Agree with what K wrote above; can feel the trip coming towards the end now. But at the same time I feel that I (we?) have packed a lot into it so far, and there are still 3 full days left. At least in my case, as I just woke up.
Time for a summary of yesterday. After starting the day with a relaxing massage down at the Harrahs Spa, as well as some quick pool-time, I realized I wanted to play a tournament. Decided to go and late reg the $140 daily at Wynn/Encore, mostly because I hadn't played there before. With 10k chips and 30 min levels, there were decent room for play.
The walk to the room was obviously (as this is Vegas) a bit longer than I had anticipated. On my way there I did however give a lot of coins to two homeless people for some karma points + planned how I would use my winnings from the tournament:
I sat down at the 75-150 level, and basically did my standard nitty tournament play; folding unplayable hands while watching others play every hand and hit miracle flops. Still managed to go into first break with 10775 chips, after winning one or two small pots.
After the break the blinds were 200-400-50, and we could observe that the tournament had 45 entrants and would pay 5 players. And it didn't take long for me to get into a spot that would decide the tournament. I pick up
AKo and raise it up to 1000 from EP1. An overweight, middle-aged American who had no fold-button called, and the SB (semi-competent younger guy) shipped it for 9k. I obviously reship and get a flip against TT. Unfortunately a
T hits the flop, making the river
K very inconsequential.
Down to 4 bb I push it all-in the next hand from UTG with
A8dd. Older semi-active lady to my left calls, the station calls, and another short stack jams for 3000. They both call, and we see
9-8-2 with two spades. The older lady jams, and gets fold from the station, and we are up against J8ss (great call pre), and KQo for the other short stack. We dodge everything and quadruple up.
Not much happened after that though, trickled down to push-stack and with the blinds about to rise to 300-600 I eventually shipped 4500 in with
K7dd from CO. The calling-station in the BB obviously was going nowhere with
98ss, and he hit two pair on the flop, ensuring that we are OUT of the tournament.
Oh well, not much to do with that. Instead I went over to Fashion Show Mall on the other side of the street, and spent some time shopping clothes at Macy's. Had vague memories from my last trip of that being a good store, and it didn't disappoint. Incredible selection, huge a*s store, and fairly decent prices. Overall a very good experience.
Went back to the hotel after that for a bit, before heading out into the night to find more cash games. As always I went for casinos where I had never played before, so first it was a quick walk over to the Mirage. Played there for 2 hours, without basically getting any interesting hand to report about. Was a bit down after
KK getting an A high flop, back to even after flopping a set of
deuces, a bit down again, then up to a +$45 USD profit after semi-bluffing the flop against an older semi-active player, who actually laid down TP like I hoped he would.
From Mirage I headed over to Ballys, another room I had never played in before. Sat down in a game and immediately could tell this was a fairly good one. Especially to my left I had 3 older gentlemen who did not like to fold. I couldn't make many hands against them however, and just hovered around my starting stack of $300 for a while.
Then I eventually picked up
KK and raised it up to $11 over one limp, only to see the older Asian to my immediate left 3-bet to $35. I was a bit confused as his mantra was mostly raising pre and/or never folding to a raise, but this was the first 3-bet I had seen. I elected to only call the raise however, as he was active enough (and I was raising a fair bit pre) and I wanted to keep weaker hands in.
J-4-5 is the flop and I check-call $30. Turn is a
2 and he once again bets $30.
Here is where I make the huge blunder of moving all-in ($190 total). I should just call down, but my moving in I can realistically only get value from Jx and QQ. I think I chose the worst option possible of the 3 here, and that annoys me since it goes back to what I wrote a few days ago - it's important to play the big pots that come up well. He snap-calls so fast that "I already know before the cards are turned over", and he shows Aces before I have the time to show anything. They hold up, and I just muck and reload for another $300.
Just a few hands later I pick up
TT, and make it $12 over to limpers. We go 4-ways to the flop, which comes fairly safe with
9-8-2. I bet $22, fold fold, before the first limper jams for around $100. He has been at the table for a while and I am very sure he is the type of player who would go crazy with 9x, 77/66, A8 or similar here. I immediately call, and get a super safe runout (
4-2). I table my hand like it's the nuts, and it was until the river. He shows A2 off-suit
Oh well, not much I can do with that. I take it as a champ, don't look frustrated, don't say a word, just calmly goes on playing. And I did manage to win a little bit back later, when the game unfortunately had died down and the action players left. I had
AA on a
J-J-7-3-9 board with 3 diamonds, and called down a younger guys river bet and was good. A bit dicey for sure, but he had shown some weird hands + was slightly drunk, and I had underrepped my hand a bit. And he did end up only having 87o here.
Still had to leave the game -$325 USD (stayed until almost 1am), feeling a bit dejected. Despite some run-bad etc. I still feel there are way too many pots I misplay, perhaps by being to passive sometimes. Just small pots here and there where I end up being a bit too cautious, and then suddenly hands like the KK one where I make a fatal blunder that costs too much.
Oh well, new opportunities today. Haven't decided at all what to play, but will have a look at it now.
Results-tracker:
Cash:
Hours played: 24 h
Amount won: +$770 USD
Hourly rate: $32.1 USD
Tournaments:
Amount won: -$300 (3 played)
And to end on a positive note, here is a nice looking waterfront by the Wynn:
/O