Vegas trip. :D

I just got back from a trip to vegas on Monday night - I was there Sat., Sun., and Mon.

Over the course of this period I played 5 sessions. 2 at Binions, 2 at the Sahara (where I was staying), and 1 at the Rio. Binions plays a 1-2 NL game with no max-buyin. Sahara had a 1-3 NL game with 500 max buyin. Rio had a 2-5 NL game with a 500 max-buyin. At every limit/game I bought in for 200 - I felt like this was a good amount because I didn't want to create a "serious" atmosphere and I still had most players matched or covered at each table.

Overall, I felt the games were incredibly good - I could easily see how poker players could make a living playing just cash game poker in Vegas. Generally, the players were extremely passive or extremely aggressive, but either way they were extremely patterned. I would usually start each session trying to figure out how each player played and then I would just hope to get into pots (in position usually) and take advantage of their weaknesses. I noticed that players checked way more often than in online games - like way, way more often. So, I felt like this was a great thing to exploit. Whenever I limped in on the button and it was checked to me and I felt like everyone was weak - I'd fire out a decent sized bet and nearly always pick up the pot.

One of my favorite plays- and one that I have never done before - largely due to my very little live experience - was calling or checking the SB/BB and then checking the flop dark. It was nearly automatic for players who were the aggressor or were just aggressive in general to bet here. Whenever they did - I would fire out a check raise if I had a decent hand and usually scoop the pot. For example, I had Ts7s on the BB. The cutoff min raised to 2x BB - $10. I called, and checked in the dark. The flop came Th9s2h. My opponent bet 2xBB - $10. I raised to $35 - 7xBB. My opponent folded.

I also sometimes would call in position with mediocre hands like middle aces and suited connectors. When I hit the flop I'd usually just bet out and if I was called - my opponents would just check it down - even if they had something stupid like middle pair. OR if I was lucky, they would bet hands after limping preflop with strong hands - but not made hands. One of my better hands I Th9s on the button. Three players limped in. I called. The SB called and the BB checked. The flop came TcJs3h. A player who I'd seen be pretty aggressive, but often after the flop - rarely preflop, bet about 3x BB - about half the pot. I called - I felt that I very likely had the best hand because I hadn't seen this player hold middle cards up to this point - and I had been playing 3-handed with him for over an hour earlier in the session. I figured this player could only have a hand like a set of jacks or AJ or he had over cards like AK, or AQ. The turn, paired the 3. My opponent bet again, but this time he bet very weak about the same as on the flop. I took this to mean I had the best hand, and figured I might be able to earn a further bluff on the river if I called, but if I raised my opponent would only call with a hand that beat me. The river came a blank - 5d. My opponent, after thinking for a few seconds, bet half the pot. I called - he said "you win" and I scooped the pot with my 2nd pair. :)

I won $200 over the course of my sessions - winning at least a little bit in every single session and $120 in the last one at the Rio - interestingly, I never had a big hand the entire session that I won the most in, but then the blinds were higher and the players were worse.

I liked the 2-5 game a lot more than the 1-2 and 1-3 games. A typical raise to 15 would get a couple callers, but in the 1-2 and 1-3 games it would take a raise to 20 or more to get it 3 handed or heads up. Basically a lower amount of BBs would get fewer players and this made pots easier to play after the flop.

I had one bad beat, one terribly played hand, and two great hands throughout the whole weekend.

Bad Beat?
I don't like telling bad beat stories, so I'll keep this one brief.
Sahara - 1-3 Blinds
I had AsAh UTG in a 6 handed game. I raised to 4x BB and was called by the cutoff and button. The blinds folded. The flop came JT9 rainbow. I checked. The cutoff bet about half the pot. The button called. I moved all-in for about $115- the pot was about $50 at this point, so this was a large overbet. The cutoff called, showed QQ. I was 61.7% to win the pot, but alas, an eight hit the river and my opponent scooped it with a straight.

Donkey is me - but it wouldn't have mattered.
Binions 1-2 Blinds
I raised in middle position with AdAs - to 14 - 7x BB. I got 1 caller in the SB. The flop came Ah5d8d. I bet out about 7x BB - around half the pot. My opponent called. The turn came Jd. My opponent bet $25 - about 8x BB. I had a set of aces - but alas because I'm a moron I didn't realize I also had the nut flush draw. I was a favorite against nearly every hand. I called. The river came the Kd. My opponent checked. And like an idiot who didn't realize he had the nuts, I asked him if he had a diamond and showed my hand. I won the pot - and it turns out he had nothing and was completely bluffing on the turn - but I cannot believe I checked the nuts on the river...

Lucky hand #1
Sahara 1-3 Blinds
I had 9h9d on the BB. A somewhat tight player raised to 5xBB in early position. 2 players called in front of me. I called. The flop came 9cThJh. I bet 7xBB hoping that my opponent, with the preflop lead, would raise - I would like to note that he was relatively short stacked - only about $75 in his stack after the flop. Figuring if he has KQ I'm going broke every time. My opponent obliges by moving all in with AQ and my hand holds up. :) I scoop a nearly $200 pot.

Lucky hand #2
Binions 1-2 Blinds
Ts8s on the BB. 4 players limp in in front of me. I check. The flop comes Tc8h8c. I check. A woman, who had just moved to the table bet about half the pot. I called. The turn was a 5d. I checked and after she bet again, I thought for about 5-6 seconds before calling. The river was Ah. Obviously a bad card for me. I checked - figuring I might have just gotten sucked out. She moved all-in, I crying-called and my boat beat her Qh8d for trips.

Overall, I had a great time and I think live play has so much more potential over online play. Players are sooooo terrible and I could easily see making a lot of money hanging out at the rio or a similar "touristy" casino every weekend. :)