Bellagi-Oh Yeah!

Yes, yes, I know, it's been quite some time since I've posted anything. Not that anyone cares, but still, I do notice.

Having just gotten back from a what was basically a Vegas day trip, I figured it's time to write something. And Vegas being Vegas, this seems like the topic. I actually didn't travel to the desert for fun, but rather, for a meeting with the good folks at CardPlayer in regard to the upcoming WSOP. (You do know about all of the ways you can still win seats at the WSOP at FTP, don't you?)

Brief plug aside, the fact that the meeting was at nine this morning meant that it was only reasonable that my boss and I travel to Vegas on Wednesday afternoon. Which we did. Now, like any sane (?) person, I love Vegas and everything it stands for. I mean really, it's a city of such extreme excess that even the most jaded among us (me included) can't help but give in to the lavish displays of opulence that dot every part of the city from the statues outside of Caesar's to the statuesque beauties lying by the pool at the Hard Rock. I mean, if you can't beat it, at least enjoy yourself while your losing, right?

Ah, but here's the rub... I walked away with extra money in my pocket on this little excursion... an occurence that, sadly, doesn't happen every time I'm in town. Thanks to the fine people in my office, my boss and I hit town on Wednesday afternoon and each checked into very tasteful rooms located a mere 17 floors above our favorite room in the place; the Poker room. Of course, because this was a work trip, we didn't head right for the tables. But we did get there.

Now, for those of you don't know, the Bellagio spreads all sorts of games at all sorts of levels, most of which far exceed my meager bankroll. Still, they did have a nice $2-$5 No-Limit game going that I was more than comfortable playing in. After a few short minutes on the list, I took my seat just 10 feet from the glassed in room where the Big Game is played, thankful that none of the top-tier pros was in the room to mock me as they walked past.

On my first hand, I picked up A-K and, of course, rasied. Being the new guy, I got absolutely no respect (shut up Bill), and picked up three callers. When the flop came 7-7-9 and three people bet, I dropped my hand. An auspicious start, to be sure. My $200 buy-in lasted for a few orbits until I picked up A-10 on the button. When I flopped top two pair, I bet, and got called by one of the table's two big stacks. The turn brought a blank, and I pushed in my remaining $100 into the pot. The big stack called and caught his two pair when the river brought a king. Damn!

Still, I wasn't ready to call it a night yet, so I did the one thing I promised myself I wouldn't; I reloaded. I dug into my pocket and pulled out the "extra" $200 I wasn't going to touch and bought right back into the action.

Now, being $200 isn't my favorite thing in the world, but I tried hard not to think about the money so much as the fact that I was just playing with chips. I played tight, raising with the couple of good hands I caught, and trying to limp with playable hands like 7-8 suited. If the pot got popped, I usually dropped my cards and looked for a better spot. After an hour or so, I managed to drag myself back to about even on the night and was feeling pretty good about my game. Yes, I was still down about $50, but that was acceptable for an evening's entertainment.

When my boss cashed out, I decided to stick around for awhile more which, as it turns out, was possibly my best decision of the night. I picked up K-Q twice in the blinds, and got into pots cheap. On one hand, I flopped broadway and picked up a nice $150 pot when one of the big stacks tried to buy the pot on a bluff. A couple of orbits later, I flopped two pair with K-Q and picked up another $200 when my opponent called my all in with his two pair of Q-10. Suddenly, I was in positive territory.

From there, I played awhile longer, picking up a few pots here and there, and steadily increasing my chip stack until I had doubled my buy-in for the night. As the clock was pushing 1:30 in the morning, I figured that was as good a time as any to cash out and book a win.

Now, if I can just do this the next time I play live...