Summer of Tournaments – Day 16
I was up at 5:30 this morning (normal for me) and looked outside and was surprised to see two men and a woman putting towels on the chairs down on the beach. I suppose they wanted to reserve the spots for later, but 5:30 in the morning? Before I went to bed last night, there was a knock on the door. It was one of the staff delivering the welcome bag, which they give to all 7 Star card holders.
Lots of goodies—the bananas cover breakfast and plenty of snacks for later
A little later after the welcome bag there was another knock and a different staff member was dropping of a carton of 5 gourmet cookies and two chocolates, they deliver these every night to diamond and 7 star members. Sometimes, in place of cookies, they send four chocolate covered strawberries and sometimes small sponge cakes. I mention all of this because Harrah’s Laughlin stands out as taking care of their upper level players and it’s appreciated. Harrah’s Rincon (now Harrah’s Southern California Resort) gives all 7 Star holders a bag of seven or eight bags of candies and nuts. The big boys in Las Vegas do very little. Each night at the Paris Hotel, I’d come back to my room to find three small pillow chocolates with a card that reads, “This turndown service is in appreciation to our 7 card members as a thank you for your loyalty.” Their turndown service consists of the chocolates, the bed sheet turned down and the curtains closed—big whoop! Bally’s does nothing at all. Caesars leaves a couple chocolate medallion coins. I mentioned this in the email critique they sometime send to me after a stay, but like everything in those emails, it gets ignored.
Today is my poker tournament. My assignment was table 3, seat 2. For this tournament, the final three players at each table come back on Sunday and the winner of each table of that goes to the final table of ten. Those people are in the money. I’ve already discussed how difficult these types of tournaments are and my session today could have been a perfect example. I was dealt A/Q; A/10; and A/J within the first five hands. Every flop was all small cards. I kept getting good enough hands to see a flop (and have to bet accordingly) and I’d miss it every time. By the third raise of blinds cycle, I was down to five big blinds, and was dealt A/J suited. I went all in and was called by the guy on my left. He had A/Q; again the flop was all small cards and he won with a Queen high. Geez!
Today, the plan was to go after the 2500 tier points ($25K coin in). I first played the 50-plays; then switched to the 3/5 play for quarters. I never hit quad Aces or a Royal, but fortunately made enough of the other hands to reach the goal but my tool box did take a hit. So far, it’s been a rough trip. I’ve had no royals and quad Aces have rarely made an appearance. Two years ago, I went through this as well. I never caught a royal the entire summer, and then the next month hit four or five in a four week period to catch me completely up with the summer. I can’t hope for that again this year I’m counting on catching some hands soon.
It takes me about five to six hours of play $25K through the machines and I hadn’t had lunch, so I took a break in the Diamond Lounge (they open at noon on Saturdays and Sundays). Today they had small quiches, and sweet and sour meatballs along with sandwiches and veggies. Laughlin puts Vegas to shame when it comes to food in the Diamond Lounge. I enjoyed watching the Ghana/Germany soccer match over lunch and Bailey’s coffee.
Before going back to work on the machines, I took a little walk outside—109 degrees toady. The heat didn’t do much to stop people from hanging out at the pool and along the beach on the river. Personally, I just can’t figure out why people feel the necessity to bake themselves under the sun. I suppose I’m just old.
The adult pool is one popular hangout here. The children’s pool was even busier.
The beach area on the river.
Looking up at the hotel from the beach area
When I had enough heat for one day, I went back into the casino and finished up my play for the day. As mentioned before, by achieving 2500 tier points in one day, you’re awarded 5000 more for a total of 7500. I now have 114,000 tier points, so I’m only 36,000 away from renewing my 7 Star level. I look at it as needing five more 25K play days. I have until December 31, so it’s pretty much in the bag—eventually.
More tomorrow
Totals:
Tournaments: 9 Cost: $138 Won: $1000 Balance: $862
I was up at 5:30 this morning (normal for me) and looked outside and was surprised to see two men and a woman putting towels on the chairs down on the beach. I suppose they wanted to reserve the spots for later, but 5:30 in the morning? Before I went to bed last night, there was a knock on the door. It was one of the staff delivering the welcome bag, which they give to all 7 Star card holders.
Lots of goodies—the bananas cover breakfast and plenty of snacks for later
A little later after the welcome bag there was another knock and a different staff member was dropping of a carton of 5 gourmet cookies and two chocolates, they deliver these every night to diamond and 7 star members. Sometimes, in place of cookies, they send four chocolate covered strawberries and sometimes small sponge cakes. I mention all of this because Harrah’s Laughlin stands out as taking care of their upper level players and it’s appreciated. Harrah’s Rincon (now Harrah’s Southern California Resort) gives all 7 Star holders a bag of seven or eight bags of candies and nuts. The big boys in Las Vegas do very little. Each night at the Paris Hotel, I’d come back to my room to find three small pillow chocolates with a card that reads, “This turndown service is in appreciation to our 7 card members as a thank you for your loyalty.” Their turndown service consists of the chocolates, the bed sheet turned down and the curtains closed—big whoop! Bally’s does nothing at all. Caesars leaves a couple chocolate medallion coins. I mentioned this in the email critique they sometime send to me after a stay, but like everything in those emails, it gets ignored.
Today is my poker tournament. My assignment was table 3, seat 2. For this tournament, the final three players at each table come back on Sunday and the winner of each table of that goes to the final table of ten. Those people are in the money. I’ve already discussed how difficult these types of tournaments are and my session today could have been a perfect example. I was dealt A/Q; A/10; and A/J within the first five hands. Every flop was all small cards. I kept getting good enough hands to see a flop (and have to bet accordingly) and I’d miss it every time. By the third raise of blinds cycle, I was down to five big blinds, and was dealt A/J suited. I went all in and was called by the guy on my left. He had A/Q; again the flop was all small cards and he won with a Queen high. Geez!
Today, the plan was to go after the 2500 tier points ($25K coin in). I first played the 50-plays; then switched to the 3/5 play for quarters. I never hit quad Aces or a Royal, but fortunately made enough of the other hands to reach the goal but my tool box did take a hit. So far, it’s been a rough trip. I’ve had no royals and quad Aces have rarely made an appearance. Two years ago, I went through this as well. I never caught a royal the entire summer, and then the next month hit four or five in a four week period to catch me completely up with the summer. I can’t hope for that again this year I’m counting on catching some hands soon.
It takes me about five to six hours of play $25K through the machines and I hadn’t had lunch, so I took a break in the Diamond Lounge (they open at noon on Saturdays and Sundays). Today they had small quiches, and sweet and sour meatballs along with sandwiches and veggies. Laughlin puts Vegas to shame when it comes to food in the Diamond Lounge. I enjoyed watching the Ghana/Germany soccer match over lunch and Bailey’s coffee.
Before going back to work on the machines, I took a little walk outside—109 degrees toady. The heat didn’t do much to stop people from hanging out at the pool and along the beach on the river. Personally, I just can’t figure out why people feel the necessity to bake themselves under the sun. I suppose I’m just old.
The adult pool is one popular hangout here. The children’s pool was even busier.
The beach area on the river.
Looking up at the hotel from the beach area
When I had enough heat for one day, I went back into the casino and finished up my play for the day. As mentioned before, by achieving 2500 tier points in one day, you’re awarded 5000 more for a total of 7500. I now have 114,000 tier points, so I’m only 36,000 away from renewing my 7 Star level. I look at it as needing five more 25K play days. I have until December 31, so it’s pretty much in the bag—eventually.
More tomorrow
Totals:
Tournaments: 9 Cost: $138 Won: $1000 Balance: $862
