Annual poker trip to Vegas with my brother July 29 - Aug 7. Here is a quick summary.
Hotel:
Harrahs. I stayed there in 2008 and again on this trip. For price and location I think I will try to stay there in the future.
Transportation:
City bus and the Deuce. This is probably the number one tip I tell everyone for travel in Vegas. You can catch the bus right down the escalator and outside after you pick up luggage. Buy the pass at the bus stop machine ($8 for 24 hours / $20 for 3 days) and get on the bus (route 109 north to Flamingo the transfer to 202 westbound to the strip). Then use the pass to jump on and off the Deuce on the strip and to go downtown to Fremont St. For return to airport we grabbed the airport shuttle by the taxi stand at Harrahs ($10 per person direct to the airport). No need to hassle with a rental car.
Non-poker activity:
saw the Aerosmith concert at MGM Grand. Awesome show.
Non-poker gambling:
a little craps and a little blackjack. About break even results using strict BJ basic strategy and 3-point Molly craps strategy.
Poker tournaments:
I love tournaments but only do a couple when I go due to the variance. This time I did the Aria $125 twice and the $50 (plus $20 add on) Omaha H/L at the Orleans. Didn't cash in any. In one of the Aria tourneys, the winner of the previous day's tourney was to my left. He had position on me in a hand where I was dealt AK. I think the blinds were about 150-300 I raised to 700, he 3-bet to 1800, all others fold, I now have a decision. I can call and take a flop and then play poker. Or I can 4-bet and rep AA or KK and see if he raises. I raise to 3500. He just calls, so now I know he doesn't have the nuts. The flop is all low cards and I check, trying to rep a trap. He checks behind, telling me he is worried that I am ahead and that he just wants to get to showdown cheaply. Turn is a blank. I bet about 4000 and he folds QQ face up. I show AK which had not connected. I filed this move in memory as a way to take the initiative by 4-betting out of position and repping AA or KK and forcing my opponent to cap his range. I busted later when I had about 8 BBs and shoved AK from UTG and a big stack called from SB with 77. I didn't improve and hit the rail.
Poker cash games:
Played at Harrahs, Aria, Bellagio, Binions, Mirage, Caesars Palace, Wynn, Venetian, Ballys, and Planet Hollywood. Best cash was $425, worst loss was $542, both at Caesars Palace. Everything else was in between. Hit a high hand promotion with quad 8s for $100 at Mirage. I love Omaha H/L but it was a slow losing grind at Venetian this time. Had a good session where I was in the zone at Wynn and cashed for $330. Overall I liked Caesars Palace the best for the action and rake structure ($4 max, no jackpot drop). Aria, Bellagio, Venetian, and Wynn also had $4 max rake with no jackpot drop.
Net loss of $512 in poker for the trip. I didn't really suck out or get a bad beat in any major pots. The closest I had to a bad beat was flopping top set with QQ only to have villain catch his set with AA on the turn. I think I lost my stack on that one.