My first few days here in Vegas I've had moderate success. I've been loving the tournaments here, and everyday I'm in a new one. I've been playing almost exclusively at the Pallazzo/Venetian. My second day in I final tabled a $200 deep stack with a 250 player field. I unfortunately finished in ninth place, profiting a modest $700. With the top prize being $10k, finishing 9th felt much like a loss. Nevertheless it was a great confidence booster.
In general the play here is awful. This was a great benefit during the aforementioned tournament. I felt all I had to do was hit a big hand and call all the way. The most notable play was without question the worst I've seen at any game for any level.
I had an above average stake at about 85k in chips when the blinds were 1500/3000. The live player to my left was steaming when I woke up with pocket queens in a blind vs blind situation. I just had this player covered in chips and was almost positive he would raise if I limp. Sure enough, he makes a huge over bet of 20k. I shove all in and and he snapped called with about 55k behind as though he had aces. I, as well as the table, was shocked when he flipped up Queen-Eight off-suit. That hand did not fair too well against my pocket queens. I have no clue what he was thinking, but I was fine taking in the nice pot. This was a great help for me on my way to the final.
As far as the cash games go, I killed the $1-$2 pot limit omaha game my third night against the drunks, only to give it back the next afternoon at the same game. The swings in PLO can be a bit tough to swallow.
I also got to play some mixed games for my first time live. I played a little $8-$16 H.O.R.S.E. on my third night. I made a small profit, but had a very fun time. Limit game players tend to be a little less serious, and joking around is a lot more commonplace. I look forward to enjoying myself at more mixed games when I have time. I hope to play some PLO hi/lo when I find a game.
The variety in games is a nice departure from what I'm used to. In Toronto it's almost exclusively no limit hold'em with the occasional omaha game.
The horrible quality of play did get me in a little trouble yesterday. I was busted early in the same $200 dollar tournament that I final tabled. I had a little over my 10k starting stack with the blinds at 100/200 when I woke up with aces in the small blind. The under the gun player raised to $600 and there were four callers behind me. I made a healthy raise to $2600. The raiser folded, as did two others. The player in the cutoff spot decided to call. To just call a raise in that position then call a re-raise typically means an exceptionally weak hand.
The board came 8-7-3 rainbow. I checked hoping he would bet. I also wanted to look weaker than I was. He checked. The turn was a jack. Still loving my hand I bet another $3200. The player called. Another harmless looking three came on the river and I put in my remaining $4500 chips. The player called then flipped up 2-3 offsuit. WOW! I was not expecting that. I was disappointed to be knocked out so early, especially after my very bad PLO session. I did not get discouraged though: this is the kind of play you see in Vegas, and in the long run this kind of play will make me a lot of money.
After a very bad day I was drained from the heat and the walking (next time I'll get a hotel closer to the strip). A 10-15 minute walk is much longer in 40+ degree heat. So I called it an early night.
I'm about to go to the Rio where the WSOP is held. There is a juicy 2 p.m. deep stack tournament. A $235 buy-in with over a thousand players. I hope to run deep. With a top prize of over $50k, this would be a good time to run good.
