Vegas TR Day Two Part I: Bellagio 15/30

So in suprising un-Santi-like fashion, I was up and going at 11am or so. I showered up and headed over to Bellagio to try and get in some 15/30 action. Last trip the tables were great, so I really expected some of the same. When I first got there the tables were actually nitty as shit, so I sweated the 15/30 and 30/60 games from the rail for about an hour before deciding to put my name on a list. The 30/60 game was actually really good, so I texted Deuce to let him know he should probably get in the game. Eventually the 15/30 games were to my liking (multi-way pots/alot of limping), so I threw my name on the list and was seated soon after.

If you guys ever read my blog, you'll know I almost never talk about beats, but today you're going to get some. The first hand I raised pre-flop was probably my fifth hand at the table. I raised QQ and ran into KK on an all-unders board, hooray...thankfully he didn't re-raise me pre-flop or I would have lost more. A couple hands later I get QQ in the BB with five limpers behind me, the SB completed, and I pop it. Seven players, two bets a piece see a flop of QT5 with a couple spades...weeeeeeeeee

SB checks, I lead out, get called in a couple spots, Hijack raises, Button calls, folded to me, I 3-bet, original callers who called folded, Hijack and Button called. We're now 3-way...

The turn was a King...not necessarily a good card since there's now three broadway cards on board and a straight is likely. Thankfully I bet and it only goes call, call.

The river was an awful card though, as he put out an Ace of clubs...at least it wasn't a spade I remember thinking. I opt to check and catch a bluff, Hijack bets, Button tanks and folds, and I call. He shows me QJos :steam: and rakes in a fantastic pot that I built. Blech.

I actually maintain some decent composure, and pick up small pots here and there in between my next beat. Folded to me in MP, and I raise with 55. I get called by a lpp-tard in the CO and the BB.

The flop comes down AQ5 rainbow. Check, I bet, Co raises, folded to me, I 3-bet, CO calls.

The turn is a King. I bet, Tard calls. River is another King. I bet, tard snaps and says "raise!" and I lose the minimum when I call and he shows me AK. Uggggggghhhhhh so awful.

There's a couple three-outer hands I won't get into, so I'll wrap up with a pretty fun hand with QTsooooooooted. So like I mentioned early on, the table had been really passive. Lots of open-limping, so I looked down at QT of spades from the CO with three limpers in front of me so I popped it. Unfortunately seat two woke up with a hand and 3-bet it. The blinds folded, the limpers called, and we all saw a flop of J83 all spades. Fun times...I flop a Q-high flush with a straight-flush draw.

It checks to me, and I actually donk-bet into the button, something I almost never do. I flopped the Q-high flush, but since it was such an ugly board and the button was kinda passive at times, I thought the flop might check through. I bet out, he insta-raised, and it folded back to me where I 3-bet. Meh, maybe he would have bet out :? Oh well.

The turn pairs the jack, but I know I'm still good so I bet out and the Button only calls. I figure I need to dodge some paint cards (boats) and another spade (unless it's the eight of spades, which would be a great action card for me if my opponent has the Ace of spades).

Unfortunately the river card is ridiculously gross, as it brings out a third jack. What...the...fuck. I check, and the button bets out...I go into the tank for a second, and just start cursing in my head. Obviously I have to call the river since the pot is so big, but dammit I was certain this guy had Aces or Kings. He was the player that had originally flatted my QQ raise with KK earlier, how could he not have Kings? Finally I throw six red chips into the pot and say "well I hope you have AK with a big spade"...he says "you got my hand perfect" and shows down the Ace of spades, King of diamonds.

Wow that felt good. I left the game a little after because I had dinner reservations with Tommy and work girl, only dropping $200 (two stacks of red). After the beating I took, dropping only $200 there felt like a three rack win.

I'll be back in a few to talk about the Mesa Grill and sweating the $1500 NL WSOP event.