SUNDAY: Arrived Sunday afternoon (Aug 7), shuttle to Flamingo, self check-in and I'm off to Venetian (first time there). Seated quickly at 1/2 NL with $200. Tread water for a while then end up all-in on a hand I really should have let go. I have AQo, raise to 10, 2 callers. Q93 rainbow flop, I lead for 15 and V says "I'll see one more card". Turn is 9. I lead for 40 and V re-raises to 100. Now I tanked for longer than I ever have, thinking, was he repping something given his comment or did he really hit? Anyways, I guessed wrong (set of 9s) and was felted. Rebuy and end up only down $70 for session.

Headed to Bally's after an Ellis Is. steak dinner. Seated immediately at 1/2 NL table, what would end up being the most fun table of the trip. There was the hyper borderline obnoxious guy who makes $300/day selling water bottles. We'll call him Cleveland (he claimed to be related to the guy who wears the dog mask at the Brown's games). There was the smug German who was still very friendly. And then there was the angry Russian. I mean everything made him mad. And I'm from Pittsburgh, hence became "Pittsburgh" to everyone at the table. Well it didn't take long for Cleveland to pick up on the Russian guy's anger issues and needle him mercilessly. As they say "hilarity ensued", with Cleveland being threatened several times with expulsion from the room, but it was all pretty freakin' funny. Including when I casually mentioned I was Lithuanian, Angry Russian came practically came out of his chair, shouting "Why did you say that?" I hope it was a misunderstanding and not that he hated Lithuanians. Cashed out up $21 after all that.

Went to IP for the mixed game around midnight only to find it didn't make. Bummer. Played 1/2 at TI for a while until our table broke. Made quad 2s but wheel spin only netted $25. Lost a big hand when my turned 2nd nut flush lost to a bare A on the river. Maybe should have shoved turn? Down $50.

MONDAY: Went to the Palms to check out the Aces cracked promotion only to find it wasn't running at 11:30 and only a 5-handed 2/4 LHE game going. Sat just long enough to remember how much I don't like limit. And to lose $60 to rivered flushes and straights.

Went downtown to bum around and play some blackjack and video poker. Hit no hands on the VP and managed to lose $60 playing $2 BJ. Seriously, how did that happen?

Head up to MGM for first time ever to play there. Not what I expected. Really big stacks with serious nondrinking players (it was about 11pm). Waited an hour before my first drink order came. Up and down on this table, cashed out after a couple hours down $30. Go to PHo, get seated next to a guy who seems very familiar. Has an AVP phone cover. It's LasVegasMichael! And SouthPointPerry was there too! Celebrity sightings. Seriously, it was very nice to meet them. Table was kinda so-so. There was a guy there who was some kind of actuary claiming that if a K or 6 fell on the board, 70% of the time another K or 6 would follow. Seems funny but he was full of K6 stories and damn if They didn't start falling that way a lot. Kinda scary! Lost $20 for that session.

TUESDAY: HHAGG, then head to south end of strip for some casino chips. Played BJ at Luxor, NYNY, and Monte Carlo, losing $110. Would have played at Tropicana but they had only one table going, full but with two empty reserved seats. Whatever. Used a 2 for 1 coupon at the Pub in MC to try some local Tenaya beer. Very good!!

Sat at Bellagio for what turned out to be a very brief session. Was originally seated at a must-move table. (One guy refused to move, made a big scene, and then just got dealt out, sitting there fuming. Pretty funny) Any way, about 3rd hand at new table I get KK on the button. Folds to me so I just call. SB raises, BB reraises, I reraise, BB reraises allin. So a bad decision coming up from me, I guess I was just looking for some reason to call and the V hesitated about 10 seconds before the final raise. Anyway I call and yep it's aces and I'm looking (for a long time) for the exit. -$200

I regroup for a while, have a 7.99 steak that ends up $80 due to more bad luck at BJ, then "journey" to check out Aria. Beautiful room, chips, people, yes, but the table was the dullest, stiffest I'd been at for a while. No one drinking or talking, even a dealer said the quiet creeped him out. Did manage to make one of few winning sessions, got up about $70 and left. I mean I ordered a Bud and felt like I was drinking in church.

Went over to Bally's for another pretty fun session although locals almost outnumbered tourists. Ran into K6 Guy - lots of warm greetings and "did you see! did you see! I told you..!"
Cashed out up 80 and so time to unwind at the IP craps tables. Played for almost 3 hours, up and down, having great time. End up winning about $80 for the session, so good end of the day.

WEDNESDAY: I manage to donk off about $100 more on the BJ tables before my flight. I think I lost 10 hands in a row at one point.

All in all a very fun trip even though I didn't win big. Looking forward to next time, thanks for reading.

Stevus