Vegas

I have been to Vegas a few times and went twice last year both times for a week. I have a week trip planned for September and I can't wait. Its gotten now where I really don't want to travel anywhere else. I love it there. Its not just the poker and gambling. I can get that here in BÇ casinos. Its just the vibe there. People always ask me why don't I go to Hawaii (been there), Mexico(never again) or say Cuba. Those places just don't have the thrill for me that Vegas does. I guess if you live there like the Grump or BWOP it wouldn't be the same but to me its always the best vacation. As soon as I got home from being there last August I was planning my next one. I was actually hoping to go in the spring but the better half couldn't get any vacation time in April or May so September it will be.

I read a lot of great Vegas blogs mostly poker related but one that's veers off the beaten track is Vegas Rex. He actually has two blogs which you can find here and here . He gives you a different slice of Vegas, doesn't mince words and calls it like he sees it. A very entertaining read. His pictures of different parts of Vegas are superb.

I played a live game last night and basically bombed out. I think there was just under 50 of us and fairly early on I got dealt pocket queens in the BB. I love getting high pockets in the BB. Who wouldn't?? I tend to win big pots there. They can be played and disguised well. Well not this time. A guy in middle position who was already down a bit pushed all in. Then the guy in the SB called him. Yikes. What is a guy to do? The SB I didn't worry too much about as he plays weird hands but the early guy had me concerned. After much deliberation I called. Since the SB and myself both had him covered we saw a flop of I think 953 rainbow. The SB then pushed his remaining chips in . What the?? Anyways I called as I still had him covered. He flipped over AQ. The early raiser flipped over KK. Not looking good for the main pot but when the turn and the river were blanks I at least won the side pot. It left me fairly short stacked but I managed to build it back a bit over the next orbit.

Then I got dealt A5h UTG. I am not a big fan of this hand in that position so I folded. Well every one else at the table limped in... If I had only known. The flop came Q55. Yep. Two people got a piece of it one guy having the other 5 and a lady who I think had AQ. It turned into a huge pot which would have been mine. Oh well. I still really don't like playing Ace Rag early.

I went out when getting low I pushed with Q10h and 2 hearts on the flop of 872. The chip leader at our table called me with 8,3? It was a BB special and he had bet after the flop and I thought he was just trying to steal the pot so I pushed hoping he would fold but also knowing I had lots of outs. His 8s held up and I was out.

I talked to a lot of people last night just generally asking if they played online for cash and if so at what levels. Most played but very few for cash (they felt like I do that they would rather play live). Some played the micro games. One guy told me he was watching one of the higher games online and watched a guy lose 80 grand in less than an hour. Unbelievable. Imagine sitting at a computer and blowing 80 grand staring at a screen full of cards. Not in this lifetime.

So the hockey playoffs are fully set now after last nights games so my predictions for the next round are... Detroit over Anaheim in 6, Washington over Pittsburgh in 7,
Boston over Carolina in 5 and Vancouver over Chicago in 6. First game is Thursday night here in Vancouver.