Here is the formal trip report for 2/13/2010-2/19/2010 in Vegas. Majority of this information is in my Mini Live Blog (http://www.allvegaspoker.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11533) that I did while in town. Hopefully this a bit more polished.

For my next trip to Vegas and mini-blog, I would like to solicit for some corporate sponsors. Any and all would be welcome:

Bud Light
Aquafina bottled water
Advil pain reliever
Gold Bond Medicated Powder
Dr.Scholls gel inserts(I be gellin)
Verizon Wireless

Day 1(Saturday):
Flight in from Cleveland was uneventful, which is a very good thing. Had I known our fight would have had the DirecTV service on it, I wouldn't have bothered with one of my carryons that had a portable DVD player and a book in it. Oh well.

Wife is in town for the WVC convention. It is at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. We are staying at the Luxor in the West Tower. We are not super impressed, but at least I get "free" Internet as part of the "resort fee". I knew about the fees ahead of time, my wife didn't and was pretty upset over the gimmick. Luxor's is better than most at $12.95 per day. Room is OK. Not huge, no min-fridge, no flat screen, etc. I did not even try the $20 trick since it is Valentine's Day weekend, Chinese New Year, and President's Day weekend. My only planned usages for the room are for the bed and shower anyhow. All in all though, I liked staying at the Excal last time we were here better. I liked it better because it was easier for me to hit the strip to go explore, and at least Saturday night, the casino was much busier than Luxor. However this is a closer walk for my wife to the conferences. If I were to come to Vegas just because, I'd stay center strip.

We walked to the convention center so my wife knew where she had to go and to time it a bit. Man, you can't go a 1/4 of a casino without hitting a Starbucks in this town! Then we walked back through the Luxor, and Excal. We were going to eat at Dick's last resort, but as we were waiting we felt it was a bit too loud. My wife had the warning signs of a migraine all day, and my ear plugged up on me when we were landing and everything was echoing and I couldn't hear for [censored]. We ate at the cafe at the Luxor. Wow, slow service and was just OK, we were just looking for something quick and decent and got neither.

I took a shower real quick and my wife wanted to just go to sleep, but didn't care if I went to play poker, WOOT! I walked up to Bally's, got a players card and got on the 3/6 LHE list. I've been playing a lot of PLO and NL online recently, but I just didn't want to play NL live right off the bat. Been trying to get better at NL for a while now, but still vastly prefer limit. Anyhow, finally sit down and for at least the first half of the session I really played like crap. Over limping in LP with low suited 3 gappers, open limped KTs UTG and then called down a blind betting the whole way on a K high board, and villain shows KJ for the pot, etc. I finally snapped myself out of the funk and then had AA one hand. I raised PF, had someone donk the flop to me that I raised (all mid to low cards). Board paired the turn, it is still check/call from villain. River comes a 5, no straights, no flushes. Check, I bet, raise. Against my better judgement, I called (limit don't cha know) and he shows 55 for the rivered 2 outer. Ouch, but wonderful information.

A little later I had QTs, I think I was the button and limped with several in front of me. Flop comes T9x rainbow. It is bet from MP, a few callers, and I raise it up. Several calls all around. Turn is a Q giving me top 2. Asian lady in the seat to my right bets in front of me. I think and then raise her trying to see if she caught a lower two pair, or has a straight. Older Asian guy calls, she 3 bets. I call, he calls. I'm figuring her for the straight at this point. River bails me out with the Q suckout card. Check, bet, raise, call, call. My rivered boat drags a nice pot. All in all, not bad. Finished the session up 6 bucks after about 4 hours I think. This session I was up over 120 at one point, and down to ~90 at one point. So, beers, a water, a red bull, tips, dealer tokes, +6. It is all good.

I'm pretty tired, but decide to head to Mirage anyhow to see if I can catch LVM there to say hi. I didn't see him, but I start playing 3/6 LHE again because the walk has given me a second wind. Pretty good session. Played till like 5am, we got short around 4 I think, got to 5 handed once. Nice they auto reduce the rake. I don't have any hands that I currently remember from this session, but I ended up cashing out +138. I'll take it.

At this point I have been up for over 24 hours. Walk all the way back to the Luxor and finally crash, wife is just getting up when I get there. She leaves and comes back to the room several times wanting to "do something", no, not that something. She didn't want to gamble, and I was pretty dead to the world. She has some conference sessions this afternoon, and we have the Bill Engvall show tonight.

Day 2(Sunday):
I finally got up and moving around 11:30, and then started walking the strip again. Walked through several of the shops in the various casino's. Ended up eating a burger at that place between Bally's and Paris, Le Burger Brasserie.

Had to meet the wife at around 4, and I finished eating at 3:45. Better take the monorail back to MGM. We meet and grab a small dinner at T&T. Yes, I just had a burger, didn't realize I had to meet my wife that soon and it was already ordered when I got the text of when to meet her. Dinner was very good.

Time for the Bill Engvall show. Just before he took the stage my wife started feeling very bad. She went out of the room for a bit and came back feeling a lot better (having just thrown up). However before the show finished she had to run out again. She told me to meet her at the back of the room when it was over. When I was leaving I see a text from her that she had headed back to the room. Don't know if she has some food poisoning or what, but she isn't feeling too good.
As for the show itself, it was pretty good. Bill had some food poisoning himself he informed us and said don't worry if he runs off the stage, he will be right back. It was a good show, however we are subscribers to Sirius Satellite radio and listen to the Blue Collar Comedy channel often. Much of his routine we have heard on this before. Still funny, just not as funny as his stuff I had not heard before.

I'm hanging out in the room to make sure she doesn't need me for anything. I had some ideas about going to Excal to play after my wife falls asleep, but that didn't end up happening because she was constantly up most of the night sick. Wasn't much I could do, but I was there just in case anyhow.

Not that either one of us gives a damn about Valentine's day, but quite the end to this one.

Day 3(Monday):
Wife is still pretty sick, probably going to get a migraine. I'm going to stick in the room today again. However at some point I'm guessing she will tell me to get out so that I'm not bothering her. I did walk down to the CVS and get some bottle water and something to help calm her stomach.
By mid morning/early afternoon Wife feeling a little better. Went to LVOC this morning and bought my wife a nightgown, she had forgot to pack hers. Played some Texas hold em bonus at Excal finished up 10. I think I was the only one tipping. Tip your dealers folks, I don't care how much they appear to not want to be there.

Wife is talking about renting a car on Wed. and maybe checking out Hoover dam or Red Rock. I'm not looking forward to trying to drive around Vegas.
Monday night wasn't very good at the poker tables.

Went up and played more 3/6 at Mirage. I played some hands poorly, couldn't seem to hit a flop if I didn't, and even when I did, I was getting rivered. Could not get a read on the players at the table at all. Show aggression, then check, check, check. It seemed very random to me. Dropped 210 at that session.

-56 for trip.

Headed back to Bally's. Started off well, and then got pretty nailed by a chasing calling station. However I could never get to the "long run" with him. It was his night. He limps in LP, I raise in my SB with AJ, some other callers. Flop comes A2x, I bet, and only he calls. Turn a blank, bet, call. River a 2, bet, get raised. "Really? A 2?", I make a crying call and he show K2. Wow.

At one point I was back to break even at Bally's but didn't quit, ended up down another 68 for that session. That puts me at -124 for the trip. I guess considering that is 3 days, that is OK.

I have forgot the mass chasing that can go on in live Limit hold'em. Don't get me wrong, I know that is a good thing. I think I was up a large number of Sklansky bucks for Monday.

-134 on Poker
-124 on Gambling
Day 4(Tuesday):
Wife is finally off to meetings. Watched several on the room TV. They were showing some sessions live, and more on tape in the evenings, this allowed her to still get her continuing education hours in. Maybe I'll get out of this limit rut and try a little NL today.
I start out thinking I'll play at Bally's for their morning Aces cracked promo, but they only had one table and a list. Started up the strip thinking either Mirage or Venetian. Then saw the sign for Hash house a go go. I suddenly was hungry. The corned beef hash sans onions was very good.

I apparently look like an honest photographer, been asked twice now in the last 12 hours to take a picture of a guy and his girl on the strip.

I want to thank all ladies in Las Vegas who wear knee high and higher boots around town. Thank you, thank you very much.
Ended up just walking through several casinos today. I enjoy seeing different ones. Venetian was registering for one of their DSE. Went to TI, they were finishing up a tourney and thought a cash game would start in 40. I got back on the Deuce and went to PH. Played some 1/2. Did ok. Caught some nice cards. Finished up 49. Down 69 for trip.
Brought wife to LVOC for some shopping. That should be +EV right?
This evening did a session at Aria. Quite the swanky place.
Couple of hands of note. Been at the table for about an orbit when I get KK in the bb. UTG raised to 11, 3 callers. I raise to 50. Button calls. I flop top set and lead out 100 and he folds. Based on a later hand that was probably a mistake. I also showed the table.
I am in the bb again with K4o. About 6 callers including the button from before. Flop comes AK4, 2 spades I think. I check, button bets 15 and I call. Turn is a Q no flush, I lead for 25, get raised to 60 and call. River is a blank, I check, button bets 150, I call and MHIG. Button doesn't show.
Pick up a few more pots here and there. Table dynamic changed when the donator left "for the main cage" and never came back. One young kid moved to my left, a couple of women sat down who appeared to be solidish. Chatting up the guy who moved and end up talking poker, Rush Poker on Full Tilt, etc. Another guy comes in and is just talking to him and the young guy in the seat to his left. I discover they are locals and regs, not sure if they are grinders or not. However I decided to leave with a nice win. +315 for this session.
Aria was surprisingly busy. Several poker games going, including PLO, 5-10 NL, a 20-40 LHE started, and I think a mixed game. Plus all the usual suspects.
So after a good poker session what does one do? Yes, degen it up. Texas Hold'em Bonus at Bills. Ran hot to start. Pit boss came by twice pushing the bonus, I declined. Then Chad the Cooler pushed in. -115 on degen gambling. Oh well, I was told to be back at the room around 2am anyway!
+181 Poker
+76 overall

Day 5(Wednesday):
Wife took the day off from the conference. Went to Hash House for breakfast. Then decided to walk up the strip some. Walked through Wynn, Venetian and Casino Royale. Then took The Deuce downtown. We were walking around the Golden Nugget when my wife wanted play some slots. Told me to play next to her because I win when we do that. Whatever. $20 each in the machine. Win some early and I order a beer. Before I get it the wife gets 7 triple diamond, triple diamond. I cash out my 20, she 476.

Now she wants to play craps. Head to Binions and I sit in a 2/4 game. One comical hand. Typical limped multi way pot and I am in the BB. I check, dealer rakes the pot then starts calling for action, the SB did something to make him think she checked and he is asking me to check or bet. I am pretty confused and say "You didn't deal the flop!" Never seen that before.

I realize I've been at this 2/4 game for quite a while. Wife must at least be holding her own. Normally I'd be fine with this and want to keep playing poker, but this game is fairly brutal to play in. Hardly anyone would raise their strong hands, leaving me trapped often when I had good hands in my raising range. It just wasn't that fun of a game. I was +6 and my blind was coming and I racked up and left. Checked on the wife, was doing well, but found out this was her second craps session. She had gone way up, and then down 50, stopped playing, walked around, stuck 20 in another slot, cashed out 176. Lolvegasiseasyments. Back to craps for her again. She is doing pretty good when I come up to her. She doesn't want to leave, ldo. I mill around for a bit, check out the gift shop, sign up for a players card and get my free deck of cards, etc. Come back and she is now down a bit, finally convince her to walk away. She was finally having a pretty good time this day, and I didn't want it to come crashing down. She cashes out up 25 for this session. It is quarter till 5, so we decide to look for something to eat and catch the Freemont Street Experience show. Go to Firefly in The Plaza. Great ambiance, overlooking Freemont street with all the casino lights coming on and then watching one of the FSE light shows. Really cool. Food was pretty good too. Really loved the chicken salad tapas, the steak and mushroom skewers and mac and cheese were good too. Topped it off with some gelato for desert. I bet this place was packed on Sunday night.

Saw another FSE light show from the street and then back on The Deuce. Stopped at TI to see the Sirens show. Cheesy, campy, but I enjoyed it. However boy is there a logistical walking nightmare there after that show was over. I was kind of shocked to see how busy Vegas was on a Wednesday night. Of course, it might not have been, since I don't really have a point of reference. Walked down to see part of the Mirage Volcano, eh, nifty. Wife was wanting to see the Bellagio fountain show, but was really tired by this time so we just bused it back down to Luxor. I was starting to fall asleep on the bus as well, and crashed shortly after getting into the room.

Poker: +187
Gambling: +62
Note, these totals are a bit better than what were in my blog as I'm seeing I made some mistakes during the week in the totals, not the session values.

Day 6(Thursday):
Played with LVM at Mirage this morning. Lost the rest of my buy in when I was in MP with A7 diamonds. I limped (I don't think I open limped) few more limpers, AggroGuy (AG) raises his button. I think he did this every time he had the button. Flop comes all low cards. 356 I believe, one diamond. I have a gutshot, 2 overs, checked to AG he bets like 15 (I think flop raise was to 7?). I call because I'm not ready to give up against him yet. Turn is a 7, I check, he bets 35, and I shove for 59 more. He thinks for a long time and finally calls. I don't improve, he shows his JJ and I'm done. Maybe if I had more behind? Anyhow, as I stood up and shook LVM's hand I asked if he would have done that, and he said "The play? Absolutely." That at least made me feel better.

Then played at TI. Few hands in I have 66, raised behind me to 12ish. 3 to the flop. K66 2 spades. I check call a bet by PFR. Heads up. Turn is a spade, I check, he checks. Turn is a 4th spade and I am hoping he has the ace of spades. Alas no, check check. Spin the wheel for 30.

Paul Magriel, aka X22 also sat in this game shortly before I left. If you don't know, this is the Quack Quack guy from WSOP and maybe WPT shows. Looked like he was homeless to be honest, and for sure had not washed his hair for several days. Maybe he just puts oil or something in his hair to look that way?

Regardless, I didn't really get involved in any pots with him. However one hand where I had pocket tens and ended up OOP on the flop, I had an overpair, bet and was raised. Turn was fairly safe and I check min-raised, villain folded, but then Paul starts commenting on the betting pattern to his side of the table. I asked what he was saying over there and all he did was pipe up with "I'll call any bet you make sir." To be honest, I really just wanted to hear what he was saying, but then I got pissed that he could comment to his half of the table about my play but can't talk to me about it. The more an more I think about it the more and more I view it as a pretty douche bag behavior.

Cashed out 281+30 for the session .

Poker: +292
Overall: +187

Meet the wife and we head up the strip so that we can see the Bellagio Fountain Show. Still one of the best free shows out there. Hard to visit Vegas without checking this out at least once IMO. We walk back down the strip and the wife wanted to walk through NY,NY. I throw away another $10 in a slot machine. She plays a little more, but I go to the ESPN Zone to watch the end of the Cavs-Nuggets game, and we get overtime. Tough loss for the Cavs, but man, what a stat line by LeBron; 43 Pts, 13 Reb, 15 Ast, 2 Stl, 4 Blk.

After that we grab a light dinner at the Chinese place in NY,NY and back to the room.

This is really the last night in Vegas, flight out is at 11:15 Vegas time on Friday, that means we want to be at the airport by 9:15.

It is around 10 PM and I'm not quite ready to go to bed yet, so I head over to Excal for one last session. Playing with some Brits. One is fairly obnoxious and really slowing down the game, monologs, etc.

Anyhow I get KK OTB, raise to 12. 3 callers. Flop 663, 2 clubs. BB leads out 20 with 30 behind. 2 folds, I call. Turn Q, he is all in, I call. I ask if he has a 6 and he shows K6. River is the miracle case K. Suckout in my favor this time. If he had more behind, I probably fold the flop or turn, but he didn't. I probably misplayed that hand, but all is good in the end.

Luckboxing continues, I now know how LVM feels! (ducking) 22 otb 3 players limp to the flop. Hit my set and a ace on flop. checked to me, 10, 2 calls. Turn is a blank, CO shoves for about 100ish, I call and I think he had 2 pair, an ace for sure.

Pocket aces, flop a set get one caller to 20 on flop. Turn puts 4 Broadway on board. Check and call 30. River pairs the K on the board, check check. Oh well.

Plus 201 for the last session. Donk some $20 more off in a slot machine before going back to the room.

Final totals:
Poker +493
Overall +358

Why I ever play anything other than poker is beyond me.

Anyhow, a great time had in Vegas, I really hope it isn't another 4 years before I get back again. Finally broke my Live NL cherry, and remember just how much I love playing live poker.

I hope you enjoyed it, I know I did.