OK, this report is about my 15th visit from October 3rd to October 13th. Yes, 10 days in Vegas for which you have to remain very disciplined!

I’ll TRY and keep it short purely because previous response numbers to TRs don’t seem to justify the time taken to write them. If you like or don’t like what you read or have a view on what I say, then please respond.

Stayed at Harrah’s which with the comps they offered me was great value. The location is superb for easy access to the card rooms at Venetian, CP, Mirage and just a slightly longer slog to Aria. Room was fine and made use of the fitness centre and the pool almost every day.

Poker – Started playing the Aria daily $125 games. Yet again this game just refuses to show me any love. I just could not get it to work. Moved onto CP where I played some of their daily games. Softer field but hours of looking at hands I’d double down on in BJ just wears you out and leaves you short needing to win a race and double up.

Played the first day of their poker festival on Friday 12th, $100 entry. First entry was the standard of this trip, 8,3 J4 K2 10,3 – you get the idea. The table was tilting me a bit as well as I was in seat 8 and the player in seat 9 was a nice guy but knew the lady in seat 2 and hadn’t seen her in a long time. They insisted in having a conversation at full volume catching up with each other. STFU!!
Busted out and decided to re-enter as there was still plenty of play left in the game. Now things started to run better. From about 350 entries got down to last five tables. Cash started at 36. Managed to actually play some poker and make some targeted moves. One of the players, (a beautiful lady that it was a shame to lose from the table) got moved and as she got up to leave looked at me and said, “And you, I hate you!” I like to think she meant it as a compliment as she smiled when doing so. Anyway we get down to 40 players when this hand turns up...

Folds to me in CO blinds 4k/8k with ante. I have about 80k. I raise to 14k WITH Ad7d which has been getting through unopposed. Button calls and BB calls. flop As10S8s. Pot about 50k. BB checks. I shove. Button tanks and folds. BB insta calls and yes he’d flopped the nut flush. Bang! I’m gone.

Played the Mirage 10am game which was even softer than CP. Managed to get heads up against a young Israeli guy. Total chips in play 200k. My stack 140k blinds 4k/8k. I know I’ve got this one bagged as he’s not a great player – proof to come – and as I look down at AQ I put him all in. He humms and hawws and calls. He turns over 2,4 offsuit. Dealer flops out 3,5,6. What? Ouch that stung. I’m furious; that was a $300 hand. Now I’m normally a genteel player but that really got to me and I started berating him and swearing aloud to myself. I’m not proud of it and wish I hadn’t but sometimes the frustrations of this game just get to you. I end up shoving with some random suited connector and he calls with Q8 and holds. Still furious I just walk off to get 2nd place before I have the chance to refuse his handshake. Yes I was acting like a spoilt brat. That was my only cash at tournament poker this trip out of about ten games. Sucks.

TI- played a couple of the last chance saloon for tournament players, the 10pm game. Met AlaskaGal who was really nice and it was good to meet her. Played with the ToyMan. If you’ve met him you won’t forget him and I remembered him from a Venetian DSE final table I luckboxed two years ago. I guess he can annoy some people but I don’t mind him.

Blow and Hookers – no don’t worry not about taking/doing it, that’s not my scene but getting offered it. Sorry! One of the benefits about being a solo traveller to LV is that you don’t get approached by timeshare touts however queuing up to take their place in daily hazards are wannabe drug dealers and hookers. First night I get into Harrah’s I get showered and changed and walk through the casino to get to Walgreen’s. A young guy about half my age catches my eye.

Him “Nice shirt man.”
Me “Oh thanks.” thinks to self why is someone half my age complimenting me on my shirt.
Him “You need any coke while you’re here?”
Me “No thanks, if I need anything to drink I’ll use a cocktail waitress”.
Him, “Sure, sure no problem. Nice accent by the way and I dig that shirt”.

Hey, he’s a drug dealer probably trying to rip off tourists with chalk dust but he’s polite and complimentary. I get my water from Walgreens and walk back through Harrah’s. As I cut past KGB burgers another guy starts walking alongside me.

Him “Hey you need anything?”
Me “Like what? What do you want?” I perfectly well know what’s coming and really want to ask him for a hand carrying my bags.
Him “I can sort you out with some blow or some weed if you like.”
Me “Oh I see. No thanks that’s not for me.”
Him “Hey I dig your accent. Where you from?”
Me “England”
Him “Has anyone ever said you look just like that actor Daniel Craig?”
Me “Yes actually I’m his stunt double”

I get the “you look like Daniel Craig,” all the time in Vegas at least once a day. I’ve even had people stop me on the strip and tell me. I can’t see it myself and never get that back home but I’ll take it as a compliment every day.

Vegas has its problems but one of them isn’t the politeness of your drug dealers. But getting offered twice that quickly in Harrah’s? Did I miss the dealers’ convention in town that week? If they have breakout sessions are they held in the white, green and brown rooms?

Hookers – before retiring to bed I like a nightcap or two at the bar and slip a few bucks into VP. Now this makes me a prime target for hookers. Nope I don’t go with one and won’t. I ain’t paying any woman for that – well I may give Claudia Schiffer a buck for the pleasure. The best one was at Harrah’s where the usual suspect signs were there when a pretty young lady sat next to me and put $20 in the machine. The barman knew her name and her drink and she got her phone out. Through the corner of my eye I could see she was looking at me. I thought it a little strange that she was not really dressed like a hooker. She wore jeans and a baggy top which aren’t the usual dress standards. In conversation to the barman she mentioned that she had a ten month old child. Surely not a good thing to say with a potential client around? I break the ice as she’s freaking me out with her trying to constantly trying to catch my eye and blow smoke in my face. We get down to the nuts and bolts.

Her “So for $300 I could give you some real pleasure.”
Me “What do I get for that?”
Her “Oh you’ll have a great time. I’m a dancer at Spearmint Rhino and if we were there it would cost a lot more. Though for $300 there’ll be no intercourse, but we’ll be alone in your room”
Me “That’s way too much. I was thinking more $150”
Her “No I can’t do that”
Me “OK $180 including tip”
Her “No that’s just too way out of my ballpark”
Me “OK well maybe you should go next door and find someone more in your ballpark. Hang on that’s Casino Royale. Avoid that and try the Venetian.”
Her “Yeah no problem enjoy yourself”
Me “I will. That said though maybe I should pay you $300 because at the end of it you’ll have had such a great time you’ll be giving me my money back.”

I guess I shouldn’t but I just can’t help playing them off at their own game.

Table games – getting busted early from so many tournaments this trip meant I spent more time on this garbage. VP paid me off well with $20 turning into $500 in two hours at the bar next to the poker room at Bally’s. VP is the real crack cocaine of gambling and needs to be treated with some careful respect. On the final night I played Ultimate Texas Hold’em at Harrah’s. My last few bucks for the night go on the last hand and the board rivers a straight flush. $500 bang what a great end to the night and that bailed me out.

Ultimate Texas Hold’em Bonus poker – I play every hand as you need to see the five cards. But the amount of people who fold having paid their ante surprises me. Surely the best thing to do is bet play and see the board?

Circus Circus Steakhouse – tried this and can highly recommend it. Wonderful meal.

PawnStars – visited this place to get some souvenirs for my daughter. Place was busy at 9am and sells some overpriced souvenir junk. Unless you’re a real fan I can’t really suggest going but if you do, go early.

Players – this was my 15th trip to Vegas and I now start to recognise the same faces playing in the tournaments. Aria, CP and Venetian the same people which is kind of weird. At CP I even had one lady sat next to me tell me that she’d played against me before and she was a tourist who only comes a few times a year!

Weather – met my buddy at Bally’s for a pool afternoon. Get a lounger, order a drink, get covered in suncream and lie back. Drip, drip, more drips. WTF? It’s raining. Then one hell of a rainstorm happened with high winds and we all had to retreat to the covered bar. Apart from one woman who kept swimming meaning the lifeguards had to remain on post. Saw the floods at the back of IP which is impressive. Spoke to one couple whose hire car was trapped in the parking lot and they couldn’t get it out until the flood had receded.

Already planning my next trip.