split sessions tonight Orleans and GVR both short, +$ on both...how little I have been playing 1-3/2-5 lately showed itself in the GVR game when I felt a little uncomfortable being in the game for $700. Heard a few guys talking 2+2, talked to a kid (20s) who just moved here from N.J., he was drinking a bit too much and probably hurt his game some...tried to run a bluff on me I called down super light but he hit K river, in retrospect I should have basted him off on his weakish 2nd bullet

ugh BAD night lol...dropped THREE BIs @Ballys. Weiiird luck stuff happened at Venetian after and I picked back up a chunk of the loss in 30 min but still down a lot for the night. Ran terrible in some hands and played badly after to complicate things. Ballys game gettin really stale for me, need to finish the final promo hours tomorrow and monday then bounce around more.

Funny hand snapped a $400 !4 bluff on a Jd4d5s flop with pp1010, guys says ugh good call flips over 8s9s...6 on turn...7 on river haha then hes like "yeah well you should have never called there with 10s!" ...bleh gg

I don't ramble on about hands often but this one deserves the space...I had just left Ballys pissed and stuck like 1k...hit the Venetian for a very short session. First hand I limp 3-6 os from MP...guess I'm still steamed, A solid reg makes it $17 from the hijack and I flat b/c I'm gonna win this gdam hand. Flop comes 10-5-8 2 diamonds, I check and float his $25 cbet b/c I'm gonna rep hard on str turns and diamonds. Turn is the 5 of diamonds, I check planning to c/r looking like the ever so obvious fish hitting the flush BUT he checks behind ...river is the 10 double pairing board...ok so now virtually my entire hypothetical range as played (with the exception of total air) beats about anything he can possibly have, and as I said, he is a winning player so I 'value' bet $35 and he shows KK fold.

And here comes the completely unbelievable part but hey everyone at table heard/saw it...I would find it super difficult to believe myself if heard from another source...Felt pretty cocky after that one (the last bluff) and told the dealer "OK just give me something small like a set of Aces now" ...dealer deals and I look down at ppAA...WTF!? ...I make it $14 and the button goes to $40...ok no way in hell im tipping off my hand here so I tank-flat and check dark into a A-2-4 flop...WTF-F!?!? ...he fires $80 I tank-flat... I check dark again K on turn he fires $100 I put him all in (like $120 he has left behind) and he calls w/AJ...table it so shocked since I had just requested a set of Aces prior to the deal. After that hit a nut str vs top 2 to scoop a shortstack...thats all how I ended up +$400 in a 30 minute session at V to help stem the bleeding.

First what happened at ballys to drop a K there? But hey at least you got some back at V, I started reading that 36os hand I thought oh **** this is gonna end bad..haha

...was in the next stall. Smelled awful which makes sense from your expression.

yeah...i thought i was getting him off A high!...in retrospect we needed that double pair b/c he maybe looks us up if we only have the flush to rep

well...i played the first hand at ballys baaad...i heard some great advice once to not mix things up until you sit in the game for an hour or so to feel it out; ive been breaking that a lot lately and got involved in a big hand first hand i sat down, totally misread the situation which might not have happened if i had waited for more/better info...dropped $205 right there, added $200 back on then busted that $300 and re bought...I really should have changed gears to my reliable TAG style but I've been playing SLAG so much last few weeks I just didnt...well you know how these things go, the few decent players at table smelled blood and gave me 0 respect on any of my raises/moves. the last $200 or $300 was sort of from that and sort of just nasty...guy in MP makes it $10 and I pop to $30 on button w/AhJh we get one other caller in EP. Flop comes 9h-6h-9d...checked to me I bet $88, we lose the first guy but original raiser puts in his final $140 and we have to shnap...he knows we were getting sloppy and he shows up with gdam 5-6 and wins it.

had a big night sunday, monday was stuck over -$550 but tightened up and got to only -$238 before game broke...ill post some pics this afternoon/night. the week looks like tonight and thursday off and only a short session wednesday; I have to do some sleep adjustments and gear up for the back to back to back mtts fri-sun which I really would like to squeeze some $ out of so need to be 100%

OK just going to jump back in with pictures...easier than writing out too much.

Wednesday was +$125 at Bally so no pics

Thursday was the day I played every hand blind (until forced to look from conflicting action/resistance) ...ended up +$315
In for $400 out for $715


Friday I split between 2 shorter sessions at Orleans and then at GVR
+$102 at Orleans +$175 GVR
Here is a pretty but meaningless stack at Orleans since I was in game for $700 already...out for $802


Saturday was mostly a disaster...I played bad, ran bad, and failed to adjust, losing in total -$1025 at Ballys FAAAURK!
Hit the V before home and got back $400 of that mostly from the bizarre requested set of Aces I mentioned in a post
In for $300 at V out for $700 30 min later


Sunday I got back to SLAG'n it like a maniac...instincts were on and played super solid, considered leaving up like $500-600 a few times but there were 2 spots I just couldn't leave at table so had to stay late into the am (7:30 am i think?) Here comes the fun stuff...with only a week left in Aug I did not think I would likely peg the 600 bb on table part of the photo challenge...instead nailed this one for ~750 BBs!

Ballys in for $385 out for $1500


Was feeling sort of worn out Monday so headed to my favorite spa with the gf. We got some sort of facial rejuvenation massages which were pleasing for the most part but painful when the lady totally @$%-raped my forhead and more-so my nose with a pore extractor...looked like I stuck my nose in a bee hive. Relaxed in the saunas/steamrooms and caught some extra sleep also.
At the spa



Monday the game sort of sucked, I played well but not A game. That combined with some bad run had me stuck over -$550 in the first few hours. I was able to pull myself together well and play better cutting the deficit to -$238 before the game broke. I was pretty upset with Paul Margriel and this local reg shortstacker because we were down to 5 handed with two really bad players and they called it a night causing the game to break; we could have easily divvyed up their $400 or so in short time playing 5 handed.

Got my hours finished for the mtt series this coming fri-sat-sun. I took today (tuesday) off and just watched some movies, hit the gym, ect...gonna actually get to bed a few hours early trying to adjust down for having to wake up early for the tournaments this coming weekend. I'll be playing a short session wednesday maybe at PHO then taking the day off thursday as well; Put in a few 6 day weeks in a row some 2.5 days off will be good for me.

Not much else going on, finally took a progress pic from the work I've been putting in gym lately...bout 1 week into a cut.
Currently about 12-15 pounds lighter than my heaviest but I feel stronger and more symmetric; hoping to fix my cardio/endurance and do some fun things outside this month


Saw this pretty sweet Vette in the Pallazo lot


Been raining a lot last week or so, snapped this cool pic other day ("huge double rainbow full on all the way man what does it mean!?!?")


Hopefully this is mildly legible, I have no time to review it before early sleep. After the weekend Ill wrap up the photo challenge unless anything needs to be carried into September +reassess the goals from August. Some good stuff to come in September including some food reviews, some events, and a full picture review of the newly opened SLS hotel and at least one but more likely more of the new restaurants there. Also you may or may not have noted that August consisted almost entirely of 1-2nl with little to no 1-3/2-5...expect more 1-3 and 2-5 in September.

Double rainbow, lol.

Whey, this is one of my favorite threads, keep it coming. I'm surprised I've never run into you. I'm at the Orleans quite a bit, but daytime mostly. That game is just so easy, a great fish to nit ratio with a spattering of gamboolers that come and go.

Nice run at Bally's BTW. It's a room I'd never think to step into.

Nice pic of the 750. Challenge done!

Keep it coming, Whey.

You're a food guy...do you ever hit up the buffets? Which do you like and which dislike?

when Im on a bulk and just want to cram cals by the quantity just about any LV buffet will do...however from a quality standpoint its Caesars buffet followed closely by Cosmo...no others I have experienced have come close though i hear the Bellagio is supposed to be good also

now that you got me thinking about it I may have to go hit up the Caesars buffet after this weekend

More pix of your gf and other hot chicks out there man, seen enough food pix!

On a more serious note just wondering your thoughts on locking up a wins? Say you win a couple big pots in the first 3 hours and your up a few bis. Do you ever just leave?

What is the reasoning behind your play time? Do u have daily hour goals? $ goals? Or just bounce around based on your mood? how bad or good your running? Ect.

Im sure just about every 2/5 and smaller game in vegas is a +ev game to sit but do you ever get up and leave based on table conditions?

I've never done the Cosmo one but definitely agree on Caesar's new (relatively new) Bachannal buffet. It's my favorite one right now.

Nice to met you last morning at Excalibur. Stand up guy! Good luck and see you soon.

Spice buffet at PH is the nuts for me.

this. she's a knockout. ya did good!

Subbed

thread's going great. Getting the feedback and views it deserves rather than when it was elsewhere. Good run at Bally's.

No pics of your a**raped nose??

lol we must be on the same wave-length...lot of good pics coming. I would never suggest leaving at any kind of win limit alone because the conditions that allowed you to reach that limit (and of often fast) could remain conductive to really big wins/profit. The exceptions of course are if the table dynamics change or if you reach a point where your playing uncomfortably deep/the amount of $ on table is effecting your decisions.

Having a target amount is pretty irrelevant also since you cant control the outcome of statistical variance...just play A-game and make ideal decisions, the profits should show up. I personally have general time targets anywhere from 4-6 hours that I plan to play a session...as that time draws near I will choose an ideal time to leave, often after taking some last advantage of image (if it was tight at the time). Some people can play A-game for 1-2 hours...some for 4-6...others can go upwards of 8 hours. I am yet to meet anyone who can consistently play A-game on 8+ hour cash sessions despite what they may tell themselves. If you are maximizing observation/information gathering at a table it should be quite taxing. If I feel myself sliding to sub-optimal play, I will leave unless their are spots at the table good enough to justify playing even a deteriorated edge.

hey yeah awesome to meet you as well, you never came back the game got good

thx. no though, nose is healed up now after a week or so lol



OK so feeling beat to #%#% after a long staycation on the strip over the weekend of mtts and cash grinds, gonna be a big @%$ week & month wrap up probably tomorrow, lots of visual goodies.

lol Holy *** 2 hour post I was finishing just disappeared...So Standard...need a draft save or something for this kind of situation

Unlucky - hopefully you'll have the patience to do again.
I had a similar experience with my TR - and learnt to save copies to Word!

OK lets write this Fker up AGAIN...gonna be long but will try to stay photo based. We left off on Wednesday when I was supposed to play a short cash session before taking a break on Thursday. Well I went to the Venetian and it turned into a long session in a sick game where they were just trying to chuck money at my head hand over fist (I think that's the expression?) Unfortunately even I run bad sometimes and I got 2-4 outered a few times and had ppAA cracked twice in odd situations...once with AdAh on a 4h6h9h flop gii having come over pre for $22 over original raisers $7...original raiser folded but the V who called showed up with 2h3h. The other ppAA was a FOUR way all in preflop for a $900ish pot...one V shows up with AK, one with JJ, and older Asian Gamboolz shows up with 4-6 and scoops it w/2 pair. Whats happened to me!?!? Why am I cursed so!?!? ...it hits me later...a shameful mistake but maybe it will serve as a reminder to save others some $. Well I had bought in with...with...with...a fifty! Anyhow ended the night stuck -$590

BURN THEM ALL!


Weird night in general...they broke our first table to clean the chandeliers and they tested the light/sound alarms for about 20 minutes which was agitating as #%%^


Took Thursday off to recoup before the weekend. I ultimately decided I would stay on the strip over the weekend. The cash games are generally good on labor day weekend and I had the three free mtts every morning so there was just no way I could optimally take advantage of both if I were driving back and forth. Booked a room at Scaliwags (Excalibur) and headed over to Ballys for the Fri morning mtt. I got off to a good start but just as I got the chip lead and started to rev up the engine I had 2 big nasty setbacks QQ < A4os and AK < AJ...I ended up shoving 19bbs from the BB into a 6bb pot with one limper and a late position 2.5x raiser...raiser had the AA...gg...I grabbed a quick $57 off the cash game then headed to check in at Excal for some sleep.

Excal


They stuck me in Tower 1 which sucks because Tower 2 is closer to the poker room and was refurbished more recently


On my way into the hotel snapped this pic...chick was a savvy little %^&$ and looked up to catch me in the glass...asked in a French (Quebec?) accent "what is the picture for" ...told her I needed definitive proof there was a hot girl in the Excalibur hotel...she smiled/laughed and all was good...its super rare for me to actually pursue a girl if I'm not on vacation or something but was very tempted to go for this one b/c I am suuucccch a sucker for this particular build...the gf crashing with me for the night but she is cool with other girls so that wasn't a problem. My mind was more on $ though and I was a little sleep deprived so decided the effort of acquisition and execution was going to be -EV and moved on.


I slept a few hours then hit the cash tables...flirted back and forth with this hot cougar but just playfully; Her bf was playing as well (much younger dude...knew I had her pegged as a cougar) and was cool. Its a ****ty pic but she looked good in person, an uncanny resemblance to Courtney Cox.


The gf texted me mid session and I headed up to the room to catch a shower/coffee/quick recharge...the advantages of having a room.


Ran the table over pretty well...in for $275 out for $807 (+$532)


Saw this chick while grabbing some food, I found her odd and general lack of clothing interesting/amusing.


Got more sleep then it was off the Sat morning mtt at Ballys...I had hoped to cash the first one and get the pressure off (was hoping to net $500+ to justify chasing the promo hours) so I came in to this one more focused. Stuck to the game plan and my general mtt style of just running over the entire field. I maintained the chip lead off and on for most of the early/mid stages and coming up on the bubble with 2 tables remaining I had the significant lead at my table. I ended up dusting off most my stack running a massive bluff with 8 high on a Qh9hJc flop vs the second biggest stack at the table. I put him in a situation for all his chips only 2 spots from the bubble with him having a significantly above average stack. I'm a little dusty on ICM and such but he just shouldn't call here with anything less than a huge hand like a pair with the double draw or something...yeah well he insta snaps with just top pair...I think I had $220000 and he had $140000. Would have been easy to melt down there but my confidence was still high. Despite my love for steamrolling the big stack, I know I can work the @#%^ out of a shortstack and did so to shortstack ninja my way into final table. Worked my way back into things...a few chop considerations came and went...blinds got disgustingly high and the 4 of us remaining decided for an even chop given the majorly top heavy payout structure. Had to give the trophy to one of my Ballys cash game rivals which certainly stung a bit but honestly the blinds had my edge severely deteriorated and 2 of the other 3 players remaining were not total droolers. At the end of the day I am a cash game player so the $ is the trophy/score and a win is a win...tossing her the $20 piece of glass bought me like a buck-fiddy in extra equity. Even chop for +$1811

Just some chip progression




Just a CLS550 on the way out, saw some much sicker cars over the weekend but was never in a good position to take pics


Very cool sunset behind Bellagio on my way out



Back to Excal to grab some sleep then right back to the cash games...stayed up too late, dusted off $-170

Headed over to Ballys Sunday morning for the third and final mtt. It was the larger of the three as well. I started off well getting some momentum going. Some terribad spewtard young Israeli guy in shades and Beats was !3 light from every position...eventually he !3 from EP and I !4 him with pp66 planning to outplay...when he !5 with room left to fold though I insta !6 him all in and he insta snaps with A10os...he gets there. Afterwards he starts bragging about how he did the same thing in a "1000 euro" mtt and was ahead. I told him this was a $200 mtt and that in the almost inconceivably remote chance he even sees a preflop !6 in another $200 donkament hes going to be disgustingly crushed lol...yeah I guess I was a bit steamed. gg.

Hopped on the cash tables real quick for a fast +$190 but was sooo tired I checked in to a room at Ballys and slept for about 5 hours.

Woke up feeling recharged and went down to roll over the cash game for a nice win in a relatively short period of time. In for $400 out for $1120 (+$720).


Table was becoming less lucrative so I walked over to PHO...made some fast $ on the first table running things pretty smooth but when it broke the other game was nutttts. Normally I would never leave a game like this...crazy Russians with 1k+ stacks just spewing all over table BUT I could easily see myself dusting off 3-5 BIs in this game if I ran bad so decided to protect some win and go back to Ballys (shoulda stayed but whats done is done)

In for $200 (rare but I had my reasons) out for $588 (this pic is light b/c its prior to first table break) (+$388)


PHO


Back at Ballys Sunday night for what was supposed to be a short session...get in an epically beautiful game with Las Vegas Michael. This Middle Eastern chick with 0 regard for $ is blowing through hundreds then into the low thousand(s?)...she has no clue how to play, she just calls down any amount with any 2 cards then cheers if she wins and laughs if she loses. Me and LVM are relentlessly ISO'ing here with ATC BUT in a freak run bad she is hitting the most bizarre runner runners and rivers on BOTH of us and we both end up significantly stuck!? On one hand I go $60 pf with AsKs then open shove into her for $300 more on a 4s6s9c flop...she insta snaps and after a 4d-8d runout she shows up with Qc8c Faaaurk! Her daughter shows up and pulls her off the table with all our $ haha. I play waaay to long and cost myself some needed sleep but manage to get mostly unstuck leaving down -$363

So after expenses rooms/food, here was the net for the weekend at about $3kish...pardon my gross apartment carpet


I'm gonna be on a little lower volume this week recharging but then should be full steam again by the 2nd week of Sept...Ill go over some of my tentative plans and goals for Sept later. I also need to recap on the Aug goals/challenges...would do it now if my first round posting this hadn't messed up.

I really need a good mid-level watch since my band broke on my crappy one. Gonna order this one IF I have a decent week this week.


Sorry if I got a little sloppy on this post, I was a little on tilt from it being wiped out after spending a ton of time on it earlier. Also a big thx to the 3-4 2+2rs who introduced themselves and said hi over the weekend. I enjoy entertaining people as well as trying to portray Las Vegas and poker in a positive light so you guys telling me you enjoyed the thread was exceptionally pleasing.