Went to Vegas this past weekend for the annusl trip with the guys. The rest of the group does not play poker, so I generally play when we are done with our whatever we are doing as a group that day.

Got to Vegas Friday ahead of the rest of the gang and decided to play in the Planet Hollywood 2pm tournament. I really like their room, but just couldn't get anything going and was out before the end of the second level. Looking back I had been up since 3 am Vegas time (5 am Chicago) in order to catch my flight and should have sat this one out. Since everybody else arrived by dinner Friday I was done with poker for the day.

Saturday - Played in the 1:30 pm Paris tournament and was running really bad when I won a couple of big pots in time to carry me, even card dead, to the final table. Outlasted the first four out to make the money (top 5 paid) but got busted out when I was put all-in by the chip leader with his K-10 - my QJ was behind after he flopped a 10, ahead after turn was a Q, only to see a K on the river. Oh well, $200 for my $65 buy-in - not bad.

Saturday afternoon, playing 1-2NL at Bally's, suck out #1 happens. I am running hot and cold, fluctuating between up and down $100 from my $300 buy-in. I am sitting with about $200 and I need to go get ready for dinner, but really just want to get in one more hand. On the button I look down at Kc-4c - action folded around to me and I raised to $10. SB folds and BB calls - 2 players to the flop. Flop comes 3 clubs (10,8,?). SB bets $25, I call. Turn is Ace of diamonds - SB bets $50 - I move all in (SB has me covered by about $50). SB goes into the tank for a while, starts taling about how he was hoping to flop a set, and he did, would I show him the hand if he folds - I say nothing, he calls, and his pocket 10's river an 8 to make his full house. Time for shower and dinner.

Saturday night see show at the Mirage and decide to play in sit-n-go there after show. Sit down to game with Jose Canseco and his girlfriend. Had no idea who they were until the next day when I am back there and dealer tells me who they were. Anyway, the girlfriend has some game and busts me out on about the third hand. Those 2 end up as the last 2 at the table - I could see them from the 3-6 game I played in after the sit-n-go.

Sunday - Play in the CP $200 buy-in noon tournament. Levels are 40 min long, but I just cannot get anything going and bust out at about 3pm. Great tourney and I would definitely play there again. Went to the Mirage to play 3-6 for a while and end up plus $3 after 2 hours of play. Saw Jose playing in a 1-2NL game - I don't get why, but OK. Can't he afford some higher limits?

Sunday night - go down at about 1:30 am for final poker play - again Bally's 1-2NL. Buy-in for $200. At about 3:30 I decide that I need to stop soon, button is coming around, and I just want one more hand worth playing. It's 3:45, I have about $275, and this is one of the tightest tables I have ever been at - have been getting to most flops for no more than $5 when staying in. Well, I look down at QJ offsuit in UTG, call the BB of $2. Bets get up to $5, so I call the $3 to see the flop - maybe this is the hand. Flop comes 8-9-10 rainbow. Near as I can tell, at this point there is no hand better than mine. Bets are checked to me, and I bet $10 because any significant bet at this point will just get them all to fold. Player directly across form me raises to $25, 3 players between us fold, and I raise to $75. The rest of the players fold back to him. He moves all-in for another $100. I call in 2 seconds. He turns over 8-9os, and gets really upset that I am going ot beat him again. That is, until the turn is an 8 - he makes his full house with one of his four outs - unreal. At this point, I need to leave, and as I am leaving, he says "sorry" - I tell him not to be sorry, that he didn't do anything wrong, but it still sucks. Those 2 suck-outs have cost me an almost $750 swing in my ending bankroll.

Oh well, I'm going back in May with my wife, so I'll have to play my poker while she naps or sleeps at night, but at least I get another chance soon.

Maybe Jose can step up to some higher limits by then.