Final Table

Caesar mega stack of Tuesday (230K USD, 20K chips, 30 min round). I DID IT....2nd Final table in Vegas (1st was last year in Caesar as well). 364 players for a impressive price pool of 70K USD. The winner cashed out 13K USD...for a moment, i thought it could be me...but finally busted 9th. Well... a bit dissapointed (looking at the price difference between 9th and 1st) but really happy with my performance. The last hand.... I was BB(25K/50K) with 55 and UTG (chip leader-tight) raised to 4BB. Everybody folded and with my stack of 490K, decided to shove and try to double up or get the pot (approx 200K on the table). I was hoping the raiser would fold, but he called..and show AK... not so bad for me (54%). Flop ok, Turn ok, River...A... Winning the last hand would have given me the stack to progress for 3-5 additional places in the Final table (and an additional cash of 3-4K USD). I thought a lot about this last hand during the following days...

Halleluia

Halleluia, Halleluia,...last night i made my first positive sessions. After our return from our round trip to Powell, Monument and Grand Canyon (close to 1500 km driving), i took a shover and immediately sit at a table in the Flamingo poker room. The players were friendly and the game was pretty good. I did not had specific good cards, but was showing patience and waiting for the good spots. My first session went pretty good and made up to +250. I left the table after a drunken german entered the game. After some bourbon shots, i sit at another table and went down to 70 before shoving 2 times on a pocket 3s and set of 4s. I double up and after some losses, decided to leave the table with +120. My sessions started at 21:00 and finally went to bed at 06:00 am. Slept 4 hours and went to the Bionion for a NH tournament...well good run was short..1st out of the tournament with full against full (hit on the river)...OK accidents happen in poker...so frustrated, i went to the mythic Binion poker room for a cg...Big mistake...1/2 hour after left even more frustrated..got hardly fished by an asiatic. i got 2 pairs on the flop..QT4 (2 spade). checked to let him bet. he bets 10 and i cbet him with 50. call. turn a 9 heard. i bet 50 more and he called again. river..a f..ing spade. i checked and his shove...tilt tilt tilt...i called and he showed flush 9 high...should not have called but..... i was really pissed off. After that, back to the Flamingo for another cg session where i doubled my stack on a..full AQ...hits on the river..amazing game.

Amazing trip this weekend.

This weekend we hit the road to visit Lac Powell, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam ( See the trip and the stops here )

After looking at the pictures I realize that it does not gives all the credit that to those amazing locations deserves.
Big plains, warm Sun, thin sands, awesome views... Is an experience to live 'on site'.

How you can explain the magnificence of the Grand Canyon.. with 450km long and 30 Km wide ? How can you describe the peace surrounding Monument Valley ? Just a great weekend.. Awesome.

News du front ... Week 1 - 6 sessions - 14h15 /+1070

Vous êtes beaucoup à m'avoir réclamé des "news du front", here we are ...

PS : Je pensais pouvoir blogger régulièrement depuis un web café, ben yapa.

Il y a des bornes à $5 les 15 minutes ou des web-stations (workstation dans les corridors des hotels, à 35ç la minute !) 




# 1st week report

June 8 : Flamingo - 1 session - 1h30 /+286

June 9 : Bally's - 1 session - 4h /+100

June 10 : Flamingo - 1 sessions - 2h30 /+195

June 11 : Flamingo - 1 session - 1h15 /+425

June 11 : Flamingo - 1 sessions - 3h30 /-136

June 12 : Mirage - 1 session - 1h30 /+200 (+100 quad jackpot)

# Comments

> A propos de ma session nég du 11 (le jour ou Mitch & Claudio sont arrivés).

L'après-midi, j'ai été jouer une 1h, en pensant ne pas pouvoir jouer le soir.

Ensuite, j'ai bu des bières avec Xavier (aka Ewing), en attendant qu'ils atterissent (j'avais organisé un pickup avec une stretch limo), j'ai re-bu des bières pendant qu'ils faisaient le check-in (c'est Mitch qui payait ... du coup j'avais encore plus soif), puis nous sommes sortis manger un bon morceau de bidoche (PorterHouse 24oZ au Range du Harrah's) et nous avons pris du vin ... Bref j'avais beaucoup bu, et j'ai qu'en même été jouer le soir = j'ai fait 2 'conneries' = punition.

> Session au Mirage - Setup as a Starter

La table est ouverte pour nous, Claudio est juste à ma gauche (Mitch est à une autre table). Je me fais décaver à ma 2e main ... glups !

JB has the story :

Un joueur 3 places à ma droite à toucher 2x de suite AA,

un fois contre KK, il double, une fois contre QQ (moi), il double.

Il se retrouve à 600.- (+400) après 2 mains ... that's easy poker !

Well, je ne vais pas me démonter pour autant. Je recave à $200 as usual (100bb) avec un challenge supplémentaire, je dois amortir mon setup.

> Session au Mirage - Quad as a Main course

A ma droite il y a 2 français, dont un, celui qui est directement à ma droite,

catégorie weak LAG, qui torture un peu la table (il veut prendre des chips qu'aux américains dit-il).

Je le laisse faire et ponctuellement le lui offre de la résistance ...

Après une bonne heure, il a un stack de plus de 600, nice ... et je lorgne dessus.

Dans un pot relancé, que Mr "weak LAG" à payé (comme d'hab'), j'ouvre KK au cut ... miam !

Je 3b, tout le monde fold sauf Mr weak LAG.

Flop KQK (yeapee), check et je cbet/vbet, il call.

Turn Td (c'est un 2 carreau), check, je bet, il call (je suis pas surpris, parce que il joue TOUS ces tirages).

River une brique (un 4), je bet, il fold.

Je montre mon carré parce que il y a un jackpot de $100 pour les quads.

(il me dit qu'il était sur un tirage straitflush, je le crois pas, parce qu'il en a déjà joué quelqu'uns et il les a tous joué très aggressivement).

PS : Si son tirage était rentré, cela aurait été le grop jackpot pour tous les 2.

Moi celui des gros bad bit et lui, celui pour straitflush (ils font plusieurs milliers de USD chacun)  ... à ce prix là, on en vient à réver de prendre un bad bit.

Après ce coup là je suis monté à plus de 300 (+ les $100 que je met dans ma poche, j'ai le droit m'a dit la croupière).

> Session au Mirage - Lorsqu'il y a du poisson au dessert

Un peu plus tard, Mr weak LAG annonce qu'il va partir. Il commence à mettre ses chips dans 2 racks, mais continue à jouer. Il annonce qu'il part avant les blinds. Les blinds arrivent, il continue.

Il joue son bouton et la main suivante c'est mon tour d'être au bouton (I love this position).

Un vilain limpe, Mr weak LAG limpe, je squeeze (pas très cher) avec JTs, fold, fold, fold ... Mr LAG call.

Flop hauteur T et 2 treffles, check, je cbet (pas cher), vilain tanke et me check-min-raise à 35.

Bizarre ... il a limpé, puis me fait ça. Je réfléchi et me souvient l'avoir vu jouer agressivement, post-flop, la top pair "nano kicker" (= merdique). Je lui revient dessus à 100. Il tanke, puis paie.

Turn une brique, check, après qq. secondes je dis 'I'm allin Sir' (pour les aficionados, souvenez-vous, c'est une des phrases que j'avais longuement entrainé avant de partir ...) pour mes approx. 170 restant.

Il est contrarié, il doit reprendre des chips dans un son 2e rack (puisqu'il avait déjà tout rangé) et paye.

River un treffle ... ça m'plait moyen, mais je suis malgré tout confiant.

Je lui annonce kicker Jack, il me montre son T, OK baby (je paraphrase Scotty Nguyen) mais j'ai Jack comme kicker et il me montre T6 ...

et hop je suis à 600 et Mr weak LAG a perdu la moitié de son stack lors de sa dernière main.

PS : Claudio est vengé, Mr weak LAG avait payé son tapis avec 2 overpairs et un gutshot qui était rentré.

Yop Swiss Players !

To be continued ...

FYI : Je joue en NL200 (blinds 1/2). Tous les chiffres annoncés sont des gains nets (après avoir payé les pourboires, boissons, et autres friandises ...)

Today, Rio, Flamingo et Imperial Palace

Today I stopped by the Rio to watch the WSOP, yes.. is nice.. but I still preffer any casino Poker Room, WSOP is like playing in Palais de Beaulieu. Obviously it's an huge surface but there is no charm in that place.

The final of the 8 game mix was going on. I watched a couples of hands and then I went to see Mitch’ who was playing an Omaha hi-lo in the Caesar Palace. Then we all went to the Flamingo for some cash. I’ve play for a couple of hours then moved back to the hotel where I have played until 5am (sometimes insomnia has a good side). The cards were good (for everyone) almost all session long and the atmosphere around the table was very, very good with also good players. I really enjoying playing in the Imperial Palace and walk away with a little +175 u$ in my pocket.

The local Jack Sparrow’s name is Derek (read ‘Mondays’ post)

Not only poker

Today was a non-poker day. JB recovers from a cold, ‘The one that should not be named’ recovers from bad beats and I.. well dunno, I was happy to something else than play poker.

In the morning I wake up and walk down to the Planet Hollywood mall looking for an Steelers jersey, we meet at for the lunch and as JB didn’t show up we decided to go south-east to the Gun Shop.

We have tried a few full automatic guns (MP40, Thomson & M234 SAW) it was a pretty good experience, we left with plenty of goodies to meet JB and move to the Factory Outlet in the north. Suddenly we get hit by the ‘pretty women’ syndrome and we have benefit of the low Dollar-Swiss franc exchange and the factory outlet prices. To make it easy, take any item in Switzerland and divide the price by 4. I purchased a pair of Nike shoes for a 30 chf, 2 shorts for 25 chf and 1 Lacoste polo for 30 chf.

Tomorrow support the one that should not be named at the Caesars Hi-Lo Omaha and certainly a visit to the Rio to see the 10’000 u$ Holdem limit game (Event #27)

the guy that should not be named

tks to claudio for not naming me in his previous message. i am not the one that prefers to spend time in slot machines than on poker tables. i am not the one that win much more on slot machines than on poker tables....and i am not the one that was supposed to enjoy poker but after a series of bad runs, has much more fun in slot machines...in one word...DISASTER...so far.

2 tourneys and 4 cash game session...and nothing but mentally down below zero....flush against full, Aces cracked on the river, bad readings (but i should have open a psychic shop to read correctly some of my oponnents)...all seems to be against me enjoying poker. So big decision...No poker at all on Tuesday...Pool, shopping, fun...maybe some slot machines :-) and start as a new man on Wednesday (planning for a omaha H/L tourney). Stay tuned for other funny experience in Vegas...Cheers and enjoy not playing poker.

Mondays..

Monday 13th started with a deep stack tournament at the Caesar Palace, a field of 500+ (531?). The one that should not be named in the blog get busted right after the first break and went play some slot machines.
JB made a late entry but a too-soon departure as well and after struggling with my 'almost average stack' I had to start playing aggressively with no cards.. or let's say.. a range of cards between douce and eights with some jack-fours time to time... 


I hit a draw on the flop with 7-8 off on a 4 way hand and soon after I double up my stake with good hands to reach 40k when the average stack was about 21k. Then my 8-4, 7-3, 4-9 off came again for another 2 hours and I started feeling the pressure of the blinds + antes.

So what it should happens, happened.. my stack was 20 bb and I pushed with my first 'not too bad hand' K-Q suited.

I get busted afer 6 hour of poker fighting with no cards.. I was quite disappointed because I think that, given the situation, I was playing pretty good..

Then lead to the pool, a cigar, a quick shower and direction downtown to visit the Binion's and Golden Nugget. After the dinner we decided to give a chance at the Golden for some cash 1-2.

The one that should not be named decided to go pay a visit to de slot machines...very soon... again... 
JB & Myself were seated at two different tables, I found myself in a table of locals, and was for me a tough start with bets that had no-sense (bet 55u$ on a 24u$ pot) So I had to narrow my range of hands, and while watching baseball I was waiting for the good hands at the right spot. 


I left the Golden after a few hours with a +370u$. I left at the moment that the table became crazy.... 
100u$ bet post flop was pretty current (remember it was supposed to be a 1-2 table) people were pushing with absolute rags and whishing to hit something, like the old guy at my right that made quads 7 against a full of tens.
What this guy had prior to push for 250u$ ? Q-7, yes he made quads on the river with only one 7 in his hand... and he was also claiming for the full vs quads jackpot by the way...

That was for me the inner voice saying, dude: it’s time to go. We took the one that should not be named in the blog from another slot machine on which again he cashed out big money and we grab a taxi for the hotel.. to find Jack Sparrow (seriously) playing poker on seat 10 on the lobby of our hotel.. 
Mondays are quite estrange days in Vegas..

Vegas day 1.5

So finally.. arrived after a 24h door to door trip from home to the hotel. When landed at Vegas JB came to pick up us with a limo.. yes.. a limo, plate VIP 12. After drooping the baggage at the hotel when meet for a lunch, my watch showed 7am CET but it was the right moment to eat a big T bone in the Harra's steak house. Sleep 5 hours then walk around Vegas until find Mitch for the Deep Stack Extravaganza at the Venetian. 350u$ after I get busted 400 on a 600+ field...
Late in the afternoon i had visited a few casinos to made the player cards for the cash games and I understand now what HUGE mean in us.. average size of a Casino is twice the size of the Rhodanie campus..

Landed ...

C'est dingue, j'entend déjà le bruit des coins qui dégringolent dans les slots machines.

Allez hop, un kawa ricain (beurk !) et je vais mettre un p'tit sous dans le bandit qui est à côté, en attendant ma valise.

Ensuite j'attrape un taxos, je fais un crochet à la Bobby pour serrer la raquette à Doyle & Co, et au Planet Hollywood pour faire une bise à Holly Madison (pour les non-terriens innocents, c'est une des ex-copine de Mr Hefner, fondateur du mag au lapin). La 'babe' anime, depuis qq. mois, un spectacle "a sexy striptease-and-storytelling adult production" nous dit la promo.

Et puis dodo.

PS : J'ai perdu mon HU contre le pilote (un ancien joueur pro de NL1000). Je voyage en soute au retour ... c'est balot.

I'm taking off ...

Je survole le Rhône, puis la Manche et bientôt l'Atlantique.

Bien caler dans mon fauteuil, je sirote un Virgin Mary (pas d'alcool dans l'avion sinon ... mal de casque assuré, déjà qu'on a facilement le melon au poker), grignote des noix de cajous, jette un coup œil sur le profil de l'hôtesse, qui descend l'allé dans un petit tailleur seyant et entame la conversation avec ma charmante voisine, tout en relisant 'poker pour les nuls'.
Le chapitre concernant le repérage du fish (c'est important, parce que si l'identification n'est pas possible, c'est NOUS le pigeon ... glups !)

... et après on dit que les hommes peuvent pas faire plusieurs choses à la fois !

Plus sérieusement, j'ai pris 3-4 magazines avec moi, les derniers Poker52 et Poker Magazine. PokMag se demande quel avenir à le poker en ligne et la dernière édition de Poker52, développe un gros dossier sur les WSoP 2011, qui s'intitule "Tous à Las Vegas ..."
Et ben on y va ...

Bon je vais voir si le pilote a le temps de faire un HU ... je vais lui proposer de jouer le retour en First (suis en coach à l'aller).

Je vous retrouve à l'arrivée. A plouch

Jour J -5 ... "ESTA bueno" !

Mon 'dossier' a été accepté … Yeeeeees !
Bon là je suis dans les starting blocks.

J'ai trouvé un hébergement pour mon carrosse et pour ma bécane (merci Mitch !).

J’ai répété mon anglais : raise, RAISE, I’m allin Sir et puis super important « fold, FOLD » … j’ai pas trop entrainé « call », parce que je ne pense pas beaucoup l’utiliser (sic).

J’ai aussi revise 2-3 trucs utiles comme : a coffee please, Caesar salad with italian dressing, New-York steak, Bloody-Mary, I’m looking for the restrooms …

Et pis, je suis plutôt busy pour mon dernier week-end … lessives et repassages.

Any support accepted ! (trop facile l'anglais)