The "iceman"

PShabi · #1 05-06-10, 05:10 PM

Played last night with It was in the 8/16 game at the Venetian. I didn't know who he was, but it was obv he thought he was some type of superstar so when he finally got up I asked some other guy who was chatting me up and he clued me in. Guy was pretty much acting just like in the videos, but more like the second video. More laid back....he told me he was on percocet (sp?).

Nothing too eventful. I dropped like $160 in a shark infested game that saw me repeatedly flopping oesd and flush draws that never got there, not once. I doubt I'll be back but may give it a weekend try again. Dude was laced in cubic zirconia. He had the patented headphones on the head, all cubic encrusted and shit. He was a nice guy, but wanted to talk too much and blow his own horn. He made it clear to anyone who wanted to listen that Phil Ivey was his best friend. He had been '86d from the Bellagio (never asked why, but that's why he was playing the measly 8/16). He used the phrase "punished" a lot in telling stories from other poker games. And the strangest thing and the thing that will lead to his death obv, was in <4 hours I saw him drink at least a 6 pack of pepsi and had another 4 unopened cans sitting next to him on a side table. They brought him a bucket of ice and everything. Disgusting.

He played very tight as did most of the table as did most of the table. One hand, it finally gets to me in the CO with no action...I'm bored...so I open 810o and he immediately 3 bets me. We end up heads up on a 4 - 6 - 8 flop and I decide fuck it...I'ma call down and either a) piss him off, b) get some info as he hadn't shown down yet or c) both.

Flop = c/c
Turn (7) = c/c
River (5) = check and he checks behind. I proclaim to be playing the board now and he says good and starts pushing my uncollected flop and turn bets back toward me but he puts his AQ face up. I'm not sure if I need to table my hand to collect my half but I didn't wanna risk so I table.

He immediately goes into lecture mode, quietly, politely, and discreetly with no one else able to hear, about how I shouldn't show that shit hand. These guys are pros and they are watching. If I play shit like that I'll never get respect from a good poker player.

I just played dumb and let him continue. He insisted he was just trying to help me, and he was genuine. Again, there was no hostility at all. I repeatedly thanked him for helping me, which was making me laugh on the inside. When I went back to being card dead and folding for another hour straight he was like, "see....no you're starting to get it....be patient." He also told me if he coached me, I'd be one of the best players in Vegas in 3 months.

All in all, it was pretty entertaining. I had to google him to figure out just why I should know him just now but figured some might find it interesting enough to TR. Edit: There is alot of interesting reads on 2+2 about his scams at the Bellagio if you google. Dude is a piece of work.

2Tone · #2 05-06-10, 09:35 PM

Also, while I haven't played it myself, the general consensus seems to be that that 8/16 game at the V. is generally one of the toughest in the city, much TAG-ier than the 15/30 at the Bellagio.

sjay2k · #3 05-06-10, 10:51 PM

LOL cool story, that guy sounds like a table coach/loser.

Stealing from the CO with T8o is pretty standard isn't it?

PShabi · #4 05-06-10, 10:56 PM

My bad sjay....typo...it was the HJ. Probably marginal but whatever it's preflop.

PShabi · #5 05-06-10, 11:01 PM

I'd like to play on the weekend a couple of times before I pass full judgement. There isn't another 8/16 game anywhere right now and 15/30 is quite a jump from 4/8. What I need to figure out is if 8/16 is more profitable than then 4/8 game I play.

Amazingly, I'm still at $14/hr in the 4/8, 1/2 kill game I frequent with a $4+$1 rake drop.

The 8/16 game at the Venetian is only raking $2 right now, but rumor is it will move up to $3 July 1, but that rumor was from "ICE" so who knows. Not sure I could squeak 1BB/hr in that game but I should be able to.

Kurn · #6 05-07-10, 06:10 AM

Should be. problem is, in a game like the one described, it steals the blinds, but postflop if your opponent doesn't fold it turns into a reverse implied odds hand against most TAG LHE players. In the Foxwoods 20/40 you'd open raise this from LP almost all the time. In the game described here, I don't think that'd be +EV.

Talking Poker · #7 05-07-10, 12:00 PM

I see that guy walking around at the WSOP every year and always wonder what his deal is. Pretty sure he's a wanna-be pimp.

Last year, or maybe the year before, I could help buy LOL when some guy was literally following him around during a 15 minute break - into the bathroom where he stood behind him pissing and everything - trying to sell him some diamond bracelet he insisted was worth "5 Gs," but he'd give him a deal on it.

heh.