A quick jaunt to Las Vegas right after a busy Christmas holiday was just what the doctor ordered. We got out there the 26th, and left the 29th.

I played two tournaments while the Mrs. shopped/slept. The first was the noon tournament at the Venetian on the 28th. I think there were about 63 people, and it paid 9 places, which was fantastic. The game was well run, and the dealers seemed wholly capable.

The players for the most part were well above average, which I prefer. I'd say 75% truly understood what they were doing (i.e., calling into appropriate pot odds, raising and re-raising well, etc.), while the other 25% were overly aggressive. They were nearly all good people, not the drunk 20 somethings I'll detail next. It was an older crowd...mostly 30-50 years old, some older.

I was card dead, and made a mistake early with KQ on the button in a 4 person pot (big blind picked up K8 and hit 2-pair on the flop), but I ground it out, and did the best I could. The pivotal hand was when we were down to 2 tables for me. I was getting ante'd out of the tournament, and the guy to my right was shorter stack than I was...and getting very unlucky. With blinds at $800/$400, he pushed his $3500 or so all-in to the middle, and I promptly re-raised him all-in with 77, hoping to isolate, as I had him out-chipped 2 to 1, and was hoping for a race. Unfortunately, the button pushed all-in (he was outchipped as well), and we had a three way pot. I came in by far the underdog, as the first player had TT, but the button for some reason decided to push with AJ. As I assess, and get ready to leave, I see the first two cards out of the shoot...A and J. I get ready to leave until I see the most beautiful 7 as the 3rd card. My set holds up, and I more than double up.

The play got tight, and the button raised almost every hand. I made the final table, and the money, but was knocked out when an incredibly capable player on the button raised my big blind $4000 (blinds were $1200), and I thought he was just stealing. I called with my KJ, and the flop came J-4-3, rainbow. I check top pair, hoping for a nice over bet (on my read of either a lower pp or an Ax. He bets just about the pot, and I come over the top another $4000 or so all-in. He calls with AA...AA on the button should be outlawed. His hand holds up, and I'm down to my last $4100. Next hand, my AJ doesn't hold up to the same player's A9. I'm out in 9th, for a $285 payday. Not bad, but had higher hopes given my stack.

Later that night, I decide to play the 2AM Aladdin tourney ($60). Literally, and figuratively, night and day here, as the players were almost all 20 somethings and drunk, with all the hubris associated with 20 something drunk poker playing hotshots. You can guess it...7 to a flop, 4 calls after an early position raise. It was like shooting fish in a barrel. I was doing well, but just couldn't get my chip stack up. 55 bought in, and were down around 25 when my suddenly short stack (blinds moved pretty rapidly, though not overly so) became well less than 5x the pot. At this point, with blinds at about $400/$200, I had roughly $2300 in chips, and woke up with AdQd in mid-to-late position. UTG flat calls, and a shorter stack than me goes all in ahead of me. I try to isolate shortie, thinking I likely had him beat, so I re-raise all in. After thinking for a minute, UTG calls my all-in with KJo (this game was so weak, I'm still kicking myself for getting bounced...it was easy money). The shorter stack got caught with JdTd, so I was nicely ahead. Until, of course, the K spikes the flop, and I fail to improve. I got bounced in the mid 20s.

I was actually reasonably impressed with the Aladdin management, particularly for a wee morning hours tourney. It was well run, and Aladdin had the best dealer I've ever had...a big dude from Louisianna (named John), who was fast and fun. I think Aladdin should expand its poker operations, because management kept things moving...no small feat with all the drunk dumb$sses playing at that hour.

Favorably impressed with both, and neither makes you fill out a W-2, which is absolute BS (are you paying attention David from Caesars?). Venetian has a permanent player in me...its noon tourney was the best I've played.