Arrived on Thursday morning 11/13/08 in Vegas from Texas. Had a very relaxing daytime and took our time since we arrive in Vegas at 930am. We did some shopping and ate a very good Italian Restaurant, The Bootleggers Bistro, on S Las Vegas Blvd, about 2 miles from South Point Casino and next to the Las Vegas Outlet Center. Checked in at the Wynn in the afternoon. First up, the 2-5 NL games at the Wynn. Lots of action, and lots of bluffers. One player donated 500.00 in the span of 10 minutes. Get some good cards and make some money. Unfortunately I was not getting any cards and watched my stacks dwindle. Checked out of this game and signed up for the Wynn 700pm tourney that is listed on the All Vegas Poker tourney list. Made to the last 20 players, but did not cash. A good tourney with a high percentage payout. On this trip I limited my tourney entries to 85% and above payouts for maximum payoff vs time played percentage. After busting out of this tourney, I found myself down to my last 170.00. I started with 900.00 on the trip so as you can see, the 2-5NL and the tourney entry had severly depleted my bankroll. I thought, I am either going to bust all out on the first day or come back. I took my last 170 and sat down at a soft 1-3NL game at the Wynn. Finally pocket A-A and a young player that wanted to try and push. Perfect timing. Long story short, I did not take all of his cash, but after a short session at 1-3, I ran my stack from 170 to 650. After that I thought, Day one is done, there will be plenty of time to play poker tomorrow. Day 2 Caesars, playing at the 1-2 NL table, the game played like a 2-5-15 NL game. Good action, and a beautiful poker room. This has got to be one of the most liked, comfortable non-smoking poker rooms in Vegas. Especially with all of the historic sports memorabilia on the walls, and a lot if it happened right there at Caesars. Right next door to PURE and the Pussycat Dolls Casino Pit at Caesars. Great poker action with great people here at Caesars. Played in a 10:00pm Bounty Tourney. This was fun, you get 50.00 bucks for each person you knock out. Everyone has a target on their head. Made the final table, but my pocket Q-Q were busted by pocket 8-8 with the 3rd 8 coming on the tuen. One thing, the food and drink service in this room unfortunately has gone downhill since the last time I visited here last year. With the economy issues, cocktail waitresses are in short supply and until things turn around, the service here will be slow. Play poker and don't drink and you should be ok. Also on this day I went next door to the Mirage after busting out of the 1000pm tourney. I had heard that this was a great place to play poker. I don't think so. The room looks like it was an afterthought. Stuck in a corner over next to the bar. I was not impressed. Probably would not go back there to play. Day 3, The Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza. The Venetian and Caesars have both been running Deep Stack Tourneys through the month of November with a 12 Noon tourney every day and several sattelite opportunities. This day they ran a 330 deep stack at Noon, and the sattelites on Saturday were for the Sunday 1060 deep stack tourney. Played in cash games at the Venetian after finding out details of the tourneys, my timing and my schedule were off, so note to self, do some more planning before you get to Vegas to play the DSE at the Venetian. Another nice poker room here and very busy due to the tourney. Played a little here, went to dinner at the buffet back at the Wynn, and on Saturday night called it early because we stuffed ourselves with Alaskan King Crab Legs at the Wynn. Day 4 early day on Sunday Morning at Caesars. Played in the 9am 65.00 tourney. This is a good paying tourney and found myself in an early jam. 2nd hand into the tourney I have 10-J and flop a Q high straight. I bet, get raised by a raiser, so I call. Next card is a 4, so I bet again, raiser comes over the top so I push all in, and get called. Caller turns over pocket 8-8 to make trips, I have the straight to the Q and you know what happens next. The board pairs the 4 giving the other player 8's full of 4's busting my straight. So I am right out. Fortunately there was a 125.00 satellite starting, paying two places into the 12 noon 550 Deep Stack Tourney. I entered, also put in a 20.00 last longer bet where all 10 players put in 20. The last two standing, which were me and one other player split 200, so our entry into the 550, only cost us 25.00. Pretty nice investment into a potential 13,000 1st place payout. Entered the tourney, made it past the 1st break. Bust out hand was a big blind special 5-8 off suit hand. Checked to see the flop, flop a straight, bet out, get raised, I re raise, I get pushed, knew I was in trouble when that happened, also by a satellite winner. He has 8-10 and I have 5-8, he makes a 10 high straight beating my 9 high straight. Hard to get away but a great experience in a very good tourney.
Well that is all I have for this trip. Overall not a profitable trip. I did learn a lot and next trip which I hope is in February 2009, I hope to play at the Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza (DSE 1 Feb 2009) and play satellites to win my entries into these larger tourneys. Go out and play great. Thanks everyone.