WPBT Aladdin: Day Two

Hmmmm Day Two. Like I'm reading from other trip reports day two started pretty rough for those who were at the MGM Grand.

I was no exception.

I'm not a young buck anymore that can do tequila shooters with an Everclear chaser all night and wake up the next morning three hours later chipper like a newlywed who spent the previous evening engaged in marathon sex and passed out into a sleep only sex can induce. Wow, that's a sweet run-on sentence. Like I've stated, my English skillz suck.

Staring at the digital clock (I'm still surprised it was digital considering the TV was from the Carter adminstration) that stated 7am it was time for only breakfast food McDonald's can't screw up.

McGriddle me please.

I slugged my way downstairs to see if anyone was up at this hour. Passed by a Dora the Explorer backpack (his words, not mine :P ) welding Badblood and MrsBlood as they waited for the Plaza buffet. Didn't see any bloggers in the poker room (or maybe I did, I can't remember) so I headed to the mecca of fast, fried foods in search of my McGriddle.

The line was a bit long as casino service people were already up and on their breaks. But while waiting in line I saw something that was slightly disturbing to say the least. I looked to my left as there was a nice asian family playing along the benches and a young couple to the right looking like they got some action last night with their permanent shitty grins. Then there was a dirty old man. No, he wasn't under the table trying to look up some chick's short/skirt/skorts. He wasn't dirty in a need-a-shower-sometime-this-month way. He had a freshed unwrapped Penthouse magazine in full view of the kids running around, flipping the pages with one hand and the other was... um... otherwise engaged.

Welcome to Vegas.

Thank god I didn't eat prior to the gross visual because frankly I think my McGriddle would have become McPuke. Maybe its my Minnesota nice that I'm not used to the porn being used as morning reading material instead of a daily Star Tribune or Wall Street Journal. I don't consider myself prude, but damn grandpa go to the fuckin bathroom if you want to spank it.

Besides geriatric self-pleasuring there were less vomit-inducing things that went on in day two.

First was to spend a little time out in the sun on the 7th floor of the Plaza. The pool area was basic. Unlike the strip resorts which are complete with $15 drinks and supermodels wearing dental floss doubling as bathing suits, this pool area was strickly to lay out and get some sun. While laying there was an announcement for an noon poker tournament. The wife mentioned I should go play since that's why I'm here. That's my girl :)

33 players put the cards into the air at noon. I was joined by Maudie and MrsBlood at the second table with me. Hurricane G-Rob who was sporting a hair-do that Kid from Kid N' Play would have been envious of, he sat the third table. Dr. Pauly and Badblood sat at the head table. MrsBlood showed some poker skills early by getting someone who was out-kicked to pay her off on every street with big slick. Maudie flopped set of tens to double up in the later rounds. And me, well, my best hand was big slick good for stealing the blinds. I finished 13th after hitting top pair no kicker in the BB and K8o who called UTG out kicked me. Dem are da breaks.

After losing in the tourney, I left to place my first sports wager of the weekend Twins + 150 vs. the Bronx Bombers at the Metrodome. Also getting a side bet bet with NY resident Pauly. Twins win. Drizz happy. I still say collecting the $5 from Pauly was worth more then the ~$50 I got from the sportsbook bet.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with my wife and parents who were on a road trip and were coming thru town during the same time we were there. Nothing too exciting except watching my mom play slots with the same $20 for over an hour. $2,000+ play through on $20, I wondered why she didn't get a comp card, she probably would have earned at least a towel set or something.

Night time finally started to set in and I found myself in the poker room and a big, tall drink of water was playing craps. I introduced myself to Hank and his friendly friend Matt (I hope I got the name right), and a jovial Bill Rini decked out in Full Tilt gear made my first foray into the craps table a fun one. I rolled a couple of points and made $20, then cursed myself for not betting more while Bill rolled, and rolled, and rolled. You need a number? This guy hits em like a river card at Pokerstars. I think it was the Guinness hat and maybe foreshadow of things to come for him this weekend.

After leaving the craps table up, it was time to Storm The Castle!! Thanks again to Hank for picking up with cab tab, you da man :)

MIKE MCD - "Rounders": All the luck inthe world isn't gonna change things for these guys. Theyr'e simply overmatched. We're not playing together, but we're not playing against each other, either. It's like the Nature Channel. You do'nt see piranhas eating each other, do you?

I made a $700 buy in for the 2-6 spread limit table, just to make sure I didn't play scared. Ok, I just like having lots and lots chips and pissing off the dealer for "hiding" my cards. I think I got warned 15 million times to not have my cards behind the chips, even though they were in view of the person to my right.

Cap'n Cokes, just keep em coming.

I was a tad alcohol induced, when a WSOP qualifer sat down at the other end of the table, the professional craps shooter Bill Rini took up the 6 seat, I was in the 9 seat and we're ready to play some pokah!

Before the session started I proclaimed to several people the ONLY thing I wanted to do tonight was to spin the money wheel (a spin is awarded to quads or higher or if you get your Aces cracked). Onwards to the hand of the night:

Late position with JoeSpeaker in the BB, I raise up my AQs and get 4 callers when the SB called and three other limpers called the extra $6. Flop is K K Q. Checked around to me, I led out with a $6 bet fearing a King but I didn't want to show it. Lost one caller now down to 3. Turn is a Q. Ugh, now I hate my hand with the ass-end of a boat or a split with someone who flopped two pair with me. I checked, calling station at the end of the table fires in a $6 bet, lost the remaining caller and I check-called due to the fact that this guy would bet/call with any draw and any pocket pair, but could have one of those Kings. The river.... the case Queen. Calling station bet into me. Now even though I was assured a wheel spin my sights got even higher as this was a jackpot board. I raised, hoping he'd play back at me spelling out that he had quads too. But, alas all I got was a flat call and he flipped over TT.

That's right, he couldn't even play the board. Welcome to live poker, can I take your money please?

I took down the nice pot then stepped up to the wheel and won $30. Awesome. The wheel spin was more exciting then the $30. Then quite a few bloggers started coming up and saying hi. I wish I could remember all the bloggers I chatted and played with but my Cap'n Morgan haze was getting dark. -EV pulled off his perfect Fillmaff imitation while staring down a poor local rock.

With drunkeness seeping in Otis declared it was time to play some PAI GOW!!!! I couldn't refuse. I proceded to donate my poker winnings to the casino rather quickly. Otis seemed amazed by the shitty cards I was receiving. I got five pai gows in a row. I offered to switch cards with the Nordic dealer Sanja. She refused with a sweet little smile. I was hoping to spend a little more time playing -EV games but it wasn't meant to be and I wanted to take my frosty run of cards away from the table so the rest of them could hopefully profit more. A nice quiet cab ride back to the Plaza was very relaxing, thank god I didn't fall asleep.

Tommorow's edition: WPBT Aladdin tourney, Al's afterparty complete with mini-karoke, and poker at the Plaza

Thanks for dropping by, now go read about Minnesota's new Poker in the bars law (Star Trib registration may be required). Whoo Whoo!!