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Vegas Trips and Table Selection

Three weeks ago my parents were in Las Vegas, and tempted my brother and I to take the four and a half hour drive from San Diego to Sin City with a free room at Paris. Of course, we obliged.

What I didn’t realize until we got there was that the main event at the WSOP was in its early stages, meaning everyone and their mother was in town. Literally.

This made the cash games extremely juicy. Everyone wanted action. Those that were still in the tournament used the opportunity to get hammered and relax from the 12+ hours of intense action at the Rio. Those that had busted out seemed to be on permanent tilt and couldn’t stop talking about their bad beats.

After about 36 hours, I was up almost 200 bucks. I don’t have a huge bankroll, and primarily play $1-2 NL, so I can’t say I was disappointed.

So when my brother suggested we head over to Bellagio, I figured, “Why not?” Sure, I had never played $2-5, their smallest NL game. But I figured I’d just buy in for the minimum $200 and if it runs out, I’m still about even on the trip.

I couldn’t believe the action. Players seemed to be all-in every other hand. They were chasing gut-shot draws for all their chips; pushing with top pair; I even saw a player call a $150 river bet with ACE HIGH!

The games were perfect for me. I’m a tight player that likes to wait for my spots and get my money in with sets or better. And the tables were what I call “classic pay-off games.” My bread and butter.

Two sessions later, I was up $903 at Bellagio. Even after dumping $165 in a Caesar’s tournament, I ended the week up $921, my second best Vegas trip. The only trip that went better was after a final table chop netted me just over a grand in February.

With a few days off last week, and still riding that high, my brother and I made the excursion out to Vegas again. This time, the results weren’t as peachy, but I learned a valuable lesson.

With only that two-session experience at not only Bellagio, but also in $2-5 NL, I assumed the action would be the same. I assumed I could just sit down, pick my spots, and get paid off.

But something had happened in the two weeks since I left. This time around, the tables weren’t filled with madmen looking for action. With about half as many tables, locals seemed to be everywhere. Even tourists seemed to know what they were doing. The competition was legit.

I dumped about $300 in my first few sessions back at Bellagio. After losing some at Mirage as well, I headed over to MGM, which I remembered was a pretty easy game. Sure enough the competition was a cakewalk. I won back all the money I lost and then some on the final day of the trip. But with just a few hours to go, I figured we should head back over to Bellagio for some more $2-5.

Again, the table wasn’t that good for me. I held my own, but it was also difficult to pry money away from everyone. But for some reason, like an idiot, I felt it was still a decent game for me. I ignored the local rounders and I didn’t care that there were multiple sophisticated players. I still had delusions of grandeur in my mind, only thinking about the 900 bucks I pulled a couple weeks before.

Of course, you know what happened. I didn’t recognize a table was bad for me, and it bit me in the end. Oddly enough, I put my money in with the best hand, but the way everything played out, I was destined to lose. But I’ll save that last hand for my next post; I have plenty to say about it.

So even though I came back from Vegas down $178 bucks, I learned a valuable lesson. Past results don’t mean ANYTHING. You can win $500 a night for a week straight at the same table, and if on the eighth night the table isn’t right for you, you have to know to walk away. It’s true that table selection is one of the most important decisions you can make at a table. I know it cost me a lot of money in the past week, far more than calling with a draw or taking top pair too far.

I also learned why some cash game pros travel around the world following the biggest tournaments simply to get in the live games. I know where I’ll be during the WSOP next year.

And just for your amusement, here was an exchange I heard at the table last week…

Angry Guy (who is actually reading “Taking Control of Your Anger” at the table and can’t stop talking about his therapist): “What’s your name?”
Cocktail Waitress: “Anna.”
AG: “Really? Both of the girls I impregnated were named Anna!”
CW: **runs away terrified**
AG: “No! Come back! Don’t worry, you won’t get pregnant! Just stay three feet away!”