Ballin' in Vegas

Soo I just got back from Vegas at like 730 this morning. I had the sickest time and definitely plan on going back as soon as possible. But yea, heres a run down of how everything went...

My flight to Vegas was an overnight flight and was probably the worst part of the trip. I had to deal with this crying baby sitting a few rows behind me, and I really wasnt having it. Besides that, my flight was maddd turbulent and shit. So uhh yea, didnt get any sleep on the way there.

We touched down in Vegas at like 6am and I took a cab to my hotel (The Luxor). When I got to my hotel, I found out that I couldnt check in till 1130, so I decided to wander down to the poker room to make some quick dough, before I headed out to the Bellagio later in the day. So I sit down with 200 at this pathetically weak 1/2 game and quickly build my stack up to 800. I then pick up KK in the CO and raise to 25 getting two other callers. I end up getting it all in on a flop of K34 two hearts against another big stack (had me covered). She flips 56 hearts and hits a 7 on the river and she scoops the pot. Thus far, -200 on the trip :(

By that time, it was close to 1130 and I headed over to registration to check into my room. Overall, I was really happy with the Luxor and probably will stay there again next time I go to Vegas. My room was great (I upgraded to a suite for only like $55 more p/night when I checked in, definitely well worth it), the food was good and it was reasonably priced, cant ask for too much more. After checking into my room, I passed out for a while and woke up at like 6pm to head to check out the strip.

After checking out the various hotels on the strip and soaking it all in, I decided to head to the MGM grand to play some more poker. I really liked the MGM Grand. It was definitely one of my favorite hotels on the strip. They had a sick Lion Exhibit, which was definitely one of my favorite parts of the trip. I took lots of pictures, which Ill post when I get around to it. Upon arriving at the MGM, I quickly doubled up at yet another soft 1/2 game and moved up with 400 to play 2/5. I had a sick run of cards at 2/5 and built my stack up to 1200. Coming into the trip, I decided to put bankroll management on the back burners and just try to make as much money as possible while I was out in vegas.

So by this time it was like 1:30 or so and I was pretty well rested and feeling good so I decided to take a shot at the 5/10 NL game at the Bellagio. The Bellagio was definitely my favorite hotel in Vegas. Its definitely one of the classiest, most elegant hotels that I ever been to (thats not just Vegas but pretty much everywhere ive been). I noticed right away that my table was pretty solid and I definitely should have left and played at another table. So after sitting down for an hour and picking up a few small pots i had built my stack to about 1400, when this hand came up. I picked up AQ suited on the button. UTG+1 (He has me covered with about 2200) makes standard raise to 50 and I bump it up to 250. He calls and we're heads up. Flop comes AQ9 rainbow and I flop top 2. At this point, my image is pretty Tag'ish. I hadnt gotten out of line and had been playing pretty standard so far. The villlain in the hand, seemed pretty Lagish, but definitelty competent. Just a guess, but he seemed liked a regular in the game. Anyways, villain to my surprise bets out 250. At this point, I definitely feel that I have the best hand and make it 700 to go, leaving me with close to 500 left. Villain just cold calls, which scared the shit out of me. I dont think he has AA or QQ since he definitely would have repopped preflop, but 99 at this point is definitely a possibility. Turn brings a blank 5 and sure enough villain sits theres forever and then announces that hes all in. By this point, I have invested 950 and its only 450 or so more, so its basically a snap call. I flip over AQ and show top 2pr. Several players comment, telling me nice hand, and that my hands good and so forth, until villain turns over the dreaded 999. Soooooooooo sick. Basically, this was a pot, I had to go broke in. Dry board, top 2, against a laggish opponent, pretty much an autocall, just a sick fuckin cooler. So after that I decide to leave the Bellagio and call it a night. At this point, its like 430 so I just decide to go back to my room and pass out. After all that, Im dead even on the day, after taking two sickkk coolers that I definitely couldnt have gotten away from.

So for some reason, without a wake-up call or anything, I wake up at like 930 the next morning. I decide to check out the buffet downstairs and was real satisfied. It was pretty standard but definitely still good. I decide to head to the MGM grand again and play for a few hours. I sit down at the donkadonkadonkadonka 1/2 game and build up to 850 and decide that Im going to play one more hand. Haha well that turned out to be a bad decision. I pick up AJ spades in the BB and a weak-tightish players makes it 12 to go from the small blind. I 3-bet to 35 and he flat calls. Flop comes AKK and he checks to me. I bet out to 60 and he calls. Turn comes a black 7 and I now have 2pr with a redraw to the nut-flush. Weak tight checks again and I shove all in. He instacalls and flips over AK. River comes another K and he hits quads lol. So yeahhh, I end the session up 650.

By then it was like 330 and I decide to take a break from poker and go chill out by the pool back at my hotel (which was sick by the way). Sooooo many girls damn. I wish I had friends go with me, because damn, its Vegas, theres too many fine girls, I have a lot of money on me, everyones drunk, theres mad shit to do, its uhhh a pretty good combination.

After coolin out by the pool for a few hours, I decide to head out to the Bellagio again to holla at the Seafood Buffet (supposedly the best food in Vegas). Damn, yet another reason Im going to miss Vegas. The Seafood Buffet was amazing. I must have spent about an hour and a half just smashing on Alaskan Crab, Mussels, Salmon, Prime Rib, Fresh Sushi, Lamb, Filet Mignon, and Lobster. Goddamn it was good. Definitely somethin I could get used to :)

So after dinner I sit down with 400 at the 2/5 game and build my stack up to 600 when I get call from a friend of mine who I met online from 2+2. Glad we met up, because BenStunner is a cool ass kid. Ben plays high stakes (25/50 and 50/100) on Full Tilt (plays under 98Mute) plays professionally and lives out in Vegas. He is helping me out with my game, reviewing my handhistories, and basically just mentoring me online. I took a Cab to the Rio and met up with him. He was playing a $1000 sattelite and busted out in third. He told me that hes bubbled in more than 10 sattelites, must be soooo sick. Still 10k, whats that to a baller like BenStunner????Shittttt. Ben is friends with a lot of highstakes pros, so he introduced me to several of them, including Greg FBT Mueller, Mike Matusow (in spite of what people say about him, he seemed liked a real nice guy, hes actually real close with Ben and is staking him for several WSOP events), and Daniel Negreneau (who by the way, made fun of my sunglasses, for like 10 straight minutes, hahaha all good though). Ben is also friends with Sean Shiekhan, another highstakes pro who just happened to bust out of the 2500 NL event at the same time that Ben busted out of his sattelite.

So Sean and Ben are both real frustrated and decide that they want to go to the Bar. They ask me to roll and Im clearly down. We head to this sick bar at the Planet Hollywood hotel, where it just happened to be College Night at UNLV hahaha what luck. Anyways, I drink for free on Sean's tab all night. It was pretty surreal. At like 3, we all left the bar (Me, Sean, Ben and 3 random girls from the bar), and Sean asked me if I smoked. Bahahaaha so anyways, we all head to Sean's condo, and smoke a fat blunt with him. By then it was like 5, and I was feeeling sooooooooo crunked, so I decide its time to go. Ben hooked me up with a ride back to the Luxor and I pass out till like 12 the next day.

I woke up the next day, feeling real shitty, but I had to check out of my hotel. I decide to head back to the MGM and play some more. I once again make a quick 800 at 1/2 and then decide to play some 2/5 at the MGM. Some clown hit a 2-0uter on the river against me for over 250. Thats when I decided to quit and just chill and watch the Cavs-Spurs game. I must have killed like 4-5 Long Islands during the game, because I dont remember too much. What I do remember is screaming at the TV when Anderson Varejo decided to single handedly cost the Cavs the game. Fucking disappointing, I hate the Spurs.

Anyways by that time it was like 6, so I decided to go hit up the buffet again at the Bellagio and take some pictures before I had to go to to the airport.

Overall though, Vegas was fuckin illllllll. I ran shitty all week and still managed to profit 650, which covered the cost of my flight and hotel. With expenses (food, drinks, random shit), I was probably down a few hundred for the trip, but damn it was well worth it.

Looking to go back soon, maybe in a few weeks or so, if I can grind it out online. Until then...

Holla