Getting lucky in Vegas, Part 1

My Christmas present from my wife was a trip for the 2 of us to Las Vegas.  Our flight left Thursday, January 21st, at 2:10pm, and returned Sunday, January 24th, at 7:40am!  The flight out was on time, and we landed in Vegas at 3:40 local time.  After collecting the suitcase, we went outside where we were met by Chris.  We headed to Bally's to check in.  After checking in, my wife and I headed to our room while Chris headed to the poker room to get on the list.  We got settled in, and headed down to meet him.  We were planning on having dinner with Grrouchie and his wife that evening.  Chris and I played poker at Bally's for about an hour and a half.  I had a string of 2nd best hands, and other good starting hands that couldn't hit a flop.  I left there down $300.

The 5 of us ate dinner at Le Burger Brassiere inside of Paris.  It was great.  Good burger, good fries, good people to have dinner with.  It was great seeing Grrouchie again, and meeting his wife.  We shared stories about some fellow poker players, and bantered about our various NFL football teams.  After dinner, grrouchie and his wife left.  My wife was recovering from an ear infection, and decided to head bac to the room and call it a night.

Chris and I headed to the Mirage.  Kristi was working and had tweeted at us earlier to come see her.  We got there and were the next 2 on the list.  Chris was called for a seat, and a couple of hands later, I was called to the same table.  Chris was in the 10 seat, and I was next to him in the 9 seat.  I would soon discover that we were in for a wild night at this table.  The player in seat 5 was raising to $15-$25 preflop >90% of hands.  There was no method...he could be first in, raising after limpers, sometimes raising blind even!!  He also didn't like to fold before the flop, if he was raised he was calling the raise.  It was the type of table that could be profitable if you had good hands to play.  I got into a hand with him early, holding AK.  He raised to $15.  I re-raised to $40 (This was shortly after I sat down, before I knew just how wild he was).  He called.  The flop was J-8-4, and he somehow thought I was all-in, because he turned over his hand, revealing Q8o.  I bet $60 (again, before realizing how little he folded) and he talked a little.  I convinced him he was beat, and he folded.  I showed my hand to the table.  Step 1: Establish image.  Check!  Within the first 3 orbits, I had KK twice for decent pots, and was up to $370 from a starting stack of $200.  Seat 5 left to play the tournament, and a new crazy aggro replaced him.  Seriously, the new guy was doing the exact same thing with regards to preflop raising, seeing nearly every flop, and generally being the definition of a maniac.  I felted him twice when I had hands good enough to stay with him, hit flops, and let him do all the betting.  He continued to buy back in and built his stack up.  I got AA and won a large pot from a different player.  The very next hand, I limped UTG with AK.  Seat 5 raised to $20, there were 4 callers.  The flop was K-x-x, 2 diamonds.  My Ace was not a diamond.  I led out for $60, and got 2 callers, including seat 5.  The turn was a non diamond blank.  I bet $100.  Both players called.  I shoved a non diamond river card, and both players folded.  My stack was continuing to grow. 

After that hand, I went card dead for 5 orbits.  I was missing flops with good starting hands and having to fold after calling raises.  I had tightened up my range this session, in part due to the maniac.  Meanwhile, Chris got into a hand with seat 5.  Maniac raised preflop, Chris called.  The flop was 9s-9x-4s.  They ended up all in, and Chris showed me his AsQs.  The board ran out Kx-Jx and the maniac showed KsJs!  Talk about unlucky!  I got K2dd in the BB, and called a raise.  So much for playing tighter!  The flop had 2 diamonds.  I led out, there was a raise, and I pushed all in over the raise.  The other player eventually folded, and I showed my hand.  I think that played a large part in what would happen shortly.

A few hands later I'm dealt KhKd.  I raise, get 2 callers.  The flop was Q high, all hearts.  I end up getting all in against a shorter stack.  No more hearts come, but my pair holds up.  The very next hand, I am dealt AQ.  I raise, and get 1 caller.  My stack is around $850 at this point.  The flop is Q high, 2 diamonds,  Again, I have no diamond. I bet, he raises, I shove, he calls all in with KdQx.  The turn is a diamond, but the river blanks and I felt yet another player.  With my stack over $1000, I decide to rack up a short time later.  For the record, Chris called me a card rack several times.  Every time I had a good hand someone had something good enough to come along, and they were missing their draws against me.  Also, Chris was amazed at a player calling off his stack with KQ on a Q high board.  I cashed out for $1030, up $830 for the session.  Side note:  The player who took my seat doubled up on her first hand with As4s when she got it all in on the turn with a pair of 4s and the nut flush draw and rivered the flush!

After Chris tweeted about my hands and my luck to that point earlier in the evening, including with the "Dreaded Pocket Kings", Rob replied with "So you're still the King of Pocket Kings, huh?"  See here for reference.

Chip stack at the Mirage shortly before cashing out.

Chris played a couple more orbits and then we walked back to Bally's, since his car was in the parking garage at Paris.  He headed to the car, I went to my room to sleep, and the first night was over....

Friday and Saturday are yet to come....