Vegas Again

I went to Vegas on business again this year.

I didn't have much time to sit, and so I decided not to waste time travelling to another casino for a tourney. Or waste time hanging around waiting for a tourney.

So, this trip marked my first ever cash game.

I watched a little bit Thursday night (Friday morning really) and the game was $1/$2 no limit. With $60 minimum buy in and $300 max buy in.

That gives folks at least some chance to stay competitive.

I went back Friday night, planning to sit, with about a $100 to $120 budget.

But, the game Friday was $2/$5 - $100/$500 . . . so, a little bit out of my budget.

I dithered about a little bit and a guy snaked in front of me in line.

I finally decided to sit with $200 - which was well past my budget.

I was easily the shortest new stack on the table - almost everyone else sat down with $500 - only one other person sat down with less than that ($300). Added to my low stack were the many folks who were sitting with $500 plus - both stacks on my immediate right were big stacks - $800 and about $1500, respectively.

Given the large stacks, and the fact that I wanted to play for a while with my 'entertainment budget' - I was pretty conservative.

I started out with a pretty long massive stretch of crappy cards - I got 2/6 diamonds 3 hands in a row, for example. I saw a J/7/5 flop with A/7 - and mucked it to one of the big stacks going all in.

I think I took down one little pot, but I mostly mucked or checked.

I finally got A/Q unsuited - bet $20 - and the short stack, two positions behind me - with $40 went all in over me. Which I called. He showed A's, which held up.

So, at that stage, I'm sitting with a bit over $140.

I got A/K - raised it up to $20 - and only one guy stayed with me - across the table with about $600.

Flop comes Q/9/5 and I checked to him - he bet $20 and I raised him all in. He got pissed, threw his 8's on the table and I raked the pot.

I was pleased to note that, about this time, the guy who snaked in front of me got busted out. He was much more loose than I was, splashing around in a ton more pots than I did.

The other big hand that I won - started with A/2 diamonds - I called a $15 bet - and flop came 2/7/J - I was first to act and went all in to rake the pot before anyone else had a chance to hit.

I tipped the dealer $2 - kept a $1 chip as a souvenir - and ended up with about $175 at the end of the night.

All things considered, not bad. I'd have been happier with a larger bankroll, or more time to earn one.