Finally back home after a long trip back from Vegas. The trip was Las Vegas --> Los Angeles --> Sydney --> Melbourne ... three flights, some sleep, lots of waiting, some reading & a few other bits & pieces in between.
Caught up with Theos Rippis again at the airport in Las Vegas. He had a decent time in Vegas, though I didn't get to spend much time with him during the trip (somewhat ironic as we were staying in the same hotel, albeit 9 floors apart). I hadn't seen him for about 5 years & it was good to catch up, albeit too briefly. I also saw Chuck Danielsson (my first Donkcast interviewee) & Jay Rosenkrantz of Deuces Cracked at the airport. The DC guys definitely made the trip more entertaining with their gatherings, whether it was poker, bowling or anything else. Definitely something I would recommend people do if they are heading to the WSOP in the future - although it is most definitely a poker trip, breaking it up with other activities & meeting new people is a definite plus.
The trip home allowed me to finish 'Treat Your Poker Like a Business' by Dusty Schmidt, which I had purchased on the trip. I found the book to be very interesting, primarily for the 'uncool' stuff at the beginning of the book where he examines (with small sections from Jared Tendler & his wife Nicole) the other side of poker - the stuff that happens away from the table. Although it may not have been entirely applicable to my situation, the thing it did was got me thinking about what I am doing with my life, why I am doing it & what I hope to accomplish as a result. Although I can't see myself spending hours online multi-tabling, the need to consider things away from the poker table is defintely something that I need to concern myself with. The strategy section was decent, though not outstanding, however it was the early material that I was most interested in. Something else I am definitely keen to see is the remaining episodes of the PartyPoker Big Game IV, which was recorded in London in April of this year. Not only is it intersting from a poker standpoint, and in particular the performance of David 'Viffer' Peat, but it also featured 20+ hours of commentary from Dusty Schmidt (after playing in the game early in the session).
Another fascinating book that I have started to read is John Fox's 'Play Poker, Quit Work & Sleep Till Noon'. I have only read the first few chapters, but its very much a book from before the era of political correctness, being written in 1977 (I have a printing from 1981), and has some absolute gems in the first few pages. In the chapter 'Who to play with, or how to spot the weakest players' come the following statements (written as main points, followed by a discussion, explaining the reasoning behind his classification):
4 - Do try to play in the same game with beautiful women
Discussion: Beautiful women tend to play badly themselves - even for women. They also tend to attract men into their game who are unfamiliar with it. Such men might come from a smaller game, or even from a totally different game such as lowball. Even if a man comes in from a higher game and possesses a higher level of skill then (sic) the average of the table, he will usually tend to play loosely or erratically in order to 'show off' and because the stakes are trivial to him. Finally, if a beautiful woman is in the game the concentration of all the men in the game will be lessened.
9 - Do play with women, particularly younger women
Discussion: Women are usually bad limit poker players. Contrary to what any other poker books or Sunday supplements may say, if you are interested in wining moneyyou should usually try to play against them every chance you get. Besides beating them personally, you can frequently use them to gain additional advantages over your male opponents. Women find it difficult to hold their cards correctly and frequently expose them.
10 - Do play against young people
Discussion: A player under twenty-five years of age just has not had time to get enough experience. Unless he is very tight, he stands little chance. For some reason, young, bearded, long haired types who you might think would be wild or radical players are frequently super tight.
14 - Do play against tattooed opponents
Discussion: Anyone foolish enough to allow themselves into getting tattooed should be well qualified to lose to almost anybody else.
16 - Do play against chain smokers
Discussion: Considering the state of medical knowledge of this day a chain smoker is obviously either stupid or compulsive. Both of these qualities are good to have in an opponent.
Of course I have to include my personal favourite form the list ...
13 - Do play against ghetto residents
Discussion: A general lack of educational opportunities and a milieu of ignorane and superstition give ghetto residents a handicap that extends even to the poker table.
Ah ... the days before political correctness!
Showing posts with label Las Vegas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Las Vegas. Show all posts
Monday, July 19, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Final days in Las Vegas
Finally got around to playing at the Gold Coast Casino (next to the Rio), which completes what I think is all the poker rooms on the strip & downtown, as well as most in the nearby vicinity. I'll consider the rundown of all of them when I get back to Melbourne.
Also did the Vegas Mob tour yesterday, which was great. I'd read a little about the history of Las Vegas and the involvement of the Mob, but the tour helped piece together a few extra things, like the memorial to Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel at the back of the Flamingo. It also makes me want to watch Casino again, which is something I will do when I return home.
Today is my last day in Las Vegas & I'm not quite sure what I'll do - I have a few hours before I need to be at the airport, but airports over here are horrible ... well at the very least Los Angeles airport is with the amount of people & traffic (both human and vehicular) that is there on a regular basis.
Anyway, I've enjoyed my time in the USA. Would love to do it again, particularly if I was able to see more of the country. I suppose that can be my next goal to work on when I get back to Melbourne. I'll continue with the blog (rather than simply being my American travel diary), as well as the podcast when I return home.
Now for the LOOOONG commute ... oh joy!
Also did the Vegas Mob tour yesterday, which was great. I'd read a little about the history of Las Vegas and the involvement of the Mob, but the tour helped piece together a few extra things, like the memorial to Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel at the back of the Flamingo. It also makes me want to watch Casino again, which is something I will do when I return home.
Today is my last day in Las Vegas & I'm not quite sure what I'll do - I have a few hours before I need to be at the airport, but airports over here are horrible ... well at the very least Los Angeles airport is with the amount of people & traffic (both human and vehicular) that is there on a regular basis.
Anyway, I've enjoyed my time in the USA. Would love to do it again, particularly if I was able to see more of the country. I suppose that can be my next goal to work on when I get back to Melbourne. I'll continue with the blog (rather than simply being my American travel diary), as well as the podcast when I return home.
Now for the LOOOONG commute ... oh joy!
Friday, June 4, 2010
USA Day ... later
Its official ... Wireless hotel internet is horrible!
The last few days have been horrible, with the dodgy internet connection I have here continually dropping in & out, creating great frustration.
On the poker front, its been a mixed bag. Tournaments have been frustrating, with a bubble finish in the nightly NLHE tourney at Aria the best of a bad lot. I've also managed to bust from another daily & nightly Aria tournament, as well as a NLHE tourney today at Binions. The personal highlight was when I raised to 300 UTG (50/100 blinds), with a call from UTG+1, then a min-re-raise to 500 from the SB. I called (I held TT), as did the UTG+1. The flop was 555 & when the SB checked, I bet 800, which the SB called. The turn brought a 6 & the SB lead fot 1000, which I called. The turn was the vomit-inducing 5, putting quads on the board. The SB lead for 2000 & I folded ... and he was kind enough to show how skillfully he played the hand with his AQo!
Cash games have been reasonable, with some wins & some losses, but nothing huge either way. Played an interesting game tonight at the Rio - a $10/20 draw mix, rotating between A-5 triple draw, 2-7 triple draw, Badugi & Baduci (or is it badeuci), with Omaha hi-lo being added to the mix towards the end. I picked up a tidy profit of 8 Big Bets. I'm starting to like these lowball draw games, though it could just be that some of the opposition is horrible. I'm almost tempted to try the $1500 2-7 triple draw tourney, but its unlikely unless I make a big score in the next few days.
Public transport is also frustrating here. The 'Deuce', the bus that runs up & down the Strip is typically overcrowded, particularly over the Memorial Day weekend, and is almost as slow as walking. Last time I was in Las Vegas I had a hire car & I'd be tempted to go for the hire car the next time I am in Vegas (assuming of course there IS a next time!) & possibly stay in an apartment off the strip (not needing to be so close 'to the action' if I have a car). Anyway, that's all in the future ... now its just about making some $$$ in either cash games or tournaments.
Next on the agenda: HORSE at Binions
The last few days have been horrible, with the dodgy internet connection I have here continually dropping in & out, creating great frustration.
On the poker front, its been a mixed bag. Tournaments have been frustrating, with a bubble finish in the nightly NLHE tourney at Aria the best of a bad lot. I've also managed to bust from another daily & nightly Aria tournament, as well as a NLHE tourney today at Binions. The personal highlight was when I raised to 300 UTG (50/100 blinds), with a call from UTG+1, then a min-re-raise to 500 from the SB. I called (I held TT), as did the UTG+1. The flop was 555 & when the SB checked, I bet 800, which the SB called. The turn brought a 6 & the SB lead fot 1000, which I called. The turn was the vomit-inducing 5, putting quads on the board. The SB lead for 2000 & I folded ... and he was kind enough to show how skillfully he played the hand with his AQo!
Cash games have been reasonable, with some wins & some losses, but nothing huge either way. Played an interesting game tonight at the Rio - a $10/20 draw mix, rotating between A-5 triple draw, 2-7 triple draw, Badugi & Baduci (or is it badeuci), with Omaha hi-lo being added to the mix towards the end. I picked up a tidy profit of 8 Big Bets. I'm starting to like these lowball draw games, though it could just be that some of the opposition is horrible. I'm almost tempted to try the $1500 2-7 triple draw tourney, but its unlikely unless I make a big score in the next few days.
Public transport is also frustrating here. The 'Deuce', the bus that runs up & down the Strip is typically overcrowded, particularly over the Memorial Day weekend, and is almost as slow as walking. Last time I was in Las Vegas I had a hire car & I'd be tempted to go for the hire car the next time I am in Vegas (assuming of course there IS a next time!) & possibly stay in an apartment off the strip (not needing to be so close 'to the action' if I have a car). Anyway, that's all in the future ... now its just about making some $$$ in either cash games or tournaments.
Next on the agenda: HORSE at Binions
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
USA Day 20
VEGAS BABY!!!
Yes, I'm now in Las Vegas. Managed to get the perfect seat for the plane to Vegas - a small plane where I had the row being first/business class, where I could actually stretch my legs out straight & only barely touch the seat in front of me. Legroom on a plane ... who'd have thought?
Eventually sorted out my room, after discovering that my booking was cancelled! Always a good start ... but then it was off to do the essentials before hitting the poker tables.
The essentials: a meal at Earl of Sandwich & getting myself a ticket for UFC 116, which is in just over a month.
Poker started with $1/2NLHE at Mandalay Bay, where I managed to find myself on the wrong end of cooler hands on multiple occasions.
Top pair & nut flush draw v small flush = I miss; TT runs into JJ; TT runs into the old UTG limp-re-raise, so I fold & my opponent shows KK; 88 runs into AJo on a board that is 7-high until the river ... jack; and finally manage to run KK into AA for the bustout in style! Of course I knew the lady in the hand had a monster, just wasn't good enough to pick WHICH monster & after flatting pre-flop & on the T-high flop, I reluctantly got it in on the turn before finding out the bad news (yes, I knew from the start that is was QQ+, I just hoped it was the QQ end, not the AA end!).
After leaving Mandalay Bay I found myself ar Aria, which is one of the nicest looking poker rooms on the strip, and sat down in a $4/8 limit holdem game. The play was suitably horrible (plus I found some run-good) & I picked up a tidy profit before the mixed game I had put my name on the list for got started. Of course I was expecting some sort of standard HORSE-like mix (I had played HORSE once before at Aria on my previous visit to Las Vegas), though the floor staff had said it would be up to the players to decide the mix when I registered. By the time I had made it to the table, the mix had been decided & I was up for some learning on the job.
The mix was a five-game mix, rotating ever 8 hands & included Razz, Omaha hi-lo & stud hi-lo, which seems pretty standard. The final two games were 2-7 triple draw (so I would be playing my first live cash session of 2-7, though I had played it in tourneys & a little online previously) & Badeuci (which may or may not be spelt correctly). Badeuci is a split-pot game, with half the pot going to the best 2-7 low hand & the other half going to the best badugi hand (with Aces playing high for both games). Badugi hands are low, unpaired, rainbow cards (with the standard nuts being A234 rainbow). In Badeuci this changes, so the nutss are 23457, with the 2345 being of different suits. This gives you nut-nut, with the 2-7 wheel & the best badugi hand. Of course my knowledge of 2-7 comes almost entirely from the 'Triple the Gold' series on Deuces Cracked, as well as the short playing time in 8-game tourneys, while my badugi knowledge comes from a brief Full Tilt interview with Huck Seed & my badeuci knowledge comes from an interview with Deathdonkey, I think from Deuce Plays, with the key point I remembered being 'aim for a decent badugi & hope to back into a good 2-7 hand' as the way to play to try and scoop. Turned out to be an interesting game, with a number of the players being dealers from Vegas (or dealers in town for the various tourney series over summer), ranging from players who seemed pretty decent TAG-ish ones through to total maniacs. I left the game just after 4am after playing for about 5 hours, and only finished slightly down for the session (though still ahead overall from the Aria visit). Interesting game & one I would definitely go back for. Definitely puts the Aria much higher on my list of best poker rooms in Vegas.
Next: Omaha hi-lo at Orleans.
Yes, I'm now in Las Vegas. Managed to get the perfect seat for the plane to Vegas - a small plane where I had the row being first/business class, where I could actually stretch my legs out straight & only barely touch the seat in front of me. Legroom on a plane ... who'd have thought?
Eventually sorted out my room, after discovering that my booking was cancelled! Always a good start ... but then it was off to do the essentials before hitting the poker tables.
The essentials: a meal at Earl of Sandwich & getting myself a ticket for UFC 116, which is in just over a month.
Poker started with $1/2NLHE at Mandalay Bay, where I managed to find myself on the wrong end of cooler hands on multiple occasions.
Top pair & nut flush draw v small flush = I miss; TT runs into JJ; TT runs into the old UTG limp-re-raise, so I fold & my opponent shows KK; 88 runs into AJo on a board that is 7-high until the river ... jack; and finally manage to run KK into AA for the bustout in style! Of course I knew the lady in the hand had a monster, just wasn't good enough to pick WHICH monster & after flatting pre-flop & on the T-high flop, I reluctantly got it in on the turn before finding out the bad news (yes, I knew from the start that is was QQ+, I just hoped it was the QQ end, not the AA end!).
After leaving Mandalay Bay I found myself ar Aria, which is one of the nicest looking poker rooms on the strip, and sat down in a $4/8 limit holdem game. The play was suitably horrible (plus I found some run-good) & I picked up a tidy profit before the mixed game I had put my name on the list for got started. Of course I was expecting some sort of standard HORSE-like mix (I had played HORSE once before at Aria on my previous visit to Las Vegas), though the floor staff had said it would be up to the players to decide the mix when I registered. By the time I had made it to the table, the mix had been decided & I was up for some learning on the job.
The mix was a five-game mix, rotating ever 8 hands & included Razz, Omaha hi-lo & stud hi-lo, which seems pretty standard. The final two games were 2-7 triple draw (so I would be playing my first live cash session of 2-7, though I had played it in tourneys & a little online previously) & Badeuci (which may or may not be spelt correctly). Badeuci is a split-pot game, with half the pot going to the best 2-7 low hand & the other half going to the best badugi hand (with Aces playing high for both games). Badugi hands are low, unpaired, rainbow cards (with the standard nuts being A234 rainbow). In Badeuci this changes, so the nutss are 23457, with the 2345 being of different suits. This gives you nut-nut, with the 2-7 wheel & the best badugi hand. Of course my knowledge of 2-7 comes almost entirely from the 'Triple the Gold' series on Deuces Cracked, as well as the short playing time in 8-game tourneys, while my badugi knowledge comes from a brief Full Tilt interview with Huck Seed & my badeuci knowledge comes from an interview with Deathdonkey, I think from Deuce Plays, with the key point I remembered being 'aim for a decent badugi & hope to back into a good 2-7 hand' as the way to play to try and scoop. Turned out to be an interesting game, with a number of the players being dealers from Vegas (or dealers in town for the various tourney series over summer), ranging from players who seemed pretty decent TAG-ish ones through to total maniacs. I left the game just after 4am after playing for about 5 hours, and only finished slightly down for the session (though still ahead overall from the Aria visit). Interesting game & one I would definitely go back for. Definitely puts the Aria much higher on my list of best poker rooms in Vegas.
Next: Omaha hi-lo at Orleans.
Monday, May 24, 2010
USA Day 19
A relatively quiet day. Put the latest episode of the Donkcast together in the afternoon before heading to the Bike for what was supposed to be a short session at the Bike.
Four hours later I left the table with exactly my initial buy-in from a very interesting $2/3NL table. It started with the guy who raised every hand, often showing his bluffs, which got some other players at the table involved in the bluffing (the 'I'll show him how to bluff' mentality). After a number of players left, there was something of a quiet patch, before a player arrived who every now & then decided to tell you exactly what his hand was and what he was doing ... 'I have six-deuce' and when the flop came JT2 all spades, he would bet, saying 'I hit my deuce ... $15'. Of course this didn't happen every hand, and he would sometimes find other ways to announce his hand 'I have a flush and straight draw, I'm not folding this hand' on a board of KQ9 with two diamonds. Sure enough, a ten would hit the turn & he would be big & show his J5 of diamonds for a chop with the poor guy who flopped the straight with JT.
Of course I didn't pick up many hands, with my biggest being pocket jacks ... which ran into pocket jacks to chop the pot. Managed to get even for the night in a hand with the guy who announced his hand. I limped in early position with QJ & he announced 'I have ace ten, I raise to $15'. Of course with 3 others in the hand I called & saw a jack-high flop, which was checked around. On the turn 9 I bet, and was called by the guy with AT. When the ten came on the river I confidently bet again, and was called, showed my QJ & my opponent kindly showed me his AT.
Fun times.
Also this is my last night in Los Angeles. I have an early morning flight to Las Vegas, with lots more poker on the agenda when in town. Vegas also has the best late-night snack option around - The Earl of Sandwich at Planet Hollywood. Its like Subway, but with Foccacia-like bread. They also do a mean tomato soup!
Next on the agenda: Vegas baby!!
Four hours later I left the table with exactly my initial buy-in from a very interesting $2/3NL table. It started with the guy who raised every hand, often showing his bluffs, which got some other players at the table involved in the bluffing (the 'I'll show him how to bluff' mentality). After a number of players left, there was something of a quiet patch, before a player arrived who every now & then decided to tell you exactly what his hand was and what he was doing ... 'I have six-deuce' and when the flop came JT2 all spades, he would bet, saying 'I hit my deuce ... $15'. Of course this didn't happen every hand, and he would sometimes find other ways to announce his hand 'I have a flush and straight draw, I'm not folding this hand' on a board of KQ9 with two diamonds. Sure enough, a ten would hit the turn & he would be big & show his J5 of diamonds for a chop with the poor guy who flopped the straight with JT.
Of course I didn't pick up many hands, with my biggest being pocket jacks ... which ran into pocket jacks to chop the pot. Managed to get even for the night in a hand with the guy who announced his hand. I limped in early position with QJ & he announced 'I have ace ten, I raise to $15'. Of course with 3 others in the hand I called & saw a jack-high flop, which was checked around. On the turn 9 I bet, and was called by the guy with AT. When the ten came on the river I confidently bet again, and was called, showed my QJ & my opponent kindly showed me his AT.
Fun times.
Also this is my last night in Los Angeles. I have an early morning flight to Las Vegas, with lots more poker on the agenda when in town. Vegas also has the best late-night snack option around - The Earl of Sandwich at Planet Hollywood. Its like Subway, but with Foccacia-like bread. They also do a mean tomato soup!
Next on the agenda: Vegas baby!!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
USA Day 17 & 18
Yes, I'm missing days in my update! The first sign of slacking off perhaps??
Played the California State Championships Main Event & finished in 99th place out of 175 starters. Quite a rollercoaster of a day, with a poor start having me down to under 5k early (started with 10k), only to double up a few times when my AA beat AK, JJ beat 88, then I got lucky with JJ against KK & I managed to get my stack up to around 17k at the high point of the event. Eventually lost a big hand when my AK suited could not beat 99, in spite of flopping huge with the nut flush draw & overcards. Eventually my demise was a combination of blatant stupidity & dumb luck. I was down to 6k with the blinds at 150/300/25 when a player was moved to my table. As he was unracking his chips, he was dealt into a hand & was under-the-gun. He takes a look at his cards & casually throwns in a blue chip (500) & three red chips (1000). He apologises (obviously meaning to raise to 800, not 3500) & there is no problem until I look at my cards ... AK suited! Obviously I'm going to play the hand with such a short stack, so I ship my few remaining chips into the pot. It folds back around to the UTG player who now pretty much HAS to call with any two cards as it is only another 2500 for him to call, with over 10k already in the pot to be won. Yes I would have made the same play (moving all-in for 6k) with an initial bet of 800, however my opponent would be far less likely to call with the substantially worse odds to call. Anyway he called & showed 89hh ... not the best hand to be up against (live suited connectors), but still not an entirely unpleasant situation (62-38 or thereabouts pre-flop). Of course the flop didn't help my cause: QhTh6c giving my opponent a gutshot straight-flush draw, as well as the double belly-buster straight draw, to go with the fact that any pair would put his hand in front of mine! 21 outs to dodge!! FML, I'm now an underdog to survive (57-43 to be more precise!). Of course there was no waiting around ... BOOM ... Ah on the turn & making a pair has sealed my fate ...
After grabbing a bite to eat I headed to the hustler Casino & played some $2/5NL, which went well for the most part (helped by the fact that I had two retads sitting to my immediate right. I stacked the same guy three times before another player stacked him for the fourth & final time. Of course the other retard started my slide ... I was up over $250 when we got it all-in on a J66 board (he only had $60 or so left) with my QQ against his JT. Of course I only have to dodge a jack or running tens ... and what turns up on the river but one of the two remaining jacks! I managed to find a few similar (though not quite so unlikely) beats to drain most of the profit for the evening before the table broke & I decided to pick up my chips & head home with a small win.
Today I was hopeful of going to the planned 'Deepstacks Live' WSOP Preparation seminar/lecture at the Bicycle Casino, however it was cancelled due to a conflict with the Bike's own Deepstack series (hooray for forward planning, both from Deepstacks University & the Bicycle Casino!), so I headed to the COmmerce for the $220 donkament that was the Player Appreciation event (with $10k added to the prize pool, with the qualification that you had to have played at least 2 events in the series to enter). Of course I managed to find a seat at the table with the three maniacs to my direct left. Just the seat I was looking for! Of course one maniac started playing every hand & winning most of the pots, until one of the other maniacs decided to take over 'control' of the table, managing to go from the 3k starting stack to around 10k by the end of the second level (20 minutes per level, so it was a pretty fast tourney). Anyway I was short & after seeing another player do it, pulled the old limp-re-raise trick with AK suited UTG. Of course the maniac raised, a few called, then another (shorter than me) stack shoved. I shoved as well, which got everyone else out of the way & I was up against QQ & lost the flip. Not even shorter, I resorted to the limp-re-raise again ... this time from the small blind! The button limped, I limped (25/50 level) & the maniac in the big blind made it 200 to go. The button called & I shoved my remaining 1075 into the middle, which the maniac called & my 66 managed to double up against his KQo. Of course the maniac then donked off most of his remaining stack calling an all-in with A6 suited & not improving against QQ. I finished off this maniac when my 33 held against his 49 & another player's J8. Of course this meant that the third maniac now took over, managing to double-up through, and then bust the woman on the table, both times by hitting a king on the turn (first with T9 v QJ on a QJ5 flop & later with KT v 86 on a flop of K66). I managed to get it all-in against him with JJ against his TT ... and of course he hit his ten on the turn to send me packing in around 90th place from 142 starters.
To finsh off the evening I went for a drive over to Santa Monica Beach before heading back to the hotel, with a stopoff at the laundromat.
I'm hoping to put together another episode of the Donkcast tonight (or tomorrow) ... and then it off to Las Vegas on Monday morning (yes, I will need to speak to the agent who booked my flight at such a ridiculous hour!!).
Next on the agenda: Donkcast episode 3 ... then Vegas baby!
Played the California State Championships Main Event & finished in 99th place out of 175 starters. Quite a rollercoaster of a day, with a poor start having me down to under 5k early (started with 10k), only to double up a few times when my AA beat AK, JJ beat 88, then I got lucky with JJ against KK & I managed to get my stack up to around 17k at the high point of the event. Eventually lost a big hand when my AK suited could not beat 99, in spite of flopping huge with the nut flush draw & overcards. Eventually my demise was a combination of blatant stupidity & dumb luck. I was down to 6k with the blinds at 150/300/25 when a player was moved to my table. As he was unracking his chips, he was dealt into a hand & was under-the-gun. He takes a look at his cards & casually throwns in a blue chip (500) & three red chips (1000). He apologises (obviously meaning to raise to 800, not 3500) & there is no problem until I look at my cards ... AK suited! Obviously I'm going to play the hand with such a short stack, so I ship my few remaining chips into the pot. It folds back around to the UTG player who now pretty much HAS to call with any two cards as it is only another 2500 for him to call, with over 10k already in the pot to be won. Yes I would have made the same play (moving all-in for 6k) with an initial bet of 800, however my opponent would be far less likely to call with the substantially worse odds to call. Anyway he called & showed 89hh ... not the best hand to be up against (live suited connectors), but still not an entirely unpleasant situation (62-38 or thereabouts pre-flop). Of course the flop didn't help my cause: QhTh6c giving my opponent a gutshot straight-flush draw, as well as the double belly-buster straight draw, to go with the fact that any pair would put his hand in front of mine! 21 outs to dodge!! FML, I'm now an underdog to survive (57-43 to be more precise!). Of course there was no waiting around ... BOOM ... Ah on the turn & making a pair has sealed my fate ...
After grabbing a bite to eat I headed to the hustler Casino & played some $2/5NL, which went well for the most part (helped by the fact that I had two retads sitting to my immediate right. I stacked the same guy three times before another player stacked him for the fourth & final time. Of course the other retard started my slide ... I was up over $250 when we got it all-in on a J66 board (he only had $60 or so left) with my QQ against his JT. Of course I only have to dodge a jack or running tens ... and what turns up on the river but one of the two remaining jacks! I managed to find a few similar (though not quite so unlikely) beats to drain most of the profit for the evening before the table broke & I decided to pick up my chips & head home with a small win.
Today I was hopeful of going to the planned 'Deepstacks Live' WSOP Preparation seminar/lecture at the Bicycle Casino, however it was cancelled due to a conflict with the Bike's own Deepstack series (hooray for forward planning, both from Deepstacks University & the Bicycle Casino!), so I headed to the COmmerce for the $220 donkament that was the Player Appreciation event (with $10k added to the prize pool, with the qualification that you had to have played at least 2 events in the series to enter). Of course I managed to find a seat at the table with the three maniacs to my direct left. Just the seat I was looking for! Of course one maniac started playing every hand & winning most of the pots, until one of the other maniacs decided to take over 'control' of the table, managing to go from the 3k starting stack to around 10k by the end of the second level (20 minutes per level, so it was a pretty fast tourney). Anyway I was short & after seeing another player do it, pulled the old limp-re-raise trick with AK suited UTG. Of course the maniac raised, a few called, then another (shorter than me) stack shoved. I shoved as well, which got everyone else out of the way & I was up against QQ & lost the flip. Not even shorter, I resorted to the limp-re-raise again ... this time from the small blind! The button limped, I limped (25/50 level) & the maniac in the big blind made it 200 to go. The button called & I shoved my remaining 1075 into the middle, which the maniac called & my 66 managed to double up against his KQo. Of course the maniac then donked off most of his remaining stack calling an all-in with A6 suited & not improving against QQ. I finished off this maniac when my 33 held against his 49 & another player's J8. Of course this meant that the third maniac now took over, managing to double-up through, and then bust the woman on the table, both times by hitting a king on the turn (first with T9 v QJ on a QJ5 flop & later with KT v 86 on a flop of K66). I managed to get it all-in against him with JJ against his TT ... and of course he hit his ten on the turn to send me packing in around 90th place from 142 starters.
To finsh off the evening I went for a drive over to Santa Monica Beach before heading back to the hotel, with a stopoff at the laundromat.
I'm hoping to put together another episode of the Donkcast tonight (or tomorrow) ... and then it off to Las Vegas on Monday morning (yes, I will need to speak to the agent who booked my flight at such a ridiculous hour!!).
Next on the agenda: Donkcast episode 3 ... then Vegas baby!
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