Just got back from my trip to Vegas and what a blast it was. I'm fortunate enough to get out there twice a year, no mean feat considering how far you guys are from the UK ! I normally go just to play poker for the week or long weekend but this trip was for a friends Stag do (Bucks party I think you call them) so I wasn't going to be able to spend the whole time around a baize.

So, seeing as time was precious I decided on quality games rather than quantity and rocked up for the $500 Deepstack at the Venetian. I just love a deepstack.

Quite a few runners and I sat down with excitement and looked forward to up to 10hrs of play. I lasted precisely 50mins !!!!!! What a complete JOKE.

I have taken some bad beats but for a $500 buyin you don't expect complete donkeys to show up. Let me explain.....

Within 45 mins I was up about to about 12k after showing nothing but premium hands and hitting a few flops hard. Fair to say that I am tight aggressive player and was quickly viewed as such on the table. So far so good and all going to plan.

Just after the beginning of the 2nd level (50/100) I get JsJd UTG and I really don’t like JJ. So UTG I raise to 500, I don't care if no-one calls, I just want the hand over. All folds to the Cut off (villain) who calls. BB & SB fold. Flop comes Jc 2s 3d - BEAUTY! Rainbow flop and I have top set.

I decided not to check as it'd be obvious and put a bet out for 650 and the villain raises me to 1,500. I go to the tank and ask if he's got KK or AA... and did the big reluctant call Oscar. Turn brings 10d. I'm still looking good and push out a rough pot size bet of 4k and Villain pushes all-in which was about another 2k on top of my 4k bet. I insta call and roll over my JJ which never looked so pretty. Villain rolls 8d 6d !!!! What the.... !!! I mean come on, what the hell was he A) doing in the pot and B) raising and calling with nothing !

River.... you got it, a diamond to give him the flush. So, from having absolutely NOTHING he hit a runner runner runner to hit a flush and I feel kind of sick. I give him a hard time which is unlike me but boy o boy I was steaming and to be fair, he deserved it. $500 buyin and it was as fishey as a $5 buyin.

Villain could only explain his actions by saying that I shouldn't mess with the locals because they were far superior players and can out play you. I nearly fell of my chair laughing and my response got a time penalty for bad language at the table !!!! I still had 2k back so took time out to un-steam.

I come back and I'm in the BB. Action folds to Villain who limps, button limps, SB limps and I look down at AKc and shove for my last 2k. Villain calls and everyone else folds. Villain flips over K2o and manages to hit a 2 on the turn. I really wanted to rip his arm off and beat him the soggy bit but I'm too much of a Gent for that. So I bid everyone farewell, shook villains hand and congratulated him on being the biggest donkey I'd ever played with. >8-/

That evening I had a big night on the town with the chaps and enjoyed the Vegas night life which helped me heal the day’s poker wounds.

Drunken poker is never a good Idea but at 5am it seemed like a good idea but seeing as I was staying in THE Hotel I staggered into the Mandalay poker room. Surprising amount of tables going and pulled a chair on the $1/$2 NLHE with $200. Long story short, I walked (well, sort of) up to my room at 11am after cashing in nearly $850. Guess drunken poker pays off sometimes !!!!

And that was it for poker in this trip. A mixed bag to be honest and despite the bashing in the Venetian, It’s always a great trip to make and I absolutely love Vegas !!!!!!!!!

I look forward to my next full on poker trip in 2008

Anyway, be lucky and thanks for reading !