a K and I bet 400 when checked to. He thought awhile and eventually folded what he said was AT.
Cruising along, I was beginning to feel like my game was turning a corner. I was applying a lot of pressure in both hands where I was strong and hands where I was weak, resulting in a lot of non-showdown winnings. The next hand put me in an interesting spot when I raised to 45 UTG+1 with 88. The Co BTN SB and BB all called to see a flop of 235. Checked to me and I led for 170. The BTN, a standard old guy, called while all the others folded. At this point I put him on a pair 66-JJ or a flush draw. WIth 4 players behind me I was sure he would have to raise a set on the flop. The turn came the harmless Q and this time I led for 420, thinking he would fold all his big pairs and probably his flush draws. 4 seconds later I realized how wrong I was when he shoved in for 1700. I immediately folded. Regardless, I still like the way I payed the hand and think that he probably flopped a straight with A4.
Soon there after my day ended with only $750 in profit, but once again I was thrilled with the way I played. It would always be nice to WIN my last hand of the session, but my mindset all summer has been that the whole trip is "one big session" so it's really not all that important to me. Up around 3k for the trip now, hopefully the heater has officially replaced the Run-bad as my allin buddy.
Matt
In a city built around spontaneity and with minds that crave excitement and disconformity, It's come as a surprise to me that Casey and I have stuck to a solid routine. We wake up between 9 and 10 everyday. Between then and 2 we workout, eat, sit by the pool, read and write. For the next 5 to 6 hours we move shop to the Bellagio for our daily poker sessions and for viewing of whatever sporting event is on for the day. Around 8 o'clock we retire back to our place for one final meal, before we head out to our newest tradition, 1/2 NL at the Hard Rock.
To Casey, the Hard Rock is another session for the day, a chance to get unstuck or build on whatever profit he made earlier. To me it's just a chance to splash around a few pots, get tipsy, and joke round with a far less serious poker crowd then the ones that infest the strip. Not to mention a chance at winning one of their many generous poker promotions. Be it 96 suited, KJo, 36o, or any full house, the Hard Rock provides plenty of opportunities for their players to win cash, bottles of liquor, and free hotel rooms.
I usually stay about 2 hours, try to win every single pot I enter, and then stumble down Koval, back to our apartment. Casey on the other hand, can sometimes play until to middle of the night. So it came as no surprise when he informed me about a $2700 freeroll they were offering sunday morning to all players who played 10 hours that week.
Upon arriving, it became obvious that this was the weekly meet up of a small stakes poker club. Jokes about check-raising and suited connectors set the mood for what I should've known was a friendly attempt at splitting the promotional money amongst the regulars. Casey fit right in, telling stories of his Aces cracked and recalling hands that the drunk guys were playing at 4am the night before.
I however, had made the cut by 15 minutes, clearly on the outside of the Hard Rock Poker click. Out of the 30 or so who entered the tournament I was part of the half that the regulars were hoping to weed out before chopping the money. Needless to say It didn't help my shot of gaining membership into the group when i shoved 5
T for 2k at 200/400 only to crack a regulars QQ on a K475T board. Or a couple hands later where I was given the QQ and got called allin by QJ because "I SAW HIM SHOVE 5T, HE CAN"T HAVE QQ?!?!?"With 14 players left my stack was up to 6500 from the starting 1k. The first place $800 prize was certainly realistic. So with 3 stacks under 2k and one at 800 with 300/600 blinds I thought it was ridiculous when one of the bigger stacks suggested a 14 man chop. Speaking from a competitive and EV point of view, I was the only player to decline the offer. For the next 3 hands I paid the price in the form of evil glares and silence. Then when the 800 stack shoved in and the BB folded AK I realized that I was the one being ridiculous. No one else was trying to win the tournament, just survive to a chop. Keeping the morality of the group strong was more important than one player scoring big. So before they decided to burn me at the stake, I changed my stance and the chop was on. $170 bucks, but more importantly to the group, everyone was a winner.
After the half-field chop I took my profit over to the Bellagio for some 5/10. This game, however, was a tad different then the nit fest at the Hard Rock. Immediately upon sitting down another new player joined the table to my direct right. After three 3Bets to start the day it became apparent that he was here to gamble. After busting a player preflop with AQ to AK, he called a pot-sized $500 bet on a 4flush board with a set to beat his bluffing opponent. Unfortunately, for the hour he played, I picked up zero hands to get involved. And after increasing his $1500 starting chips to $3000, his strength eventually became his downfall, as his bluffs and hero calls torched his big stack.
After he left the table, the cards came my way, and I was able to take over as table captain. 3betting and CBets helped grow my stack to 1400 when i got involved in my first big pot. With 9
J in the BB I called a 40 open from a weak-tight conservative player UTG, after 3 players had already done so. The flop came T97 and I began the action with a check. UTG led for 120 into 200. After two folds the BTN called with what looked like a T or a flush draw. Back to me and I saw too much money in the middle to fold but not enough hand strength to call. So I shoved in. They both folded and I was up to almost 1900. A bit later I got involved with the next best player at the table, who I had been chatty with for the past hour. He raised to 40 and I called on the BTN with 8
9 The flop came 389 and he led for 80. I made it 240 and he called after some thought. The turn was a K and I bet 400 when checked to. He thought awhile and eventually folded what he said was AT.Cruising along, I was beginning to feel like my game was turning a corner. I was applying a lot of pressure in both hands where I was strong and hands where I was weak, resulting in a lot of non-showdown winnings. The next hand put me in an interesting spot when I raised to 45 UTG+1 with 88. The Co BTN SB and BB all called to see a flop of 2
35. Checked to me and I led for 170. The BTN, a standard old guy, called while all the others folded. At this point I put him on a pair 66-JJ or a flush draw. WIth 4 players behind me I was sure he would have to raise a set on the flop. The turn came the harmless Q and this time I led for 420, thinking he would fold all his big pairs and probably his flush draws. 4 seconds later I realized how wrong I was when he shoved in for 1700. I immediately folded. Regardless, I still like the way I payed the hand and think that he probably flopped a straight with A4.Soon there after my day ended with only $750 in profit, but once again I was thrilled with the way I played. It would always be nice to WIN my last hand of the session, but my mindset all summer has been that the whole trip is "one big session" so it's really not all that important to me. Up around 3k for the trip now, hopefully the heater has officially replaced the Run-bad as my allin buddy.
Matt
06-15-2010
, 12:21 AM
06-16-2010
, 04:49 PM
Tricky Europeans and Clueless Canadians
Standing with the dice in my hand, the board sprinkled in red chips, and a hefty back up bet on the pass line, I tossed my signature roll at the corner of the mirror, and watched as the dice rode the outside of the cylinder like two horses at the track. The first di came down five, the second was still spinning. A 4 would hit the point, pay me 3:2 on my 30 dollar back up bet, and once again help me walk out the door of Ellis Island a winner. I froze, my eyes glued to the di as it slowly stopped spinning and fell on its back. "7 out the dealer shouted". Disappointed, I had the dealer color up my remaining chips, as it was time to call it quits and admit defeat for the first time of my dice career to the people of Ellis Island. "I swear if it wasn't for bad luck, you wouldn't have any luck at all," the dealer said to me as he returned my two remaining $25 chips. Boy he couldn't be more wrong…
The past two days I played two 6 hour sessions at the Bellagio. It seems to me like each day I play is the new toughest table I've sat at. This time of the summer, half the 5/10 seats are filled with young European pros, a quarter of them Rocks, and maybe if you're lucky one or two fish. The first of my sessions saw me get stuck half a buy-in pretty early. Things like Cbetting and 3Betting just weren't working against this european lineup. Then with a 1k stack I got involved in a pot with the woman to my right.
It started when a loose european player raised to 30 UTG. The woman in the CO called and I (while trying to make it 110) accidentally made it 130 to go with 89. UTG folded and the woman, dressed in a "Canada Kicks Ass" shirt made the call by placing one bill into the pot. The flop came 875 and I bet 160 when checked to. After posturing for a few moments, the CO made the call. The turn was a 2 and again she checked. Thinking I had some fold equity against TT JJ type hands and wanting to protect against flush draws, I bet out 520 with 230 behind. She thought forever, counting out her bills over and over before finally sliding them all into the pot. I obviously called, hoping to avoid a diamond for any chance at the pot. Unfortunately the 10 popped up on the river and I knew I was toast. I heard her say "Ace" and checked her hand to confirm the nut flush. But no, all she had was the AK of clubs for no pair, no draw. I didn't know how to react as I raked in the 2k pot, so I sat to myself, silently, wondering what was going through that woman's mind.
Later, in my only other interesting spot I opened QQ to 50 UTG. Back to the SB, a European who had opened fairly frequently preflop, but not once 3Bet in our 6 hour session, made it 160 to go. While my Queens appear strong, in this situation they aren't necessarily the best hand. So to gain more information I made it 280 all day, knowing his stack was around 950. Without a nervous bone in his body, he pasued for a few seconds before announcing all-in. Having gotten the information I needed, I tossed my hand in face up, which sparked quite the discussion between me and another solid European player. He was befuddled that I would fold that hand after putting 280 into the pot, saying that even if I had AQ I would've had to call based on pot odds. I argued that my opponents range was way tighter then he was giving him credit for. Eventually we agreed to disagree; but I was reassured of my read when my opponent called me over as i was leaving and said he had KK.
I returned to the B the next day hoping to build on the current mini-winning streak I had going. After a brief stint in the must move, I was transferred to the main game and in the middle of a back and forth battle between two european big stacks. One of them, who had lost a few pots in a row (and a healthy portion of his stack), was clearly on tilt; doing things like pounding chips on the felt and shaking his head refusely in an anxious manner. So when I picked up KK in MP and he raised it up to 55 UTG I knew it was best to play my hand fast. I bumped it up to 170 and he called without any thought at all. The flop came 975 and after he checked, I bet out 240. He shoved in rhythm and I called immediately. The turn brought the A and the river the K and I knew I was good as he shook his head. What I didn't know was that the river K bailed me out against his top set of 9s. My first big suck out of the trip and it came in a 2100 dollar pot.
After a few smaller battles with the tilting giant, I changed tables, not wanting to get involved in 250BB hands with an opponent with such a wide range and a knack for shoving all-in. At my new table, I was seated next to a player with a creepy resemblance to Steve Carrel (video of the Michael Scott look-a-like on my website). Anyways hoping that he would be as clueless a card player as we was a paper salesmen, I got involved in two early pots with him. In the first one I made it 40 with KK and he raised me up to 140. with both of us 2k deep I made it 320 all day. He called and we took an action killing flop of A53. i checked and he bet 120. I called and we saw an 8 turn. Check check to another 8 on the river. Again I checked it down, satisfied with the size of the pot. He checked and flipped up TT as the chips were pushed my way.
Soon after I picked up AA and raised the Action to 40 in early position. Steve called, as did 3 others. The flop came T42 and I bet 130 when checked to. Steve pulled out a stack and a half and min-raised me to 260. Confused and with very deep stacks i shuffled chips for a minute, thinking of my best move. Eventually I raised is up 450 more, to which Steve showed a T and folded his hand. I felt like Dwight. The smarter, better paper salesman, that Michael Scott always seems to find a way to outshine and outsmart.
Satisfied with my session I racked up 2k richer, which put my 2-day total somewhere in the $2800 profit range. For the trip Im up almost 6k and while each day my game feels stronger, I'm constantly reminded through missed value and bad bluffs that I have much to learn.
For now, I can live with the end of my Ellis Island losing streak. After all, If my bad luck continues to come in the form of $60 crap outs and my good luck in $2,000 suckouts, it's going to be a great summer.
Matt
Standing with the dice in my hand, the board sprinkled in red chips, and a hefty back up bet on the pass line, I tossed my signature roll at the corner of the mirror, and watched as the dice rode the outside of the cylinder like two horses at the track. The first di came down five, the second was still spinning. A 4 would hit the point, pay me 3:2 on my 30 dollar back up bet, and once again help me walk out the door of Ellis Island a winner. I froze, my eyes glued to the di as it slowly stopped spinning and fell on its back. "7 out the dealer shouted". Disappointed, I had the dealer color up my remaining chips, as it was time to call it quits and admit defeat for the first time of my dice career to the people of Ellis Island. "I swear if it wasn't for bad luck, you wouldn't have any luck at all," the dealer said to me as he returned my two remaining $25 chips. Boy he couldn't be more wrong…
The past two days I played two 6 hour sessions at the Bellagio. It seems to me like each day I play is the new toughest table I've sat at. This time of the summer, half the 5/10 seats are filled with young European pros, a quarter of them Rocks, and maybe if you're lucky one or two fish. The first of my sessions saw me get stuck half a buy-in pretty early. Things like Cbetting and 3Betting just weren't working against this european lineup. Then with a 1k stack I got involved in a pot with the woman to my right.
It started when a loose european player raised to 30 UTG. The woman in the CO called and I (while trying to make it 110) accidentally made it 130 to go with 8
9. UTG folded and the woman, dressed in a "Canada Kicks Ass" shirt made the call by placing one bill into the pot. The flop came 875 and I bet 160 when checked to. After posturing for a few moments, the CO made the call. The turn was a 2 and again she checked. Thinking I had some fold equity against TT JJ type hands and wanting to protect against flush draws, I bet out 520 with 230 behind. She thought forever, counting out her bills over and over before finally sliding them all into the pot. I obviously called, hoping to avoid a diamond for any chance at the pot. Unfortunately the 10 popped up on the river and I knew I was toast. I heard her say "Ace" and checked her hand to confirm the nut flush. But no, all she had was the AK of clubs for no pair, no draw. I didn't know how to react as I raked in the 2k pot, so I sat to myself, silently, wondering what was going through that woman's mind.Later, in my only other interesting spot I opened QQ to 50 UTG. Back to the SB, a European who had opened fairly frequently preflop, but not once 3Bet in our 6 hour session, made it 160 to go. While my Queens appear strong, in this situation they aren't necessarily the best hand. So to gain more information I made it 280 all day, knowing his stack was around 950. Without a nervous bone in his body, he pasued for a few seconds before announcing all-in. Having gotten the information I needed, I tossed my hand in face up, which sparked quite the discussion between me and another solid European player. He was befuddled that I would fold that hand after putting 280 into the pot, saying that even if I had AQ I would've had to call based on pot odds. I argued that my opponents range was way tighter then he was giving him credit for. Eventually we agreed to disagree; but I was reassured of my read when my opponent called me over as i was leaving and said he had KK.
I returned to the B the next day hoping to build on the current mini-winning streak I had going. After a brief stint in the must move, I was transferred to the main game and in the middle of a back and forth battle between two european big stacks. One of them, who had lost a few pots in a row (and a healthy portion of his stack), was clearly on tilt; doing things like pounding chips on the felt and shaking his head refusely in an anxious manner. So when I picked up KK in MP and he raised it up to 55 UTG I knew it was best to play my hand fast. I bumped it up to 170 and he called without any thought at all. The flop came 9
75 and after he checked, I bet out 240. He shoved in rhythm and I called immediately. The turn brought the A and the river the K and I knew I was good as he shook his head. What I didn't know was that the river K bailed me out against his top set of 9s. My first big suck out of the trip and it came in a 2100 dollar pot. After a few smaller battles with the tilting giant, I changed tables, not wanting to get involved in 250BB hands with an opponent with such a wide range and a knack for shoving all-in. At my new table, I was seated next to a player with a creepy resemblance to Steve Carrel (video of the Michael Scott look-a-like on my website). Anyways hoping that he would be as clueless a card player as we was a paper salesmen, I got involved in two early pots with him. In the first one I made it 40 with KK and he raised me up to 140. with both of us 2k deep I made it 320 all day. He called and we took an action killing flop of A53. i checked and he bet 120. I called and we saw an 8 turn. Check check to another 8 on the river. Again I checked it down, satisfied with the size of the pot. He checked and flipped up TT as the chips were pushed my way.
Soon after I picked up AA and raised the Action to 40 in early position. Steve called, as did 3 others. The flop came T
42 and I bet 130 when checked to. Steve pulled out a stack and a half and min-raised me to 260. Confused and with very deep stacks i shuffled chips for a minute, thinking of my best move. Eventually I raised is up 450 more, to which Steve showed a T and folded his hand. I felt like Dwight. The smarter, better paper salesman, that Michael Scott always seems to find a way to outshine and outsmart.Satisfied with my session I racked up 2k richer, which put my 2-day total somewhere in the $2800 profit range. For the trip Im up almost 6k and while each day my game feels stronger, I'm constantly reminded through missed value and bad bluffs that I have much to learn.
For now, I can live with the end of my Ellis Island losing streak. After all, If my bad luck continues to come in the form of $60 crap outs and my good luck in $2,000 suckouts, it's going to be a great summer.
Matt
06-16-2010
, 09:34 PM
06-17-2010
, 02:35 AM
06-17-2010
, 04:01 PM
The homeless and Caesers
If you're walking daily from Koval down Flamingo to LVBD odds are you've been acquainted with quite a few members of the LV homeless community. There's the three who have taken over the half cylinder behind the bus station on Koval, the sun-beaten guy with the "why lie I need beer" sign, the hispanics selling water for a dollar, and the Asian guitar player. I've never really had a stance on homelessness because frankly I've never witnessed it to anything near this degree. But one thing I do know is that these people can certainly use any help you're willing to give them. So most times we leave home we bring a couple extra cans of beer, and either beef jerky, or a handful of animal crackers to help these guys make it through the day. A survivalists true essentials.
Well one day when we were heading back from Ellis Island, Guppie decided to treat a man we'd never seen before, sitting in front of 7 11 to a fresh $5 bill. Whether it was the winning session or the liquid courtesy, I'm not sure. But I do know that afterwards he felt better then any winning craps day could make him feel. Well a few days later we were walking past that same 711 to the Hard Rock with a few extra beers when we noticed the same guy. "Im gonna give my man one of these beers," Guppie tells me as we approach the braided black man. However, the man doesn't notice Guppie's beer initially as he's preoccupied with a small black device in his lap. It's the brand new Blackberry, a phone more expensive then Guppie's and mine combined. "Either that 5 bucks completed his 'Blackberry savings fund' or you've been hustled my friend'" I said to Casey, laughing my way down Koval as he shook his head in defeat carrying the weight of two extra beers. Now I don't know if that guy is actually homeless or not, but it goes to show that everybody's hustlin one way or another out here.
Yesterday I had some shopping and cleaning to do that kept me from getting to the Bellagio until 6pm. With the 5/10 wait at 14, I decided to venture over to Caesers for the 7pm tourney. While I'm about to register I hear the floor man announce that late registration for the 4pm tourney is about to end. And since I hate the early stages of tournaments anyway, I said what the hell, signed up for the 4pm and got busy right away with my 25BB stack. After all with a field of 90 and only 60 something remaining it didn't seem like the worst deal in the world.
After Folding down to a 20BB stack at 500/1,000 100a I picked up 99 in the BB. Folded to the BTN and he made a standard open to 3k. I shoved without much thought and was called. He had TT and I was in bad shape. The flop provided no help with the 48Q, and the turn A didn't do much either. I was standing up when I noticed three diamonds on the board and one in my hand. With a ray of hope I sat back down and gladly accepted the 9 on the river a double up.
With 50k at 1,000/2,000 200a I opened in the sb to 6k with KJ against a new opponent who appeared to be a little intoxicated. We took a flop of AAJ and before I could check he said, "well damn you know I don't have that Ace." Suspicious I checked again when I hit my 3pair (k) on the turn, and he quickly bet out for 6k. I called and checked again on an 8 river. In rhythm, he fired out for 14k. I surely wasn't happy about it, but my hand was under-repped so I called and he mucked pretty quickly.
Down to 35 players, I was all ready for the 15 minute break when on my last hand I picked up AJ on the BTN. UTG +1 shoved in for 30k at 2,000/4,000 and I was in a tough spot. He had just switched to our table so I didn't know how he played, but something kept telling me he either wanted to double up or get out of here before the break so I made the call. He showed AK and obviously I was in trouble. The door card, however, was the pretty J. He threw a little hissy fit as the flop finished out J43. Of course the K saved him on the turn, the river blanked, and he was stuck apologizing to me with the "sorry man that's just how it's been going for me" speech.
After returning to the table I made a couple steals and shoves to grow my stack back up to 75k, when I encountered another Blind vs Blind situation. With K9 at 2,500/5,000 500a I shoved my opponent in for his remaining 20k. He called and I was in good shape against Q6. The flop brought us both a flush draw with the 48J. The turn was the A and the river a harmless 3.
So there I was with 100K with 18 remaining, 9 paying and $4,800 going towards the winner's check. The finish line was within site. Unfortunately the variance portion of tournaments took over and I saw no hands to even steal with for the next 30 minutes. With my stack down to 45K and blinds at 4,000/8,000 500a I shoved in 24 from the small blind. An older gentleman who I'm sure would fold too many times, picked up 55 and made the call. "I need some diamonds" I declared as I flipped over my hand. And diamonds were what I got. I flopped a flush on a 973 board, but as I checked my opponents hand I saw that I still had some outs to dodge as he held the 5. The tun safely brought the Ks and I closed my eyes, knowing the sounds of the table would tell me all I needed to know about the river. "oohhh that's sick" is what I heard next. The T finished off my tournament, 5 places from the money.
It's tough to be disappointed when you get it in with two unders, but I couldn't help but think on my walk home what could've been if my flush held up. I haven't cashed in a live tournament in quite some time, but recently I've been getting close. I have this hunch that when I do it could be a real big score.
Matt M
If you're walking daily from Koval down Flamingo to LVBD odds are you've been acquainted with quite a few members of the LV homeless community. There's the three who have taken over the half cylinder behind the bus station on Koval, the sun-beaten guy with the "why lie I need beer" sign, the hispanics selling water for a dollar, and the Asian guitar player. I've never really had a stance on homelessness because frankly I've never witnessed it to anything near this degree. But one thing I do know is that these people can certainly use any help you're willing to give them. So most times we leave home we bring a couple extra cans of beer, and either beef jerky, or a handful of animal crackers to help these guys make it through the day. A survivalists true essentials.
Well one day when we were heading back from Ellis Island, Guppie decided to treat a man we'd never seen before, sitting in front of 7 11 to a fresh $5 bill. Whether it was the winning session or the liquid courtesy, I'm not sure. But I do know that afterwards he felt better then any winning craps day could make him feel. Well a few days later we were walking past that same 711 to the Hard Rock with a few extra beers when we noticed the same guy. "Im gonna give my man one of these beers," Guppie tells me as we approach the braided black man. However, the man doesn't notice Guppie's beer initially as he's preoccupied with a small black device in his lap. It's the brand new Blackberry, a phone more expensive then Guppie's and mine combined. "Either that 5 bucks completed his 'Blackberry savings fund' or you've been hustled my friend'" I said to Casey, laughing my way down Koval as he shook his head in defeat carrying the weight of two extra beers. Now I don't know if that guy is actually homeless or not, but it goes to show that everybody's hustlin one way or another out here.
Yesterday I had some shopping and cleaning to do that kept me from getting to the Bellagio until 6pm. With the 5/10 wait at 14, I decided to venture over to Caesers for the 7pm tourney. While I'm about to register I hear the floor man announce that late registration for the 4pm tourney is about to end. And since I hate the early stages of tournaments anyway, I said what the hell, signed up for the 4pm and got busy right away with my 25BB stack. After all with a field of 90 and only 60 something remaining it didn't seem like the worst deal in the world.
After Folding down to a 20BB stack at 500/1,000 100a I picked up 99 in the BB. Folded to the BTN and he made a standard open to 3k. I shoved without much thought and was called. He had TT and I was in bad shape. The flop provided no help with the 4
8Q, and the turn A didn't do much either. I was standing up when I noticed three diamonds on the board and one in my hand. With a ray of hope I sat back down and gladly accepted the 9 on the river a double up. With 50k at 1,000/2,000 200a I opened in the sb to 6k with KJ against a new opponent who appeared to be a little intoxicated. We took a flop of AAJ and before I could check he said, "well damn you know I don't have that Ace." Suspicious I checked again when I hit my 3pair (k) on the turn, and he quickly bet out for 6k. I called and checked again on an 8 river. In rhythm, he fired out for 14k. I surely wasn't happy about it, but my hand was under-repped so I called and he mucked pretty quickly.
Down to 35 players, I was all ready for the 15 minute break when on my last hand I picked up AJ on the BTN. UTG +1 shoved in for 30k at 2,000/4,000 and I was in a tough spot. He had just switched to our table so I didn't know how he played, but something kept telling me he either wanted to double up or get out of here before the break so I made the call. He showed AK and obviously I was in trouble. The door card, however, was the pretty J
. He threw a little hissy fit as the flop finished out J43. Of course the K saved him on the turn, the river blanked, and he was stuck apologizing to me with the "sorry man that's just how it's been going for me" speech. After returning to the table I made a couple steals and shoves to grow my stack back up to 75k, when I encountered another Blind vs Blind situation. With K
9 at 2,500/5,000 500a I shoved my opponent in for his remaining 20k. He called and I was in good shape against Q6. The flop brought us both a flush draw with the 48J. The turn was the A and the river a harmless 3. So there I was with 100K with 18 remaining, 9 paying and $4,800 going towards the winner's check. The finish line was within site. Unfortunately the variance portion of tournaments took over and I saw no hands to even steal with for the next 30 minutes. With my stack down to 45K and blinds at 4,000/8,000 500a I shoved in 2
4 from the small blind. An older gentleman who I'm sure would fold too many times, picked up 55 and made the call. "I need some diamonds" I declared as I flipped over my hand. And diamonds were what I got. I flopped a flush on a 973 board, but as I checked my opponents hand I saw that I still had some outs to dodge as he held the 5. The tun safely brought the Ks and I closed my eyes, knowing the sounds of the table would tell me all I needed to know about the river. "oohhh that's sick" is what I heard next. The T finished off my tournament, 5 places from the money. It's tough to be disappointed when you get it in with two unders, but I couldn't help but think on my walk home what could've been if my flush held up. I haven't cashed in a live tournament in quite some time, but recently I've been getting close. I have this hunch that when I do it could be a real big score.
Matt M
