Roy The Boy says...

Vegas: Hot and Wacky Stuff

Sunday 6 Jul 2008

106 degrees in the shade, 114 degrees in the sun: Welcome to Las Vegas!

July the 4th, Independence Day, is a kind of New-Year's-Eve-meets-November-the-5th for our American brothers although, bizarrely, fireworks were banned on their big day last year because of the fire hazard they posed in such outrageous heat.

You know, physics was not my strongest subject at school, but I know the flames coming out of the back of fireworks will be considerably hotter than the 114 degree ambient air, so I have to question just why will they pose a bigger-than-usual fire hazard? Even if you have a logical answer surely such hot naked flames need to meet something combustible, something other than concrete and desert, to be a fire hazard? No chance around these parts.

Ditto biology and human anatomy but, like me, you may be bewildered by the free bottles of ‘energy drink’ which are being distributed by drinks servers here at the World Series’ tables. I was always led to believe that energy is derived from sugar so just how they have managed to harness and bottle such a drink which is calorie-free is a marvel of modern technology.

We know this is a wacky place: Just consider that most visitors here believe you can see the beam of light which protrudes out of the Luxor Hotel in space. Knowing several astronauts on a one-to-one basis I’m reliably informed that the entire cities lights are only just about visible at night from space!

Anyway, this is about the poker and even at the cash tables there is yet more weird and wonderful things happening. It seems “Let’s deal it twice” has become a new catch-phrase in poker creating frenzied excitement akin to the fabled “all-in”.

Every player in the town now seems to want to deal two sets of turn and river cards, a situation that arises when players are ‘all-in’ on a flop. In essence this allows you two chances of winning the pot, and obviously two chances of losing it along with the possibility of sharing it.

It is the latter point which I struggle with. I mean if I have every chip in the pot clutching the best hand as a strong favourite why would I want to give my opponent two chances of hitting a long-shot?

Anyway, each to their own, although I’ll not quickly forget watching a deal being brokered in an Omaha cash game whereby not two sets of turn and river cards would be dealt but three. One player held a set of Aces, the other only a flush draw seeking a Diamond. I wagered he was likely to make one flush without the board pairing and would therein ultimately clam a third of the pot.

However, the first turn and river cards were both diamonds; 1-0 the underdog. The second set of turn and river cards were also both diamonds; 2-0 to the even bigger underdog who was now assured of two-thirds of the pot.

With the table showing six diamonds and the player with the drawing hand clutching two diamonds only five diamonds remained in the deck although if one of those paired the board the flush would be nullified by a full-house. In short lightening could not strike a third time. Yes it could with not one but two more diamonds landing as the third set of turn and river cards!

So it’s true: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas including three unbelievable outdraws and some very big pots.

Roy Brindley Ladbrokes Poker-sponsored professional