Pink on 'roids. Cause that's how they roll on the West Coast.

In Vegas.  Yesterday I
didn’t play any poker.  Monday’s session
I was running bad and I just wasn’t in the mood to get in the saddle again.  Didn’t see the point in forcing myself to play
since that usually ends badly.  Played
blackjack and made $10. 

In the late afternoon/early evening I played some 1/2 NL at South Point briefly
and broke even (actually +$1).  It helped
to get my feet wet again.  On the other
hand, I’ve been kind of frustrated with breaking even recently because it seems
overall the past few weeks I’ve been a break even player.  I think this is a sign of some of the holes in
my game right now (primarily calling to much pf), but I keep telling myself
that being a break even player is better than being a losing player.  Still frustrating to sit and play for hours to break even...but that is another story for another blog post.

After watching The Love Guru (can I have that 2 hours of my life back, please?) I cabbed over to MGM, grabbed a bite to eat, and sat down at a 1/2 NL table there.  And then I proceeded to play like a fish...basically calling or betting when I knew I was way behind.  After shipping $200 with a quickness, I decided it would be a good idea to play blackjack.  The dealer was running so hot she had blackjack literally 5 times in the 20 minutes I was sitting there and the previously full table completely cleared.  I also left behind $100.  Then on my way out I had to pass a HE Bonus table.  Donated another $100 at that table after playing only 4 hands.  I wonder how many times I will have to learn the "table games are -EV" lesson?  To quote Hooker from one of my all-time favorite movies, The Sting: "Sorry Leroy - you can't beat the house."

I did the "Katie walk" out of MGM and cabbed it back to the Rio where I am staying.  Perhaps tilty is not the best mood to march into the Amazon ballroom with, but I decided that I was gonna play the 10/20 HORSE game they had going the day before.  Plus the $50K HORSE event was going on and I always like sweating that.

Showed up and put my name on the very LONG 10/20 HORSE list as well as the considerably shorter 10/20 O8 list.  Sweated HORSE while I waited for a seat and got to say hi and gush all over Jennifer Harman (my all-time favorite player).  I was too embarrassed to ask for an autograph. I also made eye contact with Pauly of Tao of Poker fame and briefly considered yelling how much I love his blog across the room. 

Finally got a seat at 10/20 w/half kill O8.  I had heard from multiple people (notably Anne and Travis) that this and the 20/40 O8 were very good games, but I was unprepared for what I had just gotten myself into.

For a moment here, I'm gonna assume that most readers of my blog who care about poker are familiar with Mr. E Honda's 5/10 half kill TOE pink chip game.  Imagine the worst of pink: the anger, the donkalicious play, the berating of the dealers.  Now imagine that game with everything amped about 150%...for twice the amount of money.  (Seriously, I didn't think people could play worse than at pink, but apparently they can) That, my friends, is what I decided to have as my first experience playing in the Amazon ballroom. 

Seriously, these people make Roy look like a sweet old man, and even the dumbest of pink players look like a 75 year old NJ rock.  Oh, and Kenny - you think you get shit as a dealer?  You should have heard the crazy business going on at this table.  We also had people straddling (either UTG or on the button) every hand that was not a kill (which many were).

Less than 2 hours later, I had more than tripled my short buy of $300...sitting on $1050.  The game is strong, so I go to take a short break.  When I get back, the table has broken.  :(  From what I gather, something got out of hand and someone's feelings got hurt (PSA: PEOPLE - DO NOT TAP THE TANK - ESPECIALLY FROM THE INSIDE).

I was offered a seat at 20/40, but I took the opportunity to cash out.  Pocketed the benjis I had sitting on the table, racked up, and went to the cage.

Vegas running tally:
NLHE and table games: -$400
LO8: +750

Total: +350 (too bad I had to ship $400 at MGM otherwise this would have been a REALLY good night).