I wouldn't classify myself as a spontaneous person. While I'm not prone to the type of preplanning that requires months of advance notice, I'm not one to just up and do something last minute. Especially traveling.
At the December Vegas gathering, Jason mentioned his forthcoming January trip to Tunica to cover the WSOP circuit events. I said at the time I'd consider coming out, since it's only an 8 hour drive. After I got back, though, I put it out of my mind until I realized I had a 3 day weekend (MLK day) coming in January.
So, with a week and a half to spare - which is spontaneous in my world - I looked into hotel bookings and such. Sadly, I wouldn't be able to come during the final weekend when Jason and his lovely wife, Rachel would be there. I was also bummed that I wouldn't have a shot at either WPO or WSOP women's events (shuddup - I am a shameful hypocrite, I know, but the price was right). Nor, as it stands now, would I be amongst the company of fellow bloggers who are making the trip for the final weekend events.
But that was OK - much like BadBlood's solo trek to Vegas last year, I looked on this as an opportunity to work on my live game and perhaps enter a tourney, if not to get out of town for the weekend. I was content to make the solo trek and then, to my great delight, a certain impish character said he'd be coming that weekend, too.
Booking a room was a tad tricky. I found a website that listed the player's rates for the Grand and the other casinos (no, I can't link it - I didn't book mark it... doh) - a great deal. So I called the Grand and was told I could book a room for $150 per night. "Can I book at the player's rate?" "Oh, those are all sold out."
Bummer.
So I called Binion's. Another road block. The two people in the poker room responsible for booking player's rate rooms had both quit. I was told to call the reservations line and tell them to book me at the player's rate. I did so and was told I had to call the poker room and do it through there. I explained the persons responsible for that had both quit and no-one else there could do it.
I'm put on hold.
"Ok - I don't have rooms for all three nights here, but I can get you at the Grand for $49."
"They said they were all sol... uh, wow, great - I'll take it."
Pause while the booking is completed.
"OK, I have you for three nights arriving Friday, January 13 and departing Monday, January 16. You'll be at the Terrace which is across the street from the Grand."
"Thank you." Click. Beat.
Huh?
I thought I was at the Grand. OK - off to Google and eventually found a site map (which I can't find now - have got to remember about that bookmark thing). There are three hotels - the Grand, which is right at the casino, and then the Terrace and the Veranda. "Across the street" is a stretch. Unless you are partial to long, long walks, a walk from these hotels would have you wishing you'd packed the gym shoes and workout 'tards.
Fortunately, for those sans vehicle, a shuttle runs every 5 minutes. Unfortunately, the shuttle only runs to the Grand. It appears there isn't a shuttle that makes the route to all the casinos - as far as I could tell. And there are no cabs. This doesn't make sense to me, so I'm most likely wrong about that. I was glad I had my car, though.
The only complaint I have is that my check-in was delayed. I arrived around noon, and was told I couldn't check in until around 2:30 as they were no rooms available right then. No prob. I rousted Iggy, who was at the Veranda, and we went over to the Casino for food.
I hogged it at the buffet
which, as casino buffets go, wasn't horrible. It did the job, let's say. We
checked out the tourney situation and ran into Amy
Calistri who was covering both the WSOP Circuit and the
WPO for Poker Pages.
I decided to attempt the $200 2nd Chance tourney. They ran these every day at 5pm and averaged a first place prize of around 13-14k. This tourney wasn't a circuit event, but the price was right for me.
After getting my entry, I zipped back to the hotel to check in. Didn't happen. They still didn't have a room available and wouldn't until around 5pm. That sucked. I wanted to change and relax for a bit before the tourney. Instead, I checked my bag and zipped (I have a VW bug - they zip) back over to the casino.
I found Iggy and Tuscaloosa Johnny sitting at the slots at the top of the escalator. Iggy introduced me to Johnny and we sat and visited for a while, then, I believe we went to the sports bar to await tourney time. Iggy pegged Johnny perfectly - he is a Southern Gentlemen with a soft Alabama drawl that evokes the cliched images of expansive porches, big cigars, and mint juleps. But don't let it fool you. He's a killer at the tables. Heh.
I had a good start at the tourney. I cautioned myself to play tight, positionally, and aggressively. The first hand I had presto (pocket fives) and called two or three others who'd come into the pot. I believe it'd been opened for a standard raise (I didn't take notes). A nice little 5 came on the flop. Two of the cards were suited, so I reraised when it came around to me - I didn't want to slow play and risk going out on the first hand to a flush. Everyone folded and I got the pot.
This table was very conservative. In fact, the gentleman on my right (who sported a 2002 WPO diamond encrusted bracelet) commented at the first break that in the previous day's tourney he'd already had about 17k in chips. The chips at our table weren't moving. I'd nearly doubled up in the first few hands. But bled a chunk of it back when my hands fell apart.
I also failed to get full value out of my pocket aces and kings. The aces I reraised pre-flop. A king come on the flop and I checked. My opponent bet, and I raised. She folded. I think I could have gotten more out of it had I just called. I was afraid of another king coming out. Same thing with my kings. I overplayed them. Lesson learned. I'm much better a finessing pots online than live. Nerves got the best of me.
I
lost a chunk in a bone-head move. I was on the button and raised for a blind
steal. The dealer said "$350 more" and pointed to the player in the
4s who was all-in. I looked and saw his chips - sorta. The WSOP logo was screen
printed on both ends of the table. His chips were sprawled within the logo -
I had to look hard to see them. "I didn't see him go all in," I said.
But, I was forced to call - I'd already committed chips. My bluff was exposed
- and his small pocket pair held up.
Although it was difficult to see - the logo problem and bad lighting, there's no excuse for that. I wasn't paying attention. Another lesson learned.
I also called an all-in with AKs. What makes this a bad move is that I did not consider how much of my stack I'd be risking with the call. I couldn't even tell you now. I didn't improve and her pocket pair took the pot, doubling her up.
Eventually I was short stacked and to push with any two mode. I stole a couple of pots with my all-ins. But on the last one, my pocket threes lost to pocket tens, and I was done. I don't know at what rank. But I believe I outlasted Iggy. heh. Should have made a bet.
It was a good experience, overall. I was able to identify my mistakes (which were many) as well as my good decisions (which were few). I have yet to nail down a solid decision making mantra to invoke on each hand - which is my biggest flaw and which was glaringly evident with this tourney. The biggest lesson learned.
I hope to do more live tourneys here locally - provided the juice becomes more reasonable (50% at one casino).
I won't talk about the $65 sng - I'm blaming it on the rum and cokes.
The cash games were soft - but it took me a while to get my sea-legs. Time was my enemy. I was hitting my stride when fatigue set in. I had no more fuel. The last night, I was at an action table - loosey goosey and primed for good solid play on my part. I repaired the damage of the days before and felt good about my decisions - but, I was tired and had reached my deadline for getting to sleep before having to drive home the next day.
My bankroll took a hit, but it can be repaired.
The
best thing about Tunica - and which places it over Vegas, in my opinion - was
the ability to get away from the casino atmosphere. My hotel was near luxury
- a big fire in the fireplace in the lobby; a view of empty fields with a pond
and the requisite mallards. Real ones, too. The best hotel shower - ever. And
a comfy bed with pillows that were actually pillows and not slabs of cement
with pillow shams. I actually considered not leaving the room for one whole
day.
There's
also a spa, of which I did not partake, but certainly will next time. The prices
were up there, but relatively reasonable. The idea of a chocolate mint body
buff especially appeals to me.
Sunday, Iggs and I drove down to the Gold Strike to check it and Binion's out. I got to gawk at Sam Farha and I swooned a bit when a guy got up from a table to head for a smoke, looked me in the eye and I realized it was Andrew Black. I have a soft spot for him due to his emotional disappointment at the WSOP over the table not waiting for another player to get back to the table so he wouldn't get blinded out. I'm a sucker for sensitive guys. And he was a gentleman at the final table.
The card room was small and crowded. I imagined the action was probably pretty juicy, but I had no desire to play there. There were high roller ring games going on in the tourney area.
Binion's was kind of the same. The poker room was shoved back
into a corner at the back of the casino. We opted to return to the Grand.
It was a pleasure to meet and get to know Johnny - his blog has been added to
the roll and I'm already pouring through the archives. This guy is doing something
pretty spectacular, folks.
Of special note was the time spent at the Palm Bar knocking back with Iggs (although not so special for him - that's where his wallet got lifted). Lot's of talking and exploring the mysteries of the universe, so to speak. I took $20 from him in a ROSAHMBO challenge - which he got back the next day.
My cell phone was hi-jacked while in the sports-bar with Johnny and Iggy - I reckon some folks may be curious about certain messages left. Uh. I disavow any knowledge or compliance on my part. Yes. I do.
The dent to the bankroll aside - it was a great time and great memories were made - thanks to the company of two kewl guys: a good friend and an Alabama gentleman. I didn't want to leave and I expect I'll be back soon - perhaps as early as February.
Care to join me?
