Well, so much for playing the $1100 tourney at Venetian...which had two flights...one yesterday and one today. Because I decided I would try my luck in the $100k Guarantee $440 (also two flight event) tourney at Wynn. Had I bricked that...then yeah, today I would go play 1B of the $1100 at Venetian.
Well, my afternoon was spent, again...at the pool...which as I mentioned, has been taken over by the, ahem....SCOTTISH. Not the Irish. And to the guy who left the comment saying that due to my comment regarding the Irish (but actually Scottish) old guy with 4 teeth at the cash table who was indecipherable in whatever he was saying to me....calling me a racist for how I spoke of him? Just makes you a fu**ing idiot. Racist? Hey dipshit...last time I checked, Scottish folks, Irish folks, English folks and Americans...are all the same damn race you ignoramus.
The pool experience today was much better, since no one puked in the pool, resulting in it being closed for two hours. The Asian Spinach Salad I paid $15 for was okay for the most part, except that it was about 80% Romaine lettuce and 20% spinach. Why call it a spinach salad? Whatever.
Apparently those two losers didn't have their baby yet. Not sure what that was I was watching that said they did. I can't even look at that guy's face without wanting to punch him. That surly, I refuse-to-smile mug of his. Angry at any and everyone...cuz it makes him thuggish and cool. Ugh. Go die Garbage Kan-ye.
So I get to the Wynn...Encore actually...characteristically late. In Level 3. Glad I did too, from what I could see at the table, I would have surely suffered some horrific beat and been forced to decide whether to refire again or not. I have seen more players this summer who pay absolutely no mind to the concept of 'stack preservation.' Its more important to them to 'make moves' and steal position. It reaches the point of hilarity when you watch a guy raise.....then get re-raised, then put in a fourth raise....have the other guy 5-bet....only to SIX BET....then FOLD to the other guy when he shoves...after having committed over 75% of his stack to the pot.
One really fun thing about playing in the summer in Vegas is the number of foreigners that you meet and get to interact with. And me, being the dry, sarcastic, self-anointed comedian, loves to play with them and their minds. Its so easy. And entertaining. To me. And to many of the other players. Yesterday was another fun example. We had Germans, English, Brazilians...a number of different countries represented at our table. One guy was telling people something about dancing with him when he raised...you know..."Any body think they want to dance with me, call me here!" That kind of thing. To which I quipped....and understand, when you deliver these 'messages' you have to do it with absolutely no emotion whatsoever, no goofy smile on your face...nothing, just a very deadpan, dry delivery...in order to fully 'sell it.'
"I don't think you want me to dance with you sir. (sir asks why) Because. I am an awesome dancer. (sir says 'really?') Yes. In case you didn't know....I was on Dancing With The Stars four years ago. I almost won...but my dance partner got hurt...and we had to bow out with 4 left. It was very disappointing."
This guy just sat there staring at me...and you could see the wheels in his head turning....'is this guy for real? Or full of shit? He sure does seem serious. He isn't smiling. Wow...he must really be serious.'
This went on for a minute or so...as the other foreigners were starting to inquire as to my dancing prowess, and my past appearance on 'DWTS's'
"No, I was not on Dancing with the Stars. I was pulling your leg. In fact...I am not much of a dancer at all...and that is why I didn't call his raise." (they laughed. Easy crowd)
I started horribly card dead. Which was exactly what I like to see. For 7 orbits I didn't play a single hand...which was confirmed by the guy on my right. This, you see....is very good sign for Senor Monkey. When I show up...and get great cards right away...and maybe build up a good stack...it almost ALWAYS ends in disaster. I'd say 92% of the time. So being card dead was being embraced.
I finally played a hand...JJ...and lost. On an ace high flop the guy bombed the flop with a pot sized bet. See ya.
I would get down to 6800 (started with 15,000) and at 200/400 limped under the gun with 10-10. No one raised. On a flop of K-J-10, the Asian girl in the SB checked to me with KJ. I bet 700 into a pot of about 1700. She called. BB folded. Turn was the 7 of clubs. She checked. I bet 1500. She goes all in. Oh hell. I expected her to have 89. For a straight. And I was now about out of chips...or at least, not in a place I wanted to be...and was willing to gamble on the board pairing. I called her. Oh good gawd. Two pair....AND a flush draw. I faded the river and had a nice double up. My table broke a little after that.
I hovered for awhile...then with about 8000 chips at 400/800...I flatted on the button with KK a raisers bet under the gun of 2400. I didn't feel it was necessary to re-raise or ship. Besides, if I saw an ace I wanted a chance to get out of there and still have some ammo. The flop came 8-high...and he just heaved a stack of red 5k chips into the middle. I called. He had JJ. I held. Double up #2. Nice.
A short while later...I flatted an early raiser with QQ...got another call from the BB. The flop came 6-high. Checked to me. I bet about half the pot. He goes all in. The other guy folds. I call. He has JJ. Sweet. I hold again. Nice pot!
At 500/1000...a guy raises to 2500 under the gun. I'm in the SB with A4...and am never calling, unless two others call...then I'm just getting too good of a price. The original raiser was a guy who made the final table with me last week in the big weekend tourney at Venetian...and he is a very solid player. I tell the dealer I need a very 'specific flop' and am thinking something like 2-3-5. But instead it comes A-4-7 rainbow. Nice. I check. He bets out 7500 into a pot of about 11,000. I don't want to take any chances on getting counterfeited or drawn out on...so I raise to 18,500. I am fine with him folding there....and he almost does. But he ships all in for about 50,000. I have to call. He has AK. And I fade disaster. And now have over 100k.
Things went smooth for the rest of the night. Then they move this German girl to our table. Her name is Jamila Von Perger...she is from Germany...and I've seen her at Venetian a few times. She is young, and very attractive...looks a lot like Claudia Schiffer did when she was in her prime. Well she also plays real aggressive. At the end of the day...she was the chipleader with 199k. I was in third place...with 179k. She is a good player...and I expect her to get deep. Well, I pulled one of my sickest bluffs of my poker career on her...and came to the conclusion that there are few things in poker more exciting, exhilarating, and satisfying than pulling off a huge bluff for a huge pot. I had pocket 44's and there was a min-raise from the guy utg...who had been doing this a lot. The blinds were 1200/2400...his raise was to 5500. Three called behind me. Hell, I'm getting in here. I call. She calls...and the BB calls. The SB folds what had to have been 2-7 or something.
The flop comes 10h-2h-3d. It checks around to me...with her the only one behind me. I like my position, and I like my hand. I think. I bet 12,500 into the pot of about $35k. She raises, to 25k. It folds back to me. Hmmm. Flush draw? Making a move? Trying to force me out? Or a real hand? I studied her face. Everything. Then smooth called her 25k...which made her noticeably uneasy. The turn was a 9 of clubs. I checked. Now she checks...which opens up a whole new line of thinking. Why would she lay off betting the turn? Was she putting me on a set? Was she indeed on a flush draw? And hoping to river her winner? An ace of spades hit the river. No flush. I wasn't giving her credit for an ace...because I think if she had one...she would have re-raised preflop...and taken down a big pot, judging by how she'd played so far. I thought the ace would give me a card I could use to make her fold. I felt like the chances I was good was only about 10%. And now there was over $80k in the pot...and I wanted it. I wasted no time in shipping all in. She went a little nuts.
Now it was her tanking. And me acting as confident and comfortable as I could possibly muster. She asked for a count. I had 89k. And having that 89k...compared to her 87k...was the ONLY thing I think that kept her from calling with A10...two pair. After about 5 minutes that felt like an hour...she finally folded...asking to see my hand. Now, I never, ever...show bluffs. It's just not something I get off on. And I think it can come back to bite you on the ass later. Plus she was a nice girl, who had done nothing to make me want to piss her off by showing her a bluff. But another part of me...was wanting to show these players...who may not have respected me and/or my game...what I was capable of.
So when I turned over the pair of 4's there was a collective sound of amazement from the other players. "Woooowwwww!!!" "Whooooooaaaa...no wayyyyyy....." "Holy....wow, great play man!" And I have to admit, it was a freaking awesome feeling. Not such a great feeling were the daggers of death she was shooting at me with her eyes. It was very uncomfortable. But I'd won a gigantic pot...one that would likely guarantee me at least cashing in this tourney when we come back tomorrow. She would get all her chips back...and then some...when the guy at the table who had over played every hand all day...some times getting lucky, sometimes donking away huge chunks of his stack...would 4-bet shove on her with 77's and her holding QQ. She stood back from the table...holding her breath, covering her eyes...like I've so often done with the dreaded queens. Once she held, and she got her massive double up...she was in a much better mood.
So that's it. I bagged 179k after we got down to 12% of the field...17 players....from a starting field of 135. I am told they got 240 today...so I guess they will play down to about 28 players tonight and we will come back at noon tomorrow in the Wynn's main poker room to resume with about 45 players...which should put us about 10 or so away from the money....assuming it pays 36. I should be in really good shape to make another deep run.
I really loved playing over there. They let us play nine-handed...which is ALWAYS nice, and appreciated. The dealers were great, the floor people were great...it was a nice room. And they hand shuffled, no shuffle-master...which I am a big fan of. It was a nice change of pace from the Venetian...which I am about to head over to now, for the 4pm tourney...a $250 'Green Chip ($25) Bounty tourney...and of course, I'm late, and don't care. Late seems to work nicely for me most of the time. :)
Hope to have more good news to report on my next post!
MONKEY
Well, my afternoon was spent, again...at the pool...which as I mentioned, has been taken over by the, ahem....SCOTTISH. Not the Irish. And to the guy who left the comment saying that due to my comment regarding the Irish (but actually Scottish) old guy with 4 teeth at the cash table who was indecipherable in whatever he was saying to me....calling me a racist for how I spoke of him? Just makes you a fu**ing idiot. Racist? Hey dipshit...last time I checked, Scottish folks, Irish folks, English folks and Americans...are all the same damn race you ignoramus.
The pool experience today was much better, since no one puked in the pool, resulting in it being closed for two hours. The Asian Spinach Salad I paid $15 for was okay for the most part, except that it was about 80% Romaine lettuce and 20% spinach. Why call it a spinach salad? Whatever.
Apparently those two losers didn't have their baby yet. Not sure what that was I was watching that said they did. I can't even look at that guy's face without wanting to punch him. That surly, I refuse-to-smile mug of his. Angry at any and everyone...cuz it makes him thuggish and cool. Ugh. Go die Garbage Kan-ye.
So I get to the Wynn...Encore actually...characteristically late. In Level 3. Glad I did too, from what I could see at the table, I would have surely suffered some horrific beat and been forced to decide whether to refire again or not. I have seen more players this summer who pay absolutely no mind to the concept of 'stack preservation.' Its more important to them to 'make moves' and steal position. It reaches the point of hilarity when you watch a guy raise.....then get re-raised, then put in a fourth raise....have the other guy 5-bet....only to SIX BET....then FOLD to the other guy when he shoves...after having committed over 75% of his stack to the pot.
One really fun thing about playing in the summer in Vegas is the number of foreigners that you meet and get to interact with. And me, being the dry, sarcastic, self-anointed comedian, loves to play with them and their minds. Its so easy. And entertaining. To me. And to many of the other players. Yesterday was another fun example. We had Germans, English, Brazilians...a number of different countries represented at our table. One guy was telling people something about dancing with him when he raised...you know..."Any body think they want to dance with me, call me here!" That kind of thing. To which I quipped....and understand, when you deliver these 'messages' you have to do it with absolutely no emotion whatsoever, no goofy smile on your face...nothing, just a very deadpan, dry delivery...in order to fully 'sell it.'
"I don't think you want me to dance with you sir. (sir asks why) Because. I am an awesome dancer. (sir says 'really?') Yes. In case you didn't know....I was on Dancing With The Stars four years ago. I almost won...but my dance partner got hurt...and we had to bow out with 4 left. It was very disappointing."
This guy just sat there staring at me...and you could see the wheels in his head turning....'is this guy for real? Or full of shit? He sure does seem serious. He isn't smiling. Wow...he must really be serious.'
This went on for a minute or so...as the other foreigners were starting to inquire as to my dancing prowess, and my past appearance on 'DWTS's'
"No, I was not on Dancing with the Stars. I was pulling your leg. In fact...I am not much of a dancer at all...and that is why I didn't call his raise." (they laughed. Easy crowd)
I started horribly card dead. Which was exactly what I like to see. For 7 orbits I didn't play a single hand...which was confirmed by the guy on my right. This, you see....is very good sign for Senor Monkey. When I show up...and get great cards right away...and maybe build up a good stack...it almost ALWAYS ends in disaster. I'd say 92% of the time. So being card dead was being embraced.
I finally played a hand...JJ...and lost. On an ace high flop the guy bombed the flop with a pot sized bet. See ya.
I would get down to 6800 (started with 15,000) and at 200/400 limped under the gun with 10-10. No one raised. On a flop of K-J-10, the Asian girl in the SB checked to me with KJ. I bet 700 into a pot of about 1700. She called. BB folded. Turn was the 7 of clubs. She checked. I bet 1500. She goes all in. Oh hell. I expected her to have 89. For a straight. And I was now about out of chips...or at least, not in a place I wanted to be...and was willing to gamble on the board pairing. I called her. Oh good gawd. Two pair....AND a flush draw. I faded the river and had a nice double up. My table broke a little after that.
I hovered for awhile...then with about 8000 chips at 400/800...I flatted on the button with KK a raisers bet under the gun of 2400. I didn't feel it was necessary to re-raise or ship. Besides, if I saw an ace I wanted a chance to get out of there and still have some ammo. The flop came 8-high...and he just heaved a stack of red 5k chips into the middle. I called. He had JJ. I held. Double up #2. Nice.
A short while later...I flatted an early raiser with QQ...got another call from the BB. The flop came 6-high. Checked to me. I bet about half the pot. He goes all in. The other guy folds. I call. He has JJ. Sweet. I hold again. Nice pot!
At 500/1000...a guy raises to 2500 under the gun. I'm in the SB with A4...and am never calling, unless two others call...then I'm just getting too good of a price. The original raiser was a guy who made the final table with me last week in the big weekend tourney at Venetian...and he is a very solid player. I tell the dealer I need a very 'specific flop' and am thinking something like 2-3-5. But instead it comes A-4-7 rainbow. Nice. I check. He bets out 7500 into a pot of about 11,000. I don't want to take any chances on getting counterfeited or drawn out on...so I raise to 18,500. I am fine with him folding there....and he almost does. But he ships all in for about 50,000. I have to call. He has AK. And I fade disaster. And now have over 100k.
Things went smooth for the rest of the night. Then they move this German girl to our table. Her name is Jamila Von Perger...she is from Germany...and I've seen her at Venetian a few times. She is young, and very attractive...looks a lot like Claudia Schiffer did when she was in her prime. Well she also plays real aggressive. At the end of the day...she was the chipleader with 199k. I was in third place...with 179k. She is a good player...and I expect her to get deep. Well, I pulled one of my sickest bluffs of my poker career on her...and came to the conclusion that there are few things in poker more exciting, exhilarating, and satisfying than pulling off a huge bluff for a huge pot. I had pocket 44's and there was a min-raise from the guy utg...who had been doing this a lot. The blinds were 1200/2400...his raise was to 5500. Three called behind me. Hell, I'm getting in here. I call. She calls...and the BB calls. The SB folds what had to have been 2-7 or something.
The flop comes 10h-2h-3d. It checks around to me...with her the only one behind me. I like my position, and I like my hand. I think. I bet 12,500 into the pot of about $35k. She raises, to 25k. It folds back to me. Hmmm. Flush draw? Making a move? Trying to force me out? Or a real hand? I studied her face. Everything. Then smooth called her 25k...which made her noticeably uneasy. The turn was a 9 of clubs. I checked. Now she checks...which opens up a whole new line of thinking. Why would she lay off betting the turn? Was she putting me on a set? Was she indeed on a flush draw? And hoping to river her winner? An ace of spades hit the river. No flush. I wasn't giving her credit for an ace...because I think if she had one...she would have re-raised preflop...and taken down a big pot, judging by how she'd played so far. I thought the ace would give me a card I could use to make her fold. I felt like the chances I was good was only about 10%. And now there was over $80k in the pot...and I wanted it. I wasted no time in shipping all in. She went a little nuts.
Now it was her tanking. And me acting as confident and comfortable as I could possibly muster. She asked for a count. I had 89k. And having that 89k...compared to her 87k...was the ONLY thing I think that kept her from calling with A10...two pair. After about 5 minutes that felt like an hour...she finally folded...asking to see my hand. Now, I never, ever...show bluffs. It's just not something I get off on. And I think it can come back to bite you on the ass later. Plus she was a nice girl, who had done nothing to make me want to piss her off by showing her a bluff. But another part of me...was wanting to show these players...who may not have respected me and/or my game...what I was capable of.
So when I turned over the pair of 4's there was a collective sound of amazement from the other players. "Woooowwwww!!!" "Whooooooaaaa...no wayyyyyy....." "Holy....wow, great play man!" And I have to admit, it was a freaking awesome feeling. Not such a great feeling were the daggers of death she was shooting at me with her eyes. It was very uncomfortable. But I'd won a gigantic pot...one that would likely guarantee me at least cashing in this tourney when we come back tomorrow. She would get all her chips back...and then some...when the guy at the table who had over played every hand all day...some times getting lucky, sometimes donking away huge chunks of his stack...would 4-bet shove on her with 77's and her holding QQ. She stood back from the table...holding her breath, covering her eyes...like I've so often done with the dreaded queens. Once she held, and she got her massive double up...she was in a much better mood.
So that's it. I bagged 179k after we got down to 12% of the field...17 players....from a starting field of 135. I am told they got 240 today...so I guess they will play down to about 28 players tonight and we will come back at noon tomorrow in the Wynn's main poker room to resume with about 45 players...which should put us about 10 or so away from the money....assuming it pays 36. I should be in really good shape to make another deep run.
I really loved playing over there. They let us play nine-handed...which is ALWAYS nice, and appreciated. The dealers were great, the floor people were great...it was a nice room. And they hand shuffled, no shuffle-master...which I am a big fan of. It was a nice change of pace from the Venetian...which I am about to head over to now, for the 4pm tourney...a $250 'Green Chip ($25) Bounty tourney...and of course, I'm late, and don't care. Late seems to work nicely for me most of the time. :)
Hope to have more good news to report on my next post!
MONKEY
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