A friend, Tom, I used to work with who was going to LV told me about a pretty sweet deal: round-trip airfare and three nights at Excalibur for $300. I went, another buddy joined, and we were off.

We arrived Monday morning, just soon after 9am Vegas time. Check-in was 3pm, so that meant 6 hours of poker at the Excalibur. Excalibur's lowest limit hold 'em game is a 1-3 spread limit game. They also had a 2-6 spread limit game which I played. I got down early, managed a comeback, and after nearly 6 hours, cashed out up $28. I also snagged a $4 food comp for playing 4 hours in the room. In my two sessions at Excalibur, I saw very little aggression, just the typical chasing all the way players.

My next session was later that night at Monte Carlo. I was running well in this 4-8 game. There were a few Europeans in the game who played most hands, and no one at the table worried me. I played about 2 hours and walked out to a late dinner up $135.

After a short snooze, it was morning again and time for the Excalibur. I played my worst poker of the trip that session. I was making rank beginner plays and could not get any rhythm going. I needed to take a break or a nap or something, but I told myself I would tighten it down and improve, but I didn't really gain any ground. I had to make a decent comeback to finish down $84. I did get my $4 food comp.

That night, I began a very nice streak that lasted through the end of the trip. I walked a good bit down the strip to play in the Aladdin. My favorite dealers at any poker room in Vegas. Mike is fabulous. Their poker room is only a few months old, and they offer 2-4 limit which I played. They also spread two no-limit games, one a $100 buy-in, other is a $300. I played eight straight hours at least. Not enough to get the comp!! They want ten straight hours of play, and then they give a lousy $10 food comp. The Floor even told me few players get it. No joke! I played OK and didn't get much cracked, and took down $108.

Overall on the trip, my luck was good. Not the "catching runner-runner flush all day" kind of luck, but the "big pocket pairs holding up against three opponents" kind of luck. I had pocket aces five times, winning four of them. My one loss with them got me a spin at the bad beat wheel at Excalibur. The Wheel stopped on $25, but the Floor bumped the wheel and I walked back to the table with $35 in chips.

The next day, after much prodding from Tom, I relented and agreed to play in the Orleans's Noon tournament. My goal going into the trip was to pay for at least half of the $300 with my winnings. If I paid for the whole $300, it would be a great result. So I was not keen on putting a good chunk of money down for a tournament, which can often be decided by pure luck. I was told by Steve it was a $25 buy-in. It was $40, plus the $3 house fee.

I took my seat and got my $375 in chips. Blinds started at $10 and $20. This could get ugly early, and it did. Several hands into it I was dealt TT and raised to $75. A couple callers and a flop with two overcards and I was rebuying. I did have about $250 in chips left, but I didn't want to get too low and not win as much as possible if dealt a big hand. $20 got me $300 more in chips. A good example of my "luck" was one hand where I was dealt QQ and made a good sized raise. Being called in two places didn't thrill me. A flop with an A and a K was very unsettling. The hand was checked down and QQ was good. I knocked out three players at that table. One had taken a pretty rough beat, having KK die to 77 when a 7 hit the river. I finished him off and took his last 100 or so chips with my AJ. Victim #2 started off very hot, and was probably the chip leader at some point. His luck turned and when I put him all-in, his AQ got no help against my AK. #3 went down when he called my raise with all his chips. His AK didn't get the dreaded ace against my KK. I got $5 bounties for knocking them out, which ended up as tips to dealers and the TD.

We broke after 45 min and my stack was around average. Steve had busted out, and Tom looked to be in very good shape, with probably 50% more chips than I. We both purchased the optional add-on of 300 chips for $20. After the break, we would be playing freeze-out.

Back in action, I didn't pick up any huge hands. One hand was folded all the way around to my small blind. I had KK, made a raise and took down the big blind. Woohoo. I took down some blinds raising pre-flop with AJ level hands, but no big stories. After the rebuy period ended, folks started dropping quickly, and it didn't seem like too long before it was down to two tables. The tournament started with 92 entrants. I had about 8,000 chips going into the final two tables.

By this time, the blinds were probably 200/400, with $25 antes. I raised it to a little over 1k with AQo. One caller. Flop was not scary for me, but neither did I pair. I can't recall if I bet or checked on the flop. On the turn, I checked and the guy bet 1k. I called and checked the river. He bet another 1k. I had to think a bit on that, but I didn't sense any real strength from him, so I called. He turned over K-high and I took down a nice pot. He got it back soon after. I raised with AJs and he called with AQo. The flop had an A and when it was said and done, he had recouped his $3000.

The top 10 finishers would get money. When we were down to 11, the TD made an announcement; if all agreed, they would take $100 from first and $75 from second and pay 11 players. We all agreed and I got handshakes from my friends for finishing in the money. A short 5 minute break and it was time to go for the gold. I decided to get into no early battles, as some tiny stacks were around. Sure enough, they obliged by busting out and soon we were down to six. I made one more good call around this time. A lady with the second biggest stack had been going all-in pre-flop a good bit, stealing the blinds and antes. She went all-in and I looked down and found A9s. My first instinct was to muck, but I paused a bit. For whatever reason, a call felt correct, and I put all my chips in. Her A7s got no seven or diamond help and I had doubled up.

Finally we were down to four. First was $2k, second $1,200, third $720 and fourth $575. I made probably my biggest error of the tournament here. Just before that, I was clearly the shortest stack. I manged to double up against the third stack when my 55 held up against his overcards. Now, I was about even with him, with the other two having mountains of chips. Based on this, I should be doing only two things: folding or going all-in. I did the worst thing. On the button, I picked up KQs and made a normal sized raise. Problem is against huge stacks, it was like pennies to their $100 bills. Of course I got called, and when the board had three hearts, I couldn't call a big bet. Now I was small stack again, and I was dealt stuff like 82. When the big blind was about to come around, blinds at 2000/4000, I had to go all-in with Q3. No love from the dealer and I was out in fourth. I was slightly upset, as I think 3rd was possible, but considering how tough it is to finish that high, I was also happy. after the $83 in buy-ins, I walked away up about $500.

Steve and I went to Aladdin later that night and I decided it was time to have "fun." Witty, or what passes for wit from yours truly, banter, raising with 72o, etc. were the order of the day. That, combined with a lady sitting down and proceeding to fill a rack in about 15 minutes by playing 63o and making a full house, and many other such hands, lead to my being down about $75 quickly. Happily for STeve, who was down overall a bunch, he hit quad 6s early and got a $110 jackpot. He took down another nice pot with a one card Royal and left up $150 or so. I had long before that decided to screw it down and play my best. I had already bought another $50 in chips when I finally won a nice pot and the tide was slowly turning. Miss Lucky left, but not before pissing me off. Some newbie man was sitting next to her and they were chatting it up. When one had folded and was out, the other would often show his/her cards. During one such hand, the guy showed her his cards. The river put two jacks on the board, and some guy in the hand bet out. She leans over slightly, and, quicetly but audible to me, says "raise." He only calls, and the bettor shows a J as well, but he had paired his kicker for a Boat. The lady says to the newbie "I would have raised." I was steaming, and waited a few seconds, then said to the dealer that she had told newbie to raise. The dealer told her not to do that, and she said all she had said was say she would have raised, after the hand. Bah!

Lisa, a cute dealer who I shall take out for drinks next time I am in Vegas, showed up and dealt me good cards and I was getting close to even. Mike showed up and the game broke. I gave Mike plenty of crap for this and waddled over to the other 2-4 table. Lisa again dealt me cards I loved. AA for Josh. AJs for Josh, and the flop is AAx and Josh gets 5 big bets on the final two streets. ATs for Josh and the flop is QTx and the river is T and I beat the guy with the Q. Josh is in love with Lisa. Lisa leaves and the dreaded Mike shows up. The game breaks. I decide against playing 3-6, and leave up $19.

What a great way to end the trip. Down a bunch, a huge run of good cards and leaving with a profit. So naturally, I decide to check out Bellagio again. Steve and I walked in and out of their poker room a couple nights before, seeing only one big time player, Jennifer Harman. This night, I saw Sam Grizzle, Chau Giang and Phil Ivey. Pretty cool.

I sat down at the 4-8 game, the lowest they were spreading. Second hand in I was dealt KQ and made Broadway on the river. Shortly after, AA. Then KK, flopping a K. 99, flopped a 9. AJs, flopped J and two of my suit. A on turn and another good pot. With about 2.5 hours until the plane left, I decided it was time to cash out, and walked away up $76.

As for the poker rooms:
Excalibur was not bad. Non-smoking, as all the rooms I played in this trip were. They spread the lowest limit game I saw, the 1-3 spread limit. The dealers were Ok. The room has over 20 tables and was very busy in the late evening. A player who makes quads, a straight flush, or gets AA cracked spins the wheel for up to $300 in bonus.

Monte Carlo we all played in last year, and it's the same today. Not too big, but looks nice.

Aladdin is my new favorite cardroom. Excellent dealers. Not too large, about 14 tables. 2-4 poker to be found there.

Orleans I only played the tournament in. The dealers were good, with the exception of one green kid, who was having a couple problems, but mainly with making some change for coloring up. I saw no dealer mistakes regarding reading hands or making side pots during the tournament. The poker room is good sized, with around 30 tables, maybe close to 40. Orleans is off the strip.

We only peeked into the Mandalay Bay poker room. It looked very clean, with 20 tables or so. It might be larger.

Bellagio. Ah, Bellagio. The felt on the tables is softer than my mattress. The dealers were quiet, but fast, efficient and correct. The high-limit area is slightly raised and only players are allowed up there. I did see one piece of arm candy up there, but the game was only 4 or 5 handed, so plenty of room for anyone with a few dimes they want to put in play. The highest limit poker on the lower level I saw was 30/60.

My goal was to play 10 hours of poker a day. I didn't keep exact time records, but I am fairly certain I achieved that. One 8 hour session, the 6 hour session when I arrived, 6+ hours for the tournament, etc. I saw no shows, only ate one expensive meal, and didn't do more than a couple hours of walking around, not counting walking to and from poker rooms.

Plenty of terrible players at every game I sat in, aside from Bellagio. Bellagio did have the "see every flop" guy, and some others I wasn't worried about, but also a couple guys I felt knew what was going on. I would not make that place my regular low-limit spot. Aladdin had lots of rookies. When I go back, I might just camp out there. I will try and hit at least one other room I have not played before, though.

Also, Excalibur's rooms were fine, but their buffet [is not good]. Their Sherwood Forest restaurant served up some awesome pancakes, though.