Our trip starts out on Monday night at around 9pm. I arrive at the Arizona Charlie's on Decatur at 9 and instantly sit in the 4-8 game. Every player has an over button but one. In about 20 minutes we talk the last guy into no-limit. Mike arrives and takes a smoking seat (of course). The dealers are friendly and the players are cool. Its a nice 2 table room. I lose $100.

We then go to the Mandalay Bay. Lots of action. 6 games going at midnight on a Tuesday morn. The dealers are great. The rules stink. But its a fun place to play. I lose $100.

At this point, I feel like Charlie Brown on Halloween. Everybody else gets candy and I get a rock (or lose $100).

We then proceed to the Excalibur. Maybe you have heard, they made some changes. At 1am in the morning they have 3 games going. This is only a week into this Photodrek experiment. Mike and I ask Bruce the floor guy to set up pot limit Omaha. We sit down and play PLO high heads up, $.50/$1.00. A third player sits down, Justin, a dealer at Harrah's.

We play for three hands. I make a full house and the machine SPLITS the pot. At this point we stop the game and call over Bruce. This is where the early birthday gift comes in. It takes Bruce 45 minutes to get in touch with a PokerTek. He lets us know that the game was mislabeled on the computer. I ask if he can transfer the money. He says no. In a capped game, this is significant as I would almost have the same amount as Justin.

so the machine F*#&ed up. Well, I don't like to curse, lets say it PokerTeked up. Justin, was very patient and a totally gentleman through the whole thing. He's an Excellant dealer too. Visit him at Harrah's. Bruce tried everything he could to make the situation right. I bring up these two guys because if this stupid calculator/PDA/Adding Machine/Nintendo thing is going to work, it will be because of patient Compitent employees. Not because of the black box.

One last thing, Pokertek put in the systems without properly training the Excal. staff. Real bright guys! Your most publisized installation and you don't assure that everything goes smoothly. Thanks for the birthday gift!!! I break even on my last trip to the Excalibur.

The last room we visit is the Boulder station. This is for the legendary Omaha Hi game. Also, LVM gets to smoke. Its an action game. I vowel before I die to beat this game. I think these are the dumbest players in the world. God bless them. I lose $200.

Well, there you have it. The best of the EA series so far. Who knows what the future holds? I hear there is a joint called the Bellagio. I will look it up on map quest and report on whether they still have poker there. Until then, keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!

SPPerry