I wake up even later than normal today. The combination of booze, Dealertainers, another way too late dinner, and the "WTF happened yesterday???" have all destroyed my brain this morning/afternoon. Luckily, I called the airline in a drunken stupor last night/early morning to switch my flight so I don't have to worry about that. I do however need to talk to the car rental office since the Kia was supposed to be back 3 hours ago. I've been using an aircard for my laptop while in the room, and while it hasn't been the fastest internet connection, it has been serviceable. Today for some reason though, I couldn't get a signal on the computer or my phone...at all. I could go outside and get a signal on the phone for about a minute, but then it would cut out. I'm getting frustrated after an hour of trying different locations in the room, rebooting, and even taking the laptop outside for a while so I can get some things done. Nothing. After nearly throwing everything off the balcony (which must be a favorite past time of IP guests, because there is everything from cigarette butts, plates, phonebooks, and even underwear on the ground below from people chucking it off the balcony), I decide to just drive to the airport and renew my contract for the car. A hassle, but I don't really have anything important to do otherwise. After getting yelled at by Enterprise because the car was due back this morning and they couldn't reach me on my phone, I finally get everything cleared up (I had another issue with them in that I didn't bring the credit card I used to pay for everything initially, and you can't pay for the same rental on 2 cards, but we worked it out). I then head over to the Rio to pick up a couple new patches for Monday. I only walked through the poker pavillion for a minute, I didn't even care what was going on for Day 2B. As I walk in, I enter on the side where Feature Table #3 is (where I played yesterday) and see a huge crowd gathered around the rail. I guess everyone is there to see Allen Cunningham...I'm not impressed (long story on AC, another time, and probably not for public knowledge).
I'm walking out of the Rio when I look down at a text that reads, "I don't care how many chips you have going into Day 3. If Lou Diamond Phillips can crack the top 200 in 2009, you can definitely cash this thing." I laugh out loud and try to find some food. I've been craving Mexican the whole time I've been here and decide I'm going to search for an "off the beaten path" restuarante. I head back over to the other side of Flamingo and turn down Maryland Ave. I finally come across El Patio, which looks like a run down little strip center Mexican joint...my kind of place. The only problem is it's directly across the street from an In N Out, so if El Patio turns out to be bad, it'll really be in my face. A couple of fish tacos later, I'm relatively satisfied (well, at least I don't have to get a 2x2 on the way back).
I head to the pool for a while before playing the 7pm at the V. I saw something today that rarely happens at the IP...a 9 at the pool! This is an historic moment for the IP pool I believe. She may have even been a 10, but I was trying not to stare as I don't think I could've taken all her meat head friends that were with her, and I definitely wasn't in the mood for a beat down. I feel like I just saw the last unicorn. Truely an unexpected sight at the IP. This actually gives me a little more confidence heading into Monday...if there can be a 9 at the IP pool, I can survive Day 3!
I draw the 6 seat for the nightly V, which I'm pretty happy about. One of the many problems I have with my game is apparent tonight...I don't care if I win tonight or not, I just want to relax and have a good time. This is a terrible way to play, but it just happens sometimes. It's funny, I play so little online that entering a $100 tourney seems like a million dollars online, but live I'd enter 5 $100 tourneys in a day like they're $10 tourneys if I could. I have no idea why I do this, it makes no sense and it's something I'm working hard on correcting. Anyway, I sit down to what appears to be a pretty soft table. The guy to my right is a super nice Scottish man, and to my left, an Irishman that busted out of the Main on Day 1. We talk for a while as the Scott has AA 3x, AK 2x, QQ once, and AQ suited 2x...all in the first 2 levels! He stacks up a bit, but failed to get paid on most. I pull a couple floats to maintain my stack through the first couple of levels. I'm also able to pick up a decent pot against a very inexperienced young woman that called me down the whole way with 2nd pair, when I flopped a straight. I then pick up AK suited in early position and I 3x raise. The button, an older gentleman that I just watched call an AI with A10 off, shoves. I don't even think, I call in a second. He shows QQ, I spike a A on the flop, he backdoors a straight. I lose about half my stack. I maintain, just having a good time for the next couple of levels. After the second break, a huge stack has moved to our table. He's a young Norwegian player that seems pretty strong. I watch as he gets moved on with AK to his QQ. K spikes and he looks super dejected. His stack is still in good shape and I ask why he's so down. He says that's the 31st straight coinflip he's lost since he's been in Vegas. He's dead serious as he says this. I don't believe him, but he proceeds to tell me he's been here for a month and a half and doesn't have a cash in anything, or even close. He tells me he's a pretty accomplished online player, but has lost 15k in small tournaments while here. At this time, I'm getting a little short on chips as the blinds keep rising. I shove 77, the Norwegian calls with QQ again. I hit a 7 on the turn and I thought he would cry. I seriously felt horrible about what just happened. I talk with him a little more during another break, and he has really been taking some awful beats. About 45 minutes later, he's put to the test again when shoved into, this time he's calling with AK suited against JJ. JJ holds up and he's put out of the tournament. "Make that 32 straight flips" is all he can say as he stands up. I console him for a minute and tell him it definitely will get better, sometimes this stuff just happens. As I see him, shoulders and head down, that glazed look in his eyes, I realize that my luck could be a lot worse. I hope it works out for him, he was a nice kid that was just on an awful run. Again approaching a short stack, I wind up calling an AI from the same guy that got me earlier. I have KQ hearts, he has 33. K78, 2 hearts flop, turn is another K, river is...3. The Norwegian's luck has rubbed off on me! Twice now I get this guy on the flop, only to be run down. Oh well, I'm not too upset about it, I had a good time and got to talk to some good people at this table. Knowing I wasn't playing on Sunday, and Monday could be my last day in Vegas, I sign up for the 1/2 game at the V.
A guy from New Jersey fills the 7, and I the 8 seat at one of the 1/2 tables. We talk for a few minutes and determine that he's doing the same thing I am...playing some poker now so he can take Sunday off and be ready for Day 3. He is short as well at around 40k going into Monday. The table seems pretty managable; there's only one young Asian with about $700 in front of him, everyone else is within 1-1.5 buyins. Almost immediately, I'm able to put some fear into the table using a read, and a good hand. UTG (who is another young Asian that is always very calculating) raises to $11, Jersey calls, I call with 1010, and BB calls. JK4 flops and it somehow checks around. The 10 hits the turn and we're off. BB opens for $15, UTG raises to $30, Jersey pops it to $80 with a quickness. BB has a sick look and everyone looks confused. After looking them over, I know I'm good, so I shove. BB tanks for a long time and folds, UTG does the same. Jersey starts cracking up and shows me 82. BB asks me like 10 times what I had, because he had AJ. I give him some possibilities then say, "Look, that guy was lying from the start(talking to UTG), and I know you saw it too (talking to Jersey). Unfortunately, I think you just got stuck in the middle of a s**t show (talking to BB)". Jersey just laughs more as now BB is half tilted and UTG looks more than a little distraught. While I did know UTG and Jersey were lying, I actually wasn't sure what BB had, I just didn't think he'd call an AI without AQ, JJ, or KJ there, and I believe he bets KJ on the flop which eliminates that hand. I then put on the headphones and look coy, hoping to get another hand now knowing I'm going to get action. I push the big stack around a few times by floating; he has no interest in playing with me at all. A new guy comes to the table and we get involved in a hand together. I'm holding 35diamonds and raise to $10 from middle position, new guy calls from the SB. A106 with 2 diamonds flops. He bets $35, and I call. The turn is an off 4, and he fires out $75. I tank and inexplicably fold. This was a major mistake, and I didn't think this hand through correctly before I folded. He actually asked for a rabbit and it was the 7 of diamonds. I was not happy with my play there, and the guy immediately leaves after that hand. Only a couple of hours into play, I'm up a hundred or so when Chip says he's getting off of work soon and wants to party. I decide to play another orbit and rack up. The last hand of the night proved fruitful when I called the tilted BB from before with a flush draw that hit on the river. This nets me another hundred and I'm out. I stand to leave and tell the guy, "10's". He asks if I had pocket 10's, or just a 10 as I walk away.
The rest of the night is dominated by consumption. After walking back to IP to realize we can't have the Fried Green Tomato Stack from Hash House one last time(I cannot express in print how unbelievably delicious this is), we turn around and walk back to the V to grab tons of comped food from Grand Lux, and another boatload of cocktails. On the way back to my room at the IP, Chip says, "16 is going to hit at roulette on the next spin. Let's give Carrie Underwood a hundred and play it". I tell him he's ridiculous and start walking away...Chip's been known to love the roulette table a little more than the average degen and I don't want to get caught up in it with him. I try to get him to walk away as Carrie says there's no more bets. 16 obviously hits and he's pissed. I just cost him $700 because he was going to put $20 on it 5 times in a row. I try to make up for it in more cocktails, but I don't think it dulled the pain of his loss. A few/10 more drinks and we're done for the night. Chip makes his stumble back to his car at TI, and I pass out, still having a whole other day before I meet my fate, whatever that may be...
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