Ah, Vegas. Just got back from a four-night stay with plans to play a bunch of tournaments. I'm an okay limit player but have avoided live NL since I was first learning the game and dropped some money on a few tournaments with no chance of winning. Been making a decent showing in some small buy-in online tournaments and figured the time was right to try again.

Checked in to the Venetian Wednesday night and headed across the street to the TI for the $65 tourney. About 25 players, skill level was definitely mixed. Not hard to pick your spots to make a move. One example hand: I busted a guy early on while holding AQo UTG. Blinds at 50/100. I raise 3x BB and get one caller. Flop is Q high rainbow, I bet, he calls. Turn is a blank. I bet bigger, he calls. River is Q for my trips with an A kicker. I bet again, he shoves all in. No flush or straight draw and I simply can't believe he's been hiding a set and rivered a full house. I call, he shows Q4s and is gone. Made a few small moves and stole a few blinds after that but no big hands. Went to final table where the play improved dramatically -- all the weak players busted early it seems. Got blinded down and knocked out holding JTs all-in, finished 8th or 9th. Definitely pleased with my play though.

The next day, went to Caesar's to play because I like the room, and to my surprise they had zero limit games going. 1/2 and 2/5 NL only. Considered 1/2 but saw there was an afternoon tourney starting, so signed up for $70. 50 players this time. I was card dead and busted in the middle of the field...hard to say if the skill level was significantly better or I just played poorly.

Started drinking in earnest around then. Had dinner at CUT steakhouse in the Venetian and was extremely disappointed -- I've eaten at the one in LA and loved it. This time, poor service, unimpressive meals. The wine did the trick though. Continued drinking through a terrible 3/6 session at the Mirage where my TPTK got rivered time after time. Now it's late, I'm drunk and I figure it's time for this $45 O'Shea's tournament I've heard so much about. Incidentally, this tournament is now at 2 am and NOT 3 as advertised (and has been mentioned on these boards). This is a change from only a week or so ago.

Anyway, O'Shea's. Honestly I wish I could tell you more about it but I was so drunk I barely remember playing. And yet apparently...I cashed. Three places paid, I was short stacked in third place and agreed to a 50/25/25 chop (chip leader was way ahead). Total cash: $127.

Stayed at the Flamingo for the second two nights and played some 2/4 there, mainly while waiting for tournaments to start. They could not get players for the 6pm nor the 2am any time I was there, which was a disappointment. Dealers were nice and funny and the players were fine. Too many lucky rivers so I was up and down a lot. They have a high hand jackpot for quads and straight flushes all day and saw 3 sets of quads hit over two days. Broke even overall at the Flamingo.

Last day, played the $50 2:30pm tourney at Bill's next door to Flamingo. Another crappy casino with a tiny 3-table poker room. Had two full tables for the tourney and cashed again. Had one or two lucky breaks...won a coinflip with 33 vs. A6s, and later near the bubble went all in with 22 on the button hoping to buy the pot, got called by the big stack and flopped a deuce. After that it was easy to let the small stacks blow up. Made it to top three and we were all about even so we just chopped it even three ways right there. Total cash: $280.

And that was that. Will definitely be back for more tournaments now that I've got some confidence up.