You Don't Sweat In a Dry Heat...

The plan today(Monday) was to just go to the pool and chill out, maybe head over to see Chip at Cut for a cocktail or two. There's not really a tournament that I want to play in the daytime, so this seems like a perfect plan.

I've always been told that you don't really sweat in a dry heat. I remember being at the Olympic Track and Field trials in Sacramento, CA in 2000 for a few days and it was 110 everyday, but no humidity. I don't remember sweating at all. I went to the pool today and within 5 minutes, I think I had lost 5lbs of water weight. I was as wet in the pool as I was out of it. If anyone ever trys to tell you about not sweating in the dry heat, tell them to lay in the desert and see if you sweat.

I decide to play the 7pm $120 tournament at Venetian. This is my kind of tourney...230 players, 7500 chips to start, 20 minute levels, but that's reasonable. It reminds me of the Midnight Doublestack at the Taj, without all the bums and murders. I immediately feel at home as I love this structure. Get to the first break with 10500 after playing pretty good position poker and picking up some hands that I raise with to folds. I have the image of a tight, but semi aggressive player, which is perfect for this type of tourney. After the break I get extremely card dead for a long time, along with the fact that 3 players that have double and tripled up are raising/shoving almost every hand. While I know they're just playing internet aggressive poker, I'm still not going to call them with 34 suited. My chips dwindle down to about 6k, with the blinds being 300/600. This is a tough spot, but one that I can still show a little bit of patience with. My range of shove worthy hands opens up a bit, but not to the point where I'm shoving any face card out of position. I get A10 of spades in late position, with a min raise and call in front of me. I insta shove and both call. 2 spades on the flop, blank turn, 10 on the river. They checked all the way through. I'm good with the 10, as the other guys had AJ, A9. This is a huge triple up and I get up to about 20k. I again get into position poker and take down some pots with preflop raises and Cbets after. At the next break I'm sitting at 26k and pretty healthy. This next round is pretty uneventful until just before the break. I've recently been moved to another table. We're at about 65-70 players left. Blinds are 600/1200 100 ante at this point. Under the gun raises to 3200, all folds to me. I'm sitting on the button with KK. I pine for a minute and finally shove in a way that implies an overbet. He thinks for a minute, I've got him covered 26500 to 16K. He finally makes the call with AJ hearts. Flops 3 hearts...terrible. We're on break within the next couple of hands. Coming out of the break, I'm at 10500, blinds 800/1600 200 ante. I'm in the BB right away, fold. SB, fold. They break the table and I'm immediately put back into the BB at my new table, fold. SB, fold. I now about 5k left and am in terrible shape. I shove with 22 and pick up the pot to get back to about 10k. Next hand is AJ hearts...fate! Anyone that plays with me on a regular basis knows this is my least favorite hand and it proves true again. I shove, get called with 55, can't get any help. I'm out in about 50th. I went from making a nice deep run to out pretty quickly. I'm a little disappointed, but I'll definitely be back tomorrow for another.

Here's where Vegas can really get people I think. I'm still not ready for a solid 12-16 hour session at a 2/5 or 1/2 table, so I decide to see Chip at Cut. I proceed to get hammered on some absolutely amazing cocktails. He and that staff really put forth the extra effort to provide high quality drinks. I really only had about 5-6 drinks, but I realize I've only eaten a piece of salmon all day and it's just not soaking up the liquor. Now here's what I mean when I say Vegas can get you. If I drink once a month at this point in my life, that's a lot. I had no intention of drinking on any particular day, and now I haven't gone a day without drinking. Not really because I want to drink, but because it's something to do. Now obviously I'm hanging with a friend that's bartending so that doesn't help, but I definitely don't have to drink there but do anyway.

I pass out at 3am and promptly wake up Tuesday Morning at 5am, right as rain. No hangover, nothing. Not tired, just awake. I seriously don't know how my brain and body are doing this. I should be passed out for a day with amount of sleep I'm on and drinks I've had, but nope, I'm ready to go. This is beyond ridiculous at this point....