Trip Report

I'm back and my bankroll is intact. I don't know if this poker career thing is for me. I said it last year, and I'll say it again .... What a grind. Hours and hours of sitting on your ass, praying for that perfect catch and that perfect call. The suckouts that always happen. My longest session was 13 hours at the Wynn 2/5 NL. I turned $1000 into $2632 .... and was up to $3100 at one point, but of course the river got me .... but I'm not one to tell bad beat stories ... it's just a part of the game.

Here's what that stack looked like. The reds are $5 chips, they are stacks of $100. This pic was taken after a triple up. I flopped a straight and slow played. running Jacks to give two guys trips that got in a raising war with each other and me in the middle :-) .... dream of dreams :-). I got a little worried about a full house but there was so much money in there I had to go for it.



Felt pretty good. I was the big stack for the rest of the night.

The night before I took a shot at the $5/10 NL game. Pretty fun because it was the main table for the night and everybody was always looking up at our table. I bought in for $2000. Stacks averaged between $5000 and $10,000 .... although there were a couple short stacks below $1000. I'll have to admit that I'm not ready for this game. I played too scared. I envisioned that everyone was out to get me and trapping, when in reality they weren't. I could have limped in one time from late position and flopped a straight that would have tripled me up, but I was just playing too timid. I played for about 5 hours and lost $900. I got up because I knew what was happening to me.

At the 2/5 that was not any problem, I could play my game and get action on my good hands. It makes total sense now when they say "Don't play with scared money".

I played twice at the $330 Wynn noon tourney. Made it just after first break on the first one, second one I was out quick. I changed gears and was raising everytime I entered a pot. Guy called me the third time from the SB with KQ and I had AQ. Flop was Q high and ragged. He checked I pushed allin, he called and I got the action I wanted, but turn and river were both Kings. Oh well, that's poker. But I think that is a better strategy to start using in these tournaments. Got the build chips early, or you are just dead later on.

The last day I played at MGM. Ohhhhhh my God !!! Everybody should play here on the weekends. I could not believe the action, and how hard people were pushing ONE PAIR with highly coordinated boards. I only had 4 hours to play and built my $500 (they only let you buy for $500 max) to $650. Wish I had more time.

So once again I play for hours upon hours and what have I gained ?? ... I guess a little more experience.

Did I see anyone famous ? Phil Ivey and Jennifer Harman were playing at the Bellagio, I saw them in their little "fish tank" room :-) .... I also played with Abraham Gray, I guess he's an up and comer. I just google'd him and found this. In the picture, that's his stack directly across from me with the $100 bills behind it. Wynn lets you play with the cash on the table. I personally like the chip stacks.

Had fun, learned some more, I'll see if I can make some more around town before the WSOP 2006.