THURSDAY (FEB 17):
I flew out of Houston IAH. Was contemplating an over-priced beer at the airport but remembered a Continental President’s Club Pass in my wallet. I score a couple free bourbons.

Took shuttle to Imperial Palace. Will post separately about that Hotel but suffice to say I was perfectly satisfied with everything there.

Bally’s: First session of poker and get a pretty good run of cards. Got KK and sweated past an A on the turn to defeat QQ. I get AKo and only one villain after a flop with an A. Villian bets $30, I call (I’m thinking she only had an A). Villain bets another $30 on river and I still think she is out-kicked. She turns over A10, thank you very much. Got two red Aces a short while later and someone raises my $20 preflop bet AI. Four clubs on the board later and I figure I’m toast but the villain turns over two red 10s! He then proceeds to go on a semi-monkey tilt, calling me an A$$hole (first for me in Vegas, woo-hoo!!). For what, I don’t know, I’m pretty sure if you push AI preflop with 1010, you will get called by a better hand most of the time. Anyhoo, I leave shortly, up a little over $300.

Ellis Island: Walk down to Ellis Island to play some $5 BJ, Leave 90 minutes later up another $100 and somewhat intoxicated (good beer!).

Harrah’s: Mosey over to Harrahs and sit down with a friendly table of drinkers (my kind of folk) and play for a couple of more hours. Leave after 2 hours up a little.

FRIDAY:
Wake at 7:30 (damn time change!) head up to the Hash House a-Go-Go. Was everything people say, very enjoyable.

Downtown: The goal Friday was to visit downtown and use some American Casino Guide coupons and say hi to some of my favorite casinos (I usually stay downtown). Took the Deuce/Express. It was a bother as usual. Found that my phone had erased some of my players cards (my phone is the most efficient magnetic strip eraser ever created) and had to replace those. Sat for a little video poker in Four Queens and hit four 4s: $100. Left quickly. Had a matchplay coupon for Plaza only to find they no longer have table games. Sad, very sad. Hope they get things turned around, I’ve had some good times there. Wandered from one place to another playing a little craps, BJ, using slot free play coupons. Hit a $40 jackpot using a $5 freeplay coupon in Vegas Club. Played double deck BJ in the El Cortez for a while; a great place for black jack. Made the bus trek back up the strip for an evening nap.

Excalibur: Headed up to Excalibur for my first Friday poker session. First time there, I liked it but very few drinkers (where are all the drunks?) Made quad queens and won a good pot plus I spun the wheel! Woo! Only hit $30 on wheel but you only need one hole card to make a jackpot hand at Excal, so that’s fair. Made a good bit of money when my AA defeated JJ on a scary board. Cashed out up almost $200 for two hours play.

Tropicana: Wandered over to Tropicana just for a visit. Got talked into signing up for a players card by their promotion: play at least $20 and they’ll refund half your losses and give you the other half in slot play like a week later. OK. Well the slot machine hoovered my $20 and I went back for my $10 refund. Turns out it's $10 of slotplay, not real money. Boo. So I stuck my credit in the nearest nickel slot and hit max bet, just to get it over with and … hit a $50 jackpot. Serves them right. My luck couldn’t have been much better so far.

Planet Hollywood: Sat down at a new table of $1/2 NL , where everyone bought in for at least $200. First hand, lady makes large preflop bet, two callers, she pushes flop, two callers. She shows aces, they never show, she rakes in $600. Wow. Unfortunately my good card run begins to ebb as I go a little card dead, mixed in with a bit of showing down the second best hand. Leave about 4am down almost $200. Still, good trip so far.

SATURDAY:
Wander Strip: Head to Venetian to check out poker room but decide not to sit. Walk to Riviera for ACG coupon deal $25 slotplay for $50 played. I know, that’s a scam but I wanted to play some VP and it’s almost full pay, so I figured it was a good gamble. Well I hit quad 4s again for another $100. Good mojo is flowing again. Head to Circus for some $5 BJ, walk away $50 ahead. Head up to Mirage and sit (after a good wait) for $3/6 limit. Love the poker room and the casino but was the grumpiest table I sat at all trip. Drinks very slow too. Left after a couple hours down $40 or so. Time for nap.

Karma: I have to say that I know exactly the point in the trip when Karma began to frown on me. All weekend, whenever someone asked to buy a cigarette from me, I always said no, but you can have one for free. When after eating the $6.99 steak special at Ellis Island and walking past a homeless man for the second time, he calls out for a spare cigarette. I keep walking but immediately a chill comes over me. I should have given him a smoke. I’m doomed. My confidence is shot.

Harrahs: Card dead. Cemetary-in-the-desert card dead. Down $80.

IP: Play some craps. Table pretty hot but I stupidly leave to sit in poker table. More card dead. Even when I flop jacks full of kings, I get zero action. Was only hand all session. Down $80. Head back to craps table (it is the Devil’s game). Stand next to a couple of wrong-bettors (what’s up with that?) And their wrong-ness taints the table. I move away but it’s too late. Kinda fuzzy on the details but I think I donk away about $150 before slinking to bed.

SUNDAY:
Express checkout and I’m gone, lose a little more money on BJ at Ellis Is. and craps at Terrible’s and hop the 108 bus to the airport (told you I rolled low.)

Not sure what the breakdown was but altogether I think I finished ahead between $400-$500. Hotel was about $150, I used reward points to buy my airfare, and well, I‘m gonna drink and eat no matter where I am....so I’m declaring victory and saying this was my first profitable trip to Vegas!!

Really enjoyed playing poker on the strip but was surprised at the lack of drinking at the tables. Never saw a really drunk or wild player the whole trip. Mostly solid players. What’s that opening line from Rounders about spotting the sucker....?

Stevus