Happy belated birthday Whale!

Thanks! Getting old AF, but it happens to all of us.

----

That is evident by the fact that time flies so fast in Vegas, and it's easy to feel a bit melancholic about the trip getting near it's end. But such is life I guess, nothing lasts forever whether it's fun or not.

Regardless, here is another boring update for you guys Not too exciting, but I like to take a break to update in the middle of the day to avoid having so much backlog the next day.

After getting this TR updated this morning and hitting up the gym at Flamingo, it was time for some more poker. I made it over here:



And got seated in a $1/$3 game almost immediately. Game looked all right without being fantastic, but there were a couple of spots there that we will get back to later.

As in many session on this trip, I started losing right off the bat. I raise 66 to $15 over a limp, and get called by the button and the limper. We go 3-ways to 7-5-2 with two spades. I have none, but when BB checks to me I think I need some protection here. So I bet $20, only to see button reraise to $50 and BB cold-calling the $50. Can't continue then, so I fold. It turned out the button was trapping with AA pre, although he folded the river when a third spade hit and Big Blind bet $200 into him.

Then we raise AQo to $15 over a limp from a short stacked Asian fun-player. Same guy from last time calls in SB this time, and limper also calls. We see T-9-5 with two clubs, and after they both check to me I bet $15. I have the Ac, which is the reason why I am betting (starting a backdoor bluff). SB folds, but the limper calls leaving himself only $31 behind. I wasn't going to put him all-in on any turn card, but a red A is good news. He checks, I put him all-in and he instacalls.

River is a 5, and after I table my hand he sadly goes to flip over his own. 85cc for bottom pair and flushdraw, and he got there with trips on the river. Obviously a great spot to have at the table though, if he is willing to call off 20% of stack or something pre with 85cc. But with him being so short it's obviously not a ton of value one can get.

I was down over $100 now, so I had to add on and was in for $400. But fortunes did turn around, first when there was a raise to $8 from EP, button called, and I call $5 more from BB with 86o. Obviously not a monster, but hardly a hand that's gonna get me in huge trouble. Flop comes J-9-5 rainbow and checks around.

Turn is a 7, so we turn the second nuts. I lead for $12, the raiser calls and BB folds. River comes with a 6, which is not ideal as there is now 4 to a straight out there. With him checking back flop he is a bit capped here, so I don't think I can go big here. I bet $26, and he is in the tank for a long time, looks like he wants to call, but eventually folds. Could probably have gotten paid on another river then, if I have to guess.

Then we find JJ from EP1 and make it $15 after a very tight OMC have limped in for $3 under the gun. Cutoff calls, and the rest (including limper) folds. Flop is 8-4-2 two hearts, which is reasonable. I bet $16 and he calls. Turn is also reasonable, as it comes a Jack. I only bet $35 here as I don't want to scare him off in case he has something like 99 or similar. He quickly calls.

River comes another 8, so we make a full house. Now I am really hoping that he has an eight, and although I think he is not going to go crazy with it on the river, he will surely call a big bet. So I make it $135 into $139, and he thinks for quite a while before folding. Guess he didn't have an eight then, but I still need to target one instead of going smaller imo.

I am back around even now, and pretty much get stuck there for a while as not too much happening. Going very card dead, and nothing exciting happened in the few small pots I played. There was however a new mid-50s guy to the table who was definitely a fun-player, as he was in there with a lot of hands and at times showing bluffs. That style was surprisingly not too successful for him overall, as he kept losing money from his initial $200.

Then there is a raise to $15 from a tight player in EP, the fun-player calls, a local grinder who was terrible at getting value calls in CO, and I wake up with red AKo in Small Blind. Obviously a 3-bet with all the dead callers out there, and I make it $86. The raiser folds, but the fun-player goes all-in for $95. Cutoff folds, and we obviously call. Board runs out fairly bad, something like T-8-5-3-4 all black cards. We do however hold as the fun-player only had KJdd for King high.



After both fun-players and the OMC had left the table, the rest of the seats got filled with Asian grinder types who was raising pre and looking way too serious. So there didn't seem like much point in staying in the game anymore, and thus I took my $89 profit after 2.5 hours of play.

Now I'm gonna head out to play some more, haven't 100% decided on location yet although I do have one in mind. And while I ponder this important decision, here is a classic photo from the balcony thing in front of Venetian:



Cash Games:

Hours played: 35h 45 min
Won/lost: + $1150 USD
Hourly rate: +$32.2 USD

Tournaments:

Won/lost: +$283 USD (1 played)

A little big for your carry-on anyway.

Don't worry. Things get worse, faster, as you get older.

It was super packed last evening for thanksgiving, which was a bit surprising actually. Tons of people everywhere, and lots of pretty views in many ways - like this one:



I had considered going to Wynn to play, but instead ended up at Aria as I noticed they had no list for $1/$3. Went through Bellagio, which was as crowded as I have never seen it before. But eventually I found a way through the maze and took the tram over to Aria. Sorry for slightly blurry picture quality here:



Got a seat immediately, and obviously started losing immediately as well. There are 3 limps to me in BB with AJo, and we make it $21. Only an Asian player with a mask calls, and we go heads-up to 9-9-5 two clubs. Seems fairly harmless, although I don't have a club. I decided to bet fairly big, $30 into $49 to discourage light floats in position. He does however call, and turn is a 6. I check, and have to fold when be bets $75 or something similar.

Then we find AQo on the button after two limp and make it $16. An OMC in SB calls, and the rest fold out. Flop comes 2-3-3 two clubs, and he leads right into me for $30. I make the call here, which I think is a mistake as I do not have a club. Why can't I follow through on these simple concepts in marginal spots? Turn is a J, he bets $45 and I have to fold again.

Got some chips back through two decently played pots though, first when there is 4 limps to me and I make it $23 in BB with KQo. The OMC again calls, so does the masked Asian from first hand. Flop comes J-T-5 two clubs, which is decent as I do have the Qc as well. I bet $30, the OMC calls and the Asian folds.

Kc lands on the turn, and the OMC only has around $100 left at this point (maybe a bit more). So we just slide out $100 to pretty much put him in, with our TP and draws. He thinks about it for a while, looks a bit annoyed, but eventually folds.

Then an orbit later we check our K8ss from BB after a couple of limps. Flop is 8-3-2 two diamonds. Considered leading, but check it over to a mid-50s guy who throws out $10. Asian calls $10, and I call as well.

Turn is the Td, and after I check the bettor again throws out $10. Asian folds, and while I might have the best hand regardless it seems better to just take it down now. He did after all use the 'same bet' strategy, which means he is never strong and likely just capped to an eight. So I make it $60, and he folds fairly quickly.

Played a couple of semi-small pots after that, winning some and losing some. Got 3-bet once when I had AJ from a fairly tight player, and also had QQ that got an A-3-9 flop 3-ways. I did however also win a few pots, and was around break even (or maybe slightly down) when the biggest hand of the night came up.

It started with a limp from a tight female player, before I make it $15 right behind her with QJo from cutoff. SB then 3-bets to $35, and it folds back to me. This is the same guy who 3-bet me earlier when I had AJ, but overall he had been fairly tight and didn't seem super competent. My first thought is that this is a trouble hand and I should fold, which is probably correct. But it's only $20 more into a pot that will be $76, so with position and very good odds I decided to make the call.

Flop comes K-J-4 two diamonds, and I do have the Qd in my hand. So when he only bets $25 I think this is a good spot to float in position and see what develops. Certainly cannot fold yet for that prize. Turn comes a T, and he now increases to $75 with around $230 behind (I slightly cover).

If I'm going to continue in the hand, I actually think all-in is the only option. I can easily have JJ here (not always 4-betting), AQ with a diamond who floated the flop, plus all the two pairs in KJ, JT and KT (at least the suited ones). I can obviously also have 44. So unless I run into KK, I think a push here will put him in a miserable spot with hands like AK and even AA. Earlier in the trip I have been shying away from these plays, but this time I went for it. All-in it is!

It's an amazing feeling to not get snapcalled in these spots, as the player immediately seems pained with his decision. That obviously means he's got a hand, but that was to be expected. He is in the tank for well over a minute, and at one point even lifted his cards a bit up and took one last look, as if he was going to fold. Instead he went back into the tank a bit more, and eventually rolled out a $5 chip for a call, showing AKo.

'F**k' I said (not in an angry way), and that I need help. I did however not get it as the river rolled off a random small card. He had $309 left on the turn, so this was a really big pot that determined the entire session. I actually quite like my play although it's highly risky and I am gambling on a $1/$3 players ability to fold one pair. But I think most of my range should have him in very bad shape there, and that his call is rather poor. He even had the Ad if I remember correctly, which obviously means it's less likely I am on some kind of big draw.

I am now in for $700, and it's never a fun feeling realizing how much work it will take to crawl out of the hole. Although for a while I managed to do so. I started winning a couple of small pots here and there, and also had a cool one when I raise A9dd from cutoff to $11. Button calls (old tight lady), and then a young German player (f**king Germans) 3-bets to $40 from BB. He has been at the table for a bit now, although he arrived after the big hand above.

Normally this is strength, however with his age, location and general profile I think he has been looking for some squeeze-spots. He has been coming in for a fair bit of raises so far in the game, but hasn't had the best of luck and is down to around $200 or so in his stack. So let's make it $125 and see how much he likes his hand. Woman obviously folds, and the German also pretty much snap-folds when it gets to him. I show a nine just for the fun of it.

I also made quads with 99 earlier in a weird spot. The German raised to $10 from UTG, an Asian female called, and I call with the mentioned hand. Button also calls, and we see 2-5-9 rainbow. It checks to me, and with blocking top pair so heavily and the board being this dry, I chose to just check it. The older African-American gentleman on the button does however bet $35, which is fairly big into this pot. It folds again to me, and I just call. If you are going to slow play some sets, this is the one to do it for the reason above + board is dynamic so there will roll off overcards most likely for him to hit or represent.

Turn is one of those, as it comes a K. I check, but sadly enough he just check back quickly. River is another 9, which is just overkill and again makes it hard for me to get paid. I lead out for $67, but at this point my hand just looks way too much like a nine. That said, he was in the tank for a while before releasing, so I have no idea what he could had that didn't bet the turn.

I also made a hero-call with AQo high in a pot versus a fishy Asian, but sadly ended up chopping versus the same hand (on 2-7-8-7-K). But he did something on the river that Bart Hanson has talked a lot about in his material, and it was fun to see it in practice (the insta-bet when a card hits that should warrant some pause). Thus it was obvious he was just bluffing, and it was disappointing to only chop it.



I was now back to 'only' being down $200, which would have been reasonable, and I decided to call it quits after just one more round. That did however not work out too well for me, as I find JJ in mid-pos and raise to $12. A new female Asian player (maybe late 30s?) 3-bets from Small Blind to $45. She has raised a few hands since sitting down, but has really only been there for 30 minutes or so. Thus I have no idea just how capable she is. She has around $210 back, and JJ is one of those borderline hands. With not blocking any of the stronger hands of her range, I chose to just call, as it seems a bit too much to get in $250 here pre.

We see K-7-2 two diamonds, and she bets $45 again. Being in position I think I have to call once to see how she reacts, so that is what I do. Turn comes a 5, and she fairly quickly slides out $90. It's not a fun spot, as although I do not have her tagged as a huge nit I just don't think she would commit her stack here on a bluff. I considered calling and playing the good old 'fifth street chicken' (another CLP-concept), and maybe that would have been the better play. She obviously will never jam river as a bluff when she sees that I am committed to calling down. But I did end up folding the turn, which was annoying but probably correct.

So instead of getting a managable loss of $190 or something we end up losing $295 for the evening. Not too fun, and as always it left me pondering. The QJ-bluff cost me $369 in total, so I was playing (slightly) winning poker without it. Thus, was it necessary or is it just spew? I actually still kinda like the play, although it should obviously be used sparingly at these stakes. Tight players simply don't like to fold their big hands, as evident by him calling with AKo there despite probably not coming up with any logical hand he can beat.



Today is my last full day in Vegas, and although my flight does not leave until 8:55 pm tomorrow evening I am unsure how much poker I will play then. Guess it depends on how it goes today But for now, let's get back out there and play. I still think I execute a lot of good play at times, but the consistency is just not there and I still let short term results affect my thinking a bit too much.

Cash Games:

Hours played: 40h 00 min
Won/lost: + $855 USD
Hourly rate: +$21.4 USD

Tournaments:

Won/lost: +$283 USD (1 played)

After thinking it over I actually decided to head Downtown for one last session at Golden Nugget for this trip. I did have to wait a little bit for a seat, but only around 15 minutes. Watched England vs USA in the World Cup (Soccer) while waiting + snapped this picture of the poker room:



There were obviously a couple of more games going what shows above, and when I got a seat I bought in for $400. I believe I won one tiny pot early, before getting involved in a really big one only around 20 minutes into the session.

There was a hispanic player with a really big stack two to my right, and I had already seen him open 75cc from cutoff + 3-bet KJo when an OMC raised. In other words, it was easy to make the assumption that this player was likely here to play. He had also raised a couple of other times, mostly just taking down the blinds.

It starts with me finding red AQo from UTG, and I raise to $10 (blinds here are $1-$2). It folds to the hispanic man, who 3-bets to $41 from Small Blind. With position I am not ready to give up yet, so I call. We go heads-up to Q-5-3 flop, and he actually checks. I bet $35 to target hands like JJ/TT. He asks how much it is, then verbally announces $135 for the check-raise.

This didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, as he should never have two pair, it's very hard for him to have top set, and I do block Aces a bit. I would also be surprised if he takes this line with AA/KK, given I could in theory have QQ. So this seems to me that it's most likely a bluff, and I decide to call, and likely call down on most turns (maybe except for a K). There is no need to go all-in here, as that will only shut down his bluffs.

Turn is an Ace, which I think is an awesome card. Even less likely he has AA, and I now beat KK if he somehow had that. And most importantly, it's a card he can bluff on. He does indeed move all-in, and I snap-call. River is a random card like a 2, and he shakes his head but still flips over JJ before I have time to flip up my cards. That's no good sir, and we scoop a $800+ pot. Feels nice!

After that he started going crazy for around an orbit or two, raising almost every hand. I did however get the chance to 3-bet him twice, both times with AKo, and he just released. After that he cooled down a lot, so he wasn't a complete maniac that wanted to see the flop with any two cards. His JJ-play is weird, but to be fair it could obviously have worked if I only had KQs or something on that turn.

I won a lot of small pots after this hand, most of them not too exciting. Game was, as expected, fairly tight. Eventually the hispanic guy left, which made the game even easier but also quite passive. But I was obviously in there at times with the occasional raise, and also sometimes taking down limped pots from the blinds etc.

Then we find the second interesting spot, when an old Asian raises to $7 from EP1, and the guy to his right (hefty guy with cowboy-hat) 3-bets to $14. I am in the Small Blind and look down at AKss. These raises seem a bit like bullshit to me, and neither of the players are super deep. I 4-bet to $50, the original raiser folds (what he later said was JJ), and the 3-bettor calls.

Flop comes 7-4-4, and with the pot being $110 or so, and him only having around $150 back, I don't think I ever can get away from this one as soon as I put money into the pot. So I chose to bet fairly large and go for $70 to show that he has to play for it all. He hems and haws for a bit, seems very uncertain, before actually calling the $70.

Turn is a J, and although I hate the spot we are basically all-in already if you ask me. And instead of checking, it's much better to push to see if I by some miracle can get a fold. I put out a $100 chips, and he again is in agony before finally folding. Phew! If I have to guess he maybe had a pocket pair of some kind, and getting 88 or similar for example to fold there is a huge win.



At times I had close to $1000 in my stack (although the phantom-cards in the picture above is about to disappear), but I did lose a little bit towards the end.

In one hand I had QQ, and it folded to me on the button. The players in the blinds were super tight, so I chose to just make it $8 and hopefully get some action. They both end up calling, and we go heads-up to A-6-3. Both check to me, and although one of them likely has an Ace it's better to find out now. I bet $9, small blind folds, but then Big Blind raises to $20. He has been extremely tight all day, and hardly played a hand - so I think this is an Ace all day. I fold face up, and he shows Ace King of hearts (!). Like wtf - if he plays his hand properly we get it all-in for his $80 stack or similar pre. But I guess I lost the minimum then.

Also lost a flush versus flush spot in a limped pot (I had T7hh from SB), where opponent had J6hh in the Big Blind and played it super passive, never even considering raising. I thought I was betting for value, but guess not.



It was regardless a great session overall, and I cashed out with a profit of $513 USD. Took an Uber back to Flamingo, then went to the gym for a quick workout before it closed.

Will head out now into the Vegas evening to go play some more, and I think it's about time that we are raising the stakes. In other words, time to play some $2/$5. Wish me luck

Cash Games:

Hours played: 42h 30 min
Won/lost: + $1368 USD
Hourly rate: +$32.2 USD

Tournaments:

Won/lost: +$283 USD (1 played)

I promised some $2/$5 in my last post, and I guess it's no surprise that I wandered over here to play it:



Immediately got an open seat, and sat down with $500. I was slightly nervous/apprehensive actually, even though I know I am good enough to play at this level if I just focus. But I quickly noticed that the table was not very tough, and nothing to be nervous about. There was one very active/good player, but he was to my immediate right.

I was fairly card dead at times, but won my first few pots at the table which was nice. First one I played was KQo on button, and I made it $15 to go. Both SB and BB called, both these two very recreational players. We see J-7-4 two spades, and I do have the Qs. So when they both check to me I bet $20. Small Blind folds, but BB calls. He checks the 6d turn, and I do the same. River comes another spade, this time the 9s. He checks, and I don't think King high is winning at showdown. So I make it $55, and he folds without hesitation.

Then we raise A7cc from cutoff to $15, and both SB and BB (completely miserable Euro-reg who eventually changed tables) called. Flop is 3-8-8 one club. Checks to me, I bet $20 and they both fold quickly.

A black guy had joined the table not too long after me, and he was clearly a fun-player who did not like to fold. My first confrontation with him was when I raise A9hh from cutoff, and he calls in BB. We go heads-up to K-2-5 one heart. He leads into me for $10, and this is such a silly bet that I should probably have raised in. In game I just called, and turn came a black 2. With no further improvement to my hand I just fold when he again leads - this time for $25.

Then we find KK UTG and make it $20 (I was raising $20 from the first two positions, otherwise $15) to go. Only the black guy calls on button, and we see the Q-7-6 two clubs flop. Seems decent to me, I bet $20 again and he calls. Turn is another Q, not my favorite, but still think we can get some value here - especially against this guy. So I bet $45, and he once again calls.

River is another 7 for a double paired board. Not ideal as I think this guy is liable to have a 7 at times, and he could obviously have a Queen as well. So I check it over to him to evaluate, but he just mumbles a bit and check back. I assume that means I win and table my hand, only for him to show A7o. Nitty check-back, but this shows how light he was in there both pre and post.

Slightly down now then, but crawl my way back to even after winning a couple of small pots. I once 3-bet the active reg with AQo from SB, and also 3-bet T9dd from SB versus an Asian player opening in cutoff. Both times I got the folds.

Also played a fun 4-way limped pot with A3o in BB, where the flop came A-2-4. It checks around, and I bet $10 on the Qturn. A decent (but tight) Asian player calls me, and we see a J river. A backdoor flushdraw came in on turn, but missed on the river. And with him checking back flop after having limped in from EP1 I don't think he has an Ace. So let's check it over to him and hope he bluffs a missed draw. He does indeed bet $20, and I snap-call and beat his 33.

Then we once again find KK from UTG (red cards), and raise to $20. Black guy obviously calls, now on his third buy-in or something, and BB calls. Flop comes T-4-3 two spades, and after BB checks I bet $25. Both players call.

Turn comes 8s, and after BB check I decided to check. Not too worried about the black guy, but one of them could obviously have a flush now. Black guy bets $55 after I check, and BB folds out. I am happy to see that, and with the black guy only having around $120 behind or something we should never fold against him given his playing style. So I move him all-in, and he calls quickly.

River is the 6s, which I think is a terrible card. But after I turn over my Kings, opponents just shakes his head, stares at his cards a couple more times, before showing T7hh for just a pair of Tens.



After that I went pretty card dead for a long time, and the table quieted down a lot. The good grinder had left the table, but a young Asian female who seemed very new to the game had joined. She was not terrible however, although she seemed very uncertain about some rules for playing in a casino etc. But she had a lot of aggression and didn't seem to care about money, which is always a bit icky to play against.

I had planned to leave the table after my UTG-hand, only to pick up AQo there. So I guess we're raising. I make it $20, and get called by a recreational young Asian to my direct left (with a gigantic stack after a 3-way all-in earlier), and a more reasonable Asian in the Small Blind. Flop comes T-7-8 two diamonds. I have the Ace of diamonds, but chose to not start a bluff on this board and just check.

It actually checks around, and we see a J on the turn. I am now double gutted, as any nine or a King will give me a straight; the latter even the nuts. SB checks, I considered betting but check, and the third player now bets $25. SB calls, and I call. It's a very small bet, and I also thought I could use the Ace of diamonds in my hand for something fancy if a third diamond hit.

River comes the Kh and I make the stone cold nuts. Interesting. SB checks, and I cannot risk this checking around. So I bet $100 (into $138), as I assume there can be some two pair hands etc. now with the King. The Asian to my left does however raise to $300, which was a pleasant surprise. SB folds, and I move all-in. I assume we have the same hand for him to raise the river, and especially so when he snapcalls. Result below:



Wow. Opponent had Q9dd for the turned nut straight + flush draw, and then decided to probably overplay a bit on river. It's an icky spot for him for sure when he has already committed $300 and I 'only' push for $480 more or something. But really, what can I have besides the nuts here? Not that I am complaining though. Sick pot to win, definitely my biggest one in live poker so far, and a really fun feeling to drag in and stack all those chips.

I play a few orbits longer, and breaking around even on some small spots. The black guy was still at the table but fairly short, and I obviously wanted to take the win. So I cashed out after 3.5 hours of play, with a cool profit of $1151 USD. Pretty sweet.

Briefly considered jumping into a $1/$3 game somewhere for 2 hours or so just to wind down the night, but the wait lists were super long as Vegas is insanely packed for Thanksgiving weekend. So I just ventured back to Flamingo and decided to play some Video Poker to round off the evening.



Was in for $200 and out for this fun amount. Just a sick day overall with huge profits, and I was clearly running very good. It was actually not far off from my first ever handpay, but I am hardly complaining regardless

Today is the last day in Vegas, which is a bit sad but I am still on a natural high from yesterday. Suffice to say it's been a very successful trip overall and I am glad I pushed myself to play a few sessions of slightly higher stakes. I stayed very disciplined yesterday, which is what I need to do regardless of the stakes. Might play some more today, and if I do I will likely update from the airport. If not, I will give a summary when I am back home in Malta.

Thanks to everyone who's been reading and commenting, and I hope to do it all over again many times in 2023!



Cash Games:

Hours played: 45h 30 min
Won/lost: + $2519 USD
Hourly rate: +$55.4 USD

Tournaments:

Won/lost: +$283 USD (1 played)

Funny story yesterday from the $2/$5 game involving the Asian girl mentioned above; she got into a pot with a new OMC at the table towards the end of my session. Board was something like Q-5-5-8-3, and after the OMC bet like $40 on the river she called.

He turns over 22 for essentially a bluff, and she lifts her cards up towards him (but also visible to me on her direct left), showing Pocket Aces. Lol at no raise on the river, but that is not the funny part.

She then throws her hand towards the muck face down, and the dealer looks at the face-up cards and starts pushing the pot towards the OMC. I assumed I must have misread her hand then, and that she showed something else than pocket Aces, and didn't really give it anymore thought for a few seconds.

5 seconds go by and as she sees the OMC starts gathering the chips, she pipes up and say "No, I had Ace Ace. Pocket Ace" in a heavy accent, and I also echo that she showed me and the OMC her hand, which was pocket Aces. They are however deep down in the muck by now, and likely unable to retrieve. The dealer explains to her that she put her cards face down, and that she had to turn them face up for it to be a winning hand, and that she cannot do anything about it now.

The OMC was however gracious about it, as although he didn't immediately say something he quickly came to the decision to push the entire pot over to the Asian girl instead. She was very apologetic and said she didn't know that was the rule etc. I complimented the OMC for giving her the pot, and said it was the right thing to do since she clearly had shown us both pocket Aces.

She is lucky however, there is enough miserable players that would have kept the entire pot to themselves. And personally if I was in that spot I don't know what I would do. Maybe offer her half the pot? Obviously the correct thing is to give her the entire pot as cards should speak and she clearly had the winning hand, but let me know what you guys think.

One final Vegas-update from Harry Reid International Airport. Always bittersweet having to go home, and I am not particularly looking forward to endless hours of traveling before I can lie down in my own bed again. But if that's the price I have to pay for going to Vegas, then so be it.

Today I just took a shot at the 10am Ceasars tournament ($100 buy-in + $50 addon for 10k extra chips after level 6). I did not write down any hands from his one, but basically I was up to 25k early (from 15k), but after a hero-call gone wrong (opponent bluffed with better) I was down to around 16k when it was time for break + addon.

Coming back from break we see the tourney had 71 entrants, with 38 remaining, and that top 8 would get paid. But sadly I was out very quickly, after it folds to me in SB with 24 bb and 65dd. I limp in, and the OWC (old woman) in BB raises to 4000 (4 bb). Likely a big hand, but I think my hand is good enough to call.

We see T-5-2 one diamond, and after I check she bets 3000. I chose to move in here, to clean out random overcards and hopefully just take down the pot. And if called, I do have a 5-out draw and the backdoor diamonds. She does sadly call immediately with QQ, and we do not get there.

That left me with 3.5 big blinds. I first double up against the same woman with AJ versus TT, but then run 55 into TT (again) and I am eliminated. Ceasar was quick to show me the way to the nearest exit:



No more poker after that, just strolled around a bit and played some Video Poker at Park MGM and Aria (no wins, but not any huge losses), and I also got a massage at NYNY which was definitely needed before the long flights.

Thankfully I was not running as cold as this polar bear:



Beautiful sky over the castle:



Now it's just to settle down for the long flight over to London, and a long layover there before flying home to Malta tomorrow evening. Final results are below. Will reflect a bit more on poker and everything else when I am back home. And I have plans to see this sign a lot in 2023 as well:



Cash Games:

Hours played: 45h 30 min
Won/lost: + $2519 USD
Hourly rate: +$55.4 USD

Tournaments:

Won/lost: +$133 USD (2 played)

Thanks again for the TR, Whale. Safe travels!

Brilliant TR as usual. Thanks for posting and glad you ran well.

Great TR both.

Really sucks to hear of the run bad Muckpls, especially when you jump up in stakes. On the bright side you will get them next time!

Thanks! It happens, variance is a bitch. I cant complain tho, 4/5 trips in profit this year is more than I can ask for. I finished both March and May/June trips well over $10k in profit

Thanks for all the nice comments, everyone

Now that I have been home for 48 hours, I just want to summarize the trip from my end with a few random thoughts.

First off, I was pleasantly surprised at how lively Vegas were all the days while I was there. Tons of poker action most days, and generally very good games. Sure, some were a bit nitty and on a few occasions a bit reg-infested, but never to the point where it seemed unprofitable. Even though players generally get better as the years go by, I still find the $1/$2 and $1/$3 games to be highly profitable if I just stay disciplined.

Same goes for the $2/$5 session I played at Bellagio to be honest; there were a ton of recreational players in that game and really only 2-3 good players. It probably helped that I was playing on a Friday evening during Thanksgiving weekend, but regardless it seems like a level I should dip my toes in a bit more during weekends at least. Granted I was running well in this session, but it still came through weak competition overplaying hands - which is exactly what we want. And I saw a lot of limping and poor hand selection as well.

Weather was nice too; definitely a bit cold in the evenings but very pleasant during the day for the most part. Perfect weather for walking around in, although I guess I'm gonna be picky I would have maybe liked it to be a few degrees warmer.

I enjoyed staying at both MGM Grand and Flamingo. The latter definitely had a slight advantage on location and also the room quality, but I enjoyed MGM Grand as well. A few things with the room looked a bit dated, but I like the closeness to Aria and also having the Monorail to go up and down The Strip. It's also nice that they do have a poker room at the hotel, although the two sessions I played there were hardly the most lively ones.

It was also fun playing a bit more Video Poker than what I had done at my previous trips (ended up pretty much doubling my wagering compared to previous trips), although I was generally not very impressed with the pay tables. I liked the selection at Aria though, and there were also some good machines at Park MGM. Selection over at MGM Grand was however pretty terrible, hardly any machines and the ones that were there looked very dated. Overall not a very pleasant playing experience, thus played more at the two other properties mentioned (+ a little bit at Bellagio).

Probably won't make a gigantic difference in the offers I get for next year, but let's see how it looks when 2023 rolls around. I also think I broke around even on VP; lost $650 or so at MGM Rewards, but had a $1000 win at Flamingo and generally did not lose much the few times I played there.

It's as always a bit scary how fast time flies in Vegas; from arriving thinking there is ample of time to realizing there are only a few days left etc. But my plan is to take many trips in 2023, and hopefully squeeze in a really long one as well (2-3 weeks at least). I actually have a lot of vacation days at work, and as long as I don't have any other priorities (like wife & kids) - then Vegas is my top priority. I just love being there, and can never get enough of it



---

When it comes to poker, I am actually slightly disappointed with my volume. There were many times when I only played 2-3 hour sessions, and although this makes some sense given I like to move around a lot, I should still be better at staying longer in some games. Especially if they are good and I am winning. I guess I still become a bit too obsessed with taking profit at times. That said, 45 hours for me is not completely terrible - especially given I was stuck many hours in a tournament one day.

My play was as always very up and down. I probably don't give myself enough credit at times, because I see that I take down a lot of pots that I would have not won 5 years ago or whatever. But I still mess up way too much with my bet sizing, I don't vary it enough postflop (unless I have a big hand), and better players could probably pick up on it. I was also a bit too gun-shy in some spots where I could have pulled the trigger, and when I did make a big semi-bluff (at Aria) it was probably not the time for it, given opponent's sizing and general tightness.

I am also disappointed with my mental game at times, as I found myself getting way too easily rattled if some pots didn't go my way and probably making some frustrated actions (thankfully mostly folds), without stopping and properly thinking them through first. I actually don't think this affects my play too much, but I probably come off as a bit miserable at times to other players at the table - which is certainly not the image I want to project.

For one, I am on vacation in Vegas and should be super happy about my privilege to be there. Results will always go up and down, but my only focus should be myself and my own play. And I obviously know what kind of reputation us Europeans have, and I don't want to fall into any Euro mis-reg category. I played with one of these in the $2/$5 game at Bellagio for around 45 minutes before he switched tables, and although he didn't talk much everything about him projected negativity + serious grinder vibes.

To be fair, this problem is easily fixable - the person I get most annoyed at is myself. So I just have to make better decisions, and the problem will fix itself. And I'm never rude to other players - it's just my own image/personality/vibe that I want to look better for others. So that even though they clearly can hear that I am European, they still think it's a pleasant experience having me in the game.

Anyway, this post got way too long so I'll stop here. I can't wait to hopefully be back in Las Vegas many times in 2023, and continue these trip reports - which are a lot of work at times, but very fun memories for me to look back at. And clearly also at times enjoyable for others to read, which is very flattering. So thanks again for all positive comments.

I'm curious. It seems like you play somewhere between moderately loose and very loose--yet, you report that you're an overall winner. Some of these hand write-ups, I just shake my head that you're continuing to play marginal hands postflop with very thin outs--others, I marvel that your opponents pay you off. So, while I obviously can't evaluate your play from just these hand descriptions alone--for instance, I have no idea how many and what kind of hands you throw away, and under what circumstances, it seems to me that the major contributor to your success is that you're playing against opponents that are, for the most part, as dumb as boxes of rocks.

And that's fine! I consider myself to be a merely competent player, and I freely acknowledge that I'm not going to win unless my opponents suck big time--I do recognize a sad truth that isn't often acknowledged here, that the awful rake in Vegas turns a winning player into a breakeven player.

You seemed to be right in the thick of a mob of rotten players, which aligns with the recent Vegas feeding frenzy and the willingness of the masses to play horrible games and pay ridiculous prices for everything. Your reason to be on the mid-Strip might be solely to have easy access to all the fishy games, as eating and sleeping there will negate any winnings you might have from those games. So I have to ask:

1) Is is worth it, paying Strip prices, just to be near the Aria, Bellagio, etc. and all those schools of fish?
2) Is the quality of the opposition as truly horrible as it seems from your report?
3) Are you aware of the few reasonable VP opportunities that still exist on and near the Strip? Some of the games you played were, well, ghastly.
4) Do you ever change gears and start playing ABC, on the premise that that gets the money with minimal variance, or do you find that too boring?

Glad you enjoyed yourself, no matter what.

To get the best offers and comps, it's best to concentrate your play under the same corporate umbrella. At Eldorado/Caesars, tier credits at any corporate casino all accumulate in the same bucket. Don't know if MGM is the same, but I would guess so. I have no idea how hard it is to get enough points to pay off there. At Caesars, if you can make Diamond you get resort fees waived. Also, at Caesars if you make Diamond, you keep that status for the rest of the year, and the next full year. I know you plan your trips months in advance, but it might be worthwhile watching out for when Caesars does their next 5x tier credit multiplier weekend.

I’m a bit confused, who is this directed to? Me or BigWhale? We have very VERY different playing styles, which is why I’m asking. BigWhale definitely is way more tighter and plays more ABC poker and it works out for him both in the short and the long run. Much less risk but also more solid wins over the years vs horrible fish.

I always had a very loose aggressive play style, I absolutely love to give action and will always be the one who straddles, 3-4-5bets etc and exploit the **** out of weak players. This in turn comes with a ton of variance obviously, but it’s expected.

For your questions:

1, It’s worth it yes. We don’t play poker for a living, far from it. We can afford to book a strip location and not have to bother with taking taxi/Uber or whatever just to save a few extra $. I love waking up at Aria and jump straight into the action.

2, the people who play at 1/3, especially at places like Aria or Bellagio are the worst that I have ever seen by far. Every single trip I come across a couple of players who have never played a single hand in their life. Last week I played against a girl who was reading a Poker for beginners book at the table. The night after I was playing vs another player who was facing an allin on 637r flop and his opponent thought he said call so he flipped over AJo for A high no pair no draw. His opponent could decide what to do and ended up calling with KQo AFTER SEEING HIS HAND!

3, I guess the answer is similar to the one in point 1. We are just having fun and messing around with VP. Better pay tables exist but it’s whatever.

4, no idea if this is addressed to me or BigWhale. I will not play ABC for the sole reason that I absolutely love driving the action.

Both yes and no. For me for example I benefit from playing at 3 properties during my stays, Mlife, Cesars and Resort World. I’m already Platinum at Mlife so my benefits won’t really increase. However if I play at the other two I can bridge offers like I did this time and take 4 comped nights at Mlife for $0.00, 3 comp nights at RW for resort fees only followed by another 4 comp nights at Mlife- repeat until infinity. I just started to receive offers as well for Cesars properties for like $8 so will be nice if I go for a longer trip.

Nice! I hardly play at all at RW because I figured I wouldn't be able to give them enough play to get anything. What did you mostly play, and at what stakes?

A few hands of $100 a hand blackjack and some random slots/VP. But they tire matched my Platinum to the highest RW level so that helps as well.

Well yeah, this is kind of why we go to Vegas so often - to get donations from clueless fish

The post otherwise was a bit strange, as although I had some poor hand selection at times this trip, I am seldom in there with terrible cards nor do I play very aggressively. I do try to isolate limpers a fair bit, but always with reasonable cards. Post-flop I am fairly straight forward, especially if I get many callers.

Anyway, can't wait to do it all again next year

Exactly this! Even though I did not play too much poker my last trip the amount of utterly clueless players is amazing in my eyes. One example I had was a guy sat down at my table with $200. His girlfriend was sat with him just on her phone in the background and within 5 hands it was all gone and she said 'see this happens every time, you always lose'! Casuals just love to gamble and be able to hold the cards unlike other gambling games.

I am the same with my holdings, I like to encourage action and casuals like it too. Make them feel comfortable, let them enjoy the game and they will throw money at you like you are stripper on a pole.

That's cool! I'm only Mlife Gold and Caesars Diamond but that's better than starting from zero.

Quick random update: being a degen can be good as well. Racked up a sick loss during the trip and not only have my offers increased but now I get suites at most properties for free.

With that being said I just booked the next trip, but will have to wait a while. Going back May 29 for 2.5 weeks. Nothing until then, this year has been way too exhausting in many ways, including 5 trips to Vegas.

Thank you both! Loved reading this. Living vicariously. I really miss going to Vegas 4 - 5 times a year Maybe the flights will get better again in 2023 and I can make it more than twice! Although, as stated by BigWhale, I am lucky/fortunate to be able to do that and should not take it for granted.