The Fabulous Ogden House!

We decided to head up to Vegas for our pre-anniversary (our anniversary is actually today, total coincidence that it is also V-day).

Played some 10/20 O8 at Wynn. Unfortunately, the word has gotten out, and the game is no longer profitable for nutpeddlers like me. I was unsuccessful in getting the mixed game going, too.

When we first started playing at Wynn, I thought the dealers were the best in town. Slowly they have slacked off. I don't know if the best of the lot are taking positions elsewhere, or if the management is simply slowly letting them drift. There were a few dealers over the course of Saturday and Sunday who made mistakes during every hand of their down. Disappointing :(

Orleans is the funniest room in Vegas, IMO. I always make money, but I hate playing there. I could write a book on the problems that I have seen at the Orleans. At any rate, here is a funny hand.

I was playing in the 1/2 blind NLHE game while waiting for my Omaha seat. Lots of limping pre-flop, so I start limping a lot, too, trying to make a big hand. I finally got my wish. I had QTs in MP. I limp along, probably 386 players see the flop ;)

The flop gives me a four flush. EP player comes firing out (he plays every hand, for any amount, and has gone all-in, losing his stack, three times in the ONE round I've been sitting at this game). Another MP player who had limped along calls, as do I.

The turn gives me a gutshot in addition to the four flush. Now the EP player goes all-in (he's only $50 behind), and the MP limper overcalls. I don't know enough about MP to speculate much about his hand. Sure, he could have a higher flush draw, but he could also have a myriad of other things. The game is so, unbelievably loose, and the stacks are so short, I can't really fold in this position. The pot already has about $200 in it by the time it gets to me (after the turn all-in by EP and overcall by MP). So I'm getting 5:1 on my 2:1 shot.

I get the gutshot and bet $50, vastly underbetting the pot, but creating a sidepot with the MP player. I was hoping that if he had anything, he would call the $50. I knew if he was on a draw that didn't get there (flush), he wouldn't call even $5, much less $50.

He folded without much hesitation, so I put him on a draw. I might have gotten lucky, who knows. EP showed 83o for a flopped two pair, lol, and lamented his bad luck all night, having lost his buy-in now four times.

I got called for the Omaha game just a hand or two later. I always forget how soft those NLHE games are.

So as for the rest of the trip, well, I was a loser. I didn't run well at O8 this time. And I made a terrible, rookie mistake that I warn everyone about.

Our first night at Wynn, I was just getting back into my groove of playing live O8. The table was pretty soft and I was waiting for a big hand (like all nut peddlers). Finally that big hand against two fish came around. I flopped a straight draw (to the nuts, like all peddlers). The turn gave me some more outs, I believe, but I can't remember right now. The river filled in my straight, but also made an ace high straight possible.

EP fish, who was the bettor, turned over his hand and I thought he said, "Ace high straight." I did see the ace, so my eyes just passed on to her hand. EP fish II turned over her hand and showed bottom set. I mucked my king high straight. Then I saw the chips being passed to HER! I asked what was going on, and was told that she showed the best hand, a set of sevens. I suppose the first fish must have said, "Ace high," not "Ace high straight."

I assumed, and that cost me a $300 pot. So who is the real fish?

I haven't done this in a long time, but it just goes to show me that even experienced players can make rookie mistakes. I hope my lesson helps someone else avoid this same situation.

I also played in the O8 tourney at Orleans just for fun. I didn't cash, but once again got down to the final three tables. Two big hands cost me the tourney. I believe I played both of them correctly, but since I rarely play tourneys these days, perhaps not. I'll have to ask Max about it when I see him again.

Speaking of Max, wow, can this guy play or what?!? I love being correct about a player. I told everyone that he was going to be the next greatest thing back in 2004, and look at what has happened to him since!

http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=3195

In other news, this trip we were unable to get a last minute room in Vegas. I scoured the web, but since there was some large convention in town (or so I was told), we couldn't find anything for Saturday night.

The El Cortez said they had an "overflow" property, and we took it. Now, I love downtown, but I knew this was a really, really crummy place. Probably the worst place I've ever stayed. Al said I should take a camera and get pics of the hotel. I forgot to bring it in, but I did take some pics of the exterior as we were leaving for the last time yesterday.

Put it this way, the "hotel" was so bad that it was adjacent to a smaller building which advertised, "Special half day rates, $19." Actually advertising prostitution. Funny. The hall we were in smelled so bad that from the moment we got off of the elevator, we held our breath until we made it to the room.

I'll try to post pics whenever we get our film developed (Glenn broke our two digital cams, lol). Since we barely ever take pictures of anything, it might be a year or two, haha!

Happy Valentines Day!

Felicia :)