Vegas 08 Update Day 1-3

Vegas is surely the greatest place in the world.

I have spent 3 days here so far including the arrival day and I am absolutely exhausted.
There is simply too much that you just have to do.

No internet connection for two days has meant not being unable to update anything, but a room change has solved that one.

Having too much to do means that Poker often gets overlooked, even if that is the primary purpose of the trip.

I have played two tournaments so far, with little success.

On Day 2, I played the $340 at the Venetian, where you started with a very healthy 12k in chips and 40 mins on the clock.

738 players! took part with a prize pool of $213k!

Of our party 4 of us decided to play this event.

I decided I was not going to play my usual game to start with and just play as many pots as possible in the attempt of hitting something big. I believe I manage to miss every single flop! I ended up at the first break [end of level 3] pretty much where I started at 13k. 2 hours of play later I was just keeping up with play and had moved to 15k. No significant hands, just picking opportunties to take the blinds.

By level 8, the blinds were becoming significant, I just lost a race against a short stack, I put him all in with AK and lost to TT. This left me on 12k.

Loose guy with dodgy moustache raises to 2.5k, I see pocket tens, as he plays pretty much everything, I was prepared to put my chips in. He has about the same as me in chips. Rock women then moves all in for 9k, so I decide now I am in trouble. Moustache guy, says well QJ is a good hand for value!!! so hes all in too.

Rock turns over AQ and its TT vs AQ vs QJ

8 high non-connecting rainbow flop, K on turn, come on one time! River J. Boom! game over.
Still not sure how he called with QJ not thinking he was completely dominated, but thats poker!

Unfortunately none of my group managed to get past level 8 either and day 1 was a wash-out!

The winner got a massive $59k! A seasoned pro from Canada.

Some of the rest of our group, did bring in some cash though! Mouse finished 3rd in the $45 at O'Sheas for $245 and Fenners doubled his money in a $60 STT so it was not a total loss!


Day 3 - $235 at Caesars - Just under 600 for this one, 7.5k in chips. 50 minute levels.

5 of us played this one, despite having just 4 hours sleep!

I started fairly badly, again trying to play a few different types of hands, to not much avail.
After the first break I had slipped to 5k. The next levels saw some improvement, I had my first big hand of the week in KK and took out a short stack holding AK and shortly after took out another when he pushed all in with JJ on a K3d2d, when I was holding AdKd.
At the end of level 4, I was up to 18k and feeling good.

With blinds escalating quickly, up to 400/800, I turn over AhKh. I raise to 2.8k. Massive fish opposite me (had previously called a 1ok all in with A2 - splite pot, a 8k all in with A6 - lost and another 8k all in with KJ - beat AA, flop was KJK!] moves all in for another 7k.

I am putting half my chips on the line, I figure the worst I situation I have is two over cards and decide to make the call.
He turns over QQ, the best hand I believe he could have, hit my King, but its followed by a Queen.

I work my way back up to 13k, when I get AQ. Newish player to the table raises to 3.2k, seems steady, but 3.2k feels a bit high, so I decide he wants the pot there and then and decide to push all in.
Its about half his stack, he thinks for about 5 mins, before finally calling with JJ. A King and a ten give me a couple more outs, but I just know races are not my thing, the next two cards are no help and its another no cash for me.
UriG put in the best performance within the party finishing just outside the money in 65th, when his KK was beaten by QQ [Q on turn]

Its off to Binions today for the $210, it will be a smaller field of around 250, but today we are after a cash to boost morale in the camp!

ClintonO