I went out to Vegas for a week for my first ever World Series trip, with plans to play one event at the Series, and a couple of other tourneys around town.

The trip started uneventfully, but that soon changed, as the kid sitting next to me knocked my soda over on my white shorts. That made for a truly miserable last two hours of the flight. I cabbed it to Harrahs, where I was comped a room for the week, and I was told that my deluxe room wasn't ready. I settled for a regular room since I had to change clothes. Really, the only difference was the deluxe room had a flat screen TV and pillow top mattresses – not that I'm ever in the room long enough to notice such things. And it was free.

I killed some time in the Harrahs poker room waiting for my buddy Chase to arrive. I got to meet Las Vegas Michael then, and had the pleasure of playing much poker with him over the next week. I also met Dmuzio, who's dealing in the room there.

Chase arrived, and we headed to the Rio to meet up with some other friends from Dallas. Wow. You can listen to stories, and you can look at pictures, but until you actually walk into the rooms, and see all the tables, it's hard to believe.

The other three got in a PLO8 game, but I declined to sit down with three guys I play with at home on a regular basis. I tried to get into an Omaha satellite, but there wasn't much interest that night. Hung around for a while, then went back to Harrahs and blew some money at tables games to earn my free room.

On Monday, we were all playing the $200 PLO8 tourney at Binions. They had a really good turnout. I've always enjoyed tourneys there. I didn't last long, but the dealers I had were very professional, and the tournament was well run. We had a little over 200 runners. Got all my money in with middle set and nut low draw against a wrap with no low draw. He hit the straight on the turn, and I bricked off on the boat and the low. Oh, well. That's the way I've been running for a while.

I got in a 1/3 PLO8 cash game with 300 behind with a very loose player I had watched the night before. Third hand, he straddles for 6. I limp AA2J knowing he's going to raise. The whole table limps. The straddle raises to 35. 1 caller. I pot it. He calls. Everyone else folds. Flop is AJ3. I go all in for my last 210. He calls with a 8 high flush draw, and a 86 low. The turn pairs the board, no low, and I now have 700 in front of me. The sick thing about this game, is that I still only have 2 people at the table covered. The kid pulled out another pile of hundreds and stacked them behind. I played til the last of our group had busted, and we headed back to the strip.

Chase and I went over to the Venetian, where I won a satellite for the DSE event on Wednesday. They were running $80 one table with two people winning $340. They also ran $130 satellites with two people winning entry into the $550. Got in a cash game after that with a table full of 20 something wannabes. Managed a small profit, but got outplayed by one of the guys on a AK553 board when I was holding 1010. He showed Q10 for the bluff on the river, when I folded. It was about 5 in the morning by this time, so I racked up shortly after that to go back to the room. The kid to my right looked at me, and said, “Game too tough for you, huh?” Normally, I'd pull a stack of Benjamins out of my pocket, and say, “Let's play.”, but I really was very tired. It sucks to get old.

I spent Tuesday afternoon playing the HORSE game at Harrahs. This was my first time playing HORSE live, and I loved it. I played with LVM and some other guys most of the afternoon while waiting for the rest of our group to arrive.

My best friend Kelly and his girlfriend Leah (non poker player, and a buzz kill) finally arrived. We had planned for this evening to be our party night since we were playing tourneys the rest of the week. They all met us at Harrahs where I think we tried every table game in the place while steadily downing drinks. Kelly is quickly down $900. We go to the craps table, and find a hot roller. I win $450. Kelly wins $900 to get back to even, and we are drunk, so life is good. We head down to O'Shea's because, believe it or not, we want to play Casino War. Kelly had a bad experience in Shreveport, and we need to get him back on the horse. Four of us play, and all four of us doubled up, and we tipped the guy about $75 in 30 minutes. Everyone was happy. We started walking back to Harrahs and stopped in IP to check things out. Kelly and I proceeded to try every table game in there while Buzz kill whined about wanting to go back to Harrahs. Chase and Steve took her back, and Kelly and I stayed and played til about 5 in the morning. After all that gambling and drinking, I am up $45 for the trip.

The next morning was miserable as I had to get up to play the Venetian DSE with a hangover. Everyone who has played in one has had so many good things to say, that I'm not sure there is anything else to add, but it's all true. I just wish I had caught better cards, so I might have made a run. I was card dead, but made it through 6 levels. Just before the 2nd break, I got it all in with 88 against AK, and he hit a K on the flop.

After that, I couldn't wait to get back to Harrahs to play the HORSE game. And bonus – Yappy Dave was going to be making an appearance. We had two tables of HORSE that night, and as another bonus, when we combined tables, I got to play with Cardgrrl for a very brief time before I went off to bed. I had read a couple of references to her blog online before, but had never actually read it. I've since started reading her blog from the beginning, and it's excellent reading that I'd highly recommend. AlsakaGal1 was also in the room that night playing, and I got to meet her briefly.

Thursday was the start of the PLO8 WSOP event I was playing. I got some Starbucks to get the system going, and headed to the Rio. I had a choice of getting some breakfast or playing a satellite. They were just starting the satellite when I walked in, so I bought a seat. I ended up chopping the satellite with another guy. I got 2 lammers and the $120 cash. He got the other lammer, and I paid him $250, essentially chopping the satellite evenly, except I got the $120 because I had 1,000 more chips.

I wish I could say I cashed in my first WSOP event, but it was not to be. The was a triple chance tourney where you got your original 1,500 in chips and were also given 2 rebuy chips. You could use the rebuy chips any time you wanted. Several at our table used them at the beginning with me and a few others choosing to save them. That worked out better for me as I got my money in with the best hand every time but kept getting outdrawn. I outlasted about half the field, and had an absolute blast. On my last rebuy chip, I actually made a bit of run. I was down to my last 500, and in the span of 5 hands, I had 7000 chips. I got all my money in with Ad, 2d, Jx 5x, on a A5d8d flop. The other guy had A8xx no redraws. I, of course, bricked off since that is the way I roll.

I went back to Harrahs and decided to play the 12:30 am $150 bounty donkament. The players were so BAD! I had one player at my table who raised or reraised EVERY hand. When the flop came out, he went all in when it was his turn to act. Of course, this strategy built up quite a stack for him, but eventually he lost some, and was left with about 4000 of the starting stack. During the 2nd level, I get KK. The loose guy is in the big blind, and I'm in the cutoff. Under the gun, who has already shown to be a fairly loose player, makes it 400 to go. I make it 1400. The kid to my left goes all in for 4000, and I have absolutely no read on him. The loose guy goes all in for about 4000, and under the gun just calls. Now I know under the gun doesn't have AA because he would have pushed all in there. I think maybe the kid to my left has the aces, so I want a side pot with the other guy. I push all in, and he calls. The hands are: UTG – AhJh, the kid – 99, and big blind – 44. My KK holds up for about a 19.000 pot. The only thing was, the dealer said I had everyone covered, but, as I was raking in the chips and stacking them, I didn't notice until the next hand was in progress that UTG had about 400 chips left. I wasn't sure if I misunderstood him, or he messed up, but it cost me a bounty if he did mess up. At that point, I think it was too late to do anything. I got a couple more bounties, which covered my tourney, but ended busting in 4th (it paid 3) when I pushed with A8 and got called by 99 in the big blind.

The next day I went to the unofficial AVP happy hour at South Point. AlaskaGal1, Minton and StrayBullet were there. We had a few $1 drinks, and AlaskaGal1 and I went back to Harrahs to play ½ for a while. The game wasn't as juicy as it had been during the week, so she left to go another room. I got in the HORSE game again, and played most of the night.

The next day was the saddest day of the week – time to go home. I hadn't been to Vegas in a couple of years, and I always forget how much I don't want to go home when it's time. Maybe one of these days...... I pursue my dream and move out there.

To sum up the rooms.... I like the Harrahs room a lot. I am a smoker, but don't always want to be around it. I like the fact that the room is closed off in glass to block out the smoke, and especially the noise of the slots. The Venetian is still the cream of the crop. There probably isn't anything I can say about the room that hasn't already been said on here a 100 times. Binions new cash room is very nice. It's also somewhat closed off from the noise and smoke. If you're downtown, you should check it out.

I want to thank LasVegasMichael for the stud lessons, especially Razz. I had a blast playing cards with you, and I hope I get to do it again very soon. AlaskaGal1, Minton, StrayBullet – it was great meeting all of you guys as well. I had a blast. Dmuzio – you are a great dealer, and I think it's wonderful you are living the dream. I wish you the best. Yappy – it is extremely interesting and entertaining to play cards with you. I look forward to the next time.

See all you guys for the next AVP meet.