Treasure Island Las Vegas Poker Room

TI Tourney/George Carlin
***Warning*** Poker stupidity contained herein, continue at your own risk!
There's a reason why Dave's winning these things like he is and above all else, it's aggression and skill....however, couple that with an abundance of overplaying Ax, I've watched poker on tv players and you have a recipe for making $$$. Sadly enough, I DO NOT have the skills Dave posses, just see my sig Tired as I was though, I did observe well but my mind just wasn't where it needed to be to take full advantage. I'd flown into town sporting an '07 WSOP tee and didn't realize the image it'd create. Even so, 1-2 players and I exchanged knowing glances regarding the general play at the table. Tshirt aside, the better players pegged me right off the bat, I need to work on acting fishier
During the 10 hands dealt at 25/50 (no knock on the dealers, it's just a simple by-product of 20min rounds) I play my 1st hand. EP player bets to 300 and when I find AKo it's time to raise. I've already pegged him as a bad player and know he'll call, so I'm looking to get heads up with my raise to 900. I get a call out of the blinds as well as the original bettor. 3 of us see the flop, 9J9 rainbow. I decide not to chase my whiff when the original bettor leads out...did I really just donk off 1000 chips?
50/100 and we find an ep bettor lead out for 400 he gets 2 callers before I peek at my cards from the bb. I spy KK and have to raise, but how much? I quickly deduce that any raise is more than 1/2 my stack, so I just stick it all in and hope for a single caller with their Ax It's tv stall time and it feels like it takes forever for the folding action to come full circle, but it eventually does. I rake in a nice pot, sneak a last peek at the cowboys before I muck 'em...back up to even.
100/200 and I still think it's at 50/100 (1st of my stupid moves) so when I bet out to 300 from ep with AKo it's ruled that I have to min-raise, opening a potential flood gate of callers. That's ok though, I know TPTK in this game is GOLDEN! I get 2 callers, one from a VERY loose, not good loose, player 2 to my left. 3 of us see AQx, rainbow and I check behind KNOWING she'll bet out if she holds the weak ace I hope she has, since that's been her modus operandi to date. As expected, she leads out for 800, other caller folds and I check-raise to 2k total. She asks for the count and makes the call. The turn brings another Q and I know for sure I'm in the lead now. I push in my remaining stack of about 1500. She asks for a count again before making the call and tabling ATo. We split the pot when an unlikely Q falls yet again and all I can do is smile and say nice hand. I'm a bit taken aback when a player congratulates her on a nice turn call....I just smile and order another water
Still 100/200 (2nd stupid move) and I find AKo yet again after an ep limper. I bet to 600 and when it's folded around to him, he nearly insta-pushes his short-stack, 1200 more or so I believe. I make the easy call and flip my cards over. But I said I made another STUPID mistake, right? What I didn't realize, is that the bb had actually called my original bet to 600 and he still had cards in his hand, while mine were tabled. My hand is live so let's not go there The bb thinks for a bit and has noticed the same thing about the earlier limper as I have, so he pushes. I still think it's a dumb move on his part 'cause he doesn't have enough to push me off the hand. After pulling in the chips, it's only an extra 600 to call, which I obviously have to do and when the dust settles I get no help. Limper actually had a hand this time QQ, and the bb who drug the side pot had 44. We get ready to head into break and we'll be coming back to me utg at 200/400 with only 5bb.
200/400, I open push A9x from utg and pick up the blinds. I push 7s and 8s from lp and pick up the blinds each time. I ended up busting when I called a mp raise from the bb with K9s. I was dominated, up against A9s. I could've let the blinds pass then start pushing again from lp, right Dave Anyway, TI is a GREAT room with an awesome staff!!! Thanks to Danette for recognizing me and taking a shine to my Beatles murse She even offered a button for it, which I dearly want to take her up on, thanks!
Caught the George Carlin show last nite at the Orleans last nite, and had an absolute blast! You'd better like political/relgious IRREVERENCE but if you do, you're in for a GREAT time! The chairs were a little tight and got even tighter when I was seated next to someone that would send Captain Ahab on another lifetime journey Nice enough people but if since they were on the isle, wouldn't you put the skinnier person next to me? Who knows, maybe it was the tie-die And man are there some RUDE people out there!!! I was AMAZED at the talking that went on during the show! Do people not know how to whisper any more? And just to note, if you're going to disect political or religious jokes, maybe you're not at the right show
Last but not least....if you're driving a blue Ford escort with custom plates reading, "PCKT AA" I know where you live!

Day1, 9/21:
Decided to cab it to the airport due to the length of the trip and of course I had to leave at the height of rush hour! So I wait, and wait and wait some more, almost to the point of giving up and driving the truck. While waiting, I'm pacing the driveway and as I watch some ducks take off from the pond and fly overhead, I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Low and behold, it's a portent of things to quickly come. White bombs drop with the ferocity of YappyDaves' raises and I'm off to find a new shirt and a splash of smell-good juice! Cab finally shows and we're off on an uneventful trip.
After a score at Starbucks, I make my way to the news stand to peruse some light reading fare for the plane. Small isles make it cramped so I don't really take notice of a older gentleman breaking off from his wife, scanning the same books I am. No time at all passes before he rejoins her and I soon learn why. More bombs have been dropped but this time they don't emanate from the sky, nor are they seen...but they DAMN SURE are noticed! Thanks a TON you smelly farker!!!
Thankfully I had one of the most serene flights I've taken in a LONG time, and I practically travel for a living. No one in the middle seat, got to see a movie I've been meaning to catch anyway (although the ending SUCKED) and I got to catch up on some work, all without suffering intolerable small talk and wailing children. My name was on the Hertz Gold board and before I knew it, I was heading off to the corporate apartment I'll be crashing at for the next few days.
The apartment is on the north-west end of town, not so great surroundings but who cares? It's free and comfortable, with everything I need between rounds of cards. On the way there, while traveling north on Decatur, I pass the oft mentioned, hard-to-miss, Pops Philly Steaks! I make a mental note and after dropping my things off, checking email and returning a few call, I'm off for some grub! I must say, that was one DAMN FINE sandwich and they're open 24 hours! Parking is rough as it's busy, noon straight up...but it was well worth it! I'm sure I didn't order correctly but they didn't seem to mind. The weather was overcast but comfortable, so I ate outside instead of taking it with, people watching in Vegas, can ya beat it?! I say no.
Now what to do wit (hey Pops) myself? I quickly scan AVP and note that Yapster is poised to take down yet another TI tourney, so I decide to hoof it on down. I get there just in time to see him chop it up with a dealer, nice deal Dave! It's quickly approaching 2pm so I decide to jump into the next tourney. Note to self, DO NOT PLAY WHEN TIRED!!! I've haven't been sleeping well all week and was already dragging arse when I landed. I knew better, but if you're gonna play when tired how can you beat a well run, $65 tourney where the staff recognizes you after months of absence?! I signed up, collected my receipt and introduced myself to Mrs Lederer, who was sitting on a nice stack in $2/4 limit game.
Dave's right about this game! Anyone with a good arsenal and observation skills can really do well. I was amazed at the play...dumbfounded may be a better word. Of course there are good players too, but it's an overwhelming, donkalicious fun fest. Pre-flop raises of 8xbb and more often than not, a couple of callers, great googly moogly!!! I'll revise the post later to include my hands, but I busted just as we came back from the 1st break. I was happy with my play, and would've been a contender had a board not gone runner-runner for a split pot.
Tired as I am, and as long as this trip is, poker shouldn't be in the cards tonite, pun intended. So I decided to catch the George Carlin show tonite at the Orleans....sprung for good seats, 2nd row, just off center. I plan on playing the Venetian deepstack tomorrow and may just head over to TI in the am to check out the mix-game and say hello to LVM, Yappy and Mrs Lederer.
How can you NOT LOVE this town?!?!?!

Impressions: This is a nice, comfortable, well run, albeit small room with few players.
Atmosphere: It is small but roomy enough for the amount of players in it. The tables and chairas are nice. The room is quiet and far away from the rest of the casino.
Dealers: The dealers seemed about average to me.
Food: Service was good.
Service: I played in a 1/3 cash game. My friend got right in and I had to wait a while, maybe 30 minutes or so. They only had one no limit game running.
I played the $65 (50+10+5) tourney once. It was well run but you only get 2000 chips so it goes pretty fast. You need to get some cards to win any money. I would play it again, but there are a few tourneys I like better.
Comps: Don't know, didn't ask.

Saturday morning I come downstairs at Bally’s and see a 5-handed 3-6 game going, so why not. I put my chips down, then go grab something to eat, and when I come back, it’s 4-handed including me for 5 minutes, then one guy leaves, and it’s me against two Asians. I ask about a rake reduction, and the dealer says if we have one, then we’re not eligible for the jackpots. I say that’s ok with me, but my table-mates will have none of it. So we play 3-handed for an hour. I get OK cards and play fine, but when I stand up, I’m down $8. That’s why you don’t play raked 3-handed. Oh well. At least I’m warmed up for what’s next: private tournament at TI for our whole group.
Before the trip, I had arranged this thing with Chris Coffin, the TI room manager. He’s on allvegaspoker and was hella cool in setting it up. Buy-in for $50+10 for T1500, another T1000 for a $5 add-on, and optional $25 re-buy if below T1500. First three places cash. We start at 10am, and there’s a 3-6 mixed game going on in the corner from the night before that’s calling my name.
Everyone’s pretty tight at first, and I jump out to a lead with some aggression early, like real early, meaning it doesn’t mean much. As evidenced by the friend descriptions in my first post, there is a wide variety of poker experience levels here. If you had asked me before who I thought would win, I’d say Matt with his laggro style, or Alex, who cashes in home game tourneys routinely. I’ve cashed in about half the sngs I play on stars, but have never done anything in a real-life tourney. Here’s a look at Jon, Matt, and Steve, and Alex’s knee. Like Steve’s shirt? He’s ironic like that.

My aggro pays off until Ubaldo won’t fold when I’m betting big at him with middle pair, and he has the same pair, better kicker. Jon & Alex re-buy early but still drop. Dave gets down to like 250, with blinds at 50-100, but builds it back and has the lead for a while without ever rebuying. I get too tight after my early aggroness, and donk off raised blinds until I go all-in pre-flop with my last 700 (BB 400 now) w. JQo, and Ubaldo calls with AQs. Needless to say, nothing hits and I’m out in 7th, no use for a re-buy. I look over to the mixed game and it’s breaking, but I want to stay and watch our game anyway.
Sam gets knocked out in 6th after a valiant post re-buy comeback. Now it’s down to Matt, Steve, Nate, Dave, & Ubaldo, and Ubaldo’s got a big lead and can’t stop grinning and telling everyone “I just want to get third! This money’s for the baby! Let me get third!” Nate (whom we taught to play poker in the airport, remember) hits three 2-pairs in a row and overtakes Ubaldo, earning himself the creative nickname “Two Pair”. I to Nate: “See, what did I tell you? It’s easy.” Nate: “I’m still waiting for the dice to come out”.
(Steve, correct me if I’m wrong with all this. I know you will). Ubaldo knocks out Dave, and we’re down to four, with Steve in 4th w. only 200, and the BB is at least 400. Steve’s in BB and triples his 200. Next hand, he’s all in at SB and triples again. A hand or two later, he’s all in again and robusto at 5400. Now Nate’s down to 700. He’s BB, pushes, and triples to 2100, triples again, then doubles it to 12600. Ubaldo’s been enabling all this tripling by calling while he’s chip-leader, and he’s not the leader any more. Matt was an enabler too, but without a lot of chips, and now he’s down to 1k or so. Steve goes all-in vs. Nate, Matt calls Steve’s all in, who has him covered. Nate’s pocket 8s hold up, knocking out Matt & Steve, and Steve gets 3rd ($110).
Now it’s Nate vs. Ubaldo, of course the two with the least poker experience. Nate has about 7/8 of all the chips. They take turns folding blinds, then Ubaldo goes all-in with 9T, and Nate calls with Q4. The flop has a Q, and here's video of
<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trzsV-7ek0U">what happened next.</a>
Nate “Two Pair” K. takes down Ubaldo “I’m just trying to finish 3rd” M. in the TI Scotty-Win invitational with two-pair on the the turn and a full house river to rub it in. Nate cashes $260; Ubaldo’s around $200; we tip our dealers & Chris and it’s lunchtime.

Back at Bally’s for the Big Kitchen buffet, and it’s budget-balla time again. Sticker price is $20. Between two buy-1-get-1s and six $5-off coups, it’s $13 each. We hadn’t heard anything noteworthy about this buffet, but it was hella good. Prime rib, shrimp, smoked salmon, an omelette, and bbq pork found their way onto my plate. Our waitress is on it like vomit with the re-fills, and wants Sam to marry her daughter. 9/10 food/service at this place.
Saturday afternoon we split up. Steve, Alex, and Ubaldo go to the Mac King comedy show at Harrah’s (coups), and David, Nate, Jon, Sam, & I head for the frisbee golf course at Sunset Park on the other side of McCarran. Sam, David, and I play a good amount and have our own discs, but we don’t play enough to be the type to call it “disc golf”. It’s frolf. We only play 10 holes because Sam & Nate are going to Spamalot that night and need to get back in time. David & I play heads-up for $20, and I jump to a 4-throw lead with pars on the first four holes. Then I start donking my putts, and he comes back to tie with me, both at +6, after ten holes; meanwhile, Sam schools us both, finishing +3. Playoff hole between me and David. Both our drives are way off. I get a good approach, landing about 20 feet away. Dave’s is about 30 away. He putts and misses, going about 10 feet past. I just have to hit this 20-footer to win, but I donk it off the top of the basket. Now he’s got the easy 10-footer to clinch a tie, but he hits one chain and it doesn’t stay in. My shot’s a gimme and I cash +$20. David’s pissed.
Nate & Sam head for the Wynn for their show. I try to nap a little back at the room before the next part of the trip, the Dave Matthews Band + The Fray show at MGM.
--end of part 3—-
Summary: Bally’s 3-handed 3-6 + full rake = -$8. Rookie Nate wins our private tourney at TI (-$65 for me). Bally’s buffet is tasty. I suck out on the river against Dave while frolfing. Try to nap before DMB show.
Note: I have to (actually) work the rest of the afternoon, then go to Steve’s birthday party tonight, so I don’t know if I’ll get another part up today. Hopefully Steve will provide his version of the trip at some point.

Impressions: This a nice room in a good property, and I enjoy playing here. It is a particularly quiet space, away from the casino noise. I highly recommend it, and play here often. It never seems too busy, which surprises me. This is probably the only down side, as it may limit the choice of games.
Atmosphere: A smaller room, with good quality, comfortable tables and chairs. There are flat screen TV's all around the room, so one can enjoy sporting events when playing. Nothing negative about the room, or its environment.
Dealers: Playing here often I have gotten to know the dealers, and find them, as a group, as good as it gets. In all the time I have played here, there has been hardly any turn over, so obviously these guys are doing something right. They deal quickly, make sure to move the games along, and have a pretty good sense of the players weak & strong points.
Food: As the room is not close to the bar, you might have to wait for your drink orders, but the wait staff is very good, and does their best. There are good restaurants at TI, so eat before or after your game. I hate food around the poker tables.
Service: This is one of the top management teams on the strip. You are welcomed, in a nice manner. They quickly fill open seats, and all your questions are answered politely, making you immediately comfortable. They will also spread any game, at any limit you wish. This is why I am a repeat costomer. Service! Service!
Comps: $2 per hour of play, plus food chips for TI's restaurants when you put in your hours.