Jan 25th-29th, stayed at and played most of my poker at Excalibur. Found info on this site very helpful and accurate. Good mix of locals grinding it out for a couple hundred bucks at the 2-6 spread tables along with college kids trying to be the big shots they see on TV. I had never played 2-6 spread but it is easy to get the hang of. I played solid poker, no marginal hands out of position and finished ahead an average of $100 for four sessions of 5 hours each. Spun the wheel four times, two each for cracked aces and quads. Should have been a fifth spin but I folded J-8 suited preflop to a raise and the flop was J-J-J. Oh well. Be aware of the fish - one of my cracked aces was to a Q-8 suited that was capped on each street. Rivered a third 8 to take it down. Not sure what he was expecting with all that action in front of him.

Also played the $60 Aladdin tourney after much research. I don't have the bankroll to play the Bellagio or Wynn tourneys, and most others are advertised just to get you in their room. I found the most generous to be the 7pm Aladdin, which gave 2000 starting chips and 20 minute levels. Still ends up being a crapshoot - the luckiest survive. After two levels it basically becomes an all-in fest; get lucky and survive or get sucked out on and watch the finish from the rail. Never really had a chance and finished 40th out of 75 or so.

I would really like to get in the Bellagio tourney some day as that seems to be one of the few that you can truly get an accurate read on your ability to play tournament poker; all the others simply reward the lucky.

I definitely would play ring games at the Excalibur on any return trips but probably will leave any tourneys until I can secure the bankroll to play with the big boys.