Cash Game Report, Part I

So, how did I do in the cash games??? Did I make my money back?

The answer is, most of it. I went on a +$1,600 cash game tear to start off, then backslid a bit. This was annoying, as it was such a great feeling to have covered my tournament buy-in. Oh well. But I made most of it back, to end the trip +$1,250 in the cash games. This was my biggest cash game success in Vegas ever, and definitely a solid three-day run. Paired with the +$500 or so that I made on my honeymoon (my previous Vegas record), I am starting to feel pretty confident about poker there, provided I have an adequate bankroll.

Anyway, I don't want to get into too many of the overall ups and downs. I thought I would rather just tear into some hand analyses ... I took really solid notes on the plane home. Playing at Planet Hollywood was pretty easy -- I could run over the tables there no problem. But when I decided to play the $2/$5 No Limit at MGM Grand, I wandered into Young Gun city. Hoodies and iPods everywhere, and hardly a tourist in sight. So these hands were against more aggressive players, and required more trickeration. I hope that makes them more enjoyable to read.

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9s-8s, Stack $500
I just sit down at the table, and buy-in for the max. I was on a downswing at the $1/$2 tables, and I was leaving first thing in the morning. So I moved up in stakes to take one last shot to make my money back. I don't have any reads on the table so far. There are two limps, I raise on the button to $30. The blinds fold, and one limper ("Skinny Guy") calls. Flop is K-x-x all different suits. He checks, I continuation bet $55, and he calls. The turn is a Q, making the board a badugi. We both check, and I am pretty sure he has nothing, but that his nothing has to be better than my nothing. I am planning to bluff the river as it is my only chance to win the pot, but when it comes a 9, Skinny beats me to it. He bets out $100, and I snap-call expecting my pair to be good. But he rolls over J-10 for the stone-cold nuts. I was right that he floated me out of position on the flop. But he got there. I guess I saved money by not betting the turn ... he would have called with an open-ender if he called with jack-high. I guess I could have folded the river ... but this was one of the few times in a hold'em game that I was surprised to see my opponents cards. Just wow. How could he have J-10? Oh well, down to $315.

Kd-7d, Stack $315
A few hands later, I am in the big blind. There are four limpers to me including the small blind, and I check. The flop is the 10d-7c-4d. Pair and a flush draw, I am figuring out how to get my stack in. But the small blind ("Greeny" for his green shirt) makes the decision a little easier by open-shoving for $170. I am trying to decide between calling and re-shoving. Do I want more people in to get better odds on the flush draw, or do I push them out and hope that my pair of 7s might be good against the small blind, who could be on a draw himself (5-6, 8-9, another flush draw)? I still am not sure about this, and am open to suggestions. There is a good chance the others are folding anyway, for that large a bet. Anyway, I decide to shove, but Greeny's Qx-10x holds up. Down to $145 now, and my comeback is not looking too strong right now. At this loose-aggressive of a table, $145 is nothing.

2d-2c, Stack $143
I am in the cutoff, a few hands later. A guy in a fedora raises from early-mid position to $40, and gets two calls from guys who are loose-passive preflop, then tight-aggressive post. (Fedora is a really good player, sitting on a stack of over $2,000. He is one of few players I have sat down with that I will admit is better than me at cash no limit hold'em. I've been told by another player at the table that Fedora is connected to the German mob. I didn't even know there was a German mob, but the two sleeveless goons sweating Fedora's action make me a believer real quick. Fedora seems like a pretty nice guy though [more on that in a minute].)

I am thinking this might be a decent spot for a squeeze play. I know the two cold-callers are weak. And Fedora might not want to play out of position, but even if he calls, my deuces might have a race against him with some nice dead money in the pot. I ship my stack, and it's folded back around to Fedora, who pushes over the top of me. Uh-oh. The two callers fold as predicted, and Fedora rolls over pocket Jacks. Damn it. The flop comes all diamonds however, and since Fedora doesn't have a diamond, I actually have some life. I make the flush on the turn, woohoo! But the river comes ... the trey of diamonds!! The five diamonds on the board cover my deuce of diamonds, so we chop the pot. Fedora takes it really well for a nearly $200 swing. For me, I'm a bit bummed at the way the cards fell, giving me hope, then taking it away. What a roller-coaster. But I also feel pretty lucky to have even chopped. Stack at $186.

Kx-9x, Stack $130
Again in the cutoff, a couple rounds later. I have lost chips in small pots by calling small raises preflop and missing. Here, Fedora limps in early position, and it is folded to me. I raise to $20, and only Fedora calls. The flop is A-9-x. Fedora checks. I don't believe he has an ace in his hand, but with my short stack, I'm going to play this as cautiously as possible until I have more information. Then turn is an 8. Fedora bets out $35, and I go into the tank. Maybe he does have a weak ace. Can he be pushed off, if so? Is he trapping here? I don't think so ... maybe I should just go for it. Fedora sees how intently I'm studying him, and he makes it easy for me. He cuts out a stack of chips to cover my potential shove and gives me a look that says "Save your money. I am calling whatever you bet." I believe him. I muck my hand, and he flashes me pocket rockets. The nuts. Wow, he played that tricky ... no way I could have put him on that. He very likely could have had the last of my chips, but decided to let me get away from it. Not a friend of his or anything, and we may never see one another again. Like I said, really nice guy.

5x-5x, Stack $105
Good thing that guy left me with some chips. After four limps, I limp in the small blind. Big blind checks. The flop comes 8-7-7 with a heart flush draw, and shit gets crazy. I lead out for $20, then the big blind (a big time LAG) raises to $60. A middle position player admits to the table they are on a straight draw, and shoves for $140. I tank for a minute, then pray they are both on draws and put my stack in. The big blind calls, and I was right. The BB is on a heart draw and the other dude has 6-9. Sweet, I got two of his outs. The turn is a miss, but the river is a heart! I cringe for a second, until I realize that it's the 5 of hearts, giving me a full boat! I drag a pot of $330 and finally I can play poker again.