Today was a relatively quiet day. Caught up with Theos Rippis, a mate from my chess days in Sydney who has also become something of a poker player (he cashed in a $1500 NLHE at the 2008 WSOP) & spent some time at the Gamblers Book Shop. I picked up two books, the new David Sklansky essay-based book 'DUCY?' & 'Tales of Old Las Vegas' by Sam O'Connor, which I'm hoping can compare to 'When the Mob Ran Vegas' by Steve Fischer, which I picked up on my last trip to Las Vegas. When the Mob Ran Las Vegas covered for the most part Las Vegas in the 1950s & 60s & explained the growth of Las Vegas, from a desert into a thriving tourist destination. It was surprising to learn about the mob connections (from multiple parts of America) to many of the casinos in Las Vegas (including places like Caesars Palace & the Riviera) & interesting to discover some of the people & personalities of Las Vegas in those days. Another interesting part of Las Vegas of the 50s & 60s was the mob-enforced principle that no murders were to happen in Las Vegas, because it was not good for tourists & tourism, so any hits that were arranged by the mob were conducted outside Las Vegas. Really makes you wonder why some people who were on the hit list ever left Vegas ... but they did ... and often never returned.
Turning to poker, I played a session of $10/20 limit Holdem at the Rio. Nothing too eventful, though I did manage to run into runner-runner quads, with my AJ being no match for QQ on a A22QQ board. Also managed to repeat my trick from the other night, binking a set on the river on a board of AT83Q after getting four callers on the flop, checking the turn (I was the button) & getting in a raise on the river against a guy who I assume held AT by his reaction. I also had my name down for a mixed game, but was already at the limit table by the time I was called & was feeling tired, so just left the Rio when I got up from the holdem table, rather than taking a (now open) seat in the 415/30 mixed game.
It was also good to see another familiar face at the Rio, with Peter Aristidou playing a $2/5 NLHE game. I had a talk with him at the table while waiting for my name to be called. Peter played the Razz event earlier in the day & said he got nothing going & was out early. He was impressed with the Venetian (where he is staying with 'Carwash' George Cotaidas) & staggered at the standard serving size of meals over here, though he is missing good coffee! Although I didn't mention it, Peter would be a great interview of the podcast ... might see what I can do on that front.
Next on the agenda: Probably looking to play the 1pm Deepstack event at the Rio, with the backups options being cash games at the Rio, or the Pokerati/Deuces Cracked night at the Hard Rock Casino, which features a $1/2 PLO/NLHE mix
Showing posts with label Hard Rock. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hard Rock. Show all posts
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
USA Day 26
First WSOP Event
I suppose its annoying when you are frustrated & distracted playing your first WSOP event. I decided to play the Omaha hi-lo event at the WSOP (the only 'small' buy-in O8 event at the series), but also had a ticket to see Russell Peters in his only Las Vegas show (He recently did a tour in Australia, but I was in Los Angeles when it was on).
What did this mean for the tournament ... well the plan going in was to try to chip up early from the 4500 starting stack, then take a cab to the Hard Rock for the Russell Peters show (which started at 9pm, which was just before the scheduled hour-long dinner break), enjoy the show, then return to the Rio, crush & make it to day 2. Unfortunately only one part a small part of that plan actually worked (the cab to the Hard Rock & enjoying the Russell Peters show). I got off to a poor start, with many of my big hands finding ways to be scooped or quartered (both horrible things to happen in a split-pot game). By the time the first break came I had slipped to just under 3k, which was not what the plan had been. After the break there were a few changes nearby, with a crowd building on the rail as Phil Ivey sat down at the table next to mine, while Sorel Mizzi joined my table. I managed to tread water for a while until just before I left for the Hard Rock. I managed to scoop a decent-sized pot (around 2k) when I rivered top set on a 63J9K board with KK42 (which picked up a flush draw on the turn) against Sorel Mizzi. This meant that I left the Rio with 5075 in my stack.
The show at the Hard Rock was great. Russell Peters was hilarious as expected with his take on different people & some of his life experiences. He's also able to improvise very well, with plenty of interaction with the crowd. Its also good to know that you get stuff before the rest of the audience. The one that stuck out for me was when he was talking about the terror attacks in India in 2008 & comparing them to the attacks on the US in 2001 he mentioned the comedy value of the date of the attacks, which co-incided with an anniversary of sorts of the USA attacks, with the difference being that the attacks on India were in July (at which point I started laughing, as I could see the punchline coming) ... and then Russell explains that yes, India ironically had their own 7-11, and the crowd joined in with my laughter. Of course as soon as the show ended, I tried to get outside to catch a cab to the Rio. This is where my plan really began to come unstuck! Once outside I saw that there was a line for cabs ... not a problem as there were a few cabs already queueing to pick people up ... but then I walked down the lime looking for the end of it ... and I walked ... and walked ... and walked ... until I finally found the end of the line, at least 60 metres from the door! At this point my genius really kicked in ... no problem, I'll just hail a cab on the street. Sounds like a plan, except all the cabs that went past (and there were a few) were either taken or ignored my outstretched hand. As I continued to walk down Paradise Road I came up with another plan ... go to another casino. If there are cab lines at the Hard Rock, then surely there would be cabs at other casinos too ... so I headed for nearby Terribles casino. Of course there were no cabs to be found at any of the three entrances! So back to plan B ... hail a cab on the street ... and waiting. I returned to Terribles as I saw a cab pulling in to the parking lot, only to see a couple who had been sitting at the entrance since before I got to the casino hop in the cab and drive off ... back to the streets. Eventually I found a vacant cab & jumped in ... TO THE RIO! Of course I also discovered traffic in Las vegas on a long weekend (Memorial Day) was horrible! Eventually I made it back to the Rio & power-walked my way back to my table.
As I returned I found I still had 4600 in chips, which was reasonable, with blinds at 150/300 & playing 300/600. Obviously I would like more, however it was still enough to get by, provided I could win a few pots before the next break. Of course I then managed to find ways to get either horrible or mediocre starting hands, which I folded, or good starting hands which either missed the flop completely (the old A23x double suited looks less impressive on a JQK rainbow board) or managed to make second-best hands (which are never good because you put chips in the pot, only to see them go elsewhere). Of course I managed to pick up mediocre aces (AA78 with spades) & was called by Sorel Mizzi (who was short) & another player. I lead out on the T55 flop, only for Sorel to announce 'I'm all in' with his stack of green $25 chips. As it turns out, he had more than a raise left, so he made it 600 to go, with only 100 behind. The other player in the hand called & I (somewhat foolishly in hindsight) decided to call as well, figuring it would only cost me the extra 100 to see the river. I was right about seeing the river for Sorel's remaining stack, but when he turned over a 2356 he managed to scoop the pot, with trip 5s taking the high & his 23 being good for the low (the board finished up T5567). Another classic of mine was raising with AQQ8 with diamonds after one limper (I was one of the only people at the table who did not open limp at times - perhaps that is a mistake on my part, perhaps not. More stategy later). After the obligatory calls from the limper & three people in late position we saw a flop of 468 rainbow. Not exactly the type of flop I was looking for & when I lead out, was called in two spots & raised by the button & called in front of me, I decided that my hand really didn't look so good after all & folded. Of course the board ran out QQ, so I would have rivered quads & taken half of a pretty sizable pot (4 players saw the river). Of course in a sense I was right (one player had 57 for the straight, while the other three all had A2 to chop the low), however it made me more frustrated with the tournament, with my stack dwindling & my better hands losing & my folded hands turning into winners. Of course just to rub salt in the wounds, our table broke when I had only 800 left. This was compounded when I sat down at my new table to find I was in the big blind (sitting next to Chad Brown, with Brock Parker & Mel Judah also at the table). I posted my big blind, saw a raise & 2 callers before it was back to me, pondered about whether I should look at my cards or simply go all-in blind, but looked & saw the less-than-inspiring 9972 with a suit & decided it wasn't the best hand, but it might make something with the right flop & with 3 people already in the pot I figured I might as well take a stand & hope to pick up as mich of the 3200 I was playing for as I could. I managed to flop a gutshot straight draw, however with a low card coming on the turn, it meant that my gutshot would also make a low possible, but it left me with some hope. The miracle 8 arrived on the river on the JT458 board, however my hope was crushed when one opponent turned over A2 for the nut low & the other showed Q9 for the nut straight ... and my brief stay in the blue section was over, with 520 or so players from the original 818 still remaining.
In more positive news, my friend Angelo made it through day 1 of the $1k NLHE event, so at least there was some positive news on the poker front.
Next on the agenda: Laundromat & cash games
I suppose its annoying when you are frustrated & distracted playing your first WSOP event. I decided to play the Omaha hi-lo event at the WSOP (the only 'small' buy-in O8 event at the series), but also had a ticket to see Russell Peters in his only Las Vegas show (He recently did a tour in Australia, but I was in Los Angeles when it was on).
What did this mean for the tournament ... well the plan going in was to try to chip up early from the 4500 starting stack, then take a cab to the Hard Rock for the Russell Peters show (which started at 9pm, which was just before the scheduled hour-long dinner break), enjoy the show, then return to the Rio, crush & make it to day 2. Unfortunately only one part a small part of that plan actually worked (the cab to the Hard Rock & enjoying the Russell Peters show). I got off to a poor start, with many of my big hands finding ways to be scooped or quartered (both horrible things to happen in a split-pot game). By the time the first break came I had slipped to just under 3k, which was not what the plan had been. After the break there were a few changes nearby, with a crowd building on the rail as Phil Ivey sat down at the table next to mine, while Sorel Mizzi joined my table. I managed to tread water for a while until just before I left for the Hard Rock. I managed to scoop a decent-sized pot (around 2k) when I rivered top set on a 63J9K board with KK42 (which picked up a flush draw on the turn) against Sorel Mizzi. This meant that I left the Rio with 5075 in my stack.
The show at the Hard Rock was great. Russell Peters was hilarious as expected with his take on different people & some of his life experiences. He's also able to improvise very well, with plenty of interaction with the crowd. Its also good to know that you get stuff before the rest of the audience. The one that stuck out for me was when he was talking about the terror attacks in India in 2008 & comparing them to the attacks on the US in 2001 he mentioned the comedy value of the date of the attacks, which co-incided with an anniversary of sorts of the USA attacks, with the difference being that the attacks on India were in July (at which point I started laughing, as I could see the punchline coming) ... and then Russell explains that yes, India ironically had their own 7-11, and the crowd joined in with my laughter. Of course as soon as the show ended, I tried to get outside to catch a cab to the Rio. This is where my plan really began to come unstuck! Once outside I saw that there was a line for cabs ... not a problem as there were a few cabs already queueing to pick people up ... but then I walked down the lime looking for the end of it ... and I walked ... and walked ... and walked ... until I finally found the end of the line, at least 60 metres from the door! At this point my genius really kicked in ... no problem, I'll just hail a cab on the street. Sounds like a plan, except all the cabs that went past (and there were a few) were either taken or ignored my outstretched hand. As I continued to walk down Paradise Road I came up with another plan ... go to another casino. If there are cab lines at the Hard Rock, then surely there would be cabs at other casinos too ... so I headed for nearby Terribles casino. Of course there were no cabs to be found at any of the three entrances! So back to plan B ... hail a cab on the street ... and waiting. I returned to Terribles as I saw a cab pulling in to the parking lot, only to see a couple who had been sitting at the entrance since before I got to the casino hop in the cab and drive off ... back to the streets. Eventually I found a vacant cab & jumped in ... TO THE RIO! Of course I also discovered traffic in Las vegas on a long weekend (Memorial Day) was horrible! Eventually I made it back to the Rio & power-walked my way back to my table.
As I returned I found I still had 4600 in chips, which was reasonable, with blinds at 150/300 & playing 300/600. Obviously I would like more, however it was still enough to get by, provided I could win a few pots before the next break. Of course I then managed to find ways to get either horrible or mediocre starting hands, which I folded, or good starting hands which either missed the flop completely (the old A23x double suited looks less impressive on a JQK rainbow board) or managed to make second-best hands (which are never good because you put chips in the pot, only to see them go elsewhere). Of course I managed to pick up mediocre aces (AA78 with spades) & was called by Sorel Mizzi (who was short) & another player. I lead out on the T55 flop, only for Sorel to announce 'I'm all in' with his stack of green $25 chips. As it turns out, he had more than a raise left, so he made it 600 to go, with only 100 behind. The other player in the hand called & I (somewhat foolishly in hindsight) decided to call as well, figuring it would only cost me the extra 100 to see the river. I was right about seeing the river for Sorel's remaining stack, but when he turned over a 2356 he managed to scoop the pot, with trip 5s taking the high & his 23 being good for the low (the board finished up T5567). Another classic of mine was raising with AQQ8 with diamonds after one limper (I was one of the only people at the table who did not open limp at times - perhaps that is a mistake on my part, perhaps not. More stategy later). After the obligatory calls from the limper & three people in late position we saw a flop of 468 rainbow. Not exactly the type of flop I was looking for & when I lead out, was called in two spots & raised by the button & called in front of me, I decided that my hand really didn't look so good after all & folded. Of course the board ran out QQ, so I would have rivered quads & taken half of a pretty sizable pot (4 players saw the river). Of course in a sense I was right (one player had 57 for the straight, while the other three all had A2 to chop the low), however it made me more frustrated with the tournament, with my stack dwindling & my better hands losing & my folded hands turning into winners. Of course just to rub salt in the wounds, our table broke when I had only 800 left. This was compounded when I sat down at my new table to find I was in the big blind (sitting next to Chad Brown, with Brock Parker & Mel Judah also at the table). I posted my big blind, saw a raise & 2 callers before it was back to me, pondered about whether I should look at my cards or simply go all-in blind, but looked & saw the less-than-inspiring 9972 with a suit & decided it wasn't the best hand, but it might make something with the right flop & with 3 people already in the pot I figured I might as well take a stand & hope to pick up as mich of the 3200 I was playing for as I could. I managed to flop a gutshot straight draw, however with a low card coming on the turn, it meant that my gutshot would also make a low possible, but it left me with some hope. The miracle 8 arrived on the river on the JT458 board, however my hope was crushed when one opponent turned over A2 for the nut low & the other showed Q9 for the nut straight ... and my brief stay in the blue section was over, with 520 or so players from the original 818 still remaining.
In more positive news, my friend Angelo made it through day 1 of the $1k NLHE event, so at least there was some positive news on the poker front.
Next on the agenda: Laundromat & cash games
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