VEGAS BABY!

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by gkb

This was almost 2 years ago now, is there another trip planned for the future?

Lathum, cartman and I are going to be there in June. I'm bringing the Miata.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

Well, I'm going to Vegas in July, but there won't be any pictures.

Don't forget your capri pants.

[digamma]

Anatomy of a Cash, Revisited


As many of you know from the WSOP Pool thread, I had some good fortune in the $1500 NLHE tournament I entered this year and ended up with a finish in the money. After getting back, I remembered this thread, and re-read Quik's "Anatomy of a Cash" description of his experience two years ago. I was struck by a number of similarities in our tournament experiences and wanted (in part for my own interest) to write about my own tournament. So, here goes...


Friday Night June 13


I left lace Pasadenalace with my buddies Bob the Action Junkie and Blackbury (so named for the blackberry surgically attached to his fingers) around 6:45. Having waited too long to purchase airline tickets and having access to a relatively new Hybrid Escape, we decided to drive to Vegas (this turned out to be the first +EV experience of the trip, as we spent a total of $58 on gas for there and back). After battling traffic to get out of the city and an absolutely glorious trip to In-n-Out in Barstow (I think they add a little crack to the burgers in the desert), we arrived in Vegas about 11—not a bad trip at all.


After checking into our room at the Rio (provided at no charge courtesy of the Rio with their hope that the Action Junkie might frequent their blackjack tables), we headed down to the tournament area to scope out the scene and register for the tournament. We registered, and all three of us were pleased to find that we would be playing in the main Amazon room, rather than one of the side satellite rooms. The previous year we had played and had all started our tournament in the dreaded “tent,” which, despite being air conditioned, provided no literal or figurative “coolness” associated with WSOP play.


We decided to check out the single table satellites and opted to play one of the $175 versions. These are winner take all, but always end up chopping two or three ways. Unfortunately, we were all seated at the same table. Even more unfortunately, we went out in 8^th, 7^th and 6^th place, and despite the game being very, very soft (we had to call one guy back to the table because he didn’t realize he had won his all in hand), we didn’t sniff the chop stage. We headed up to our room after getting the weekend off to that roaring start.


Normally, I wouldn’t share (nor would you want to be shared) a story from three guys sharing a hotel room, but I think this one is worth repeating. As we were going to bed, we flipped on the television and were surfing the channels. We landed on a game show on the History Channel, which, in general, was as dry as it sounded. Hosted by Mark Sommers of Double Dare fame, it was three middle aged white guys rapidly buzzing in to answer history trivia questions. We almost didn’t notice the following exchange on the show:


Mark Sommers: In 1999, New York City was invaded by this African originated virus?
Contestant, after rapidly buzzing in: Jungle Fever.
Mark Sommers, straight faced: No, I’m sorry.


We looked at one another and finally the Action Junkie said, “Did he just say ‘Jungle Fever’?” We realized the absurdity of the moment and laughed ourselves to sleep.

[digamma]

Saturday June 14

We woke up about 9:30, good for a solid 7 hours of sleep. Not bad in Vegas. We were scheduled to meet up with some other friends and acquaintances for breakfast at 10 AM. There were 12 folks that we knew from one home poker game or another playing in that day’s event. After a hearty breakfast, we milled around the lobby, watching soccer and the college world series before making the long walk down to the tournament area (for those who haven’t been, it is a solid 10 to 15 minute walk from the main Rio casino and hotel area to the convention area where they hold the WSOP).

The tournament area was a zoo, with the spectator line a good portion of the way down the hall. The Action Junkie, Blackbury and I were the only three of our group playing in the Amazon Room. We showed our tournament tickets and headed into the foray.


Levels 1 & 2 (25-50 and 50-100 blinds)


Unsurprisingly, I recognized no one at my first tournament table. No named pros, though Greg Raymer was sitting at the table next to me. I struck up a conversation with a Norwegian player next to me. Very nice guy who was experiencing some moderate success at the WSOP. He had cashed in two tournaments during the week, just missing the final table in both.

Finally, they had the “Dealer of the Day” give the famous “Shuffle Up and Deal!” call. Unfortunately, he was timid and spoke only broken English, so that didn’t go off exactly as planned.

First hand, I squeeze my cards and find two queens. Not a bad way to start. It is folded to me and I make a somewhat larger than standard raise of 4x the big blind to 200 chips. The big blind calls me, but then checks and folds to my continuation bet on a flop of all rags. Sweet, I won a pot!

That set of a pretty strange first level for me. I got queens three more times in the first half hour of the tournament. I made the same play every time (4x raise and continuation bet). Once I had to lay them down to an A-K flop. Once I flopped a set. In general though, I didn’t get much play back at me. I think that was largely a function of people not wanting to bust out early and having a somewhat nitty table on top of that. I ranked myself easily in the top half of players at the table. There were three guys and one woman who had very little clue. One of the clueless had a gallery (we were at a table right by the rail) who cheered every action he made. Luckily for them, he picked up pocket aces twice during the first two levels and was looking healthy. I got as low as 1700, but was able to build my chip stack up to around 3800 chips (the queens helped plus one hand of KK) when I got moved to a new table.

I played one hand at the new table before the first break of the day.

Our whole group was still in the tournament as of the first break. After fighting through the crowds, I got back in to the Amazon Room for Levels 3 & 4.

[QuikSand]

As another Vegas-less summer approaches, bumping for a chance to relive some great memories. Thanks again to Subby for the brilliant narrative.

[digamma]

Thanks for the reminder I never finished writing that. And in a recent clean up of my office desk, I threw away the notes I had listing chip amounts at each break level.

[digamma]

And for the reminder I never go to Vegas anymore.

[MacroGuru]

I will be there for Infocomm in June...I don't know what I will do at night beside play the tables and drink....

[Radii]

I bought a small piece of action on a guy who will be playing a number of WSOP events, that's the closest I'll get to any gambling this summer. Perhaps a labor day Atlantic City trip if things are stable then.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

I will be there for Infocomm in June...I don't know what I will do at night beside play the tables and drink....

Did you not see The Hangover? There's plenty to do in Vegas.

[molson]

I'll be there this weekend. Who wants a keychain!

[gkb]

Still one of my favorite threads ever. When I wrote that this was my favorite I hadn't seen the old thread of Quik and jbmagic discussing blackjack...yeah, good times.

[QuikSand]

i dug up this thread by searching on the term "capri pants" because THAT is my mind