Arrive McCarran late Thursday 20th. Collect hire car - a nice Dodge Charger. Don't like it in white but so be it. American cars are huge compared to european ones and it takes some getting used to the width of this car.
Anyway as long as I remember keep right and you can turn right on most reds then I should be ok.
Drop my friend M off at Venetian and N and me continue off to Main Street Station. Valet park the car. Have a meal and drink at 777 bar. I love this bar and it does a really good range of beer.

Friday - wake at 4am. Don't know if it's jet lag or the noise from the freeway.
Tip - if you stay at MSS get a room at the front not one overlooking the freeway or railroad. Wander around most of the downtown casinos and meet up with N for a nice breakfast at the Nugget Grille. Collect car from valet at MSS and straight away notice a large scratch around the rear wheelarch where the car has obviously scraped against something or another car. I know it was not there when I picked it up as I checked the car as I always do. Spend an hour sorting this out with hotel security and the hire company. It definitely happened in valet parking.
Played the 2pm at the Wynn, got nowhere.
Evening back downtown to meet some friends and play in Binions 8pm and 11pm both getting nowhere. One of my friends does a chop in the 8pm.
Already noticing Vegas tournaments attract a range of skill levels. Example, at Binions some stage in the 3rd or fourth level UTG limps, mid position pushes for about 10 BB and UTG calls for most of his chips with........K2!!!
MP push player shows 10,10. Obviously a K shows up. I rarely comment on other people's play at the table but just had to make a comment about that.

Saturday - up for a breakfast buffet at MSS pretty Vegas standard. Over to the Venetian to play in the $540. Oh dear, I had high hopes for this one but then lost a few thousand at the first two levels. Then in level three flat called a CO+1 raise and a CO call in the SB with the dreaded AK. I'll post the hand details for analysis elsewhere but I busted out to a flush with my top,top. Kicking myself for how I played this. Then it's back to the Wynn for the 2pm and go out 7/27. Then play the 7pm Wynn and go out 12/37. Still seething with myself for how I played at the Venetian.

Sunday - up 8am and N wants to do some shopping so it's off to WalMart on W Charleston. decide to do breakfast at the Sourdough at Arizona Charlies but the line is massive so don't bother.
Gather it must be very popular. End up with a Subway instead - yuck!
Leave MSS and drive over to check in to the IP.

Main Street Station - I'd recommend it as a good value downtown alternative hotel. You can get some good deals here. Get a room overlooking the front to keep away from the freeway noise. There is no cardroom but Fremont Street is only a short walk away. Like its sister hotel the California, it seems to cater mainly for the Hawaian market. The 777 bar is one of my favourites in Vegas.

Imperial Palace - after managing the left turn from the southbound strip into the IP main entrance and only causing five pedestrians to scatter from my screeching white Dodge I park up in the back.

Tip to self and others - if you can, use the rear entrance to the IP, it's a lot easier than trying to get a path through all the pedestrians on the strip.

Something I noticed about the IP straightaway was the smell. Not a Venetain nice smell but a stink. There is no getting away from it that it does smell. I guess the carpets need replacing or a deep clean. Whatever, like the Venetian I get used to it.

Get a room on the 16th floor. OK, bit tatty but it will do for me and serve my needs.

Play the Wynn 2pm and decide to be a bit more aggressive this tournament.
I may have overdone it as I think I had most of the table disliking me. Overdone it when I big raised from the BB into about 3 limpers with AK. Flop comes 6 high and I just push. He calls and shows his A6. I don't improve. I then get table changed much to the delight of most of the table.
I didn't mean to get anyones back up I just decided to try and play very aggressive which I don't generally do. I think some of the other players just wanted to see cheap flops.
Anyway my experiment in styles took me out in 12th place.

Met M for a Wynn buffet. Very nice - as it should be!

Play the 7pm. Not so aggressive this time.
Down to about 2 tables and and all limp to me on the button. I have 9,9 and decide to call. I was a bit wary of pushing into so many here and decide to try and assess where I stand after the flop. Flop came 10,10,9. BINGO!!
Let's just say it ended up HU with the BB who had 10,8 and rivered an 8. I still survived with a few thousand left.

Again some strange play around in this tournament...
Player A, a LV local who I have down as solid and one to avoid, with blinds at 500/1000 open raises in MP to 3k. All fold to the BB who pushes for 2400 more -total 5400.
MP raiser has about 9k and folds for the 2400 more. What? Are these guys playing on some other level?

I get to final table down to 5 of us. 4 get paid.
I know that three of the five are friends and to be honest I may as well have been playing with 1 hole card.

Example 5 left, four get paid. Blinds 2000/4000 with an ante.
UTG pushes for 7k all fold to his friend in the BB who has about 15k and folds for the extra 3k.
Awful, and it was no surprise to me that I went out 5th having to push with K10.

I really like the Wynn cardroom and the evening tournament is good. It just needs some more players. The cocktail waitresses are HOT!

Emily the afternoon TD appears very nice.

Met N and M and played some mad 1/2 at Ballys ending up $100.

Hope this is of interest and will continue in another posting when I get some more time.

Thanks for reading.