Left for Vegas with my brother (He is a Vegas first timer), and arrived at NYNY and get nice Empire tower room. After some quick touring of the hotel and a greasy piece of pizza, MGM poker room!

My brother (25), is a little wide-eyed at the prospect of free alcohol and wastes no time ordering his first drink. Off to the races.

I sit down in 1st position with some drunk tourists, just the way I likes em'. My first hand is 22(red) in the BB for $6. Flop of A K 2 and I have already snaked my first $100 from poor sir who WAS sitting in the 2nd position slowplaying an AK. Two hands later the same gentleman re-bought and moved to 7th position and called the $2 again with A-9o. I call the $2 on the button along with 3 others with Ad-3d. Flop of Kd 7d 3c, 7th position fires $10, one other gentleman calls and I call also. Turn card is another 3 and 7th position checks, other guy checks, and I check also hoping for 7th position to fire big again on the river. River is 2d making my flush and 7th gave me his stack and once again is re-buying. For the night I was up $200.

Next day we hit the Mirage and played the afternoon for about 6 hrs. I love the ambiance of the room but the drink service is still awful. My brother cleaned house for $700 and no less than 15 double Grey Goose. I had a hell of a time with some tight locals. Again in the 1 position, I decided to slow down my play as sometimes I am overly agressive. Many people want to play the opposite of the table however I chose to go a just slightly more agressive pace than them. Nothing overly memorable except my AA beating KK with a - A K J J 10 - board. No real skill involved there though...the money would have ended in the pot regardless.

Next day at the MGM for some Sunday football and cards. And off duty dealer @ the MGM was going crazy because the had won his first two bets and parlayed it on the Dolphins-Ravens game. He lost it when the Dolphins pulled it out, swearing and slamming his hand down on the tables. We looked at his ticket and he only bet $40 with a take of $269. He must be behind on his rent or something.

Regardless I was sitting at a table of tight younger folk (20's) who were agressive when they played but did not play many hands. Memorable hands as follows.

1) Limped to me with KJc in front of the button. I call the 2 and we see a flop. K-K-10 on the flop....it is checked to me and I fire $10. I don't like to slowplay when I get trips, mainly because no one believes the bet. BB then raises me to $25 and everyone else folds. I write off pocket 10's as I think we may have been raised before the flop so I am pretty much concerned only with K-10. The BB only had $65 in front of him after this raise so I decide to call as it doesn't put me in an all in situation. Turn is another K. Big blind checks and I check right behind him. River comes an A, and BB fires $20. I decide that the only way I am going to get his entire stack is if I raise the minimum and make it $40 to go. As I thought he pushed all of his chips in and showed an A-10.

2) This hand occurred when I was up about $500. I am on the button with 88 and guy 3 pos before me raises to $10. I decide to call. BB pumps it all in to $37. Original raiser calls and I decide to see a flop. Flop comes 789 rainbow. O.R. pushes all in for $85 adn I put him on an overpair now to which I am beating and I call. He has pocket 10's and gets no help...I win another big one. BB had an A-10 to no avail.

3) This hand occurred when I was up to approx $800. Limped to me 1 off the button with a QJc. 6 people in and flop comes Q-7-3 rainbow. I believe I would have heard from AA, KK, QQ, AQ, KQ, prior to the flop so I figure I have the best hand. If someone has 77 or 33 then good on them and they get some cash from me. Checked to me and I fire $10. Everyone folds except the guy who acts right before me who calls. Turn comes a 2 which completes the rainbow...Guy acting before me fires $35 into me. Again I go with my gut that he doesn't have the prior hands or Q7, 73, 32, 72. So I over-raise the pot to $95 to get him to commit. However he thinks for 2 minutes and just calls. River is a 5 and he immediately says all-in. I immediately say call and roll my hand, he mucks and goes to play at another table. He had close to $400 in his stack prior to the hand. Moral of the story: Go with your reads!!

Dealers were fantastic and the drink staff with the exception of the Mirage were good to deal with. Gallagher's steakhouse was good too.

Thanks Vegas...I will be back.