Vegas Day 1

I am out in Las Vegas for a week long conference with work. My current client (Colgate) had some meetings scheduled with SAP development during the conference so I was asked to come along and assist.

Monday was a long day due to the time difference. My flight arrived in Las Vegas around lunch time and after performing a few admin tasks, was able to hit the poker tables by about 4:00. After watching the hands that were going to the river, I resolved to simply wait for monster hands and then value bet them, hoping for some out-of-line calls. The table was $1/$3 NL. After about an hour, I got KK on the button, there was one pre-flop raiser to $12. I made it $50 and he called. I had pretty much made up my mind to push the rest of my stack in (about another $100) if there was no A on the flop...but the flop was A-T-4. It was checked twice (I felt he had me beaten). On the river, he then bet about $75. It perhaps looked like a bluff but I folded and he flipped over TT for 3 of a kind! Glad the A hit the flop - saved me some money.

I added another $100 to my stack to bring it close to the maximum buy in of $200 and waited again for more good cards. KJ offsuit to a limped pot led to me raising it to $15, again got 1 caller (the BB). Flop was K-J-4. He checked it to me and I bet $15. He then reraised it to $50. I figured with a set he just calls there so I pushed all my remaining chips into the pot (another $150). He called immediately. Turn was a Q, River a 2...he then said "You have it" and flipped over AK. So I doubled up to $360...which was what I ended up leaving the table with.

Later that night I sat down to $1/$1 NL and found the same thing (but even moreso) with the players here. One guy in partucular was clearly drunk with a huge stack and playing very carelessly. However, his stack was pushing people around and he was also getting lucky. Same tactic as before, wait for a big hand and hope for someone to come along. AK netted my about a $60 profit. The biggest hand for me was JT, $10 in the pot with two other players. Flop was T-2-2. I bet $10 and was called by one player. Turn was a 7. I bet again ($20), was called again. River brought a 6. I figured I was probably still ahead so bet $50 on the river. He thought for a long time, then folded, flipping on card...a 2!!! He said "I think you have me outkicked". Saying nothing I pulled in the chips. Unfortunately I did not get the chance to go against the big stack and settled for a $50 profit on the session.

Today (Tuesday) will be all day meetings :-( . However, hopefully there is time for another trip to the tables later this evening.