Vegas March 2014

Days 1 and 2 - Arrival, Aria twice

Last Updated: 2014-03-13 10:08:21

Quick note: If you're on twitter, I'm trying it out on this trip. @prclark3, I'm doing frequent updates.

The drive was mostly uneventful except for a little construction along the way. But also got in with a big pack of cars going rather fast and although we didn't look at the clock too closely we think we might have made it in around 4.5 hrs (which is really fast...).

Dinner at Cafe St Louis at Paris, for a while that was our favorite late-night dinner spot but they had changed the menu and stopped being open late so we stopped going. Well more menu changes, thought we'd try it again...it was OK but i think we both agreed there are several other places we'd rather go to than back there again any time soon.

A walk up and down the strip and into the room for an early night.

Day 2 started out at the Aria buffet for lunch, very good as always. Only place I ever eat at that consistently has manhattan clam chowder so that's always a treat for me (and it's good!).

After that Joann and I went our separate ways, her to the sports book for peace and quiet (as much as you can have in a sports book) away from the kids and me on to the Aria Poker Room.

In the first hour (Aria does 3 20 minute rounds followed by a break). I got Kings twice, one time got paid, once only blinds. Other than that not a lot of cards, and I like to stay pretty ABC in the early rounds so I ended that segment up a little (11-12K from 10K start).

Second hour I won two quick pots including a takeout of a short-ish 3500 or so stack. But then I had two problems.

First, I went card dead for most of the rest of the hour.

Second a maniac sat immediately to my left. Any two cards preflop, lots of bold moves post. Some worked, some didn't, but with me having no cards I didn't have the pleasure of busting him.

But I did take down a couple of pots late and ended up more in the 15-16K range at the second break. Unfortunately I wouldn't make the third break.

Just before the 7th level color up (blinds at 400/800/75, about to go to 600/1200/100) I picked up pocket queens in the small blind. UTG+1 raises to 1700, I repop it to 3500 or so...big blind (replaced maniac) makes a disgusted sound and pushes out all his chips. Original raiser folds, I instantly call and he flips over A-9. Guess it was the best hand he'd seen in a while...naturally ace on the flop.

And he starts calling for a Queen...I hate that...

So blinds go up, I'm under 5BB, see an ace, make a one-card shove, get a caller...it's A8 clubs vs K-J clubs...he rivers two pair, I'm out. Ugh.

4 hrs of fairly perfect poker (counting breaks) and I'm out something like 35th out of 111. Not a bad run, but still very disappointing. I can't even remember now, but there was one hand I don't think playing it or folding it was wrong, but I'd wished I'd played it the other way by the time the hand was over...maybe I'll remember by the time I'm done typing.

So we had a little time to kill before the 7:00 so we ran up to the room and unloaded some stuff we didn't need any more (Joann brings a lot of stuff to keep busy) and back over to Aria.

It didn't go well at all.

In first 20 minutes I had JJ, JJ, AA and 99 and was down 1000 chips. Seriously. I got 3-bet on 3 of the 4, had to give up when the flops came overs and the original raiser (who was showing big cards every time he showed cards) C-bet into me. Ugh. No 3-bet on the aces of course (actually I think I 3-bet that one) and didn't get a lot for them.

Some big aces the rest of that hour, and yet somehow down around 8000 at the first break. Awful!

So back from the break. Mr 3-bet had busted and bought back in and got into the same seat. After showing a lot of big cards early we learned he really was as loose as we thought. Had seen him repeatedly trying to steal pots betting with air, any little pair post flop was worth throwing in a 3-bet, etc. He's in the BB, I'm about 4 to act before him and I raise out with J-10s and naturally he's the only caller.

Flop 10-8-3. I decide I'm going to trap him and check, he checks back. Turn is a 6, I lead out, he makes a fast 3-bet, seen him already do this so many times....I go back over all in (only bet at that point) and he calls...and turns over 8-6. Dammit!!! No love for me on the river.

So basically I get in with him the one time he has a real hand. Oh well.

Joann and I got a little pizza for a light dinner on the way back to the room, and that was our early evening.

Plan is Bachannal Buffet at Caesar's for lunch and then more poker at Aria.