I arrive into Vegas on Wednesday morning and head to Planet Hollywood and find that there is no game going at all. So I head down to MGM and jump in a nearly formed 2/5 no limit game. I buy in for $300 and get involved early with this old guy. I win some pots and have over $500 when I have to lay down 2 pair on the turn to the old guy when I think he makes a flush on the turn. But I get him when I flop a boat with TT on a 10,8,8 board and he turns a flush. He doubled me up to about a 1k. Then I get into a hand with this other guy who is kind of sticky. I call his 30 raise with 10d9d because I'm in position and I'm quite sure he doesnt have a pair. Flop comes out KJ4 rainbow. He bets $50 and I raise to $150, the other two guys fold but bettor calls. Turn is a 6 and I bet $250. He starts talking about how I'm not bluffing and that I have it. He asks if I will show him and I say since I'm going to dinner and only because I'm going to dinner I will show him. He folds a King and I show him. He applauds and I rake the pot. I ended up cashing out up about $800. I head to Planet Hollywood and find a quite juicy 2/5 game. There were these three nice, rich business men in town who just wanted to pay me off. I had 77 and dude has AK flop comes A72 and I get everything he has, about $400. I lost the minimum when my KK ran into QQ with a Q high flop. That sucks but I felt good about not overplaying it. I ended up another $700 for that session to end the day up $1500.
Day 2 I go to Caesars and jump in a 2/5 game and play for about 3 hours before the noon tournament. Only major hand was flopping a set in a 6-way pot and get 2 guys to push before I did the big push. My hand holds up and I rake a nice pot. I cash out of the game up $500 and head to the tournament. I am not much of a tournament player because I dont like how long they take and there is just too much luck involved. Alas I play anyway and busts out after the second break about 20th. So its back to making money at the cash games. I take a break, eat some dinner, place what would be a losing sports bet and start watching the Red Wings. I head back to Planet Hollywood and they only have a 1/2 game going I decide to run the game over. I play very aggressively and turn my $200 buy in to over a 1k in about 5 hours. I really didnt hit many major hands just alot of raises pots that I would take down.
Day 3 I broke my first and foremost rule...don't play at Bellagio. Beyond the fact that the floor staff and most of the players are complete jerks...I simply run so bad there its almost scary. I have lost some of the hugest pots imaginable to 1 and 2 outers at Bellagio that I swore the place off. But like an idiot, I went back and once again, lost $600 in a few hours. I had queen's full and lost to quad 5's. What are you gonna do??? So its back to 2/5 at MGM. I double up with a flush on my very first hand and then really dont catch many cards. But when I did, they turned into big pots. It was a loose table and a $25-$30 raise was standard. I make $45 to go with a straddle out and I get 4 callers with AQ. I flop the joint. First guy bets $50, I call, and 2 others call. Turn was a rag and dude went all in for $250, I go all in for a thousand and take down the pot. I'm one of these guys who likes to get values for my hands. I realize that sometimes playing something slow causes me to lose the hand but I usually dont want to bet everyone out of a hand if I have a strong one. Later on I play my best hand of the week. I raise to $45 on the button with A4 off with the straddle out and get the big blind and straddle to call. They are both calling stations and will play anything to river but I have a great read on both. Flop comes KQJ, they check to me and I fire $65. They both call. Turn is another Q and I cagely check. The river is a rag and big blind bets $50. I am completely certain he has nothing and I raise him to $200. He folds and I show the bluff. He was a good sport about it even though I had him high carded...lol. I'm up to about 2 grand in front when I lose with JJ to calling station who played 9,3 suited. I lost about $350 on that hand and decided to bag it up $1300 for the session. I go and shower because I am going to pull and all nighter as my flight leaves at 6:45am. I head to Planet Hollywood again and they finally get a 2/5 game after much prodding. I get unlucky when I raise to $25 with QQ and some idiot makes it $75 to go. I think about it and push for another $300. He doesnt insta-call so I know I'm good. I say, "If you haven't called by now dude, you're in big trouble." He calls and rivers a jack. He was very proud of his call when everyone at the table knew what I had and what he had. He said was going to die with his jacks...great play. Later on I have my chance to get him back and I miss out in a way I will never forget. The dealer is tossing out the cards, I get my first card and he makes a bad toss and turns my second card up. My under card was a 9 and the turned over card was a 9. My replacement card was a rag and I folded. Flop comes out 9,5,2. I want to scream. It gets worse. One dude flops a set of dueces, one dude has TT and another guy holds onto AK and an Ace hits the turn. They are firing left and right at this pot and it should be all mine! That would have added another grand to the trip. Oh well, I end up over $3200 for the trip, not bad. I'm hoping to return after the World Series sometime in August or September. (I apologize for any typos, my mind goes faster than my fingers can type).