Just one MTT break please...pretty please.

Today was kind of an interesting cross-section of my entire trip so far. More on that for a minute, first things first...the most insane Subway experience ever.

Subway meaning the restaraunt chain that delivers delicious sandwiches, not the train. Bruno and I sleep in and meet downstairs at around 2:30pm, and decide to hit up a Subway. There we have the most awkward experience I've ever had in my life. This is the conversation, as they are taking our orders, the two girls making the subs have which either, and I couldn't make this up.

Girl 1 : "I'm sorry you gotta speak up I'm not hearin' so good today"
Girl 2 : "I'm deaf in one ear. Ex-boyfriend. Pop. He punched me in the ear and broke my eardrum"
Girl 1 : "I hope you sent him to jail for that!"
Girl 2 : "Nope, he's dead."

That's where it literally stopped. I actually burst into laughter because I wasn't sure how else to react to that, I actually thought I was on a hidden camera show, because the absurdity of that discussion was mind-blowing, especially leaving it on that note.

In any event, onto the poker. So, as I said, today represented an interesting cross-section of my trip so far. Cash games I'm untouchable right now, MTT's I'm always one break away from really doing well.

We decided after Subway to go to the Golden Nugget on the advice of a friend of mine, Alex. Alex, kudos for that recommendation, today went well, really well. I sat down, and bought in for 400 dollars to a 1/2 table. Bruno sat down with the same. After a while I had built mine up to over 600 infront of me, Bruno was over 700. Then I lost an enormous pot which would have been a lovely way to top the session for starts, I had Kc/3c in a 6 way limped pot so I followed suit. Flop was As/8c/6c, a player bet 10, got a caller, another caller, and I called behind. Turn was the Ace of clubs, making me the nut flush, but pairing the board. Sick spot because I knew I was stuck calling it down, the initial better checked, and next to act fired 60, I called and the other guy called. The turn was a 3h. The other guy checked, the better bet again, 110, I called and the other guy called. The agressor after the turn rolled over 88 for the boat. Meh.

After that, I cashed out, up around 110, and went over to Binions to play a tourney there. I quickly set up a maniac image(Bruno's Ottawa influence is really wearing off on me), and eventually got myself in with the best of it, surprisingly. The pot was limped 4 times to me on the SB, and I raised 6x the BB holding 2/3 offsuit, figuring all the limps were dead money and none would call. I was right, one problem. BB called. Flop was magic though, 7/3/2 rainbow. I shoved and got insta-called by QQ. I rolled it over and the guy laughed, the turn was a 7 and he won it with a higher 2 pair. Oh well, back to the Nugget, it's cash game session time.

As I get back, Bruno's at around 900 now, and I buy in for 400 again. I very, very quickly turn it into 600 making 2 big pots with flushes, then a funny hand occurs.

A live straddle on and 4 limps to me, I call with 4/4, and everyone checks around. As the dealer starts to deal the flop, stealing a move I picked up from Marc Karam, I called out for a duece. The flop was A/K/10 rainbow. Everyone checked and I checked. Turn was a 2. Game on. Everyone checks hesitantly to me. I bet the pot(like 40 dollars), knowing that Bruno whose in the hand, fully intends to call me, so I NEED someone else to step in before it gets to him, or else this fails. Bruno's too smart to fall for this. 2 players call, and force Bruno to fold. The river's a 6 and they check to me again, and I fire out 65 dollars and they both fold. Phew.

2 hands later, I stack a player holding A/8 on an 8 high flop when I'm holding KK, and the next hand I have J9 on the button, flop comes Q/10/6, bet call call to me so I call. Turn is a 9. Bet call call to me so I call. River is a 9, check check check to me and I fire out a big bet and get 2 callers and win that pot.

A few hands after that, I pick up 9s/5s in MP and open for 12 dollars, get 2 callers. Flop comes something like Qd/10h/3s. I check, an old guy bets 10, gets called, and I call intending to steal later. Turn is a 6s. Old guy bets out 10 again, gets a caller and I call now drawing. River is a 2s, they both check and I just grab an handful of chips and throw it in 55 dollars, and they both call.

Suddenly I'm over 1100 dollars infront of me, as is Bruno. Then they break our table hoping to start up a late night tourney. So I buy in. For an hour and a half I play real solid in that I look like a maniac, raising insane hands, getting it all in against some lady with 8/2 offsuit, but at the end of the hour, I'm up from 5000 to about 8500, and I've developed that image so now that the blinds are going to hit us hard, I'll get payed off big time. And it all works to perfection. Except remember what I said about not getting breaks in these MTT's? I get it all in in a huge 3 way all in which would easily have put me in the money if not in serious contention of winning it and the 1200 first prize, with KK vs QQ and A/10, and an ace peels off on the river.

That's my day. Dan Forester and Sonny both cashed that Binions evening tournament I told the story from, they chopped 9 ways for 900 bucks. Tomorrow the itinerary is the Binions Poker Classic, the 500 dollar buyin, 10,000 starting stack event. Blinds go every 40 minutes, looks like a good structure. Hopefully I can finally catch one big break in these MTT's and cash big. Otherwise, another real productive and financially rewarding day in Las Vegas.