I have been a long time lurker; have loved reading the trip reports and the rest of the post, so now I want to give something back. Some background and trip outlines first. I regularly play 2/5 NL at Foxwoods in CT and have been serious in my game for about 6 years. By serious, I do not imply that I am anything other then a novice but instead that I am always trying to improve and my goal is to make money at most sessions not recreation. I have found NL poker to be a pleasant distraction when I need to clear my head. My trip was from Jan 9th through Jan 14th. My first night’s stay was at the Rio and the other four were at the Bellagio.

Day one: Had boots on the ground by 9:45 AM, checked in and at a poker table by 1 PM. The flight was a 5.5 mind numbing hours. Can’t wait till they figure out how to make it faster. This was followed by an early check in, thanks to a very helpful desk clerk at the Rio and then a bite to eat at Margaritaville at the Flamingo. I had a friend who had booked there that is why there and not the new BBQ place at the Rio, though I was tempted to tell him to come to me. Next on the agenda was a little test of the waters and a short session on ½ NL there. My friend plays 2/4 Limit and this is a place we could at least be in the same room. Me personally, I would rather try and dodge traffic on the strip then play low limit no fold’em poker. The staff and dealers at the Flamingo were very nice and helpful but there was only one ½ game going so I was a railbird and watched how the 2/4 crowd does it, chatted with an off duty dealer about the difference a good dealer and a bad one and what a difference they can make in the quality and speed of the game. Ended up playing on a ½ table for about an hour and finished up $26 for the time there. Had a good time and would recommend this room to low limit or NL beginners, not a lot of money on the table.

Off the Bellagio: Got on a 2/5 NL list and waited for about 15 minutes to take my seat. Not bad the room, it was busy and there was a good vibe in the room. While waiting I took a few minutes to speak with a floor manager when he slowed down from the steady line of people either signing up or just asking about the game. Asked about poker rates, and how to go about getting them, as I would be staying there the next day. He directed me to the proper place to see the proper person and she got me started. Over all not to bad but they were busy and I had to be a little patient. But then again I am on vacation, why would I be in a rush to do anything. The tables were rather close together and I am very happy I never ended up at the 4,5 or 6 seat. It also appeared to me that there was an equil mix of locals and tourist's, neither be afraid of the locals nor want to many tourist. They are often not what they appear to be.

Let the games begin. Played TAG poker and waited to pick my spots as I could tell the other players were not going to easy pickings. I would rate the competition on par with what I would expect for both the room and the stakes. I am used to the $500 max buy in so that made my play easy (no change for deep starting stacks.) Played for about 4 hours and left up about $512. A good start to the trip. Dinner at Gallagher’s in NY NY. Can’t go wrong there with the shrimp cocktail w/extra horseradish and the dry aged house special steak. Service excellent, dinner excellent, will be back. 2 more times this trip, to be exact.

Day two. Pack my bags and move from the Rio to the Bellagio, get ready to try the twenty-dollar trick. The lobby isn’t busy, about 12 PM and I spot a friendly looking desk person with a smile on her face. Walk up, ask about her day and yes I am here to check in and here is my license and credit card. Is there any complementary upgrades, let me check yes we can put you on the 28th floor with a lake view. Thank you very much, she even returned the $20, which I gave back to her and explained that one good turn deserves another. She smile and the money disappeared like it was never there. Off through the floor area and up to my room. Call the bell desk and request my luggage and prepare to wait, as they had appeared rather busy. I waited less then 10 minutes. I am going to make a personal comment here and remember it is just my opinion. Always use the bell desk, why on earth would you drag you luggage through any casino in Vegas. For a couple of bucks for each bag you won’t have to worry about a thing. If it cleared the airport with being broken or stolen then the extra 30 minutes in the bell desk shouldn’t change the odds that much.

On to poker. Again found the Floor to busy but polite and very capable of managing the chaos that is this room. They were friendly to me and recognized me from the day before. Sit down and play for approximately 5 hours of lock down, grind it out poker, finish up about $200. Not bad but not as good as I hoped, I couldn’t seem to get in rhythm of the table and when I caught they didn’t and when I tried a move I would be dodging a monster. Over all I had fun and the players and dealers all seemed to be enjoying themselves. The room is a little tight but as a big guy, people tend to bump into me anyway and I tend to bump back so it doesn’t happen twice very often.

Break for drinks, dinner, and a cigar. Dinner at Gallagher’s at NY NY again. Shrimp cocktail w/extra horseradish and this time the prime rib. Folks this thing looks like it should be on the Flintstones and not even I could eat all of it. As usual excellent service (Preston and Mike were very good), dinner excellent will be back. Returned to the Bellagio for several scotch’s and a cigar while sitting in front of a slot machine milking my $20 for all it is worth. That would 5 Johnny Walker Blacks.

Back to poker after drinking. This is a bad idea as I am so so when I haven’t been drinking, I am very bad when I drink. I have the attention span of a two year old and see no reason that any two cards should not be good enough to at least see a flop with raise just mean there is more money with the 6 2 off hits. Lost about $150 and realized that playing and drinking might be fun but it is not the way I like to play. Not my idea of good poker or time. I am going to take a side note here and again editorialize. There are certain nationalalities and age groups that are completely nuts. Double fisted raises on a bluff with a board and betting pattern that makes no sense. Just one of those things that makes you go hmmmmm. I am glad they are there, but whew, you must buckle up if there are a few at the table, position and stack size mean nothing to them.

Day three was a grind and with no real results, I think I was step slow to see things and understand them and this caused me to miss a few bets and call a few more that I shouldn’t have, over all another winning day totaling $200. Dinner this time was Samba in the Mirage. Got us right in even though it was 7:30 on a Friday night.

Day four: A few of the guys I was out there with convinced me to make a move to the 5/10 game. They raved about it and said that with my, as they put it, “tight ass boring style” I should be able to hold my own. I buy in short for $700 and play for about 7 hours. I witness some of the best moves and one of the biggest pots I have ever personally seen at a table of this size $7K+-. I see donkeys line up take out 1K and ride it all the way to the river with TPTK on a coordinated board. Yahoo I have found the promise land and rake about 2K before I get up and head to dinner at Gallagher’s again. Yeah I know boring but you can’t go wrong and besides I told the waiter that I would be back in 24 hours and he didn’t believe me. I was 30 minutes early. Again, a great steak of Flintstone proportions and a good bottle of wine.

Day five: Back to the 5/10 must move with many of the same people who I played with the day before. This is a most excellent turn of events because when I play I am relatively quiet and no one appears to have noticed that I play with about as much action as bear that is hibernating for the winter. I come and smash and then go back to sleep. Occasionally attempting a steal or two. I have several hands to discuss and will do that in the strategy posts as to not make this any longer then it already is. Several gutsy steals and several hands that worked out but I am unsure if I played them well. Over all total for the day up about $1500. Dinner at Morton’s, a few Scotches and a cigar and off to bed.

Day six: Pack and back down for a last minute fix before the plane trip. Should have know better but I just had to play and gave back about $200 after making some very poor decisions and badly timed moves. Oh well good to be humbled now and again and this was a cheap loss. Off to the airport returning to 6 inches of new snow and ice. Got to love New England. Go Pat’s.

Over all I have to agree with some of the things said here about the Bellagio, crowed room and small buy in’s, but, the other things I have to disagree with. The day shift lower limit floor staff, Joya, Jerome and Andrew all appeared to be managing chaos and they are more then helpful, seems if you take the time to be nice to them it is returned in spades. Thank you for the poker rate that was quite a surprise.

Oh well that is all till July then as the governator says, “I’ll be back.”