I started the day refreshed from a whole two hours of sleep or maybe it was that morning rum and coke while throwing away yet more money to the stupid slots. In any regards I surprised the wife with some delicious Krispy Kreme donuts (The Official Vegas Breakfast of Champions). She goes for the bismarks while I like the plain original or if I'm feeling frisky one with chocolate and sprinkles. A question: why don't the gift shops carry milk even though you can get just about any other type of liquid? Sigh.
After opening the blinds and seeing that the wind finally died down, and there was a lot less cloud coverage she decided to go to the pool while I was going to check out Imperial Palace's morning poker tournament per Poker Prof's tourney schedule. The walk over to IP was beautiful with the morning joggers running by, porn slappers gearing up to hand out information on young ladies looking for companionship, and the group of guys with those oversized Bud Light cans and Nascar hats looking like they showered sometime last month. I took a couple of moments while crossing the bridge to the Venetian just to take it all in. Vegas has an energy of its own just viewing it.
I arrived at IP approximately 30 minutes prior to the tourney's start (later then suggested, I'd suggest at least an hour because these things fill up fast). Since I have never been to IPs poker room I wandered the casino floor (NOT PLAYING SLOTS) in search of the poker tables. After making a loop around the entire 1st floor, I determined that it was not there and sought directions like a family going to a gas station while on a road trip. First stop was the gift shop. The lady kindly told me to go up the esclators and that would take me to the room. Great! Except one problem, the esclators brought me to a restaurant and only a restaurant. Go down, this time lets try a bartender! I get pointed towards the escalator again, so thinking that I was Ray Charles and missed a turn up there I try again. Sure enough, only a restaurant as the nice cashier stated. Unfortunately she couldn't help me since she didn't know there was a poker room (that's not good news). Now I've been in the casino for 20 minutes looking like a flustered tourist who lost his wallet, and decide on asking the best looking waitress I could find (hey its Vegas I'm allowed to look, right?). A petite asian drink server with sultry voice that could seduce a gay guy into going hetero politely points me towards the Geisha Bar and the SECOND escalator which goes to the poker room. SCORE!
I raced up the long escalator (actually the stairs since the escalator was kaput), turned left and found the poker room at long last. The room isn't really a "room" its roped off next to the smallish Keno bar and a small bank of slots. Fairly clean with approximately 10 tables which had 2 running tables of $2/$4 limit going (I believe they spread $3/$6 as well). I was handed a sheet with the new daily tournaments available, there was one at 7pm but I was planing on spending the evening with the missus, but there was one tomorrow at 10am.
After buying in for two racks of chips (yes I overbuy a bit because the towers look pretty) I was informed about a player's club which you earn comps for each hour of play. I wasn't planning on staying long but $3/hour sounds good to me! They also provided some cookies (quite good), coffee, and water, but I was more interested in the drink service. Slow at first, but its amazing how the lovely waitresses remember you and your drink after a few tips :P The dealers were very friendly, with the exception of a grouchy dealer who didn't like my assistance in passing the button along (every other dealer didn't mind). The players were an assortment of drunk tourists (I guess I'd qualify, but I'd like to think I can play poker somewhat), rockish locals, two very good players (one even from Minnesota!), and two kids who looked like teenagers but had the super-cool poker glasses on. I left 15BBs up, a couple of suckouts went my way (trip jacks vs. my trip jacks lower kicker but I filled up on the river), others didn't (AA vs. 83o and runner-runner straight). After four hours it was time to go back to see if the wife got the sunburn/tan she wanted.
After grabbing a light dinner of chicken strips (wowowowowow) at the Treasure Island's deli we headed down to the Sportsbook with our big $10 bets on Minnesota to win their NCAA Women's B-ball game. Drink service once again was awesome (tips definitely work in this town!), hell I'm only paying $1-$2 for a drink its worth it. Some college aged kids were dancing after the close of the Maverick's game, it wasn't until I saw the cashier grab a brick of 100s to see why they were dancing. Feeling rather limp with my $10 bet, I decide to go wild and bet $2 on some ponies. I'm no BG in any sense, I pick strickly on numbers, name, and odds in that order. After a nice $7.80 exact box win we watched the lady Gophers advance in the NCAA tourney (where they lost to eventual to the eventual champs Baylor).
The wife was tired and retired back to the room while I was still wired for more poker goodness, so I headed over to the Mirage again. After viewing a craps game for 5-10 minutes with a Jewish guy who had all numbers covered for $5K and assorted hardway bets (he "won" $20-$25K while I was watching), I decided to take my low-rolling self to play poker.
I tilted hard.
After two hours of decent play I was 5BBs up and find the Hilton Sisters in my lap. One limper ahead of me, I raise, both blinds and the limper call.
Board Q 5 9 rainbow
Limper checks, I bet, all call.
Turn 4
Limper checks, I bet, SB folds, BB calls, limper folds.
River 2
BB wakes up like someone lit a stick of dynamite under his seat and pushes out a bet. I was 99% sure I was beat and the Hulk-like anger started to swell up inside me. I called, and sure enough he turns over A3o for the perfect runner-runner straight. I blame my lack of live play for my actions next. I flung my cards into the muck, unfortunately one of them skipped like a smooth rock off water and hit the dealer. I immediately apologized and told him it was not his fault but the damage was done, I felt like the biggest asshole in the world. After throwing a toke to the dealer and another apology, I left in a huff. Poker was not fun at that point. Looking back, yeah I should have handled it better, but you need to make mistakes before you can learn from them. And I learned a big one right there. Because I tilted off money at the slots going back to TI. I spent the next 1-2 hours wandering between the various card games just watching which to me is sometimes more exciting than actually playing.
Next up Vegas Day 4: Final Table Time Baby!
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