Even though there is so much to share, I'll keep this short. First, thanks to everybody on the forum. I haven't posted anything before this trip report, but lurked for about a month before my trip to Vegas. All of the great info on the forum helped me have a trip of a lifetime!

I arrived in Vegas Sunday, January 25th at around 1pm. After checking out some of the casinos (it's been almost 10 years since my last trip) i headed to the MGM for a cash game. After playing 1-2NL for about 4 hours, i walked away $425 up. A good run of cards and some sloppy play by the guys at the table helped me out here. A small pot ($30) with three of us in it (cut-off, me on the button & BB) that was checked on the flop and turn was bet at on the river by V in the cut-off. I slow played flopped trips (A9 suited in my hand, with two 9s on the board) hoping somebody would bet it. When i caught an Ace on the river and V bet i figured this was my chance to make some cash. I raised 3x the bet and was quickly re-raised by V. This surprised me, but all i could see were $$$. The only hand that could beat me was AA. I figured there was no way he had this by the way he played the hand so i pumped it up an extra $150 to go. Surprisingly V insta-called, i showed my boat and V mucked. He must have had K9 or something close to it. After a few more hands, half the table decided to get up and go. My buy-in for the 12pm Venetian tourney had been won so i called it a night.

Monday, I show up to play in the 12pm Venetian tourney and off i go. I started off well, doubling up by the time the first break rolled around. I was getting some cards and took advantage of it. The key hand of the tournament came with about 40 people left (107 started). I'm in the SB with just over the average stack and the over aggressive V in the cut-off actually limps into a pot (he had been raising everything so i'm a little suspicious). I have Q4s and complete the SB, BB checks. Flop comes QQ10. WOW!! I check, knowing that V will bet. BB checks. V bets about the size of the pot. I pump it up by about 3x his bet thinking that at best V will call, i'll lead out on the turn and take down the pot. Well, V re-raises me all-in (he has me covered by a lot). I insta-call. Afterwards, i thought i should have thought about it a little harder, but if flopped trips eliminated me so be it. He shows A10 to my Q4. Nothing comes to help V and i double up. I didn't look back and at times had the chip lead at the final table. Down to two of us - my A7 lost out to AJ. 9 1/2 hours later i'm collecting 2nd place money!! $2,650!!

I wanted to play another cash game afterwards, but almost 10 hours of tournament poker takes a lot out of you. Off to play some no brain table games and then to bed.

Tuesday comes and i thought i'd see if it was just luck the day before so i enter the Venetian 12pm tourney again. 114 this time. It was a lot slower start for me and in fact i was almost eliminated in the first 40 minutes. I was dealt JJ on the button and called a std raise pre-flop. Flop comes 8 high, initial raiser makes a std C bet, i pump it up and then get re-raised by V. I call the re-raise. On the turn comes an Ace. V goes all-in. It doesn't take me long to think about it. I end up folding, but am crippled. I'm down to about 1/3 of the starting stack. I kept patient waited for my time and made it to the average stack by the 2nd break. Then there came a stretch of hands where i couldn't do anything wrong. I sniffed out a few bluffs, made some great plays and with about 20 players to go i had about 1/4 or more of the chips in play. I cruise to the final table and am still chip leader with 3 players to go. Key hand with just three of us left... 2nd biggest stack goes all-in on the button, i'm BB. The last two players seemed to be playing that kind of a game. All-in or fold. I'm holding A10 and after thinking hard about this one I decide to call. V shows J10. I figure i'm cruisin' to a victory. V rivers a straight. I'm crippled. With still three of us left I get all my chips in with 22 against 89s. 9 comes on the turn and my tournament is over. 3rd place money - $1,971!

These two days took so much out of me i didn't feel like playing too much poker after that. I played in a Caesar's cash game (1-3NL) on Wednesday. I made $100, but called it quits after a boring 2 hour session.

This forum was a huge help in my success. Thanks for all of the insight!!

Even though I came home with way more money than i went with it doesn't look like my next trip will be for a while. While i was enjoying my 4 day break from reality, my wife was at home with our son and another one on the way. Lot's of non-poker stuff to look forward to though.

Later.