LV Trip Oct 2021 – Crush the Enemy

Monday, Day 2: We will get to the title shortly. Since this is the Chronicle, we must do this in chronological order. (The eds are a little OCD).

The morning started far too early, somewhere around who knows when, but before noon. Considering the evening prior, Flynn was hurtin’ bad. No stranger to the overindulgence, he spent the rest of the day consuming bottles of water and holding his stomach in an effort to combat the dreaded day after. Flynn felt like a tourist in Vegas, ugh. Seemed a tad unfair that Ollie, who had consumed far more booze, seemed a-ok.

First stop to the food store for supplies, and second stop was to the Rio. It is run down even on the outside, clearly neglected, and yet F&O were so excited to walk up the convention center steps and into the lair of bad beats and suck outs. They passed the smokers, the humans on cell phones calling for rides, players standing in groups relaying hand histories while others made the the walk of dejection out the door. There is nothing like it. F&O enjoyed the booths, wandered the rooms, checked the events, and bought a shirt. Maria Ho was accosted for a photo op (see our Star Studded Pix for that one), and Flynn spied Jennifer Shahade in the hall but was too unusre to approach (not normally a shy bird).

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After checking out the range of cash games for future potential, F&O headed to Resorts World. The property had its opening day on the last day of F&O’s previous trip, so this was their virgin visit. Speaking of which, they should probably get to the new Virgin just to say they darkened the door; but really, why bother with no poker room?

There were 39 people on the list for 1/3 and somewhere around 15 on the 2/5 list. Flynn and Ollie put names up on both and took off for a tour, since they would have plenty of time. Must say, the place is nice and shiney! Flynn thought he might be able to stomach some carefully chosen food – the ordered from the Mouse House and were just preparing to eat when they got called to play (1/3).

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Here we go, the short and long of it. Flynn and Ollie were seated at different tables. This is Flynn’s story: Normal cast of characters. A group of 4 friends from the Middle East, a local or two, and then, thanks to central casting, a wasted (really wasted) dude with John Lennon glasses, dreads, dripping with string and other homemade bracelets and long fingernails. We shall call him “rasta” He loved to talk, but of course no one would engage, except Flynn who loves this shit. He was a dream! Get this, he saw the masseuse, squirreled on his cards, and managed to convince her to go cash out his slot ticket to he could buy a massage (no clue how much it was for, but it covered him for about 10 minutes). He told people “not to trip” when he was in a hand with them, and complimented them by telling winners ‘you are a thug’. The eye rolling at the table was epic. The floor came over to Flynn and said to give the sign if he needed to be escorted out. Hell no!! This is why we play poker.

Two things of note: Flynn hailed the most english speaking man of the 4, and had a secret convo with him about the way he and his friends were mucking cards, with leading edge up instead of trailing edge. While Flynn doesn’t mind being able to tell what card(s) are being mucked, it just seemed the right thing to do. Second ~ player in 5 seat all upset about the gestures the rasta was making, was mad that rasta won a pot, and got into a debate about what a ‘check’ gesture was (rasta waved his hands around A LOT). The ruling did not go in Seat 5’s favor, neither with the dealer nor the floor. Shortly after this, Flynn requested a table change to Ollie’s table. He wanted to stay with rasta, but he sure didn’t want to stay with cranky ol’ discriminatory Seat 5. Off to the next table he went.

Ollie had been doing well in seat #8. Flynn sat in #1. In #2 was “Wannabe Pro” (WP for short). The rest of the table was the norm. Flynn had an early win with a nice hit on a river to take some other’s player stack (about $2hund), and was just hanging out playing the players and position, chill.

Ollie pre-flop raises to $45 from BB (this is a 1/3 game folks), and WP calls. Alarm bells went off in Flynn’s head as WP had only limped. Apparently he was primed for bear, but Flynn knows Ollie. Flop comes. Two hearts of some sort, and a black card. WP checks, Ollie bets $100. *WP has 2fity behind*. He picks up a black chip, twirls it around and stalls. “I can’t see folding this hand” “Do you want to play for the hundred and let it run out, or do you want to play for it all?” (Ollie shrugs). WP again asks if Ollie wants to play for the hundred. Ollie replies “What ever you wanna do, man”. WP throws in the hundred chip and tells he dealer to run it out. *The dealer does not do this. The dealer puts out the turn, and waits for the action*. WP again says to run it out. Dealer looks at Ollie, Ollie says nope, and shoves. WP goes wacked. Starts calling Ollie unethical, that he has no integrity, “I would expect nothing less from you” and tries to get Ollie to take back the turn bet. Now, those of you who know Ollie are aware that there is no way he is lacking in integrity or ethics. This WP dude can shove it (literally..ha ha). Apparently Ollie had taken a few pots from WP previously, and since WP is the best, most bestest, seriously pro 1/3 player, it must be Ollie’s fault and he must be cheating or angling or otherwise be a horrible otter. Anyway, WP calls the all-in, river runs out not a heart (duh), and Ollie wins with his pocket aces. WP was rank and muttering to his seat mates about this for a good 10 minutes. The best part of this story is that WP had no idea of the relationship between Flynn (on his right) and Ollie. Flynn bit his tongue and let him whine while mentally strategizing more pain on this freak.

Pain to come: WP bought back for max (400). Flynn gets pocket aces, raises to $16. Mind you, Flynn raises pre-flop enough with decent cards that this is not especially unusual, but most of the time around $12. WP (on left, Flynn out of position) re-raises to $50. ohhhh no, Flynn is soooo scared. Flynn calls anyway. Flop A 8 x. Flynn bets $80. WP calls. Turn pairs the 8. (oh dear, we only have top full house, we should probably check). Flynn checks, WP bets $120. Flynn (pause), calls. River is a nada. Flynn shoves (has WP covered). WP goes in tank. Stares at Flynn “Do you have an 8?” “Did you hit a full house?” “I can’t believe you would have an 8”. blah blah blah, just call already, Mr Pro. His ego will do nothing but force him to call. He calls. Flynn stacks him. Woot!

The remaining hour is spent with WP raising any teeny pre-flop raise that Flynn puts out. Flynn gives most of them up. Some other player comments about this, to which Flynn replies “I am happy to lose the tiny pots, I just wanna win the big ones”. WP is one unhappy camper. Flynn and Ollie take off with all his money, and the hit the casa for a good night’s sleep.

Fin

Flynn