Faldo Moves to the Paris Casino to Donk Some More

Well, I found poker heaven in Vegas, although I didn't stay long.

The Paris Poker Room had a tourney with a $65 buy-in. They cut the entries off at 36 players. I huslted over after my loss at the Monte Carlo, but was not in a great frame of mind.

I entered the tourney, and entered the sports book where I lost two horse bets while waiting. That help my attitude. Then my son just called to tell me that both him and his couzin failed to cash also at Monte Carlo.

Just as I asked him for details, I was told rudely by a sports book worker that cell phones were illegal in the sports book. If my $65 for the tourney was not already 100 feet away in their cash register, I would of told the guy what he could do with his sports book. But I told my son that some, "This asshole says I can't use my phone. Talk to you later," and I hung up. The guy seemed to contemplate a response, but walked away.

I tend to get surly when losing. Another improvement in my frame of mind before the next tourney.

The Paris tourney is first class. Tourney clock on the wall and the payouts are generous! Thirty-six players makes a pool of $2100. They paid five places -

1st - $768
2nd - $480
3rd - $288
4th - $211
5th - $173

This means The Paris Poker Room only took $180 out of the pool of $2100! Compare that to the Imperial Palace taking $440 out of a pool of $1320.

The Paris is the best bargain I've seen so far!

I continued playing like a donkey as the promise I made in the last article was not made until after this tourney. Again I folded - as I was supposed to - two weak hands that would have won me some big pots.

This was stacked on top of my Monte Carlo misses and donkey play, the horse losses and the rude Paris employee. I was trying not to get tilty, but I don't think I was thinking as clear as I usually do. I won't blame it on being tired because I didn't feel tired.

Here is the hand that spelled the end for me. I am medium-low in chips and am in the big blind after the first break. I have 1100 left after posting the 200 big blind. It folds around to the small blind who calls. I look at (Ah 3h) and decide to raise it to 500 and he calls. Not what I wanted to hear.

The flop is [7s As Qc]. Yeah, that may be my salvation or my tap out. The small blind checks. What to do?

Checking is totally wrong, but is all-in correct? I will be able to see another full lap to pick a spot if I don't go out here. A small bet will get me a call - which I don't want. So I bet $500.

There is an old adage, 'try not to play a big pot with a small hand.' I ignore that wisdom. This was almost as stupid a play (I'm thinking now) as checking. I just committed myself, but didn't use the all-in hammer. If I wanted him to fold, all-in was the move, not this weenie bet.

He calls and now I have no idea where I am at. Like I said, someone else has taken over playing my cards and my brain must be out on the strip handing out call-girl cards to passer-byes with the illegal aliens.

If anyone wants to dispute my play on this hand as being 'not so bad', I would love to hear why. ...Somebody? Anybody?

The turn is [6c]. Well, that did nothing for me, but built another flush draw I none of. He checks and I check. Again, showing weakness, but I'm lost in the hand and on tilt besides.

The river is a [4d]. That's a blank I think, but the SB goes all-in and after a think, I fold leaving me with next to nothing in chips. I double up once but fail on the second attempt. I exit wondering why I am going for Donkey of the Year honors in Las Vegas my first day playing.

The SB guy didn't show what he had, but he got knocked out soon after as his trips ran into a runner-runner straight. I happen to be just outside the poker room calling my son when he exits, so I asked him what happened to him - and what did he have in our hand (As6s).

Definitely heading back to the Paris for some tourneys. The payouts are ripe, but I will still hit some casinos for poker I have never played in before also.

I WILL REPRESENT NPP TOMORROW!!!!! - Nik Faldo