Today started way too early. Since by body didn’t really leave Central time, I ended up waking up at 5am. This is fine, since I was going to run the Strip anyway. It’s fun to see the early morning walks of shame and see the Strip just before the lights go off. May not be enjoyable to most, but it is fun to me.

I pack up my stuff, since I am spending the next two nights at the Orleans, and head over the MGM Grand to breakfast. I had a free brunch buffet from the MyVegas app on Facebook. If you haven’t checked this out yet, you should. This trip it paid for most of my food. And they have improved the redemption process. While I wait for the MLife booth to open, I wander the casino and lament the near death of this poker room. I used to love this place, but being a limit player, it’s not my thing anymore. Brunch was pretty good here. Great omelet station, good service, and a good food selection, though I didn’t see any doughnuts.

I check out and head to the Mirage for a day of poker. There was no 3/6 game yet, and actually a 2 person list. It was here I met a few AVP readers and posters. We sat around waiting for more people to get there, and pretty much when the early NFL games started, we had a game going. Unfortunately for me, my name didn’t come up for any of the drawings.

The game was friendly, and a 50/50 mix of locals and tourists. One hand got me to wonder about promos. I like the aces cracked promos, but don’t play a hand much differently because of it. I was dealt AA UTG+1. I raised and got 3 callers. My thought is that the game is tight, and if I limp and don’t get the callers, I have no shot at the $20 minimum. The hand plays out with a paired board and I table my aces and win the pot. The local next to me asks me, kind of indignantly, if I even know about the aces cracked. "Why would you raise?” “I still won a decent size pot,” I said, which didn’t matter to him. So I ask you all, do you play your aces any different?

The game broke before the second games were over, and since I didn’t win the high card for the open spot in the other game, I checked in at the Orleans. The rooms there are nice. It was comped, so I have no complaints. After talking to the family back home, I was back at the Mirage. There wasn’t a seat yet, so I had a comp printed up and headed to BLT burger. Good burger and sweet potato fries.

Back to the room and there is a seat open. Some of the AVP guys are back at this game, and it’s another enjoyable game. My name isn’t called for the NFL game again. I am in another hand where I flop a set, turn and full house and bet for value on the turn. I didn’t get a caller, and for the life of me can’t figure out why I turned my cards face up. Someone asks why I didn’t check and go for quads. The game was loose enough where I was surprised not to be called. Would anyone check there just to see the river for free? I don’t get it.

It’s been a long day, so I head back to the Orleans. I walk past the poker room, and just can’t do it. I have had so many bad experiences in there, and it doesn’t look like much has changed. I was at a table once session where the players argued about who should have what seat change button, that they made the floor call the cameras to figure it out. No joke. I hit the pai gow table for a while and head to sleep. Hopefully longer than the night before

Total poker time so far: 18.5 hours.