Well, I am back from Miami.  It was a blast too.  I went down from Thursday to Sunday and we made the best of our time there.

We had a connecting flight from Richmond Virginia through Atlanta to Miami.  Both flights on the way there went pretty smoothly.  We arrived to cloudy skies, but the temperature was much better than what we were having in Richmond.

Zac Brown Band on Miami Beach

After about a 30 minute taxi cab ride we arrived at our hotel just north of South Beach.  We had 3 rooms for 8 guys.  The minute we arrived, we heard of a party going on that night down on the beach.  Zac Brown Band was playing on the beach for free.  It was a party set up by NASCAR since the race was in town this weekend.  So obviously, since it was free, we would be stupid to miss the concert.  The atmosphere for the concert couldn’t have been better.  The temperature was just right and there was a nice gentle breeze that made it perfect.

When the concert was over, we basically headed across the street to the row of restaurants and bars.  We eventually landed at a place called “The Clevelander“.  It was a pretty nice outdoor bar that had club music playing.  Not to mention the “scenery” wasn’t too bad.  The only downside to the first night was I drank so much that I was a lump on a log for pretty much the whole next day.

South Beach

So on to Friday…. For dinner, we went to a place called Joe’s Stone Crab.  It was an upscale seafood restaurant that we had heard of before.  It didn’t disappoint.  I would definitely recommend going there.  All the portions were huge and were shared amongst the table.  The best things I had there outside of the Crab were the Hash-browns, Lobster Mac and Cheese, and Fried Zucchini.  It’s a must-go-to restaurant if I ever get back down there.

After that dinner, we went to go see the Miami Heat (NBA) play the Charlotte Bobcats.  At first it looked like it was going to be a blow out, but the Bobcats closed in late and made a game of it and had a pretty good shot to win the game late.  But going to the arena wasn’t just about the game, as it was also about the different celebrities that you might see and there were quite a few there.

Miami Heat

Later that night, we hit up the South Beach bar scene again; and again eventually ending at The Clevelander.

Saturday, the main reason we were down there (outside of it being a bachelor party), we went to the Virginia Tech/Miami Football game.  We had a stretch limo pick us up from the hotel and take us to the stadium early where we tailgated for a while.  Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures on this day since I of course forgot to bring my charger and my phone died on me the night before (after snapping the last few pics of the basketball game).  When the game was  over (which Tech won) we headed out to more bars.

The only thing we did not do that I was hoping was we never went to a casino.  The group of people I was with aren’t really into the gaming scene like I am.  But it was probably best anyway since I needed a little break from the poker.  Overall, it was a great time and I hope to make it back down there some time.  But now that I am back, it is time to get focused again on my poker, though my job has already got me all worked up again as I came back to a pile of crap to do.  Figures.

Oh and the flight back to Richmond, again connecting through Atlanta was BRUTAL.  First off, when we landed in Atlanta we had all of 15 minutes to get off the plane and literally run a few concourses over just to get there in time before they closed the gate.  We were seriously running through the busy airport as people made there sly remarks to us “don’t be late” or “run, run!”  Whatever, I was not about to stay in Atlanta overnight.   But we made it just in time, and somehow they even managed to get our bags on there (as I later found out) which I thought for sure wouldn’t happen.

Then the flight from Atlanta into Richmond was smooth……until the landing.  We landed in a dense fog in the middle of the dark night and you could feel the tension on the plane as the pilot said over the loud speaker “Uh, the visibility currently in Richmond is extremely low.  We shouldn’t have a problem, but be careful driving home.”  LOL, thanks!!  Just be careful landing the plane!  We circled the airport a couple times (I think) you couldn’t really tell since you couldn’t see anything but could just feel the plane maneuvers.  You would feel a sway to the left, get the feeling of being pushed back into the seat as the throttle was lifted and we had to climb back up.  It was pretty actually pretty scary.  But when it was all said and done, the minute I could see land, we were on the ground…..safely.  It is actually pretty funny that this happened to me also.  I say “also” because another blog I read by Nat Arem, the creator of the PokerDB who also works on the site PocketFives, basically had the same thing happen to him landing in Costa Rica.  You can read his blog post about his trip here.

Ok, enough rambling…..

Since I have gotten back from the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) held at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas, I have been scrambling to get things back to “normal” on the home front.  I am finally getting caught back up and am looking forward to a wonderful 2010!

The Atlantis at Night

I wanted to take the time to share my experiences in the Bahamas.  It was my first major poker tournament and it did not disappoint as far as expectations were concerned.  It was a great time all around.

Let me first start by saying that the Atlantis was a huge, magnificent resort.  I am not even sure if I got the chance to explore everything the resort has to offer since it was so big.

One disappointing thing, and nothing anyone can really do about it, was the weather was not up to the usual.  It was actually pretty chilly down there for the majority of my stay due to an “arctic blast” as the locals were calling it.  Even so, it was still warm enough a couple of days there to be able to lay out in the sun by the beach or the multiple pools/lagoons the resort has to offer.

The only true downside to the Atlantis was that it was unbelievably expensive.  Everything there was priced at least twice the amount you would expect to pay back at home.  In fact, I ended up spending every last bit of the $1150 spending account that was attached to the package I won on PokerStars in the 8 nights I was there.

Outside of the poker which I already discussed here, I wanted to share a couple stories of my stay there:

The PokerStars Bash

PokerStars threw a huge party towards the end of the stay.  It was originally supposed to be held outside, but since it was cold and windy they held it in the ballroom at the Atlantis.  Kelly Rowland from Destiny’s Child performed a 30 minute set that was ehhh “OK”.  It was almost kind of funny because from where I was, people were like “who is this again?”

Kelly Rowland performing at the Atlantis

You could tell Kelly Rowland was trying to get the crowd more into it, but people just didn’t seem to warm up to her as I think she was expecting.  But what do you expect with a mostly young male audience.  Destiny’s Child songs are more geared to younger females in my opinion.  It was not a good choice on the part of PokerStars in my opinion.  The end of her set was pretty quick and she jetted.  I am not sure if anyone else felt this way and I could be totally wrong in my assessment of the performance.

The rest of the party was on point though.  They had excellent food available and the drinks were on the house.  Celebrities were all around, though mostly in the VIP lounge.  Poker players that you are used to seeing on ESPN were everywhere.  It was really a great party overall.

Speaking of the VIP lounge….  As the night was going along I noticed that some celebrities with the likes of Slash (from Guns N Roses), Adrien Grenier (Vinny Chase in Entourage), and Jayde Nicole (2008 Playmate of the year) were in the VIP lounge which was pretty secluded from the rest of the party.  I told my wife, who came during the middle of my stay in the Bahamas, that “we are getting in there some time tonight, some way.”

Well to make a long story short, we did get in there.  I borrowed a “PokerStars.net” patch from one of the pros, who will remain unnamed, and I followed another player who said he could get us into the VIP lounge through the security. The only downside was when I finally got in there, the party was pretty much over and the only plus was that I could still order some drinks as the drinks were no longer available in the main ballroom.  But hey, I got in like I said I would!

Fish Fry

Whenever I stay somewhere exotic, I like to try and get a little taste of what the local flavor is like.  So under the suggestions of other poker players and the locals, my wife and I checked out “Fish Fry”.  I originally thought it was just one really good restaurant.  But when the taxi dropped us off, it turned out it was more like a strip of restaurants and bars with local cuisine.  Some parts looked kind of run down and pretty suspect under the moonlight but other restaurants looked pretty nice.

View of the Marina from my room

My wife and I chose to eat at “Twin Brothers”.  I got some fried shrimp and lobster dinner that was served with brown rice with beans mixed in it, macaroni and cheese, and plantains.  I would rate my food to be about an average 6.5 out of 10.  It was nothing special.  However, my wife got broiled shrimp which was served in aluminum foil mixed with spices and vegetables.  I tried some of it and finished it off for her as it was more than enough for her.  I would have to say that was great and would rate that no lower than 9.5 out of 10.

Overall the service was on par with what you would expect.  No extreme delays.  It was a nice experience that I am glad we had the opportunity to taste a little of what the Bahamas has to offer. For those planning on going to the Bahamas, I would definitely recommend making a stop at the “Fish Fry”.

Below are some more pictures and videos of various things from the PCA and the Atlantis.  I didn’t really take any pictures with the various celebrities as I didn’t really want to bother them.  Besides, it became the norm to see a recognizable face every day, and became more “ho hum” by the end of my stay.

I woke up somewhat early Saturday considering how late the night before got. The minute I woke up I knew I had some work ahead of me to at the least cut into some of the loss I had the night before.

I eventually made it back down to the poker room and decided to play 3/6 limit. At this point, I just was sick of NLH after Friday night.

Session 3

To make a long story short, I ended up about $120 after 4 hours of play. I really ran pretty well as I hit about 4 full houses and everyone at the table was calling me down as I averaged showing down one bluff every hour. I did take some bad beats here and there, but it was expected playing this low of a limit game.

I was happy with the net of $120, but was disappointed as I felt I left some money on the table in a couple of hands. I also got a little of track for about 1 hour where I caught myself playing WAY too many hands. My high point during the 4 hours of play was around $175, and I really should have won over $200 for how poor the play was.

Other Games

I left the table to go hang out with some of the friends I felt I hadn’t really accompanied during the weekend. I played a little mini-baccarat where I won $150 betting on the average the minimum $20. I was mostly just betting on the banker and only switching to player a couple of times.

On that note, I really like baccarat after dabbling with it in Vegas. I feel like it is a great game to play as it is nearly 50 percent odds (better than the red or black bet in double zero roulette) and I am now over a $300 winner in that game mostly just betting the minimum outside of a few times.

If I could confidently count cards without mistakes, I would have probably played some blackjack.

Then I got talked into playing roulette. I have read, unsure of where, that history in roulette means nothing. However, there is one way you might be able to win. That is when some numbers come in more often than not. The theory behind this is the fact that the wheel can have the slightest imperfections to allow for certain numbers to hit more often and the throw of the ball by the dealer can have “human error” to allow for certain numbers to hit.

I might be able to see the first part of the theory more than the second, but nonetheless I used the strategy. I would bet 6-7 numbers that seemed to pop up more often and 2-3 of my “lucky” numbers. I ended up winning $13 in 30 minutes. But I wish I had played 3 more spins, as the next 3 spins all came up with numbers that I had routinely bet. I would have won more than $200 had I done so.

Session 4

After an even crazier night than the night before at MurMur (Borgata club) I stumbled into the poker room knowing that I was there to play more for fun than to win as I knew I was not in the best condition to play my A game.

I saw a lively short handed table of 5/10 limit and decided to take a seat and bought in for $200. After all, 5/10 limit is what I play in Myrtle Beach (Sun Cruz Casino) and average winning about 10bb/hr down there.

I really enjoyed it as it was easily noticeable that I was playing against better competition than what I had faced all weekend. I mixed it up without really ever getting a hand, outside of one KK in which I won a small, uncontested pot. Hands were rarely getting to showdown, it was great!

After about an hour of playing pretty card dead, I was down about 40 bucks. Then I find out that the players at the table are “regulars” in the 10/20 game and they were just about to get up and call it a night. Me and one other guy, I believe his name was Nick (at least that is what I am going with) decided to play headsup.

I got off to an early comfortable lead, and then he slowly chipped back up. Then I lost about 3 big hands out of 10 and was down to about $20. I managed to work it back up to $75 as some other players sat down.

Both of the new guys were putting bad beat after bad beat on both me and Nick and Nick busted as I was still hanging on with about $50. Then my last hand of the weekend came (one of the only hands I can remember nearly every detail in the night):

It was folded to me in the SB and I look down at the Ac3c. I make a raise and get called by the BB.

The flop brings 3 J J.

I bet and get called.

The turn brings another 3.

I bet and get called again.

The river was a 7.

I bet and get raised. With just a couple of more bets in my stack I decide to go all in. He calls, and I am thinking he is going to show a Jack. He doesn’t though. Instead he shows 77 with 7s full. Good hand, good game, good night, good bye Atlantic City.

Overall I feel like I played OK, but I definitely was not playing my A game while drinking on either night. This will go down as my first losing weekend in AC and this was my 6th trip up there.

I ended up losing 420 in poker (about 260 overall) though I will make the notion that I did win $180 sober. Even when I had some alcohol in me, I feel like I played well enough to win, it just didn’t work out that way. But I had a blast, and that was really all that mattered as I was more there for a bachelor party than to play poker.

I did notice some other things while in AC when it comes to my game. That will come in a later, probably lengthy, post or article.

I first arrived in Atlantic City after a long 6 hour drive. The minute I got there it was time to play some poker before the alcohol was in the picture for the bachelor party.

Session 1

I left the non-poker playing friends at the roulette table and headed for the poker room with a few other friends. I sat down at 1/2 NL kind of as a refresher and to get back into the swing of things as I was expecting to play 2/5 NL later in the weekend.

I bought in for $200 though the max buy-in was $300. After a few quick hours of not getting too many good hands I was up $60 and left to get ready to go out. Really nothing too eventful but did notice how poor the play was.

Session 2

After going to a couple of bars I carried myself back to the poker room around 2 in the morning. Decided to buy back into the 1/2 game since I had been drinking instead of trying out the 2/5 game.

First hand I am dealt in the BB was AhAc. Middle position player opens with a 4x raise, the button calls, and hoping to take the pot down pre and set a tone for my table image I overbet ($35) the pot ($19) making it $27 more to go for the players already in. I still had $165 behind. The original raiser, with what looked to be about $500 behind, calls and the button folds.

At this point, with no reads except to notice that he is up since the max buyin is $300, I have to think that he has two big cards like AK-AQ or a pretty nice pair like TT-KK. I wasn’t really laying good enough odds for much else to call.

Flop brings 8h 5d 2h

I bet ($60) 3/4 of the pot ($78) hoping that he has an overpair and is willing to go with it. If he just calls, I would have the perfect size stack to make a value ship with the rest on the turn ($105 into $198). To go along with the possibility of him having an overpair, he declares that he is putting me all in.

Without really thinking about it, I call knowing I was pretty much priced in getting nearly 2:1 on the flop with AA one being a heart.

As I put the last of my chips in, I asked “Did you hit a set on me?”

He sheepishly shakes his head yes as he turns over his 55. Needless to say, the turn and river was of no help.

I quickly reach back into my pockets to rebuy for another $200.

At least an hour of break-even play went by. A few more beers down and a run of no cards was getting me antsy as this next hand occurred:

At this point I had reads on the styles of 3/4 of the table and had a couple strong physical tells on 1/3 of the table. The table playing loose, I look down at the Qc7c from the button after 4 limpers and elect to call. The SB calls and the loose aggressive BB makes it $16 to go. It is folded around to me and I make a loose call thinking I could outplay him as I had a good read on him. SB folds.

The flop brings 7 5 2 (no flush draw out, forget the suits though).

BB leads with a pot-sized ($40) continuation bet as he has done 3 or 4 times in the last orbit and a half. I sit there and think for about 10 seconds, my opponent really did look uncomfortable. So I decided to call planning to bet if checked to me on the turn no matter what came.

Turn brings an 8 (rainbow).

The BB checks, I look at the pot which is now at $120 and I have about the same. So going with my read and my plan, I decide to ship and hopefully take down the pot. To my dismay, I get called pretty quickly.

Again the board reads 7 5 2 8, guess what he had!

44!

And guess what came on the river, a 6 to give him the straight.

I slowly pushed away from the table as I watched him drag the pot away. I said in awe “I can not believe you called over a hundred with that, but nice hand I guess” and I walked away in disbelief.

In no way, was I playing the hand the way I did just because I had top pair. I played it this way by going with my read. I was really playing the player more than the cards. I guess I was correct in this instance, but the outcome was unfavorable.

End of day 1, down 340….. Day 2 to come later.