Back from Vegas and another Online Win

I haven't posted since I got back from Vegas as nothing much had occured until last night. Monday night was my first online session I put in since returning home last Wednesday night. I played some golf and spent some time with Angie. I played on Monday night and ran pretty poorly losing over 80 percent of my coinflip situations. I got deep in a couple of tournaments but lost flips in both and those didn't pay too great. I played last night and started off pretty slow as I normally do but kicked it in later in the evening. I played in the Tilt 50/50 got pretty deep in this and busted around 60th losing QJ vs A8 all in preflop for around 30 BB. I got a small return on that tourney. I played in the Tilt 50 single rebuy single addon again, the one I won twice in one week while I was in Vegas, I ended up getting 8th for around $600 but I lost a big pot with 10 left with AA vs K9 all in on a KJ8 flop when he turned a 9. I lost AQs vs AK all in preflop to bust out. I also went deep in the Stars 109 at 11pm when I busted out 14th with AK vs KT all in on a J425 board with 3 diamonds I had the A dia too bad he had the KTdia and I rivered a 3 for the wheel but not good enough to best his flush. That was for a second place stack instead out 14th for a $333 cash. I also went deep in the Tilt 50 rebuy at 11:30pm where I busted out 12th with 55 vs AT all in preflop for a 2nd place stack in which I thought the guy made a horrid call with the AT in this spot but oh well thats how it goes. I had a small return on this tourney as well. I ended up winning the Stars 50 single rebuy single addon at 12:15am for around $4300. I bascially ran this tourney over the entire way as I was top 5 the whole tournament. I owned a guy 3 handed in back to back pots to give me and 8-1 chip advantage going into heads up and I won KQ vs K3 all in preflop to bust the guy and to give me win. I have been crushing here lately online with 4 wins this month and alot of other solid cashes. I'm really happy with my play overall and I hope I continue improving my game and making some money.

I have played quite a bit of golf since my return to Vegas. I played awful my first outing in mens league on Thursday even though I shot a 43 which isn't horrible. I ended up going up to Indy for the weekend and spending time with Angie. I came home Sunday night and hit the links on Monday and turned in my best round of the year with a 76. I was really happy after the round and I was +3 combined on hole #1 both times. I played 9 holes yesterday and shot a 43 but made a couple of bucks playing against a few friends. Today was my scratch cup match for the rights to play in the championship and I got beat 1 up through 18 holes. I was 3 down through 9 as I played pretty poorly and my opponent made me pay for it. I ended up winning the first 2 holes on the back to get to only 1 down but he ended up winning hole 15 to go up 2 with 3 to play. I won 16 and 17 to get back to even going into the 18th. He ended up making a par and I bogeyed when I duffed a chip. I shot 86 to his 83. I hit 2 fairways all day and he missed just two. I didn't play my best game but I know he wasn't on top of his game either. It was a great match and probably the most comepetive 18 holes of golf I've every played. I really enjoyed it even though I lost as I just love competition. I hate losing though haha. I doubt I play any poker tonight as I have to get up at 7:15 in the morning to go to greenwood with my uncle to get fitted for a tux for my cousin Trista's wedding. I'm going to try to put in a session tommorow night, but I have mens league and not sure how much I'll drink haha. For the weekend, not sure what I'll be doing but it will probably involve some golf and I'll probably play some poker on Sunday night. That about sums it up, take it easy.

Venetian 1k and Online

The only live tournament I played in since my last post was the 1k at the Venetian. This was a great structure that allowed alot of play starting with 15k chips and 1 hour levels. The tourney got 148 players and was around 45k to win. Not much really went on for me in the first two hours as I was complete card dead but was around 15k in chips going into first break. After first break, I should of went broke when I called a raise with AJhh and flop came T97 with 2 hearts. Luckily the guy played KK very slow. I was knocked down around 9k after that hand and just maintained it going into 2nd break with blinds jumping up to 200-400. I built that 9k up to 19k without showdown. I ended up getting AK all in preflop vs QQ for 40k stack at 300-600 and I whiffed. This was also the last live tourney I was going to play and it was really disappointing. I ran pretty bad in coinflip situations throughout the two and half week span I was out here.

Onto the online front, I played on Saturday night and didn't end up getting any big scores. I lost KK vs JJ all in preflop for a huge stack in the money of the 109 at stars. I ran really bad this night losing tons of 70/30s and some 80/20s as well. I took Sunday off from online and watched the Lakers/Celtics game that night and just took it easy. I ended up playing last night and it paid off. I took 4th in the Tilt 163 65k buyin which was good for $6800. First place was 19.6k though and would of been really nice to close that one out strong. I also took 8th in the 11pm Stars 109 which was good for around $800 but was around 7700 to win and I was 3/9 going into the final table. Oh well, I can't really complain how things went online for me while I've been out here in Vegas as I had 3 wins and that 4th place finish in the 163. I really am starting to enjoy playing online again but I think the big thing is I've been playing with mattster and it's alot more fun to talk about poker and sports with someone than sit in your room all day like your in prison.

We leave tommorow to come back to Indiana and I am so glad as it has gotten really old living out of a hotel for 17 days. I'm really excited to get back and start golfing again as I haven't picked up any clubs since a couple of days before we left to come out here. I think that about sums it up, I'll talk at ya later.

Venetian 550 and Venetian 340 Blowup

I played in the Venetian 550 on Tuesday and never got too much going in this tourney. I ended up running 88 into QQ at the 200-400 level for around 22k in chips in a late position battle against an aggresive young kid. On Tuesday, my girlfriend Angie and Matt's girlfriend Lindsey flew out to come and see us for a couple of days. We went bowling on Tuesday night and I absolutley sucked it up and bowled a 78 and 99. Talk about stinking up the place. On Wednesday I took the day off from poker and we went and hung out all day. We ate at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville which was really good. We ended up going to the piano bar at New York New York which was a really good time also.

On Thursday I played in the 340 at the Venetian. I don't even know where to begin to talk about this tournament really. Each player started out with 12k in chips and I was down to 7800 fairly quickly losing with a boat to quads in which I feel I lost the minimum. With blinds moving up to 100-200 I got 66 all in vs AQ when I was the button and he was the BB and I got it to hold to push my stack up to 16k. I ended up getting J9s all in on the river on a board of 995QA in which I think I played the hand perfect to double up to 32k. I'm not sure what the guy had as he mucked. After break, I ended up gettin back down to aroud 17k in which I whiffed a huge draw holding KJcc on a T98 board with 2 clubs vs AQcc. Then the hand of the tournament was when I limped AA under the gun and it folded around to the button who limped and the sb completed and the bb checked. The flop came 653 with 2 hearts and it checked to me I led 2200 out and it folded to the sb who made it 6500 and I ended up shipping in my remaining chips and he snapped and showed me 42 for the straight. I was packing up my ipod until the 2 of hearts turned and than the 7 of hearts rivered giving me a flush with my AA and a huge stack. I was up to 49k going into second break. The guy with 42 kept saying what did you put me on and how could you think you were ahead. I replied "If I knew what you had I would of folded." Oh well, I ended up chipping up to 64k after break when the following hand took place. A guy raised to 5500 under the gun at 600-1200 and I picked up AA once again and just decided to flat. The flop came out 953 with 2 spades and the bettor makes it 15k which is over potsized and I ended up shipping on him which he had another 25k back and he called and flipped up 65ss which was middle pair and flush draw. I got it to hold and was up over 100k. A little bit later, I got AK all in vs KT in a blind battle for around a 50k pot and was up over 125k. I ended up just basically running the last couple of levels over from there and was up to 193k at dinner break and most likley the chiplead. I want to flashback to Tunica in January where I had a huge chiplead in the 1k at dinner break and over triple average with 38 left in the field. I ended up getting 21st in this tourney when 18 paid. That tourney was 66k to win and left me with major dissapointment. Back to yesterdays tourney I come back from dinner break and get moved to a different table which I liked since I was being somewhat super aggresive at my other table. First hand back I raise QTo on the button to 8k at 1500-3k and instantly get shoved on. No big deal as I had plenty of chips right? Very next hand I pick up JJ in the cutoff and open to 8k again, the BB ships 60k on me and I snap and he shows me KJ. I was pretty happy until the flop rolled out AQT and that was about it. That dropped me down to around 125k. I was still in great shape over double average. A couple of hands later a guy ships in 30k at 1500-3k still and I pick up 99 in the BB and make the call and he shows me A5. Once again, I'm thrilled to be in the position I'm in even more so when another player said he folded an A. It wasn't meant to be for me to hold there as the board ran out JJ2A7. That dropped me down to around 100k. Just a few hands later a woman limps in the sb and I check QTo from the BB. The flop rolls out QJ8 and she instantly shoves in 40k, I end up making the call and she flips over KQ obv the turn brought a K to give me an openender and the river blanked and all of a sudden I was down to around 60k. Just a couple of minutes later a player opened in the cutoff to 12k at 2k-4k and I shipped in 60k over him with KQo and he snapped me with AJs and I couldn't hit and was out of the tournament. The tourney was 38k to win and I busted out around 50th which was good for absolutley nothing but disappointment. I was in shock for awhile of what just had happened. To go from chiplead at dinner break, to out in under an hour is just mind boggling. I had a really great chance at a big score and it slipped away yet again. That about sums up the tournament and the way this trip has gone on the live front. I'll probably play online the next couple of days but I could end up playing the 330 at Caesars tommorow and I'll most likely play the 540 at the Venetian on Monday which would be my last tournament of the trip. I'm still up money on this trip since I've had some good online scores, but the live portion has been very disappointing to my standards or hell probably anyones standards seeing how I've bricked every live tournament. Thats about all I have to say about that. Mattster is currently in the money in the 2k wsop event with a pretty decent stack so hopefully he'll catch a few breaks deep in this one and get a big score. He has been playing awesome this whole trip and I think this could be his time to shine. I'll talk at ya later.

Some Online and Venetian 550

I played a little bit online over the past couple of days. Didn't have any good results though. I went deep in a couple of 109's on stars but couldn't get anything going at the end. I played a couple of the sunday majors yesterday and didn't cash any of them. In the Sunday Mulligan on Tilt I got AA all in vs JJ on a T87 flop and I couldn't get it to hold for a double average stack. Other than that, nothing really major has happened.

Today I played in the Venetian 500+50. I've already busted out within the first six levels once again. I ended up running 99 into QQ preflop for 25k at 300-600. That is all I have to say about that tourney. Tommorrow I'll be playing in the Venetian 500+50 once again. I hope to play better and make a deep run. I think I'm going to play some online again tonight. I'll keep ya updated, take it easy.

Another Online Win and 550 Venetian

I continued my heater last night and won the Tilt 50 single rebuy single addon again. I actually ended up chopping it up with the one and only mattster. I won a couple of flips deep in this to get me a big stack at the final table. Once we got 3 handed I ran JT into QQ on a QTT flop, I lost the minimum though as we checked the flop and I led the turn and he called, and than I check called the river. I ended up busting the guy in third with A7s vs JT all in preflop. Once we got heads up it was total domination by me, haha. Actually I hit a few flops on him and he didn't get too many cards. I ended up winning 55 vs his A6 allin preflop and when the 5 hit the flop it sealed the deal. We chopped it for $4300 apiece. I also final tabled the stars 50 single rebuy single addon. I got 6th for around $600, I lost TT vs Q9 all in preflop for 22 BB. Turned out to be a pretty solid night. This is the first time I've ever won the same tourney twice let alone in a 4 day span. This is also the first time I've won 3 tournies in one week.

I played the Venetian 500+50 buyin today. It was 66k to win today with around 460 players I believe. They have added more chips and give us 15k now instead of the 10k, well it didn't matter as I've already busted once again in the first 3 hours. About the third hand in I pick up QQ behind 2 limpers and make it 250 to go at 25-50. Both call and flop rolls out 654 with 2 diamonds. First limper checked, 2nd limper led for 550, I made it 1650 to go and the first limper folded, and the bettor shoved all in. I tanked for about a minute and folded. I really don't know what the guy had to shove there I'm thinking maybe 2 pair or a huge draw I don't think he shoves 14k more with a set. Nothing really much happened after that in the first 2 hours and I was around 13.5k going into 2nd break. Right after 2nd break I chipped up in a nice pot with 96s on a 8765 board. I was up to around 15k. Then, I limp with 63s after 2 limpers at 100-200 with 25 ante, guy behind makes it 1225 to go and I was pretty sure he had nothing. Folded to me and I made it 3700 to go and he thought for a minute and called. The flop rolled out A87 and I led 2600 and he quickly made it 5200. I tanked for about 2 minutes just acting like I had a big hand and I folded and he showed me Q6. It was a sick play by both of us, he just had position and made the sicker play. He told me if I led 4k on the flop he would of folded. I tip my hat to you sir! That dropped me down to 8500 in chips. I opened A3s in mp about 10 hands later and got called in 2 spots. The flop rolled out T22 rainbow. Checked all the way around. The turn was the 8 clubs to give me a flush draw. I checked guy led 3k into the pot and once again I didn't think he was strong to overbet the pot and I shipped in my 8k and he snaps me with 77 obv and I can't hit my draw. I'm not real for sure what is going on with my live play, I usually always get a big stack and not bust in the first 3 hours or so. I don't know if I have some tells or what, but it seems like when im whiffing flops or trying to make a move they are picking me off and when I flop a monster I'm not getting paid. I think I might take the next couple of days off from live tournies and get refocused. I'll probably play online or just take a break and having some fun in the sin city. Well I'm getting ready to play some online and I hope to keep the heater going, I'll talk at ya later.

Online and 260 Binions

I played some online last night but just played a few Sit n go's. I played 4 60 turbos single tables and a 60/45 man. I bricked the 60/45 but in the 60 single tables I had 2 1sts and 2 2nds out of the 4. In of the ones I got second in I lost Q3 all in vs J9 on a 9433 board all in on the turn. Than I lost K6 vs K2 to the same guy to bust that would of given me back the chiplead. Oh well, I profited $492 off those 5 sit n go's so I can't complain. I also played in the 260 buyin at Binions today. You start with 7k in chips with 30 minute levels with the blinds starting at 25-50. I raised 33 at 25-50 get 4 callers the flop rolls out J53 no action obv. At 50-100, I pick up AA and an aggresive woman raises to 400 under the gun and I flat, the SB makes it 1200 to go she folds and I decide to just call again. The flop rolls out T88 he leads for around 1400 I just call. Turn is a 2 and he leads out 2200 and I shove in and he calls and shows me TT. That dropped me down to around 1200 in chips and I ended up doubling up with TT vs 44. The blinds jumped to 75-150 and I raise to 450 with around a 2400 stack to start the hand. I get 3 callers and the flop rolls out 532. I check and guy leads out 900 and I ship and he shows me A4 for the wheel. I'm getting sick of busting tournies very early. Me and mattster are going to go grab something to eat here in a bit and after that I plan on grinding online tonight to try to get another good score. That about sums it up, I'll talk at ya later.

Online Poker and Venetian 300+40

I played online last night and got some really big stacks but couldn't get the big score for the second consective night. It was really aggrevating but I can't complain as I thought I played really well. I played in the 300+40 Venetian today and busted out in the first 40 minutes. I lost half my chips where I flopped a flush with the 87hh on a J42 all heart board. Guy led into me, I raised really big and he just called. Turn was the Ah and he shoved into me and I had to give it up. I was down to around 3500 when I limped with KQss after 2 limpers. The flop came out QT6 with 2 spades and I ended up getting it all in and was up against QT. I couldn't hit and I was eliminated early on. I came back to the room and decided to play some online and I ended up winning the 33 turbo at full tilt for 1k. It had around 113 players. Not a big score, but when you win any tournament its a special feeling. I think I might grind some Sit n go's or cash later on tonight. Well I'll let ya go, take it easy.

Also, I will be playing the 225+25 at Binions tommorow which stars at 2pm Vegas time. The Venetian is having an Omaha event so I won't be playing there.

Online Win and 340 Venetian

After I busted the 550 Venetian last night, I came back to the room and fired up some tournies. The first tourney I started was the tilt 50 single rebuy single addon at 10:30. I got off to a real slow start until after the first break. I ended up getting a really good stack at second break. Right after second break though I lost QQ vs A9 all in preflop. I kind of stayed around the 20 BB chipstack until I won AK vs AQ all in preflop to get me a top 5 stack. I also got AA vs AQ all in preflop for a ton of chips. I was the chipleader with 18 left which was in the money. I ended up getting tripped over tripped though and was 10/10. I ended up shoving 98 and got called by A6 and I won to put me up to 21 BB. Very next hand , I get AQ all in preflop vs AJ to almost double up again and bust a player. I was chipleader going into the final table after being 10/10. I busted a player with KK allin preflop from a shorstack who shoved 53. I kind of just stayed around the same stack until 4 handed. I limped K6s in the sb and the bb checked. Flop came KQ4 with 2 diamonds but not of my suit. I checked and the BB checked and the turn peeled off a 9. I bet around 8k and he shoved in 40k and I called and was up against J5 and got it to hold. Than 3 handed I got 88 all in preflop vs 64 and got it to hold up to bust the guy and get headsup. The headsup battle didn't last long as I got T9 in vs KT on a 8549 board, which he had flush draw and I got it to hold. That tourney was 5100 to win. This was a big confidence boost and I hope this is the start of a heater. I didn't run to well in my other tournies though. In the 33 MTT on stars at 11:00 I lost back to back flips and got 3 outed in the money. I was in the top 5 of chips the whole way but no luck at the end. In the stars 109 at 1 I lost QQ vs TT allin preflop. In the tilt fiddy turbo I chopped AA vs K7 for 25 BB with 40 left and ended up losing a flip to bust out with around 36 left just short of the money. I also lost AJ vs A7 to the same guy in the turbo fiddy at tilt right after I doubled the hand before. Oh well, I can't complain as I got the win that I've been looking for.

I played the 300+40 buyin at the Venetian today. You start out with 6k in chips and 40 minute levels. I didn't do much in the first 2 hours and found myself with around 6500 in chips going into first break. A couple of hands back from break at 100-200 level I decided to limp KK in early position. A young player limped behind and it was 4 ways to the flop with the blinds coming in. The flop was AK7 and I led 500 into it. The young player made it 1100 to go and I just decided to call it. The turn was an A and I checked and he bet 4k and I only had around 4800 left and shoved and he obviously called and showed me AJ. I got it to hold and was up to around 12.5k. From there I ended up losing around 5k with JTs on a J638 board that I ended up folding on the turn and that dropped me to around 6500 or so. I built that back up to around 11.5k with the blinds at 300-600 without showdown. A very aggresive young kid opened to 1600 at 300-600 and I shoved in with KJ and he tanked for a bit and ended up calling with TT and I couldn't win the race. I busted out around 145th or so out of 327 entrants. The tourney was 29k to win today. I'll be playing onling later tonight and will be playing the 300+40 Venetian tommorow.

Also, I'm in the final four of the scratch cup at my local course. I was the 10 seed coming into the tournament. I upset the 7 seed who I beat 3 and 2. After that I had to play the 2 seed which was my brother, I ended up beating him 2 up. I'm starting to hit the ball good but with me being in Las Vegas for 18 days I doubt I'll pick up a club out here. So I'll probably be rusty when I get back for my next match but it's not like im supposed to win anyways. Thats about it, talk to ya later.

Online and 550 Ventetian

I just got into Las Vegas last night around 9:45pm. I came straight to the room and fired up some tournaments. I ended up breaking even on the night. I had some good chances to get a good score and its really dissapointing. I had fun playing last night though for the second consective time that I played. That is a huge plus for me, hopefully I'll get the will to log some major hours once I get back to Indiana. I went deep in the tilt 22 rebuy last night but got my money in bad with around 13 left with me holding A5 and my opponent tabling JJ. I couldn't catch the 3 outer and I was sent packing. I basically dominated the 109 turbo at tilt that started at 3. I had the chiplead from about 140 left down to the final table. I ended up running TT into AA though and I busted 8th. 8th place was good for around $615 when first place was around $5800 to win. That was really disappointing but that is how turbos are. I lost back to back flips in the stars 50 single rebuy single addon to bust out 19th where the top 9 paid. That about sums it up online.

I played the 500+50 Venetian deepstack tournament today. The structure is pretty good with 10k starting stack and 40 minute levels. I started out hot, flopping a set with 99 in a 3 way with raise pot early on. The flop rolled out K94 and I got my opponent to call off his stack with AK. That shot me up to around 25k and I ended up getting to 30k at first break after winning a decent pot with AA. Right after first break I got all in with T7dd on 976 flop with 2 diamonds vs A9 and I couldn't hit the draw and that dropped me down to 24k. A few hands later I end up getting KJ all in vs JJ on QJ45K board to drop me down to around 14k. Sick thing about this hand was that the guy with JJ was a total manaic and was shoving on the flop and turn with total air. I ended up building my stack back up to 25k when I won a good pot with QJ vs JT on a J high flop. The blinds jumped to 300-600 with 50 ante and a good player shoved in 6k and I called him with 99. He flipped up A6 and the board ran out TT7A4 and he doubled through me. I ended up raising about 6 out of 7 hands with total air and building my stack back up to around 25k. Last hand before second break I get 88 all in vs A9 for 21k in chips and his A9 got there to drop me down to 14k going to break. Once again after break, I built my stack without showdown back to 23k. I blinded down to around 19k. Than I raised a limper with AJcc and he called the flop came K72 with 2 clubs. He checkraised me all in with KT and I called and hit my club on the river to get to 37k. A few hands later the button opened and I shoved over his 14k stack with A7 at 400-800 and he snapped me with A8 and he held up. From there I went total card dead and ended up having around 15k in chips with blinds going to 800-1600. I ended up shoving A5o and the sb tanked and finally called with AK, haha. I couldn't suck out and I busted out around 85th out of 297 entrants or so. The tourney was 44k to win today. Tommorow I'll be playing in the 300+40 at the Venetian. I'm starting to play online for the rest of the evening so I will talk to you later.