Day 2 in the bank · 4:06pm Jun 14th, 2016
Well, yesterday was the opposite of the first day, though not entirely in a bad way. I bombed in my one tournament entry, the $235 daily deepstack at the WSOP at the Rio. Out in an hour. It was one of those deals where you can literally do no right and all of your hands will inevitably be second-best. It also seems like this there's this one guy who has your number and is always going to beat you, ending up taking all your chips. Such it was here. No hands worth recounting, and I played too loose, getting a bit foolish at times. But I think that subconsciously, I didn't want to play, sensing my luck would be better elsewhere.
So be it. Yesterday was the opposite of day one in that I sucked in the tournament, but did quite well at the cash tables, playing $1/$3 no-limit hold 'em. Cash games are games where you can sit down and get up at any time and you're playing with real money in the form of casino chips, redeemable at the cashier. I typically buy into those for minimum stake, which for that level is $100. $1/$3 refers to the initial forced bets of the small blind/big blind (to ensure there's always some money in the pot), and the higher number represents the minimum bet each round. "No-limit" means you can raise the bet as much you want, even going "all-in" at any time, pushing all your chips into the pot.
These cash games go all the way to $25/$50 and even higher, but I prefer to keep my stakes low. There's still plenty of money to be made, and play is looser at low levels so if you play patiently like I try to do, good hands and chips will come your way in due course.
I did well. I sat down twice at those games over at the Rio's cash game area. The first time, I wagered $100 and left with $197, playing for an hour and then leaving for my (failed) tournament entry. The second time, I came back after being knocked out and sat down for about four hours, wagering $100 and leaving with $350. A-K won for me twice, the second time doubling me up all the way to $400 (I backslid a bit at the end, then decided my luck had changed and to leave). I'll relate one hand here.
I was in the big blind, meaning I've got a $3 forced bet out. Action starts to my left. There's a call, then a raise to $15. I look down at A-K offsuit, meaning the cards are two different suits, like spades or hearts, making it much more difficult to hit a flush with them. But overcards can be powerful in hold-em if they hit the flop (1 in 3 chance they'll pair), so I call the bet. You could make the argument I could raise with them, but I'm out of position, having to act first subsequent betting rounds (you generally want to be able to act last so you can see what other players are going to do). So I simply call, and the initial caller calls the raise as well. Three people in the pot heading to the flop.
Flop comes down: K-8-3, rainbow (meaning mixed suits, meaning there's no flush draw). That's a very good flop for me, because I've paired my king and have an ace 'kicker', meaning I can defeat anyone else holding a king with a lesser card... unless they have two pair like K-8 or K-3. Unlikely. With no flush or straight draw out there, the chances are very good I'm holding the best hand, so I simply check (take no action as the first player), hoping the other players bet into me. Nobody does, and the flop is checked around. So the turn card comes down: a Jack of clubs, giving two clubs on the board, giving the other players a potential flush draw and at least a weak chance for a straight draw. This time, seeking to deny such draws, I bet the pot ($50). First guy folds, and then the initial better raises me to $100. I'm holding $200 or so at that point, meaning he can cripple me. Convinced he's on the draw or bluffing--or better yet, holding a weaker King--I think for a minute, then announce my action: "All-in." If I'm right, he should lay down. The only reason he wouldn't... is if he was holding A-K like me, or a lesser king like K-Q. The danger is if he flopped a 'set', meaning he holds three of a kind. He'd have to be holding 8-8, 3-3 or J-J to do that. Very unlikely, but if he is, I'll pay him off.
He grimaces, thinks for a bit... the longer he waits, the more certain I am that my hand is good, and the more certain I am that I want a call. He obliges me. I show my A-K, and he throws his cards away. My guess is he had K-Q or maybe Q-Q. But... $200 in chips comes my way. I cleaned him out.
So... that was the end of my play for the day. Went back and got some dinner, watching the NBA finals, took a walk, and then... did the Vegas thing and took in a burlesque show, which pretty much every major casino on the strip has.
If it's sin city, I have to sin, right? A little eye candy never hurt anyone. And despite the failed tournament entry, My cash game winnings gave me a $120 profit on the day. I'll take it. You can do far worse here, believe me!
And for today? I'm going to stay on the strip, I think, and play the 1pm $125 tournament over at the Aria. It's the newest big strip hotel, and also has one of the nicest poker rooms. I cashed in a tournament there a couple years ago, and I'm told the action is very good there right now. So I'll give it a go. And in the meantime... maybe some craps this morning. Harrahs offers $5 tables in the morning, which is pretty cheap for the strip. I like craps because it's a social game--because you bet on a shooter and win with him, cheering him on.
The weather is incredibly nice here right now. Mid-90s, which may sound bad, but the air is so dry is doesn't feel bad at all. It can be far worse and has been. I'll take it. I really need to try the Harrah's pool at some point too...
Alrighty then.
...You know, Phoenix Motherf*cking Wright is good at poker. Not sure if he discovered that in AJ:AA or not, but maybe TLATU could have a card game scene in it.
I suggest this because you seem to like card games. Maybe Rise of Firefly could also do with a scene like that, too. A bit of Author Appeal near hurt anyone.
...I also have music actually usable in this kind of scenario.
https://youtu.be/AgIFlwY9Ps0
I would comment more on the day's events, but I've never been to Vegas, so I have no freaking idea what you're on about.
Any time you are bringing in money on a vacation is amazing. Have fun and stay safe.
Seems like you're doing much better than last year. Congrats on your earnings so far, and I hope your luck continues.
Even playing the old Ceasar's casino game for the Sega Genesis I learned at a early age.....I suck at gambling