Vegas Day 1 recap

My first day in Vegas didn’t go the way I’d hoped.  After skipping out on lunch (if you can believe that) I headed to Bally’s to play some low-stakes NL ($1/$2 100 min-300 max).  Sat down with $200.  I studied the players at the table and could tell which ones were novices, which ones were loose-aggressive, tight-passive, etc.  I was sandwiched between a calling station on my right and a loose cannon to my left. Though I wished it were flipped, I couldn’t complain about my seating.  The guy on my left got up and left after 15 minutes or so (his girlfriend called him up about some home networking issue).  A few minutes later, I’m looking down at 9,10spades on the cutoff.  The button raises to 15 dollars preflop.  The big blind calls.  I call.  The flop comes out Q,9,10 rainbow.  The big blind comes out betting 20 bucks.  I call (the range of hands I put him on are top pair, and possibly JJ, QQ, KK, or AA.  I’ve seen him overplay top pair in a couple hands already) .  The original raiser folds.  The turn puts out a 6 of clubs.  The big blind throws in 25.  I push all my chips in (80 more).  He calls.  River card: Q.  We flip and he shows AA.  My two-pair gets negated by his higher two pair.  Forced to rebuy. 

The next big hand I’m involved in: I’m holding QQ in the cutoff.  The button (different player this time) raises to $15. I call (heads-up now)  On the flop comes out 9, 8, 3 rainbow.  He bets out $60.  (an overbet).  I think for awhile (i had seen him overplay his pocket 10’s half-hour earlier (he rivered a full-house when the other guy turned trips) and thought he might have AK or maybe 10,10 or JJ.  So I call.  Turn card comes out a 2, he goes all-in.  I call.  He shows 99.  Rebuy again…

A fight broke out in the table next to ours.  Some guy got up and punched a guy and all hell broke loose.  Not sure what made him do it (you can’t give much credence to other people’s theories in Vegas, much less at a poker table).  What’s messed up is that no one got handcuffed.  You would think the person who threw the punch would have to leave the casino in handcuffs.  But all that happened was both were escorted out of the casino.  What a joke. 

On the last hand, I’m dealt AA (when everyone’s like “whoa, big raise”, I announced that this would be my last hand, so why not?”…which probably gave off a tell).  I raise to $35.  The guy to my right who has been playing somewhat unpredictably (though when I’m in the hand, he’s more conservative) calls.  On the flop, comes out 10, 10, 3 (flush draw).  He comes out betting 98 dollars.  This would be an all-in moment were I to continue playing.  I think for a minute or so and considering that he likely has a good hand here (just wasn’t sure how good).  I ended up folding. He shows KK.   

I play another 2-3 hours or so and didn’t win any big hands.  So after Day 1, my net profit: -$548. 

I was poker’d out and tired after 6-7 hours.   Grabbed a quick dinner and slept.