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[This has been combined from two messages into just one.]
I had planned to get to LV on Tuesday afternoon and have 2-3 days on the strip to play BJ and some poker at the Bellagio and then be downtown on Thur->Sunday. This year we had a change of plans and my son was flying with me to LV to spend the week with his grandparents in St. George. I was thinking of protesting this new plan but decided against it as one more day of gambol I can probably survive without. So I moved the tickets to arrive Wed @ 1:00 and come home on Sunday evening.
My parents dropped me off at the Palms at 1:20 on Wednesday afternoon. I walked in and checked my bags at the bell desk. I see the $25 DD table is open so I pull out $1k and sit down. The waitress comes right by. The palms is pretty dead most days and today for sure. I order a patron and a beer. I think that $1k lasted about 45m. I plan to spread about $50-600 in here. I have never played here before but the game is good with 75% penetration. The HL room also has S17 but is only open nights/weekends. I plan to move there later. I keep ordering a beer and patron shot. I see 2 casino managers watching me play. I have a style of no-fear. I tend to bet a larger spread when being watched as I think that is very atypical from other counters. I never switch to flat betting when I think the heat is there. I order the 3rd round really loudly so they can hear and sort of slur my words (not sure if that was all acting though). I get a good count and push $700 out there to see their reaction. Dealer has and A and I have 20. I take insurance as the count is still just at the index. Lose insurance, Dealer had a 3 and 7 and I lose.
I pull out $1k more and I hear one host on the phone saying the player is drinking heavily and is in $3k and has an envelope of money. That boss leaves and a casino host shows up with a card. Asks me if I want to get rated for food/rooms. I tell them no I only play once in a while and all I really want is another drink! This is really funny as I have the 4th round of beer/patron that just showed up 2m ago. I continue losing and losing and even some more losing. The $4k and $5k buyins come and go. I play one huge had of $375 and $300 and get 88 and 10,7. Dealer has a 2 up. I split the 8s and get another 8. First card is a 10, next is a 3 and I double (catch and A as I look early) and a 10. Dealer has a 8 in the hole and makes 20 and scoops my $1800 off the felt. I had to rebuy in the middle of that round so now I am in $6k and have $300 in chips. Not how I planned to start the trip.
Somewhere along this point I order the 6th round of drinks I believe. It is now 5:30 or so. I break even for a while. Around 6:00 I want to order another round. The casino manager comes over and tells me that they can’t serve my any more Patron. I ask what about beer and she says that is fine if I have a few waters along the way. I ask her what about a Manhattan and she laughs and says no shots for a while. I ask what is her definition of a while? I get the point that shots are out tonight. WTF? She mentions I can have a nice dinner at the restaurant. I ask her if they server Parton and she just walks away. I never asked or got a food comp. I am pretty sure they will want my ID for a comp and I believe they use the service and my picture is in there so I could be out right now. I decide to just drink beer and play.
Around 9:00 John Lloyd shows up. I wasn’t expecting him to come here. We usually play poker at Venetian or Bellagio. His flight arrived and Steve Watanabe is delayed in Seattle. I have only left this table to use the bathroom. John plays and the table gets more players. I keep asking about Patron but the bosses are pretty clear the previous shift said no more. John tells me later that I must have asked every 5m the rest of the night. I guess that could be true? I play the same spread. I have managed to get myself to the $8k buyin right before John gets there. The casino host comes and tell me that if I try to buy in for $10k they have to record that for the IRS. I am down to $475 left at one point. I push that out on a high count and get a BJ. I notice a boss watching again and he calls 2-3 times while looking right at me. I take a short break and go play some craps. I have found leaving chips on the table and playing another games is good cover. I play on DC bets at craps and I actually win $325 in about 15m.
I head back to the BJ tables. I start my first winning streak around 10:30 or so. I actually hit some DDs and BJs and move my chip pile up to around $3-4k. I see bosses watching again but not there is another player betting black. Really bad player tipping the young dealers around $10 every hand. I am wondering how much he will lose. I see a huge count as I bet $475. I take insurance and win that. Count goes up higher. I get $625 and take insurance and win that also. Other than John and me nobody takes insurance though the player betting black did comment on my insuring 13. We play until about 1:00 and I realize I haven’t eaten tonight. I don’t want to wait for the restaurant so we get a quick bite at McDonalds. I haven’t eaten here in years. But my stomach needs some food. We cash out. I have $4300 in chips. They want my ID and I saw no thanks. Takes a while to get paid, funny how in $8k is easy out $4.3k is tough? We cab to the Quad and I drop my bags off. We head to Mirage to meet STeve. He is playing 1-2 and we sit down. I manage to donk off $335. Can’t remember a hand I played though I vaguely recall my KK losing to an A on the turn for a big pot. Those lightweights head to bed and I head to the TI. I walk by the mirage tables and see the boss who barred me last year in the HL room so I pass on BJ here.
I get to the TI around 4:00. The $50 table is empty. In fact the entire HL pit is empty. Usually sitting down here is dumb by yourself but I do it. I get $1k in chips and start playing. I win quite a few small bets. When count goes up I bet $300 and get a BJ! No card here even though they ask a few times. I get a few vodka-cran drinks. I bet $500 and lose a double down. I ask for a wine list as I know they have that in the HL room. I order a bottle of red wine from France. (LOL) I keep playing until around 5:30 I see a casino manager coming into the room but not into the middle of the pit but towards my table. He looks about as happy Archie Bunker. He mentions that they have made a business decision and no more BJ for me. Oh, well this dump is out I guess. I head back to the quad (notice a security guy follows me all the way out to LV BLVD). I won $2950 in here in a short timeframe.
I forget to get my bags and just go to bed around 5:45. I forget to drink 1g of water before bed. Bad idea. I wake up around 9:00 and feel horrible. I have 2-hours of work today. I call down and have baggage bring up my bags. They probably thought what a degenerate to call for bags the day after you check in. I order room service and get my work done. My stomach is really against running today. Order a burger from the hash house to fill the void I have created yesterday. Feel a little better after an hour or so.
I see a txt from my wife. I think I forgot to call. I dial quickly. She mentions that I called last night and I sounded drunk but this is a new low! Steve is in the room and laughing his add off. I head out to play some cards. Spend 2-3h at the Venetian playing with Steve and John. I then walk downtown so I can play Chinese poker tourney. I manage to lose $50 in 4/8 horse before I play in tourney. Very first hand I get 4ks in the back. After points go up I start getting worse hands. I have never played a hand but it was fun. Grapes has some fantasy land and I have a fouled hand so I give him most of my chips. I leave the tourney after a few more beers and walk to El Cortez to play some BJ. This is a dump but sometimes they are clueless.
I play $25-450 in their good DD game. I of course lose $6.2k. This is a ton of money for this place. I had several bosses come over and watch me play. Most other players were locals buying in for $20 or so and playing $5 a hand. I had numerous drinks at this casino. Bets were really wild. Spread was probably $10-450. When losing I tend to push the spread even more. I played here from about 11:00 until 4:15. When I left I bet everything I had left and got a 20. Dealer of course had BJ with a 10 up. They were almost apologetic when I left but I understand huge losses can happen and often do. Crazy night of BJ as I won very few hands. Dealer hit 21 like crazy. When I get to the room I am sure to drink at least 1/2 gallon of water. Another interesting point is that every time I ordered Patron the waitress had to get an approval. Not one per night but one per round. I almost felt guilty about having 5-6 shots. I wonder if I have lost more than the rest of the BJ players tonight. I stumble outside notice there are no cabs here and I have to walk to the 4Q to get a cab. At least I have a change of clothes in the room tonight, oh wait I am too tired and drunk so I just pass out in the room around 5:00.
Monte
On Friday morning I woke up still thinking about the huge loss I took at the El Cortez. I mean who losses that much at a dump? Well looking in the mirror and then in the empty envelope in my pocket I get the idea.
I decide to go running today to clear my head and burn off some calories. Steve agrees to take my bags and checkin at the 4q. We call ahead and they say they have rooms early so if I leave around 9 I expect to get there by 10:15 and can shower and make tourney by 10:45. I jog down to the MGM and then back downtown. When I get there Steve hasn’t checked in and I can’t checkin without a visa. I brought my idea. I see Steve and he has put my bags in John’s room and I can find John and use his shower. I walk over the poker room full of sweat but I can’t find John. Someone suggest I just play the TOC all sweaty. Now that is beyond even my level. I find John in the deli and get a room key so I can shower and come back. I get back around 11:20. I barely win a hand in the TOC and the few that I do win are chops in O8. I think this is my best tournament as I mostly play limit HE Nd O8 and can survive at stud. I am probably in the first 15-20 that bust out.
I have some lunch and head back to the El Cortez to see if I can recoup any losses. I play about 3.5h and win back $1100. Still they don’t seem to care about my bets. While I am playing at some point Steve and John join me. The El Cortez will only server one round of Patron and then John and Steve have to have house tequila. A few times Steve drink the patron and I am stuck with the ‘T’ button shot, oh well. What a cheap place that they won’t cover patron shots for everyone. I get back to the poker room in time for the horse to start. The horse tourney is fun but the level of skill is not easy. Probably the hardest tourney you can draw at these stakes. I think we have 18 players with a few rebuys. I did get a few good hands. I try to avoid Razz but I win a big pot when I can 4 bet with A23. I have to catch up to win on the river but had quite a few outs. I decide to make a $100 last longer bet with Bill. Grapes and I are drinking quite a bit during this event. I am able to hang in there as we combine tables. I survive an all-in with JJ against AQ. I play a stud hand against Bill that costs me most of my stack when we are down to 5 players. I have 456 suite and Bill has a J up. I catch a 5 on 4th and a 7 on 5th street but no spades. I brick the last 2 and Bill checks to me on the river and he had rolled up jacks. I survive to 4th when my AK can’t beat Grapes who has 72 soooted, and I go home now. $795 for 4th and I give $20 to the dealers. I decide to play some more BJ. Steve, John, and Oliver all have gone to bed. It is only 1:00 or so.
The walk downtown on First Friday is pretty crazy. It takes a long time to get there. The El Cortez is not crowded so I play. Same pit boss as last night. I play the same style only tonight I win a little. I think I leave the Cortez up $2700 for the day and only had one $500 buy in, so much much better than yesterday. I play until 4:00 but then I am too tired to play anymore and head to bed. I actually get some sleep for once. I had some patron but not too much tonight and a few drinks.
Saturday I go running and I end up about 45m late. I am sitting at a table with Oliver. We have been playing poker for over 23 years together but hardly ever at same tourney tables. I really wants to bust him and get the hello kitty prizes and cookies but I can’t. Bozo is also there and I would like to bust him also for political bet but I can’t. I have yet to make the money in the NLHE barge event. I expect to be playing BJ by 1:30 as usual. Dan and I are laughing about what we can pay Ron to do. I still talk about the Ron-a-don food bet. I guess Dan hired Ron to be his lackey one year. I suggest we should pay Ron to dress up in a nice suite and stand by a sports car near the Bellagio with a sign saying, “Need money to play craps as I lost my ass last night”. The table is fun and everyone is laughing and having a good time.
I play a few hands here and there. I call in the SB with 58 and Dan checks. Flop comes:
6-7-9. I check and Dan bets, I call.
Turn: 6 - I check and Dan bets and I raise quite a bit. Dan thinks and thinks but then he folds.
Later I make a play that we talk about for a while after. I am down on chips of and haven’t seen a hand in a while. I get 10c8c folded to me on the button. Given my tight play I think this is a good steal spot. I raise about 40% of my stack. I plan to call any raise but I believe in some steal spots a raise of part of your stack looks stronger than all-in. That logic could be wrong but hard to say how everyone plays. Dan raises and I am all in. He has JJ so I am in big trouble but I do flop 9-7-x. Turn is a 6 and I double through. The general consensus is that I played the hand like a donkey. Dan and I joke about the hands as we played quite a few today. I do suck at NLHE so sorry for any bad beats Dan. Dan mentions that if I come to Barona to play some BJ I could maybe meet Max Rubin, and not with him showing me the door. LOL
I eventually get down to 18 players. I see a spot from my BB when I have 10c9c. Names i can’t remember but someone raises up front and Chris Mecklin puts in a large raise and he has a ton of chips. I figure this is a good shot to triple through as the other caller is unlikely to call as he has chips and I am getting short stacked. I call and get heads up. I win when a club falls on the river. I continue to hang in there. My 55 doesn’t do so well against Bob O. who has AK and flops a K. I end up in 12th. Best finish ever for me here so I am happy. I do play 12 of poker and win $75 but emotionally I was happy. I also win some canned bugs from Dan, someone gives me a patron shot, and a metal space shuttle model.
Last night we play again at El Cortez. Now I know this place is a dump and everything but after the beating they put on me we really can’t get 4 shots of patron at a time, NO you can’t sir. We get a couple extra but mostly I order and Steve drinks them when I am not looking. NHWPS!!! I get ahead about $1k and we are smoking cheap cigars. One dealer starts making every hand. Around 2:00 Steve and John head to bed. I keep playing. By 4:00 I have had countless drinks and I am down another $4k at the El Cortez. I may have made their profit for the month this trip. Pit boss asks if I am coming back tomorrow and sadly I say no. Last bad beat of the week as I am packing I look and notice Steve even drank the bust out patron shot bottle. God, what a lush!
I play at the GN on Sunday. I see Bill, Kenny, and QB. I played at the main floor table. I didn’t realize no double after split here. I usually play in the HL room. I have 4-5 bloody mary drinks to soothe my stomach before my parents bring my oldest son for lunch/airport. I beat the GN for $1200 so at least I beat someone downtown in BJ.
Overall Barge was awesome as every. Another highlight for me was seeing Peter doing well and drinking a beer. I gave him a big ADB hug. One thing I am not sure about being an ADB is I give peter $$ at various times but we never seem to return any? Or is it just me. This year we have many finalists out of the last 18. Maybe I just drink too much and can’t remember.
Great to see many long time barge friends and talk a little. Thanks for the Chinese poker lessons from various people. I hope I kept my word and was nice to everyone and gave no poker advice. If anyone comes to Seattle and wants to play some poker or BJ send me an email, drinks are on me (not free in Wa. state).
My biggest thanks to the organizers. The new structure is great. Wish I didn’t forget my goidie bet!
My trip results are patron shots: 25+, beer 40+, Vodka-cran 20+, others 7+, house tequila 3-4, sleep maybe 15 hours (ouch!)
Gambling lost around $9.2k at BJ. quite a bit of that at the El Cortez. Poker was better but not enough to dent those losses. Had the best time EVAH though.
I am making my usual one month over/under on no-drinking post barge. This year I am going to be in Reno on the 15th-18th so my wager is the fist 12 days and then 18 days after that. It includes a trip to the East Coast. My poker buddies in Seattle put the line at 1-10 against me making it and I only got takers on the under number of days. I have lost this bet 3 years in a row but this year I am hoping to improve.