Wednesday - June 5.
Following my 12:30p arrival, car rental shuttle and drive to hotel (Marriott) for check-in, I finally get settled. I'm hungry so the first stop is the In/Out, just down the road. Never been there before, but it's been recommended here and from others. So, it's crowded at around 2:30p (always a good sign) and I get to watch them make the fresh fries (never frozen) and order a double-double cheeseburger with fries and soda. Very good and I'm happy and ready for my first stop.
I decide to valet at Mirage and play 1/2 NL before heading to the $65 7pm tourney next door at TI. Big room, seemed nice and I'm anxious to play - I expect this is a common reaction and although I was aware of it, I wasn't nearly as prepared for it. Had to wait 15-20 min before they opened a new table. I played very tight/selective and the players were solid overall (this became more clear as I played elsewhere). I expected the softer games would be at night, but I'm just trying to relax and get my feet wet. Had a strong player to my left who raised frequently, but usually represented a good hand. I didn't get many playable hands, prob played about 10 hands in 2.5 hrs I was there - not winning one pot. No solid boards and semi-bluffs not panning out.
One hand that sticks out was limping with J4c in BB. Flopped bottom pair of 4's. Checks to MP who opens for 10, it was called once and I folded with 2 to act after me (both called). Turn and River were both 4's. The funny part (to me anyway) was that it was June 4 that day (my buddy's birthday - he couldn't make the trip though) and I told him if I had a chance to play 6-4 on his b-day, I'd try it once. J-4 (June 4) would have worked too! Anyhow - getting my feet wet cost $161.

I get to TI at 6:25p and I'm the #5 to signup. Get to meet Chris Coffin and chat briefly. There was 1 cash game going. So, I go play Pai-gow for a bit. Lost another $18 in 30 min.

7pm TI Tourney gets started. I play well and became table chip leader fairly quickly and maintain my stack increase through the first break. But things didn't last. After table changes and dry run of cards, I bust out in the top around 15 (paid 4) out of 35+ entrants.

I make my way to MGM and planned to play there as navigating Vegas at night when you don't know where you're going is not easy. Very short wait and play 1/2 NL. Seated next to the outside rail, so nice vantage for viewing hot ladies heading to the club and then stumbling out a few hours later. I played waaaaayy too late for my first night in town. Stayed until 3:45a, fighting the urge to go back for sleep. Ended up +$188. Liked the room, though big table made it tough to see the other end from seat 2.

In bed by 4:30a and wake up at 7, force myself to sleep until 8:30, but then I'm up for good. Get ready and I'm off to PH to play the 10am $60 tourney. I get the A-list card and enjoy two doughnuts for my breakfast - nice touch PH! Nice room, very friendly dealers, management, servers. Out of 46 players, I finished 10th (paid 6). I was bummed - played well, just card dead at the end with big blinds.

Not much for cash games at this hour here, so went to check out Wynn and Venetian, but only played at Venetian. I liked the room and ended up winning +120 in 1/2 NL, but I think I expected to be more impressed than I was. It was VERY nice, I think I had higher expectations based on other reports. I did enjoy the Wynn dinner buffet (at lunch prices since I arrived at 3:15 - lunch ends at 3:30). I didn't eat the rest of the night.

It was a beautiful 85 degree sunny day and I get out to walk the strip and after 15 min I realize I have a car and nobody else to worry about. What am I doing?? I go get the car and head to another casino - this time Excal-Luxor-Mand Bay.

Excal room looked boring - no open seats. About the same for Luxor. I'm making the walk after valet at Excal. Get to MB, find the room easily and immediately love the room. Quickly seated, very comfortable surrounding near the sports book.

BTW - I can't tell you how many times I've lost my normally good sense of direction inside the casinos. Some have much better signage than others. Often it was tough to even find a Cashier's window.

But, MB was very easy to find. Here's where the good games are. First - great front desk personnel met me with a friendly smile and got me to a table and ran my chips down. There were definitely loose, passive and gamblers playing here. I won $97 before the table broke and I decided to go to the sportsbook. Made some picks and then decide to play some craps. Blow through 150 way too quickly.

MB again. Beautiful table again. I like the smaller 9 person table. Great dealers and IMO MB has the best looking cocktail servers! One in particular in the evening was the best I've seen anywhere. Anyhow, I play until 10p and win another $188 - end at 10:30p as I have to work on Friday.

Work ends Fri and I decide I should check out the Amazon room since WSOP is on. First ESPN table I see has Sam Farha and Eli Elezra playing. Eli flashed his pocket pair to us in the crowd as a he folded one particular hand. Also saw John Juanda and Phil Hellmuth at the same table with Phil facing the crowd. He was short-stacked and all were waiting for the bust out explosion - didn't happen while I was there. Saw
Allen Cunningham from across the room. Impressive size to this room - wished I was playing in it. But, after 20 mins, I leave and go play. I pass Andy Bloch during the long walk back to the main casino and wish him good luck.

I wanted to check out Palms, Red Rock and Orleans on this side of town, but never did. Instead, I stick to my two favorite rooms - MGM and Mandalay Bay. After some gift shopping - I find myself at MGM. Play here all night until the sun came up at 5:45a. Waaay too long. I cashed out +150, but had I not been so exhausted I would have not donked off $120 in the final 30 mins between 2 very loosely played hands and stacked a guy for $350 but I made the most embarrassing and stupid laydown of my life (save for the end of this report).

I sleep from 6:30-9:30 and clean up, pack up, check out and stop at MB for 1 hour before the airport trip. I lose $25 and realize I'm at the airport too early for a Sat afternoon flight. Oh well. Due to flight problems in MN, I finally get home at 1am. Still catching up on sleep!

The Hand: On a board of 9-9-A I flopped trips with a King kicker. I was suited and on the button and called a 15 raise. With a villian flop bet of $45 somehow I convinced myself (with his assistance) that I was beat. My delay (intended to show hesitancy) caused him to inform me my hand was no good and I'm behind already. My brain just shut down completely and after much time spent in the sleep-deprivation tank, I folded. Don't ask why. I can't explain any further. He shows 9-7o. I hear him tell his end of the table I had AQ. I never told anyone what I had. I was completely sober the entire trip, but brain dead from lack of sleep - not intentional - in retrospect I prob should have taken meds to help sleep. At some point I was able to finally realize he could only have AA or A-9 to beat me there. What an idiot I was! Don't make that mistake - get decent sleep!
Anyhow, I ended up winning $280 overall (the craps table keep swallowing my NL profits!).

Good and fun trip! Hope to be back sooner rather than later. Play fresh and be smart. Hope this helps someone! Sorry so long. Still in sleep recovery mode...

Joe