Friday, July 15, 2022
Back home in Oakland and back to work. Luckily, it was a quiet day. I was dead tired and not too with it mentally. After work, I slept 12 hours. This latest session helped boost my over win rate to $13/hr after 336 hours of poker play. That's 4.25 blinds per hour, not bad. These strategies work. Now I need to practice more at the Oaks, but won't be able to for another week or so.
Thursday, July 14, 2022
Last day in Las Vegas. I got up late, had breakfast and headed to Caesar's for my afternoon session. I waited an hour to get on a table, then played for three hours, catching a couple hands and getting lucky on the river. I had JJ and an aggressive player across from me raised on an 874 flop. I pushed all-in against her $125 stack and she called with 87. I lucked out with a 66 run out for a $244 session win.
For dinner, I used my Venetian comp at the Lux Cafe and had a nice meal before my final session of the trip. I played again at the Venetian until it was time to leave for my flight back Friday morning. My final session was great. We had a table bully at the table for about 30 minutes. He ran into two hands I played that I got lucky with. The first was 99. I raised, then called in position and the flop was T74. I bet, he called. The turn was a J. I checked, he bet, I check-raised all-in and he called. The river was an 8, giving me a straight. I never knew what he had but I'm assuming top pair or better. After I stacked him, he reloaded and a few hands later I raised pre-flop with 55. He min-raised me in position and I called. Flop was 654. I checked and he bet $30. I called. Turn was 2. We both checked. River was a 7. I checked and he bet $60. I called and he showed KJ. I showed him my set. He left the table after that. +$775 for the session.
At 3:30, I cashed out, headed back to my room, then took a taxi to the airport and flew home at 5:20 a.m.
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
Thom flew out this morning after breakfast, leaving me alone at the poker tables for the next two days. I checked my bags at the Venetian and played poker at Resorts World. I played four hours with quiet cards and managed a $70 profit when all was said and done. At 4:30, I had sushi from the food court (comped by Resorts World),
then headed back to the Venetian, claimed my bags, then checked into Harrah's next door. Harrah's is inexpensive, clean, and so convenient since it's right in the middle of my favorite casinos on the strip.
Another evening session at the Venetian until 3 a.m.. No high hand, but a huge pot with two all-ins (pocket Tens and Queens) against my AK on an AKJ board for +$400. Ended up +$175 for the night.
Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Thom and I played an afternoon session at Resorts World. This room is usually very kind to me, but not today. I ran into some crazy hands. The most memorable was against a loose 2-5 player waiting for a seat. He limped in from the button and I looked down at AA from the big blind. I raised ten and he called. The flop was QQQ. I bet ten and he called. We both checked the turn and on the river I bet $60. He made it $200. He clearly had the other Q, but I had to see it, considering he was a splashy player. Sure enough, he flopped quad Qs against my AA. Ugh! Down $300 for the session.
It was Thom and Noelle's 25th wedding anniversary tonight, so we celebrated at an Italian restaurant in the Venetian.
After dinner, we played at the Venetian, where my luck turned for the better. I hit a high hand, quad jacks, that held for 30 minutes for +$400. Sweet! I also accumulated chips until 5 a.m., claiming a nice $1,200 session. I'll take it!
Monday, July 11, 2022
I recouped some of last night's losses at Resorts World while Thom played in a no-limit tournament at the Wynn. I enjoyed a six-hour session and was +$390, not bad, considering I lost a couple of big pots early on. This was a fun session with friendly players. I always enjoy playing at Resorts World.
Ate lunch at a great taco spot across from Resorts World, called Tacos El Gordo. Very good!
In the evening, we played at the Venetian for three hours. I ended up even. We finished at 3 a.m., just after the high hand promotion ended. No high hand yet. Maybe tomorrow.
Sunday, July 10, 2022
Busy day today, playing at three poker rooms total: Bellagio, Wynn and Venetian.
Before checking out, we played a few hours in the morning at Bellagio for +$50.
We used our poker vouchers at Noodles and ordered Wan Tan Soup and dumplings.
After lunch, we grabbed our bags and took an Uber to Palazzo, the sister hotel of the Venetian. We checked in, then headed to the Wynn for an afternoon session. I lost a couple of early hands and was down $250, then won with a flush catch and a flopped straight. By the end of our four-hour session, I was up $275 for the session.
My luck changed at the Venetian later that night when I missed draws, walked into monster check-raised hands, and couldn't get anything going. Down $498 after four hours of evening play. Usually, I do well at the Venetian, but not tonight.
Saturday, July 9, 2022
Las Vegas - Day 1
After Detroit, both Alice and I tested positive with Covid and were recovering for several days. Feeling better now and rescheduled my week in Las Vegas with Thom from today until Friday morning.
I flew into Las Vegas in the afternoon, took a Lyft to Bellagio, and met Thom at the poker room. I put my name in, placed the bags in our room, then walked around Bellagio and Caesars for an hour until I was seated at my table. My first Vegas session of the summer lasted 4 hours and I was down $150. My flush draws didn't fill and my top pair lost to a set of 4s.
We took a break and had dinner at Harvest inside Bellagio. Great meal! Thom and I both ordered the rib-eye steaks with mashed potatoes and salad. So good!
Our second session that went from 11 - 3 a.m. went much better. Up $250 , thanks to a set of tens, set of Queens against pocket Kings, and quad Aces. Some nice hands tonight!
Sunday, June 26, 2022
We left our hotel early in the a.m., caught our flight back to SF, then rested. Wow, what a weekend.
Saturday, June 25, 2022
Mad Cap Coffee was just around the corner. Great little spot for a latte.
It was time for a little culture. We took the QLink to the Detroit Institue of Art a few miles away. We were not disappointed.
Friday, June 24, 2022
We had breakfast at a nice little cafe called Cannelle, a French bakery.
After breakfast, we went exploring. We took the free People Mover around downtown Detroit, walked to the water, then had lunch at a cute little diner inside the Siren Hotel.
The food was subpar, but the atmosphere was excellent.
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Thursday, June 23, 2022
Early morning flight to Detroit, landing around 1 p.m. and taking a Lyft to the Siren Hotel in downtown Detroit. The location was fab and our first stop was Buddy's Detroit Square Pizza around the corner.
We were supposed to be on our own for dinner, but unfortunately Chris and Elizabeth's connecting flight was canceled, which canceled their dinner plans with Chris & Erica and Erica's parents, so the Pettys gathered together with Chris and Erica at an outside restaurant a few blocks away called Leila's. It was a great pre-wedding gathering and the food was sensational!
