I booked my room and flight for this trip one whole month in advance, but somehow managed to make two trips out in the meantime. Needless to say, I'm a Vegas addict.

I'm flying solo this trip and am happy about it. I enjoy the freedom and independence this affords me, part of the reason I love the game poker. My plan is to play some satelites/cash games and buy-in to the 1.5k nl and then win the damn thing.

Saturday:

Arrive at McCarren Int'l at 8:00am and I'm at the fabulous Imperial Palace Resort and Casino by 8:30. I inquire about an early check-in, but no luck. After leaving my single carry-on with the bell-hop, I venture onto the Strip in search of some early morning action. I head to Paris for to play their 9:00a tourney but end up at a Bally's BJ table. Play for about 20 minutes, lose $200. One interesting hand to note: I'm playing 3rd base and the woman next to me has sat out the last couple of hands. For some reason, the dealer starts coercing the woman to play the next hand, she finally gives in after two requests (I found this dealer's behavior to be very odd). As you may have guessed already, the dealer pulls a BJ on the hand and I make some snide comment along the lines of "why'd you set that hand up dealer". He gets butt-hurt and tries to defend himself. I can tell by the tone of his voice that my comment had shaken him, so I tell him that I was just kidding (which was only 30% true).

That little episode got me on tilt a lil bit, but I head to Bellagio promising not to let it spill over to the poker table. So it's probably around 9:15 and there isn't much going on at the B, a couple 15-30's 2/5's, a 30/60 and a couple higher stakes games. I was hoping to play a 8/16 game because from previous exerience, it was usually a really soft game(even for low limits). I sweat the 30/60 game from the rail for a few hands and it looks like a good game. But I pass because I've never played that high and I only brought $1.5k for the trip. I decide that breakfast at "Snacks" is my best play at the moment, so I drop $20 on a breakfast sandwich and a $9.00 fruit parfet that was teh nutz. After my lovely breakfast, I put myself on the list for 4-8, 8-16 and 15-30. I get called two a new 15 game and after a couple rounds, I have the table sized up pretty well.

Seat 1: Local nit, rock.

Seat 2: Loose calling station pre-flop, possible degen.

Seat 3: See seat 1.

Seat 4: Me, 24, male, expert player (hahaha)

Seat 5: Young Asian kid, played good. Played tight, seemed like he was just card dead most of the time.

Seat 6: Old nit woman.

Seat 7 and 8: 30-somethings with i-pods, trying grind out a living.

Seat 9: Russian donk, calling down alot of hands to the river and folding.

So there were definately a few soft spots and the game kept getting short, but the seats 4,5,7,8 didn't mind playing short with seats 2 and 9. My normal game in Ca is 6-12 and this is the highest I've ever played, but I was totally comfortable and believed that I had a nice edge with this line-up.

I played for about two hours and won about $250. No really big hands, just value-betting the Russian with top pair no kicker the whole way. I made a couple of plays that wouldn't work in my usual lower stakes games. I really like the feel of 15/30 as opposed to lower limit games, you could actually get people of off hands sometimes. The donks left, so I decided to join a new 8-16 game.

At first I was second guessing myself for leaving the 15 game, but once I saw the play at my new table, I was reassured. Two total noobs, 3-4 calling station, a rock/nit and three solid young players. I booked a $600 win with basic ABC poker, I made a few plays on the solid players but made my $ check-raising the feild (5-6 players) on my big hands/draws.

It was now 5:00p and I walked over to the IP to check in. After a 45 minute wait I finally get checked in and take a nap. I wake up at 7:00 feeling like a $1,000,000 bucks, take a shower and head out to the strip with no particular destination in mind. I end up eating BBQ brisket at the food court at Caesars, the sides were bland but the bbq was pretty damn tastey. Kinda pricey for $20 but this is Vegas so I don't really give a darn.

I go into the Caesars poker room and it is packed, every cash table is full. They even had a 5-5 plo, 4-8 horse and a 20 deep list for Razz! I watch a final table of the tourney before getting called to my 3-6 seat. Tonight I'm playing for fun. I immediately start by raising my first 3 hands and straddling every opportunity. I'm playing pretty loose pf, but playing ok after the flop. I have a really manical image that allows me to get some really thin value bets in. Everyone thinks I'm a donkey, except for the dealers who are getting toked $4-5 a hand. They know whats up : ) There are a few young guns playing tight-aggresive and I can't help but smirk when I see them steam after I put a beat on them. There was one pretty, young Korean girl who I soft-played, but she check raised me and that was the end of that. I let her know it by saying "one time" while calling her flop bet and then raising her turn bet, I don't think she liked that. I leave at 4:00am down about $40, but I had a couple $200 swings. I was playing $300 so when I cashed out, I had the feeling that I won and I probablly did but tipped over $100 to the dealers.

Go to bed and crash, but not before realzing that I had forgotten to go to the Rio.

If you guys are interested in a Part II I can post it, let me know.