Back from Vegas

We made it back in one piece... we didn't want to leave.. and we certainly can not wait to go back... we had a heck of a time...

Now, if I were some sort of skilled blogger, I could take the time and patience that would be necessary to make a proper accounting of all that transpired in Vegas, from my perspective... and altho, all I would have to do, is just reach down into my lil bag of will power, and make the post happen, I just don't feel like it, plus.. there would be pages and pages and pages and pages...

So, I am just gonna wing it.. I didn't take any notes.. so, am going to rely on memory.... and since this is my plan of action.. let me start with what was a huge highlight for me during this trip...



I got to meet Pauly.. now, I don't look to him as some sort of Blogging God, or Journalistic celebrity... he just happened to decide to answer an email of mine about a year ago, that pulled me from a very not so happy place... and I got to thank him in person for that... so, nuff said about that.



Also, got to meet Barry Greenstien(sp), and he is a very humble person.. he gave a nice lil talk, before the tourney started...



And I also got to me Wil Wheaton... who is a genuinely nice person and was gracious enuff to let me take a couple photos... there is another photo of him listening to me go on and on about something or the other, I was quite drunk at the time, and my companion happened to be sober and took the picture... to me it looks as tho Wil is wondering, 'How drunk is this guy, and how can I can away from him'. heh.. he was so nice...

I figure if your gonna make a fool outta yourself, might as well be to a nice person...

We didn/t have the kind of view Pauly had. ( Pauly's View )

Ours was a bit more, rustic:



We arrived about 10:30 pm Wednesday night and after getting from the Airport to the Hotel, and then checked in and finding out room, we went out and checked out the strip and played a few penny slots until about 3:30 in the morning.. my friend was way tired and I decided to take a nap.. I was up at 6:30 and ready to go again.. I went exploring while she got ready ( the 'she' variety of people generally take awhile to get ready ), so, I was able to pretty much explore the entire hotel and find out all the short cuts.. I mention this, because, from the front of the hotel to our room, was about 6 and 1/2 miles... once she was ready, we went and had breakfast at the buffet of the Imperial Buffet, located there in the same hotel and despite what I had read in the reviews, the food was damn good.. and they had tons of choices.. and an omelet bar. we tried a bit of everything....

Then we just walked up and down the strip, checking out the the other nearby casinos.. she was shopping.. I was looking for 9/6 video poker... occasionally we would throw a couple bucks into a penny slot, mainly to rest and to get a drink... at about 4pm or so, we made it back to the room and took a short nap.. and out back on the strip by 7:30.. we decided to walk north, cuz, earlier we walked south.. so, it only made since.. it was damn cold too.. we almost turned back.. but, had gotten fairly close to the Wynn.. decided to check it out..

Wow.

That place is amazing..... truly. Nothing I could type would do it justice..

They have marble stalls in the bathroom...

We finally made it back to the room around midnight.. somehow I had gotten a 46oz daguiri, and it was half full, or empty, and I remember being fairly toasted from all the other drinks... she was ready for bed, but I decided to go up to play some 1/2 NL.. well, I never made it to the elevator.. I took a few steps and not unlike one of those episodes from a twilight zone movie.. the hallway kept getting longer and longer.. I decided it prolly was not a good idea to make the trek up to the poker room and most likely lose all my cash.. and besides.. we had a Hoover Dam tour the next day.. had to be up bright and early..

So, I came back to the room, turned on the shower, de-clothed, and pretty much passed out/fell asleep in the tub. It was the only way I was going to be able to get up on time...

Hoover dam tour was incredible.. took all day and we were dog tired... once we got back.. took a short break.. then headed up to check out the Fremont Experience. my goal was to hit Binions and soak in what energy might be emanating from the WSOP champion photos they had on the wall.. we found Binions and we found the photos.. but, as I will attest to shortly.. not much energy made it my way...

So, that is Wednesday, and Thursday, and Friday.. brief and to the point.. Will come back latre with more about the Tourney, some pictures, some links to pictures, and some other fine things.. for instance..

Number of twins seen: 4
( or would that be 8 )

Funny things heard in the elevator:
Mamma, you got your shorts on backwards? ( Old man to apparently his wife, after she told him to be quiet )

Things I didn't expect to happen:
Being woke up at 2am by a naked man in the hallway.

How many times I busted out, randomly, with, 'Viva... Las Vegas'? More than several.

So, go read the other write ups.. they are all much bettre than mine... I have not read any yet, cuz, I didn't want anything to influence my stellar skills.. but, I am sure they are bettre than mine...

I met some fine people.. some I won't or don't remember, and I regret that...

Anyway.. more latre.....

Peace

Getting to be about that time..

This time tomorrow, I will be at the airport, patiently awaiting to board the plane that will fly me west, to Sin City.. it is my hope, that the view I see from the window as we gain altitude, is similiar to this:



This is looking North to Austin, from in front of the main building of St. Edwards University, at about 8pm...

I don't particulary think is all that good of a pic, but, 6 people that I showed it too, at different times, went all goo-goo ga-ga over it.... I suppose I am my own worst critic.. anyway.. I thought of a way to post it... so, I did...

One more day of work.. then back to the apartment to make sure I don't forget anything, then pick up my traveling mate, 30 minutes early, make sure they don't forget anything, then off to the airport... should be in Vegas in about 26 hours or so......

peace

Edit: Its now 6am, about 12 hours since the above was posted and I am at work..
Don't want to be here. Can not get my mind wrapped around the issues I will be leaving behind for others to deal with.

If you have not seen the 75 bands pic over at StudioGlyphic, it is pretty cool.

Edit: Edit:: ( 8am )Today,somehow, I need to put myself in a frame of mind such as:

1) Going to Las Vegas for the first time;
2) Meeting folks that enjoy poker as much or more than I do;
3) Possibly meeting Professional Poker Players;
4) Playing in (for me) a huge tourney;
5) Being away from work for one week;

is no big deal, because otherwise... it is going to be a very, very... loooong day.

Edit: ( 11:15am ) half way done... even got permision to leave early due to the inclement weather.. which bothers me... there is an ice and sleet warning for the counties north of us... but so far, the weather is holding here in Austin.. I won't really know how SW Airlines deals with the weather til this evening.. but, like I said, this inclement weather bothers me more than it normally would.

It occurred to me, a moment or two ago, I am gonna have a hella heck of alot of email when I get back...

Movies

I watched 3 movies since Thursday..

Be Cool - much bettre than some of the reviews I read led me to believe.. good thing for Travolta and clan, I don't hold much stock in what the critics say... Together again with Uma was just as good if not bettre than their Pulp Fiction movie.. The Rock was WAY WAY WAY out of character as a Gay bodyguard.. He frequently made me laugh.. quite enjoyable... worth a rent...

11:14 - this movie is one story that lasts about 20 minutes.. but, it is told from several different perspectives.. and this is way cool.. the cast is pretty durn phenomenal.. Patrick Swayze, Henry Thomas, Rachael Leigh Cook, Barbara Hershey.... anything I might say about this movie would not do it justice.. it is well worth a rent.... you won't regret renting it...

House of D - wow.. I was truly suprised.. this movie is written and directed by David Duchovney(sp).. yeah, good ol Fox Muldur from X-Files.. he also plays the main character as a grown up, but just briefly in the beginning, then just a lil bit more than briefly in the end... the true 'stars' of the movie are Anton Yelchin and Erykak Badu Tea Leoni ( wife of David D. ) has a fine performance as the mother, which is kinda wierd since they are married and all, but, only if your think about it too long.. its a coming of age story about a young 13 year boy growing up in NY city, dealing with different types of loss. Robin Williams plays a mentally retarded man, age 41, best friend of the main character ( Yelchin ). Pretty darn good performance, especially the airline ticket counter scene.. Its an independant film, put together in a short period of time, on a small budget, and I cried.. so there ya go.

peace

Slayre Claims Victory in Local Poker Tourney

Its a small SNG at Adam's place... $30.00 buy in.. 6 people.

seat 1 is Adam
seat 2 is vacant
seat 3 is Justin
seat 4 is April
seat 5 is Mel
seat 6 is ( oh shit ) Lori, me thinks
seat 7 is me, Slayre

There really is not a whole lot to blog about here with this tourney... everyone played pretty tight the first two rounds.. blinds at 10/20, then 15/30.. after the first break, blinds now at 25/50, and Justin and Adam start playing a bit more agressively.. altho, it was pretty much blind stealing...

I don't recall raising at all, myself, until the 4th round, 50/100, I am in the BB and there are 2 limpers and the SB completes.. I look down and see QQ, so I quickly compute that there is already T400 chips in the pot, so I raise T300, to T400.. they all folded...

I stole a couple 3 or 4, maybe 5 or 6 pots with absolutely nothing.. just took advantage of position and some tells I had picked up..... I think Adam and Justin were doing the same thing...

Poor April.. I don't think she got any playable cards the whole evening... she got down to pretty much short stack and ended up ALL IN vs Mel, she held K4 suited, and he had AQ suited, different suits.. the flops gives April the nut flush and she doubles up... bit latre, she is ALL in with Adam, and altho she is slightly ahead, the board cards are more favorable to Adam.. April is the first out... she graciously volunteered to deal for the rest of the evening...April is a very fine player, the cards just did not fall for her this night.

Mel was the next out.. taken out by Adam as well, or perhaps Justin.. I do not recall for sure.. he kept getting decent cards, but just could not connect with the board at all... he was the second one out.. 4 players left..

Lori, was the third out, Justin sucked out with two pair.. she had limped in with AA and since he was in the BB, he was able to check his weak K3... flopped a K and rivered a 3...

That leaves Slayre, Adam, and Justin.. Adam is short stack, and Justin and Me are about even, with Justin prolly slightly ahead.... Adam went out 4th, losing to Justin, and giving Justin a 3 to 1 chip advantage over me.... I folded 73 from SB, for the 1st hand of the HU match.. suprising April, who stated.. 'your folding at heads up'.. I said sumtin like,, " you really can't play every hand HU'... and followed that with, 'At least that is what Phil Gordon says.. '.. not sure how that went over.. ;)

Very next hand.. I hold T2.... BB.. Justin completes from the SB, and I check.. flop is T73.. Justin bets T300, and I raise T300 to T600. Justin calls. I forget how events went on the turn, I know it was less than the T and there was no flush possible and a vague str8... I think he bet T500.... making the pot at about 2k.... I counted my stack, T2300, and went all in with my Top Pair, very weak ass kicker. Justin goes to tank for a bit, decides I am bluffing, or at least semibluffing, and calls me... he turns over 75.. he does not improve and I double up.

And then we chopped.. we both knew we would be there for awhile and him and Adam had plans... so, chopping was the best option, $90.00 win for each.. We did play one last hand, all in, just to see..

I had A8d, he had JcJh. Flop was rag, rag, diamond.. turn is 3d..... river is Jd.. I would have taken the rest of his chips with the flush....

The quote of the night..... I guess would be.. Adam had made a comment about me and my chip lead... and then Lori said, 'yeah Joe..??..? is it Joe?' I said, 'its John, but you can call me Joe if it helps.'

To which Justin said, 'As long as you preference it with "Chipleader". '

We all got a good chuckle out of that......

It was a fun time and it was great to see April and Adam again, and to meet more Austin poker players for the first time... I hope I get to play with them again soon.

Adam was as usual, a most gracious host.

Peace

Less than a week

Wow.. seems like just yesterday I was making a 'Less than a month' entry..

Honestly, I thought that the time between then and now, would pass grueling slow.. but it has not.. at least, not as grumesome as I imagined.. this time next week, I will be in Vegas with one of my bestest friends, both of us wondering, ''ok, what now?'' heh.. I truly hope to meet Pauly/
He has been a postive influence in my life, more than he knows, and thanking him in person, well... it would be keen.

Want to thank Pauly's brother as well, for teaching me how to play Razz......

Bloggers I have met.. that I am pretty sure are going.. April, ScottMc, CJ, PokerPrincess, so, if when ya'll see me, don't be running the other way... I promise not to take all your money.. ;)

I think some others from austin may be going, but, I am not sure...

I called Imperial Palace Poker Room and found out that they have a 1/2 NLHE table or two running pretty much all the time, and that is the level I will be most comfortable with... also, reading some of different sites out there that talk about poker rooms in Vegas and what not, most say the games at IP are pretty soft... I have never actually played a live ring game before, with total complete strangers as opponents... so, I am sure it will be exciting... I plan to sit down out a table while my friends takes my luggage to the room and then goes to get me a drink.. ha ha.. ( she won't go for that, but, I thought it would be funny to type.. )

I got my lil bankroll on Doyle's up over a dollar now.. its pretty much a crap shoot there... I tend to fold AQ on down, when people are all in... seems to be a pattern.. just wait for 3 or 4 to bust out, then you can start playing poker... I usually just sit out til that time... whatever works, right?

Been reading Dan Harringtons book.. Vol I. almost down with it.. Excellent read.. I like his style.. and I like how he makes comparisons between online play and live play... he also talks alot about SNG's, which I tend to play more than MTT's, and everything I read has been helpful.. I highly recommend this book. granted, there are some things in there that I already knew.. but, he has a way of explaining WHY I should know it.... kinda like, "oh, now wonder I do that".

Will be getting Vol II after the Vegas jaunt. ( well, that is the plan anyway )

Also got Mike Caro's book of tells, and I will prolly try to read and finish this one on the airplane... have it fresh in my mind, so to speak.. I got free drink coupons from Southwest, so, not sure how that plan will work out.. reading and drinking don't mix....

Whelp, going to see a christmas procession or sumtin now, at St. Edwards... not entirely sure what it is, but, all the grandkids are gonna go, so, its a no brainer for me..... camera camera camera.. can't forget it..

ok

peace