**** TJ's 2026 WSOP Trip! ...And Continued Sundry Poker Adventures ****
Hello again, friends!
I’ll start this thread by channeling my inner karaoke DJ, and invoking the timeless lyrics from the
This made my brain hurt.
You are gonna have to cash something soon if you want to continue eating. 🙂
Yeah, it is what it is, in this town.
If I were really motivated, I could work harder to get my food spend down. I could pack sandwiches, or try to eat off strip more. It’s definitely not like I’m independently wealthy.
But I treat this like vacation, and the expenses all go in concert with the poker expenses.
This town definitely gives you a sense like money isn’t real.
I dutifully list these positively usurious prices, to help other readers that are between Vegas trips make their plans.
I wanted to watch some of the basketball game, so I went back to Guy Fieri’s Flavortown. It’s like a lot of good sports taverns, except everything costs 50-60%+ what you’d expect for sports bar food.
Started with the flautas:
The avocado cream sauce was tastier than the chipotle ranch.
Then I had the chicken sandwich, which had bacon, and mac n cheese.
It was $51, which I was able to cover $37 of with my comp balance.
Ready for round 2!
Yeah, it is what it is, in this town.If I were really motivated, I could work harder to get my food spend down. I could pack sandwiches, or try to eat off strip more. It’s definitely not like I’m independently wealthy.But I treat this like vacation, and the expenses all go in concert with the poker expenses.This town definitely gives you a sense like money isn’t real.I dutifu
I’m different to lost in that I made a move to eat a lot less per day in my normal line, so perhaps it’s easier for me but my approach is to have one indulgent meal per day in Vegas and then make do with the rest…typically I buy a salad and then some deli meat and nuts from Wahlgreens for a meal while I’m playing and then something like an apple and a protein bar and nuts for snacking
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I wanted to watch some of the basketball game, so I went back to Guy Fieri’s Flavortown. It’s like a lot of good sports taverns, except everything costs 50-60%+ what you’d expect for sports bar food.Started with the flautas: The avocado cream sauce was tastier than the chipotle ranch.Then I had the chicken sandwich, which had bacon, and mac n cheese. It was $51, which I was
How the heck did I just miss you? I’m sitting in flavortown right now.
Must have just missed you! I headed back to the cash room at halftime of the basketball game.
Text me next time!
I’m developing into a nice routine here in Vegas. Play the tournament, play some cash games, keep it under 4 hours, get something to eat, play more cash games, then get to bed at a reasonable hour for tomorrow.
Decidedly NOT nice that I keep busting tournaments early. But it is nice that I’m doing a much better job pacing myself, and staying fresh, than I have on past Vegas trips.
Naturally, after that inspiring missive about how I’m finding much better balance in Las Vegas, I played too long and lost in the nightcap, -1110.
Didn’t play terribly, but didn’t run great. Played two all in pots as a slight but real favorite, lost both. Seemed like everyone at the table would win the big ones but me.
I’d double up the action players, then watch helplessly as they blasted off to everybody else.
I’ve been playing poker so long, I don’t really get “hot” tilt… seeing red with the enraged loss of emotional control from a big suck out. But I’m decinitely susceptible to “cold” tilt, where my focus wanes after long hours, I get impatient, and don’t play my best.
Thankfully, I was able to recognize the signs, and picked up before I impatiently got the rest in way too light, chasing even. That’s a win, not busting it when I feel like I’m not on my A+ game.
Next on the schedule is a $300 multiflight NLH event at South Point tomorrow morning. It’ll be good to get back into that price point. I think my edge as a tourney player is biggest in those massive field, low buyin player pools.
Plus, I’ve never been to South Point. It’ll be good to mix up venues, and add a new chip to the collection.
Slept later than I meant to, so we’re calling an audible for the day.
I looked on the schedule, and saw there’s an $800 NLH event at Aria. Make my way over there, and find out I looked at the schedule wrong. The NLH event is tomorrow. Today is an $1100 PLO event.
Well, I came over here to play cash PLO if the tourney was a bust, anyway. That’s a bigger buyin than I wanted to play today, but as Worm once said, “Well. We’re HERE.”
30k starting stack, let’s goooooo!!
Bust in level 4.
It actually started pretty good. I open 9876 with one suit, and defend vs a SB 3bet. It comes T-8-5 rainbow, and he pots again to be committed. I go with it, he has AAKK and no suits, and I catch a 4 on the turn to have him drawing dead. Over double a starting stack.
Unfortunately I ran into a nasty cooler about an hour later. Flopped top boat loses to flopped quads, just about the toughest beat there is in this game. Can’t do much about that.
I get a quick double the next hand, flopping another boat, to get off life support, and back to about half a starting stack.
But then I got my stack in pretty bad, with top two and a gutshot nearly dead against top set.
On the list for cash PLO, but first I went upstairs to grab a bite.
My favorite meal in the Aria food hall is the chicken parm sandwich from Parm.
Plus mozzarella sticks and a strawberry cream soda, it was $41.
I feel better after eating. Ready to shake off the runbad, and play a focused, and fully engaged cash session.
Better day at the cash tables. Turned that^^
into this:
+1710, and feeling much better about my day today.
And I got to say hi to BigWhale!
Watching the hockey game at the Moneyline sports bar.
Played almost 6 hours, so not feeling a nightcap poker session tonight.
Gonna get to bed early, and get my mind right for the Colossus tomorrow.
Does anyone ever ask you about Moby?
I would make up a sick origin story for him. i.e., How you were stranded out at sea; he came along and saved your life. His only request then was to accompany you on your poker travels.
I've had non-poker players suggest I take a chess piece and put it on top of my chips. I tell them that I'd rather not let the entire table know that "I think before I act".
10+ years ago I did see someone with a chess knight on top of their chips at a 1/2 NL Table when I walked through the Borgata poker room.
Did I dream something about a new species of tiny blue octopus discovered? Maybe around Galapagos? Seriously, maybe? I usually just skim headlines, so it feels very vague...
Nice session, and good luck in the Colossus!
Does anyone ever ask you about Moby? I would make up a sick origin story for him. i.e., How you were stranded out at sea; he came along and saved your life. His only request then was to accompany you on your poker travels. I've had non-poker players suggest I take a chess piece and put it on top of my chips. I tell them that I'd rather not let the entire table know that "I thi
My favourite card protector story was shared in my TR a couple years ago.
Imagine this, it’s 4 am. Everyone is either tired or getting a bit sober at the Bellagio. This guy sits down. Doesn’t say a word. Then few minutes later he goes: do you guys mind if I whip my cock out? Everyone goes even more silent until:
Everyone obv started laughing like crazy
First break, on 38k. It’s a pretty tough table to start, no obviously easy spots. The guy on my left has owned me a couple times. We have some action players late reg’ing, but they’ve gotten the best of me so far.Couple situations came up where I wish I had better reads. I 3bet AA in position, then get 4bet to 8500. I considered flatting the 4bet, and sho
Yeah I feel like 5 betting always tells your opponent that you have AA. Is it more risky to call? Yes. But I think long term way more chips gained
Got a shave and a good breakfast, and made my way to the Horseshoe.
Already busted my first bullet in the colossus, AK < AA on K-4-2.
Bullet number 2 on a fresh new table, let’s go!
First break, right on schedule, with 84k from the 50k starting stack.
The big hand was opening QTs from the button, and getting called by a sticky, positionally unaware player in the big blind.
I flopped a flush draw and two overcards, then he donks out 1k. I raise to 4k, he calls.
Turn is an offsuit undercard, and he leads another 5k. I just call this time, and catch the deuce of flush on the river. He goes 5k, I raise to 25k, and he pays off.
Got a dream table to start. I’d classify everyone I’ve seen as a losing 1/3 player.
Now I just need to wait patiently to make some hands.
Hope you're at a nine-handed table, so each of Moby's arms can be put to use gathering in opponents' chips.
