I booked this trip to play as much poker as possible but I changed my mind as I got a great rate from Priceline at the Venetian for a Sunday to Thursday stay (99$ a night) so my wife to absolutely hates to fly agreed to go.

We flew Song airlines from Boston to Vegas. Quite frankly I’m not sure how I ever flew without the having the Dish Network built in but it was great! It also has music and trivia. You could also buy games (including poker) and movies. We had some turbulence but the TV made the plane ride go faster. What can I say about the Venetian that has not already been said...the hotel and rooms are beautiful. We got a nice view of the new Wynn hotel and all the older casinos and the TI pirate show at night. But enough about that you came to read about poker!

The first room I played it was Harrahs (Monday). This is actually one of the rare real “rooms” in Vegas as doors close it of. Now being as East coaster I play early rather than late. They had two games going…3/6 and 1 /2 Nlwith a 120 buy in so I played NL. The cards ran pretty cold (this will be a theme is this trip) except when I got Pocket KK. UTG raised 15 and the between us called, not wanted for a A to spike I went all in for about 100. The first kid called and the other guy folded. The kid turned over AJ and he got no help and I doubled up. I left there up about 75.

Next room…Bally’s (Tuesday) I was here early and they had 2/4 and 1 /2 NL but there was only 4 people there so I played 2/4. This was a fun table but again no cards, and I played a little loose and I left down about 20. My favorite hand was A6c I called in MP. The flop gave me a 6 and a club so I called with 4 others, the turn gave me another club but only one guy bet out and I called. The river gives me the nut flush, but was surprised me as me bet out. So I reraise to let him know the I have flush, well guess what he reraises me! I have to stop and look at the board again just to make sure that I did not pair. He says to me “I will call here because we have the same hand.” Huh? He had a straight! I wish that he kept raising me!

On to the IP! What a morgue! I will try and be fair here and say that were running a tourney and that everyone was playing that instead. I played at a short handed 1 /2 NL table (200max)with about 5 people. I played with the Bluff Brothers and this guy they called “Chips”. Although he was playing at the table was missed more than half the hands as he just wandered around the room. This was also an fairly unfriendly table. I will chop with anyone. I had KQo and it was folded to me, I asked the guy next to me to chop and he said OK and I showed him my cards. This happened the next betting round the guy I chopped with ask the one of the Bluff brothers to chop and he would not, he said he wanted to defend his blind so the guy raised it to 20 and he folded! I loved it. I could only stand this for and hour and I left up 3 bucks.

I went back to Harrah’s that night and played 3/6 and lost about 30 bucks. I played next to this drunk luck box who I saw crack KK and AA with the magic hands of Q2 and Q5. He finally got me when I had two pair on the flop and he flopped the nut straight! That was all for me and I left 30 bucks lighter.

Mirage…(Wednesday). My wife went to see the dolphins and tigers and I went to gamble! This is a really great room! It’s fairly big and has some elbow room. This was another fun 3/6 table but again no good cards came my way. I got friendly with a retiree and a hubby and wife combo which all played very well. I got my straight and someone hit the flush on the river…oh well. I dropped about 25 bucks here

The Alladin…..This again is a “room” they do have high slots in there too but only one person was playing. I played 1 /2 NL here (200max) . I will say that I really enjoyed playing here ever though I lost about 300 bucks in this room. A lady sat next to me that had never played before. I saw here play some just awful hands and I saw here drop 200 bucks about 15 minutes. She stayed in the with just about everything. I get AK in MP and raise it up 15. She calls and I get a great flop of K93 rainbow. I bet 20, she called. A on the turn and I’m thinking how great that is when I bet 50 and she raises another 25! I have no idea where I am now and I call. The river brings a J and she says all in….I call thinking AJ here and I am good. She has q10 for a rivered straight! She raised me on the turn with a 4 outer and hit! Needless to say I was sick to my stomach for a while and started ordering my SoBe with vodka and I never really recovered from that. I played Ako in EP and I bet out 15. The guy across from me says I gotta run throws in his last 35 bucks and I call. He turned over A3…cool he only has three outs…well you can guess what hits the flop and sends me to the exits. I did not play for the rest of the day.

I went to the WSOP at the RIO this day. It is really hard to describe what it was like . It was really a convention center filled with poker tables and the air constanly filled with the riffle of chips. I did not see Dan Harrington or Doyle and that was about it. I saw everyone else…you name them they were there. I watched a little of the Pot Limit Omaha final table but I got a little bored with that and walked around some more. Seeing that was worth the trip alone.

Thursday….last day. I actually got a room at the Excalibur since we weren’t leaving until 10 that night and so we check out and moved down there. Now the Ex is no Venetian but for 45 bucks you get a nice room with a huge bed. If you are in Vegas just to gamble I really recommend staying here and the location and the price are great. We got lucky and got a room on the first floor and the first room! I wish we where there all week!

MGM….This is really as nice as everyone says. When I got there a 1 /2 NL table was running but only 4 people there. I waited until a couple more came in and I got seated away. This was the best table for me card wise but again nothing to yell about. This was another friendly table and the players where pretty good. I slow played Jacks only to run into KK and a low board. That hurt…I will learn someday. Two best hands were here where a guy flopped a J high straight and gave me a free (I had AQ) turn which gave me K and the nuts where he gave me all his money (65$) The hand of the trip….I had J4 in the BB…5 calls I check . Flop JJ10. It get checked around, turn which was a beautiful 4. I bet 15 an get on caller. River is a King, which I really didn’t like but I bet out again 15. My one called makes it 70 to go….hmmmmm. Does got a higher full house then me? I chicked out a just call, she caught a straight on the river and I won my biggest pot on the week. I left here 80 up.

Excalibur…this was the last place I played. The blind structure here is 1/3 NL with 100 max which quite frankly stinks. It also did not help that my cards here were easily the worst on the whole trip. I basically got blinded down to 65 bucks when I got KQh Flop comes K910 with two hearts. Bet out and get one caller. Turn is a blank and I go all in, guy calls with AK and with all my outs I get nothing. That’s enough for me and get up –100.

We pack up the bags and get to the airport only to find out are delayed 45 min. We still go in and just hang out there waiting for the red eye. The flight home was good but I could sleep better on those planes! We got home safe and sound at 7:30 am Friday and crash on the sofa. I had a great trip but I really thought this would be the one where I won some money so I am a little sour but already thinking when can I go back!

The players there were at least average for the most past and not the fish fest I thought that it would be. Also if you want to play live somewhere, if your particular card room is having a tourney, you may want to wait about and hour when people start busting out so you can find a full table. Good luck and have fun!