Got into town on the 24th around 1 and got rental and headed to the Rio. Now on this trip me and the wife brought along another couple who have never been to vegas and my buddy likes to play poker so that helped. Hit a full house playing 5$ let it ride waiting for the girls to get ready so trip off to a nice start(250$ score with bonus). headed to Harrah's to valet so the newbies could experience center strip bliss. I jumped into a 1-2 NL game at venetian and had a few good hands nothing of big significance but ended up down about 99$ after an hour and a half. I highly recommend this room. the competition I was playing with wasn't that great maybe 3 good players including myself and a couple donks and a few mediocre players, but awesome room with gorgeous waitresses and management was great.....the chairs, it is like your butt conforms to the chair and have never sat in a more comfy poker chair ever! After that we all just wandered around and showed them a few things and hit the tower at the strat. I myself in 3 previous trips had never done that and now I wonder why I never did....that was truly a Vegas experience! The views are incredible and you can get many good pics you just can't get anywhere else!...girls got tired and me and the buddy headed to the Orleans to play cheap BJ and had a good run.

Day 2

Went to the excalibur for breakfast and then played some craps there...wife hit a royal on video poker for a grand and this trip was taking shape as a good one. Wandered through Mandalay Bay and then to the Luxor. They wanted to play BJ and the wife found a cheap quarter slot she loves called pinball or something so I knew I had some time to play....The Luxor room was small but nice and surprisingly to me the competition was very good...there was solid play from everyone and had a good run, but got caught in one wierd hand right before I was to leave and ended up down $12...so not bad...enjoyed this room very much....did some more south strip sightseeing for newbie friends (NY NY and MGM)saw the lions and ate sirrico's pizza of course at NY NY and played craps there and had a good couple rolls by myself when I had the table to myself but when people starting filtering in I left while I was up....Played the PH 7pm tourney and got busted by idiot donk right before second break when he tried to get aggressive with me out of position on my AQ suited so I pushed and I was right he had A-10 off but a 10 in the window and I was done. Wife cashed though so not a total loss. Girls went to bed and me and my buddy headed to the Bellagio it's 2am and i was hoping it wasn't too busy i could get in a game. I was right...manager says 2-5 game is soft not alot of action over there..he was cool not rude like some have said the staff there can be but he was a liar!...Saw numerous 1K pots and one monster 2+K pot and guy to my right raised every single hand 35-50 pre flop....I expected that I am at the Yankee Stadium of poker so i waited...caught my hand against villian and made my money..won another nice pot and after about 2 hours it was 4am and my buddy was looking like death warmed over watching me play so i left up a few good hundred....nice Bellagio experience. Made some money, Played back hard at a villian and made him fold like the beeeyatch he
was and table chatter and dealers were all very cool.

Day 3

slept in slightly and we all headed off to Red Rock....been wanting to see this place. This place is unreal! beautiful landscaping, the interior and exterior of casino etc...just unreal and it better be for what a billion or so plus to build...lol...ate at buffet very nice and good/cheap....played some 1-2nl here and was playing really well. Locals galore but alot of calling stations and money to be made...was up 100 on my 200 buy-in then things went south...caught runner runner flush(jack high)and some woman had the ace for a nice pot. You get the picture a few wierd hands and i'm down...but this is a soft room in my opinion and if not for wierd hands i could have easily walked outta there up 5-6 hundy. But dealers were fun and management gets you in games quickly...lotsa TV's for sports and drinks came real quick. If you have a rental car and have time check out Red Rock you will not be disappointed one bit.
Headed Downtown to do whatever...now my buddy with me doesn't really play cash he a much better tourney player so i suggested the 35$ Fitz tourney so we played..2 tables, he lasted awhile but i kept getting one upt by an older gent across from me so i did one 15$ re-buy and after he one upt me again i called it quits...the writing was on the wall...played some let it ride and 3 card made a few bucks then played craps and guy next to me and myself both had 20 minute or so rolls and made some very good money!!!!....God I love playing pit games at the Fitz I have had so much fun and made alot of money there on previous trips.

Day 4

Got up headed to South Point for 10am tourney..3 tables very nice tourney in my opinion. Lasted till middle of pack buddy made final table just out of the money. Went to Silverton to check it out, very nice casino played some blackjack and won a little...like the whole hunting lodge vibe they got going on there. Felt comfortable there for some reason. Placed a few 3-4 game parlays on sweet 16 games....Had tennessee so they screwed me but UCLA didn't cover so they woulda got me in the end so a little disappointing but fun nonetheless to bet the tourney....Played the Riviera tourney at 8 and once again card dead and out early. Buddy made final and cashed 3rd for 300$ so good for him he now has made 2 finals in one day so he's thrilled to death and am happy for him. Had another good craps session at riviera good for about 4 hundy so things are looking up....girls crashed early again so we headed to Sahara for cheapo Blackjack in that 60's party pit and both had a good run....i had 200$ in front of me and said out loud i should put this all on there but chickened out and yep you guessed it i got a Blackjack....that hurt but o well.....had fun that is all that matters!

Day 5

Played Caesar's 9am and lasted along time finally!!! Busted in lower teens but buddy made final again that is now 3 in 2 days for him. While he was playing i walked to Mirage(figured he'd be awile) and jumped into a 1-4 Stud game. Never played stud live and had a blast. I'm 33 but everyone at table was considerably older....lol....I had never played stud live and figured what the hell and I like it alot actually and if given the chance will play it again whenever i can.....Went back to get the girls and luggage and headed to Sahara to kill some time and gamble cheap before flight...Wife hits 3rd straight flush of trip right in front of me AGAIN in 3 card poker....she had amazing run this trip.....i'm bitchin because i haven't hit my yearly straight flush on the vegas trip and it doesn't come. But cashed out up so not complaining. Headed to the Trop to wind up the trip and played 1-2 nl there and made a quick 100...I liked the room, young kid manager was very cool and dealers were personable...competition was good a couple kids from LA were very strong players and there were a couple brothers there who literally had no clue how to play and the table pretty much took advantage and made some good coin off them...I backed off on one hand against one of them...coulda felted him but i'm not greedy and just want to have fun. Kinda felt bad for him he shoulda been playing 2-4 limit or something.....headed over to 3 card table wife was rolling again there (no straight flush this time but doing well) I hit mine literally 10 minutes before we headed out the door FINALLY!!!! The A23 of hearts good for 4 hundy as we are headed to rental car facility....

A good trip overall.....no tourney luck...had 1500 in cash games only down 160 so not bad....made alot on craps and 3 card....wife made out like a thief so good for her...Our friends had fun but overall frustrated I think with the swings gambling will throw your way....I tried to explain to them that is how Vegas is designed, It's there for entertainment and designed to take your money...You have to have the mindset you will lose it if not it will make you weary!...and as we were leaving friday night did anybody see the hundreds of mini coopers roll into town horns blazing....what a sight to see!! Hilarious!