Last time I took my son who had just turned 22 and had some bonding since we never do anything together. Planned to take him along this time but he could not make it and started reading more and more how people do the solo trips all the time so I took the plunge when the wife said "just go so you shut up already." Set it up to fly out on 9 Dec (arrive at 0900), return on 11 Dec (depart at 1035). $22/night for Flamingo (plus $18/night resort fee), included $35 food and beverage credit, $93 total with taxes. Flight was $263. Woke at 3 am, headed to the airport and awaited Frontier Airlines with just my couple pair of underwear, shirts, toothbrush and under arm protection.

First session was at Flamingo, 1/2 NL, two tables running, the 1/2NL and a table of maybe 2/4 or 4/8 limit (did not look close, do not play limit). Played for around 1.5 hours, lost $105. Not much action, two guys in a deep conversation and not really playing, one pretty bad player who everyone was trying to get in the action with. Paid for the 2 pm $50 tourney. I have to say, this tourney would be decent because it was the slot and black jack players but the management just sucked. Started right at 2 with 9 players, yes only 9 players. after the cards were checked and determined the button, we had a full table of 10. Soon there were 2 alternates and they were in after two busted out and did not re-buy. Second guy wanted to re-buy but floor told him he would have to wait until the other (two now) alternates got in first, of course he was pissed and walked away. Soon after, there were now 4 alternates paid and we had 8 left on our table. Floor decided to open a second table, moved two to the other table leaving both with 6 players each 45 minutes in. those of us who actually played tourneys were looking around like WTF? I made it to 4th when one guys pretty much had all the chips, out! I asked how many people they usually get in these daily tourneys, they said between 12 and 20 max most day's.

Went to Planet Hollywood next, played for around 4 hours and dropped around $50, decent game but not much action on the table all night. I really was hoping with NFL and the rodeo being in town there would be some drunk cowboys pushing some good action, but not much.

Headed over to the Bellagio and got on a table right away at around 11 pm. I was pretty worried about playing here as this always seemed the meca of poker. Found out real fast the 1/3 game is beatable. Had three from overseas on the table, one older lady with some cash and a couple more in my skill level, average, maybe a bit below average. I play conservative, but right away found the one young gun very aggressive. Right away had a pretty good run of cards and was hitting the flop. Let him bet in to me and then raised like three times with a call. Then did not hit and bet real hard in to another guy and pulled a good pot after the turn. Three hour session and walked out for the night with $320 from there. Up over $100 the first day, good enough for this below average guy.

Next morning at the Flamingo Cafe and used the rest of the food credit, good coffee house food.

Headed back to Bellagio and was playing around 1000 am. Table just opened and played for around 4 hours. Pretty good table, around 1 pm, it got packed and found out there were two big tourneys on the second or third day. Part of the WPT Doyle Brunson series, one was a 10K buy in and other was a 100K buy in. Heard most of the big names I knew were out on the first day, but one guy I saw the night before looked very familular, found out when I got home and went to the site it was Erik Seidel. Had all the cameras and hot hostess in front of the cameras so I thought that was cool. Ended up heading out up about $20. Stopped and played Black Jack for around 30 minutes to get my Total Rewards card in the casino system, actually won $70 there so I was up on the trip overall.

Back to Bellagio again, got on a new table they opened around 7 pm. Place was packed, 100K tourney still rolling and a lot of guaker’s watching the poker room. Table was decent, same as night before. Young gun thinking he could buy the pots but he only bought in for $100 at a time so he was always short stacked. Busted him twice on two draws that I did not even hit. Had KQd one time and just called his $45 all in for the heck of it and all he had was a 45os, was up over $200 most of the table until I was bored and asked for a table change. Played a few more hours and walked out with a $55 loss finally. Requested the room comps and ate before I headed back to Flamingo around midnight. Had that urge to play BJ and busted out some crisp 100's, played an hour or so and walked away with $140 up. walked to the poker room and jumped in a 1/2 game. It was pretty late and the game slowed down pretty much, played an hour and walked up $5.

Overall, first time I went to Vegas and did not contribute to the light bill, cost me my air and was quite content to bring the wife all the 100s back. Planning another two day affair in March