Got into Vegas on Monday, Feb. 4. Arriving at the Flamingo to stay on the strip for the first time. We always stay off strip because the hotels off the strip seem to try harder to get your business. We arrived at the Flamingo arround 5:00 pm and I did the recommended $20 Tip trick. It worked as we were upgraded to the new improved "GO" room. Hah Hah, what a joke this hotel is. First thing I noticed when walking into the lobby of the Casino, Hotel was that it stinks. Not your normal smoke smell but an older smell that is not very pleasant.

We get up to our room and the first thing my wife notices is that the bathroom hadnt been cleaned as there were shit splotches on the toilet. This was very gross and not a great intro to the hotel. My Wife is not impressed and demands that we change rooms. I call the front desk and they switch us to a new room.

We were trying to get all settled in to our rooms so that we could get to the TI's Monday night Ladies tournament. My wife and her friend wanted to play in the tourney. We made it there in time for them to get registered but were disapointed to find that there was only going to be one table.

My buddies and I decided to play in the regular tourney. We registered and then had to wait for a half hour for it to start. I jumped ontl a 1-2 NL table and was playing pretty good. I was up about 30 bucks when just before the tournament started, I was in my last hand. I get dealt a pair of 4's. I limp, as did 4 others, and then the button raised to 12 bucks. I called partly wanting to see the flop, and partly due to this being my last hand.

Flop comes up Q,4,7 rainbow. Woohoo, trips and no chance of a flush draw. I check, as do all the others except the button bets out 20 bucks. I smooth call and the rest fold. Turn is a blank and this time I bet out $30. I figured the guy had a queen and maybe even had two pair on the flop. He raises me to $60 and I just call him. I am a little wary now as the reraise has me a little spooked.

The river card brings an ace. I think to myself that he may have hit his 2 pair so I check to him. He bets enough to put me all in. I pause, as I have learned the hard way what a quick call can do to your stack. I then call thinking that I have the best hand. He flips over pocket queens for trip queens. I show my trip 4's and say nice hand and go to the tourney, thinking all the way that I hope this wasnt an omen of how the rest of the week would play out.

The tourney was extremely well run, as was the rest of the room. Very small room, but with a ladies tourney, a regular tourney and cash games going on, I was impressed. Very friendly staff, and helpful. I busted out of the tournament in 18th out of 53. Typical, should have played more cautiously but as with tournaments, 1 wrong move and you are done.

I go sit at the cash table and earn back a bunch of my money I had lost earlier.

That was the first night in Vegas and I was ok with the results. I was only down the $65 bucks for the tourney so it wasnt too bad.

The rest of the week went bad tho as I only had one winning session after that. This is a first for me. I have played poker exclusively the last 6 times in Vegas and have always come out a winner. The few times I have played on the strip I have found that the loose, stupid play by a lot of the players does not sit well with my game. I know a lot of players will disagree with me on this but I play a tight aggressive game but it doesnt seem to play well against loose stupid play. I had Aces cracked 3 times, Kings cracked twice, flopped straights 3 times only to lose to full houses all three times. These were all done after I was called by the Stupid loose players. Big bets that they should have folded if they knew enough that they shouldnt call based on the Pot odds and the odds of them actually winning. Very frustrating as I know that if I make those same plays at a room with better players, they lay down those hands.

We will be playing back at the Orleans from now on or at Binions. I find the play at both of these casinos to be more suited to my game.

I will do a review of the Flamingo as well. I would not stay there again as it is a smelly old casino...lol