I played a live session last night... and the reason I was able to do that was because I am in Las Vegas(!) right now with my family on a nice weekend getaway. It's funny because everyone who knows I play poker but doesn't fully understand the concept probably thinks I'm some massive degenerate who had to convince my family to come to Vegas so I could GAMBLE MOREEEEE. In actuality, we've been coming here for five years, and my parents for long before that.

However, I did wire some money so I could play some live sessions because I enjoy it .

We went to this place The Palm in the Forum Shops, which is actually a chain based out of NYC. My brother ate a six pound lobster, which I will edit in with pictures when they get uploaded. Because, I wanted to play a session after, I played with a very good Chilean Sea Bass. One double espresso later, I was headed over to the Bellagio to grind it up and try to overcome my jet lag.



I decided to play 5/10 NLHE after unsuccessfully trying to form a HA game. We started a table and I sat in the 7 seat, with the 5,6, and 9 seats all filled by these middle aged Persian regulars. I was dressed nicely having just come from dinner, so I figured my image would be the wealthy white boy who wants to try to have a good time.

I played around a third of my hands which is fairly normal for live games where I'm really in it to just gamble and try to own people really hard. I was straddling, and doing stuff like occasionally letting someone pick one of my cards, etc. The three aforementioned regulars did a really good job shooting the shit with me and treating me respectfully (obviously assuming I was a fish because I played something like my first 8 of 10 hands).

About 20 minutes in, I am in the BB with 99 and raise to 60 facing a CO limp, button call, and SB complete. Two guys call and the flop comes JTx. After checking around, the 9h binks on the turn bringing in a BDFD. SB leads out 50, I make it 210, he says "ok I call" and quickly calls. Some heart falls on the river, he checks, I ship for probably around 600 effective, he calls and flips over QK.

So, now those three regulars are being really nice to me, probably not realizing what a sick cooler that was vs. some random kid who had played 75% of hands up to that point.

A little later, seat 5 limps, I iso K5o to 50 SB (seat 9) calls, and we see a flop three handed. The flop comes K28, and I had been pretty aggressively cbetting so I check behind when I get the option. The turn is Jd, putting a BDFD up once more. It checks to me and I bet 110, the SB calls and HJ folds. The river is an offsuit 6 and he checks. He has like 280 left, and I think for a little while before shipping it in. He asks me if my jack is really that good, thinks, and finally calls, flipping over J7ss. I check the board and confirm that there are no 7s . I flip my K5o and he gets this priceless WTF face. Then, he looks at the five seat (remember these guys are all buddies and were actually semi-softplaying each other but w/e) and he just throws his hands in the air in disbelief and they start talking in Persian. I've never actually successfully value bet someone that hard live before so it was pretty fun to see the faces after the hand.

So now they aren't being as jolly to me, but eventually go back to the normal banter as some time passes by. Then a fun one comes up. Seat 5 (UTG) limps, I overlimp with 22, seat 8 makes it $50, and we pick up one cold caller (SB) as we see a four handed flop. The board comes out 45A with two spades. It checks to me and I fire out 150. Seat 8 reluctantly folds, SB even more reluctantly folds, and the regular calls. The Jo turn goes check check. The river comes out 8o and he quickly fires out 200. I am now unhappy that 67 got there, but think he had some FD on the flop and played it passively because it's live/an ace is on the board. I think for about 10 seconds before calling, and I get the silent head nod when I announce call. He flips K2ss, I table 22, and the table goes wild. After that, I just run the table over because they all fear me.

I actually wound up leaving not that long afterward because I was pretty tired. I decided to talk the walk from the B to the Mirage (where we are staying) and just take everything in. I fucking love this city.

PS. I am probably looking to go out on Saturday. Are any of you guys in town right now?

Greg