I had a free last minute pass from wife and kids so I cashed in miles and free room offer from Paris for a 3 night trip Jul 30-Aug 2nd.

I have made many solo trip to Vegas over the past 5 years. IT is the best vacation in the world. I love being on my schedule. I love being able to enter tournys and not having to worry about being there 6-8 hours if I go deep.

Flew out Thurs afternoon and arrived in vegas about an hour late after a slight delay. It took a good 30 minutes to get to hotel from airport due to all the construction and traffic. All the side streets are under construction. Still in a good mood about my solo trip.

I'm a follower of TBC's blog so I gave him a heads up that I would stake him for the Venetian 7pm tourny. I arrived at Paris around 4pm. After unpacking and sending a few work e-mails I headed downstairs for some blackjack action before poker. Play is up and down for an hour and cash in up 240. Time to head to Venetian. I had planned to make the walk from Paris to Venetian, but it appears to be well over 105 outside so I decide to cab it.

I find TBC near the tourny registration and pay for both entries.TBC's story is quite interesting if you have followed it. I could not imagine going to vegas with a 3500 roll and trying to survive playing poker and gambling. All his living expenses also come from this roll. The pressure of going busto and not having abything else to fall back on ( besides his small ssi check) would drain me in days. He has been there on and off for many months. On top of this he has Autism which causes some social disorder. He puts his enire ups and downs on the internet for all to see and comment. He is a super nice guy in person. I know people have had issues with him, but ths was my experience. I was just trying to throw him a bone to help his cause. If he cashes I get half. but that was not my motive.

Anyway, there were about 90 entries in this tourny ($125 entry). I am super card dead for the first 3 rounds. I had a few mid pairs in position that I raised and got no calls. The best hand I saw the first 2 hours was pocket eights. I raised 3X blinds and get called from button and SB. Flop comes 9 3 K. I lead out for 3/4 pot figuring it it would portray AK. SB thinks long and hard before releasing and commenting I over bet my mid pair. I never show any emotion at the tabe or respond to others while in a hand. I proceed to fold almost everyhting the next hour and hit the first break close to my starting stack. Aftet the break, I remain card dead. Were talking 6/2 off suit every hand. Get a AK a few times. Once raised and got no callers and once had several callers and totally whiffed flop. I get KQ hearts in late position after several people limped so I push. Get I caller with A2 offsuit. They hit 2 on flop of 10 2 8 ( 2 Hearts). I have tons of outs, but turn and river blank and Im out around 35th place. TBC had busted out about 30 minutes before me so the tourny loses put me back to even after the BJ winnings. I play BJ @ Venetian and win 140 before heading back to hotel around midnight.

Wake up early Friday morning. Head down to eat and end up sitting @ BJ table to get free coffee. The free coffee costs me 400. I was lost nearly every hand before my coffee arrived. Played for an hour before leaving the table down 400. Head to Venetian. Sit down at a 1/2 NL table. Play tight for an 1/2 hour then open it up a bit by raising almost any unopened pot with decent cards. Selected hands - KK - Raise to 12 with 4 callers. Flop is 10 4 6 Rainbow. EP leads out for 18 - I call. Turn 3. EP leads out 20, I raise to 45, he folds.. Get AA in late position, UTG leads out for 12 with 3 callers, I pop it to 35 not wanting more than I caller. UTG calls.. Flop comes 2 8 9.. UTG checks, I lead out for 50, he calls. Turn is 4, he checks, I bet 70, he folds. I played ABC poker the next hour, win back 350 of the 400 from BJ. I enter the noon tourny @ Venetiam. Get worse cards than Thurs night and end up going out in the 5th level.

I played BJ for a few hours @ Venetian. Had huge swings playing 25 to 75 per hand. I was down 400 at one point, but battled back to up 250. Asked pit poss for a comp to Grand Lux at 5pm. One thing about solo trips is you end up skipping meals. This was my first meal all day. Headed over to Bellagio after dinner. Quickly seated at 1/2 table. Teh tanle was mostly older players that seemed like locals. They were terrible. After winning and showing with AA I began to raise any unopened pot with any 2 decent cards. Im usually tag, but decided to go with this for awhile. Finally get reraised after getting AA in mid position with 12 raise. SB reaised to 28, I call. Fop Q X X. I go all in for his last 60..He calls with Q J. I win pot after turn and river blanks. I slowed down a bit after this.. Ended bellagio session up 230. I play some craps and blackjack and lose about 100... Ended day close to even ( not to bad after 400 cup of coffee).

I decide to eneter the 2pm sat caesars tourny for $230. About 79 entries. I play tag poker not getting into any major battles. I slowly raise stack, but I am always below avg. IT get down to final 20 before 2nd break. I get A 6 after in SB.. I have 14k in chips with 500/1000 blinds and 10 ante. Ther are several bug stacks at my table. There is a raise and re-raise before I act. I fold quickly. Flopp is A 6 6. OUCH.. Turn is 2. UTG raises, Other player re-raises, they end up getting it all in ( each had over 65k in chips). One player had pocket 22 for full house and other had 99 ( Whatt???). After break I double up with pocket KK vs. 10s.. When its down to 17 the following hand occurs with 1000/2000 blinds and 300 ante.. I get A 10 Spades on button. IT folds to me. I raise to 8k. The SB was a big stack who I played with the entire day. HE had made eratic and stupid plays all days. HE sucked out several time to keep him alive after bluffing all-in. HE re-raises my bet all-in (he had 55k)... I only have 26k. Im 75% I have him beat. I talk it out for several minutes. I eneded up calling. He says good call and shows K 2 diamonds. Flop come X X 10 with one diamond. River is A diamond. Sure enough the river is Q diamonds and he felts me with a flush. I hit Craps ( just learning how to play) and BJ.... End up down about 200 for trip.