Day 3 The Move and Poker

We were up fairly early on day 3 watching the highlights on ESPN and getting ready for our move to the Quad.  Before we got going strong for the day it was time for some orange juice and breakfast.  I headed across the street to McDonalds.  I walked in and was surprised to see only 1 item on the dollar menu.  Breakfast Burrito's.  I heard something but was standing there looking at the 3.29 they wanted for a Sausage McMuffin.  Then I hear somebody saying, "Can I help you sir?"  "No Thanks!", and I walked back out the door. 

The night before we had grabbed a bite from the McDonald's inside Circus Circus.  They had a dollar menu.  I went around the corner and went into Circus Circus to check it out.  Sure enough they had a dollar menu.  We were back in business. 

With breakfast inhaled, we finished packing up and decided to hang around the Riviera for a while, since it would be a while before we could check in at the Quad.  We goofed around on some slots and I ended up winning a little bit by the time we were thinking of leaving. 

Then I remembered that I had 40.00 credit at the Tavern.  I mentioned that to my friend and he got excited.  We got right in and were sat at the bar.  We ordered some beers and a ribeye steak and fries.  While we were there, a couple of girls in crown royal skirt outfits approached us and said that if we ordered a $3.00 shot of crown we would get a free hat.  It didn't take us long to get our shots ordered.  I had started with a Blue Moon, but switched to a Guinness to drink with my steak.  We watched the end of the Buccaneers - Steelers game while we were eating. 

We were feeling pretty good when we left Wicked Vicky's.  We caught a cab to the Quad and got right into our room.  It was quite small, compared to the Riviera's room.  It was also a little musty and a lot noisier.  The floor was kind of gross.  On a good note the beds were really comfortable.  I've stayed at a lot worse.  We could make due for 3 nights. 

It wasn't long before we hit the poker tables.  I sat down at the 1-1 nl game.  Everybody was pretty short stacked and really friendly.  I played for a couple hours until the first tournament started and moved to the tournament.  I was down a little bit, the few hands I had gotten into kept me alive.

In the tournament, I played my normal game.  The blinds were going up quickly, every 15 minutes.  I was looking for my spot to make a move.  Finally, I found it.  I had QJ and called a smallish raise from late position.  The flop was QJrag.  I bet about 1/2 pot and the other player pushed all in.  They had me covered.  I turned my 2 pair and they showed AQ for 1 pair.  The inevitable Ace on the river sent me packing. 

I moved back to the cash game and started making a run there.  Then I ran into a big decision hand with AdKc.  I was about to get up and go to the room.  My friend had just finished 3rd.  The tournament of 18 players paid top 2.  I raised and had 1 caller.  The flop came out King high all diamonds.  What a flop for me.  Top pair with a diamond draw.  I bet and the other player raises.  An alarm went off in my head.  This player has something.  I knew I was on a draw at this point but re-popped it all in.  I couldn't see his chip stack as he was hiding it, but he only had a little left and called.  He turned over his set.  I did not improve.  I played a couple more hands and put the rest of the chips I had out with a pocket pair of 8's.  I was called by one other player.  He had 9's.  Back to the room.

We chilled out for just a little bit until the next tournament was about to start and headed back down to the poker room.  I made a little better run in this tournament, but ended up pushing with A5 with 6 left from the small blind, thinking I would take the big blind.  The big blind called with AQ.  I had AA and QQ busted already in this tournament so when I saw one of each of them I knew I was in trouble.  A 5 hit on the flop, but a queen hit on the turn.  The dealer giveth then he takeths away.

After that game I walked around and found a 50 hand poker machine.  I sat down for a while and tried my luck.  After about a half hour I was about break even after being down, so I cashed out.  From there I walked over to Harrah's to buy a Chipotle Burrito and a keno ticket.  I decided on a 9 spot for 50 games.  That was all the money I had left for the day, but I was ready for bed.