Trip Report Day 6&7 (July 28 & 29th)

After a dissapointing WSOP where I was bad beated and lost two satelites to the Main Event. They say if you can't win the satelite, you're not good enough to play in the actual event. Here hoping I can qualify next year.

I have the alarm set for 11am so I could wake up and play the $80+50 at the Caesar's. Somehow I elect not to and then wake up at 1130 to quickly shower and get the hell over there. Its about a 10 minute walk and I step into the pokerroom at about a bit past 12 assuming I can register late only to see a massive 100+ person line for late registrations WOW. Guess all the players not playing in the Main Event decided to play this decently structured tourney. Anyhow I get in like 1/2 way through level two (50/100), so about 1 hour late. 20 minutes later, I'm given a 20 minute break. After the break on 100/200 A25 and get some cards going. I increase my stack through some hand value betting it the whole way and am up to 6000-6500 ish probably. On 200/400 I get into a big pot where I have AA (action, I forget) and triple up to 15-17K in chips. I keep playing my TAG style, raising limpers with hands. There is a player moved to my right. During his time there I have seen him limpraise KK UTG, and TT UTG+1 (only to run into QQ in that one). He limpes in LP (maybe Cutoff) and I pump it up to 3200 on 400/800 blinds with 55. He limpraised all in for something like 14K I think. I count out my chips, If I make the call and lose, I have about 5-6K but if I fold I have about 15K. I think it out, he could have AQ AK, but if he he's limp raising his big pairs again i'm a huge underdog. After about 2 minutes I fold it up and let him take it asking him to tell me later on. I don't tilt or steam, but my action slows up and I dwindle a bit. I later find out he had AQ, oh well.

Moved to a new table, we get the 600/1200 A100 blinds (25 raced off, I lose). During this level, I am moved to a table with HUGE stacks to my left and also very agressive to my left, meaning not many pots are folded around to me, or if so, too UGLY to push. I am down to 8000 at the last hand before the break. The blinds would hit me in 2 hands and I would lose my fold equity at 1000/2000 blinds with 200 ante. I elect to shove JTd and the player elects not to double me up with KTo PHEW.

On 1000/2000 level, I push one hand (TT?) and soon after I see a nice AJh hand on the cutoff, but see the TIGHTEST PLAYER finally raise a hand, I insta muck it without much though. I go on to see raises after raises in front of me, no play with my connectors or trash broadway hands or weak aces. Until finally, 5 minutes before the 2000/4000 level, I push my 9-10K all in from cutoff with Q5d hoping to pick up the blinds. I run into AA GG Me. Top 30 paid and I was ousted in like 38th I believe. Oh well, cashing didn't really concern me, more off winning and making the final table. So my conclusion from this tourney, good 40 minute level for the price, and good 4500 starting stack. But awful blind double up structure. I heard the Venetial gets you 3000 chips + 30 minute levels, but more slow rising, which could be better, may check it out next time.

It was then about 5-6pm and I decide to head out for some shopping. I hop in a cab and hit up the Las Vegas Premium Outlets. Man, I should have went sooner. Tonnes of deals, Nike SHOX for $49.99 and other great store prices. I won't bother you like a woman about my clothing fashion, but if you're doing shopping, bring another suitcase to carry all the extra stuff. I've learned.

While at the Premium Outlet store, I saw a Sushi Buffet and ate there for an 30 minutes. I definately didn't get my $25 worth, but I had a craving for some raw fish :P as I didn't want to eat any prior to me playing in any events.

Headed back to Harrahs and started the packing up and cramming everything into a suitcase + carryon bag. At about 2am, I wasn't tired and headed down for my first cash game action in Vegas.

They were spreading a 3-6 limit, 1-2 NL (60 min, 200 max) and a 2-5 NL (200 min, 500 max). I joined the 1-2 for 200. While sitting down, first hand I saw a guy raise to 25 pf and call a reraise to about 80 (maybe more or less). He proceeds to checkraise all in on a 3flush board. Other player calls the bet as he is pot commited having only about 80-100 behind him. Checkraiser has KQs for the flopped flush and other player has AsQx (could have been AQo as well) and proceeds to miss his flush. I thik the checkraiser was a loose donkey which is why he got a call from AQ. Big pot, about $500-600 I threw in my blinds first hand, as it gives you a sense of a looser image. First hand, I got AK. I raise it to 10. Loose guy + unknown call I see a 963 flop and throw out 15 as a continuarion bet which is okay and bad. Loose player folds, other guy calls. Turn is a blank and I fire 25 this time (when I should have went into check/fold mold) and player calls. River is an ACE, I hit my card and bet out 30 to be raised to 100. Being the donkey cash game player that I am, I call the bet to lose to 99, wow I suck I should have stopped and thought. GG $150. I rebuy and have $200 in front. Imed next hand I get AKh and raise it to 10. Player who beat me last time calls and SB or BB raises it to 35. Feeling the game may be loose I call the bet as does the other player. Board comes out KQx and I hit my card, top pair + top kicker, but feel its an awful board. I could still be losing to AA/KK/QQ but beating AQ/JJ and tying AK. I call his $40 bet on the flop, as does the other player seeing what he would do on the turn. If he showed weakness I would pounce. He bets 75 on the turn, and I stop and mull it over and eventually fold but other player calls and folds on the river. SB/BB has AA, other guy had JT. On the BB, I get AK and this time I crapped myself and checked it and checked folded it on an 8 hi flop that was limped 6-7 ways preflop, i think I should have led out 10. Not to narrow down the action, but to build a pot (just to lose again :P). On the SB, I get AT and see a flop 4 way (me, BB, loose player + set/JT player). Flop comes down T65 and I flop top pair. I check it it and loose player bets out 30, holy over bet. Other guy calls, and I call (probably should have raised there, I know I know, cash game fish/donkey). Turn is a 9, I check and call off a $40 bet, as does other player. I think, what card do I want besides an Ace/Ten. I figure a 5 would be okay and boom a 5 appears. I throw out a $30 blocking bet and loose player quickly mucks, but the Set/JT player miniraises me to $60. I instantly think ARHJDHJAHKAFHAD what have I got myself into again, I am the biggest fish ever. But with $120+$90+$90 in the pot and only 30 to call, I cry call and he shows A6, MHIG!!!!

Loose player then leaves with like over $1300 in front of him. Play tightens up and becomes a grindfest where I lose $50 (raised $10 to $50 on flop) when I somehow enter a pot with T4 and flop bottom two pair only to fold to a push on the turn (JT4K) from a tight young talkative trash player who you can see is only grinding top hands and capable of folding top pair (as he does to me later on) who showed Q9. I eventually cash out $350 losing $100 overall. But the loose player came back and eventually hopped over the 2/5 NL where I saw him make some crazy plays. ON 678 board he calls an all in with K6, other player showed 45, board comes out 95 for a chopped pot, sickening lol. He later gets it all in legitamately with KK vs AA only to spike a K on the flop.

I head back to the room get 4 hours of sleep and head out back to Toronto.

I hope you enjoyed reading these Trip Report, maybe I'll have some better ones with me winning something and actually deep thinking hands.