Some Vegas memories:

- Busted out near the bubble in a $90 tournament at Harrah’s. $50+40 add-on and five full tables. I probably played overtight preflop when flops were still cheap, but warmed up in the middle rounds. 1500+1500 chips, with blinds starting at 25/50 and 20 minute levels. Basically blinded down for the first three levels, and took the add-on just before the deadline at the first break.

Saw some spectacularly bad play from several people: Some pretty strong play from others. One 40-ish lady liked to raise with Ace-rag in any position. Once we all figured that out, she got run over pretty quickly. I just didn’t have any playable hands until midway through the second session after a table change. By then the blinds were 150/300 and I was down to about 3x the BB. I was in cutoff with QTs and had two limpers in front of me (including the ace-rag lady who had re-bought after adding on and busting out). I quickly computed the odds on my toes, and decided to push right there, figuring to get my best odds. Sure enough, the BB agonized and folded, Ace-rag lady called, and MP folded. I flipped my QTs and she flipped 76o. The entire table groaned at her. The flop was AQx with two spades. When I flushed the turn, I was suddenly a middle stack. She busted (for the third time) on the next hand with Ace-rag against AQ. We were sad to see her go.

After another table change and down to three tables, I sat down to a table with almost no familiar faces. I folded pretty much an entire circuit disgustedly, then raised 3x preflop in EP with T9s. Everyone immediately bailed, and I knew I had a tight rep. The blinds were climbing into the ridiculous stage after the second break. I missed a chance to chip up when I had KK in BB. With two limpers, I raised only 2x to bring them along. The flop hit me hard with KQT. I considering checking, but guys were playing a lot of Ace-rags and JT/J9 type hands and I didn’t want to give up the free card, so I bet the min hoping for someone to read it as a continuation bet. Both guys folded, one guy had a small pair, the SB had crap.

Then it got silly. We went from 200/400/25 to 500/1000/50. Most of the table had 4K-6K chips so preflop raises were pretty much all-ins. I stole some blinds from late position once or twice with middle suited connectors and was roughly in the bottom third when we got down to two tables. 7-handed, I had Q9s in SB. Everyone folded to me, and I pushed. I half-wanted the BB behind me to call because I needed to double up to have a chance to win, but he passively folded. A couple of hands later, the blinds went to 1000/2000/100. I was in cutoff and with one UTG limper (a blue-haired LOL), I looked down at TT. And pushed. SB and BB disgustedly folded, and the LOL paused before calling. I hoped she had Ax or Kx, and I flipped my cards. The guys next to me said “Nice hand”, until she flipped QQ cautiously, like she wasn’t sure. She hadn’t raised all day, so I’m pretty sure she didn’t slowplay me. Well, the flop was 985, making me feel a little better since I would’ve pushed against that flop anyway. I said “Gimme a 7, dealer”. She obligingly flipped a 7. But before I could say “Jack, six, ten”, she flipped up a deuce, and I was done.

My wife asked me if I had fun. I suppose I did, but it’s frustrating to play solid poker for three hours and not cash. I didn’t lose a single pot at showdown, aside from one or two from BB that were checked down. I made accurate reads almost every step of the way, and ended up 13th or 14th among 50 players (with ten getting paid). When I poked my head in later, I noticed that the LOL made the final table. One of the onlookers told me that she limped a couple of hands later with JJ. Didn’t raise a single time with all undercards on the board, and busted someone else. Sigh.

Mrs. Commish and I walked down the strip to Bellagio because I wanted to see the poker room. I watched a few hands at a $5/10 NLHE table. One fairly attractive girl was bleeding Benjamins like crazy. Right when we got there, she went all-in after an Axx flop with about $1000 cash. She was called by the guy to her left who flipped AJ. She flipped QQ (?!) and when the table whiffed her, casually took out another stack of $100 bills and dropped them on the table. The guy was stacking off piles of chips and counting his Benjamins. Mrs. and I both counted with him to fifteen. I was sorely tempted to join, but I noticed that most of the table had wads of $100 bills in front of them, probably most of them hers.

Side note: Had breakfast next to a Mike Matusow clone in the Venetian. Might have been him, still not sure. Voice was very similar, face and body type were the same. He was sitting with a lady and a little boy around 7-9 years old. When the server tried to give me someone else’s Eggs Benedict that had been sitting under the heating unit for ten minutes, I sent it back asking him for a fresh one, noting that I had seen him bring that one back earlier. Maybe-Mike said “That was cool. I’m glad that happened after I ate.” I suppose I should’ve asked if it was him, but I know I hate it when people bug me when I’m out with my family, so I didn’t want to piss him off.

More coming later in the week. I have effing jury duty this week.