I arrived in the city of sin on the 21st of June. Quick flight from Phoenix, pick up the car at Dollar and roll up to the Palms at about noon. No significant delays and check in was a breeze. I've stayed at the Palms three times over the past couple of years, and have always enjoyed myself. The rooms are spacious, clean and have very nice amenities. The $49 a night rate I received was just icing on the cake.

The N.H.L.Season Awards Ceremony was being held there on the 22nd. While I'm not a big hockey fan, it was pretty cool seeing all of the trophies on display. I didn't recognize any of the guys being asked for autographs, but those are some BIG men. I was still deciding if I wanted to play in the WSOP event the next day or if I wanted to try a Venetian Deep Stack event. I'd played in a couple of WSOP events over the last couple of years with no real success. Admittedly I'm not a very good tournament player. My two closest friends have both cashed in prior events....and my ego was pushing me toward trying the $1,500 the next day.

In the meantime - I needed to get my pokerz on.

I head down to the poker room and am immediately sat in a 4-8 game. Pretty uneventful session with no interesting / fun hands to recall. Played for about 3 hours and left up $57. Hit the sports book and put $20 down on a 3 team baseball parlay I know...I know...parlays are a sucker bet. What can I tell you? Sports are the biggest leak in my poker game. Stop by Panda Express for a bite to eat then up to the room to relax for a bit before making my way to the strip.

I decide on the Mirage for my next poker session. I've played in the evening tourneys there and have enjoyed some success. I figured it would be good to try to get into "tournament" mode before tomorrow. The tourney doesn't start for awhile so I take an open seat in a 1-2 game. I buy in for $200 and get dealt pocket 3s in middle position. Folds around to me and I make it 8 to go. Cutoff and button call. SB folds and BB takes about 15 seconds and raises to $24, leaving him ~ $260. I stare at his chips for about 20 seconds and I make it $80 to go. CO and Button get out of the way, and he makes a reluctant call. I'm thinking that he probably has a hand like A-K or JJ. The flop comes out 7 hi rainbow and he checks. I only have one move and I shove. He begins to mutter to himself complaining that he "hates this hand" and that he "never wins with it". He finally open mucks A-K of hearts and the dealer ships me the pot.

About two orbits later I pick up KsKc in early position and make my standard raise to $8 (~$300 behind). It folds to the hijack who bumps it to $22 (~$400 behind). Folds around to me and I decide to "get tricky" and smooth call while saying to the dealer "put some red cards out there please. Flop comes K-Q-6 with two diamonds. I pause and push out 17 dollars. He quickly raises to 75. I tank for about half a minute and call. The turn brings the 5 of clubs. I check, he announces that he's all in and I make the call. He rolls over QQ and I show my top set. The river brings an 8 and I have run my stack up to $600. I decide that the game is too good to leave and blow off the tournament. I play for a couple more hours. Pick up some "unwanted" pots after the flop....pull off a few decent bluffs....lay down second best hands at the right time...and get it up to $750. I start to get tired and hungry so I cash out and head back over to the Palms. I get a beef quesadilla from Gardunos and head up to the room. I tune into SportsCenter and get the scores for my parlay. Miracle of miracles - the DBacks & Brewers win and the Giants game goes "over". Not a bad start to my trip. I fall asleep with visions of bracelets dancing in my head.

Up on Wednesday morning and head down to the poker room. I'd heard about the Aces cracked promotion and expected there to be more of a crowd. They had two tables going and I was able to get a seat in a 2-4 limit game. I picked up aces UTG and limped. Everyone folds to the blinds and we see a flop 3 handed. check, check I bet $2 and they both fold. Oh well.... I play for a couple of hours, grab a bite at Mickey D's and walk over to the RIO to get registered for today's event. I get in line at about 11 and am a bit surprised that there aren't more people. 10 minutes later I have my ticket to ride (seat 2 table 306) I find a nice quiet place by the pavilion and try to get into "tournament mode".

Ten minutes to 12 and I realize that I failed to bring a sweatshirt. They open the doors to the walk in cooler known as the Amazon room and I make my way to the table. I won't bore you with all of the details. I managed to chip up nicely over the first 3 levels prior to finally being moved to the pavilion. It was a bit warmer in there but I had to get to know my new opponents. The guy to my immediate right had close to $30,000 in chips already and was intent on using them to apply pressure. I would need to be patient...but was not about to be ran over. I managed to double through him on the first hand of level 5 with KK against his 77.

40 minutes into level 5, with the blinds at 100-200, one MP player has limped and it gets to me in the SB and I look at AcKs. I raise it up to 650. BB calls and the limper comes along. I have about 12,000 after the raise and cover both. flop comes out 3-3-8 with two spades. I c-bet 800 and they both call. Turn is the Ace of spades. I notice that the BB tensed up a bit when the ace hit. I check to him and he fires out a bet of 950. MP takes a few seconds and makes the call. I raise it up to 4,000. The BB is surprised by this and tanks for a good minute or so before he mucks. Now it's my turn to be surprised at the MP player announces that he's all in for another 1600. I pause to replay the action in the hand and get the sinking feeling that he has pocket 8s. There is no way I can lay the hand down so I call and he shows 33 and I'm drawing dead. Down to just under 6,000 and it's time to re-focus and "go to work". Our table breaks soon after that.

We are in level six (100-200 with a 25 ante) and I am officially card dead. I play a couple of orbits and pick up the blinds and antes when I open shove with KQ sooted. I have about 5,500 in chips and am in the BB when the following hand occurs. 3 players limp to the SB who folds and I look down at 3d5d. I am happy to get a free flop so I rap the table. The 6s in the door is followed by the 2d & Ad. I waste no time and announce that I'm all in. One person folds and seat seven thinks for about 5 seconds before going over the top for alot more than I have. The Button gets out of the way and my opponent shows his 2h2s for bottom set. Turn brings a beautiful 4c completing my straight. I know better than to get too excited. I hold my breath as the dealer burns and rivers the deuce of clubs. I say nice hand, wish the table luck and make my exit.

Really....? Losing to quads? Twice? In an hour? GG me! I'm pretty much in a daze, but I knew I needed to get out of the RIO. I walk back over to the Palms and call my friends and family to let them know that there is no need to look for me online. I kick back in the room for awhile, jump in the shower, and decide to head over to the Orleans. I play 1-2 for awhile but just can't get into it. I manage to eek out a small profit before calling it a night.

The next morning finds me with a fresh outlook on things and a desire to play. I head over to the RIO for breakfast. (might as well use the $10 voucher I received when I registered for the tourney) With a full tummy, I head over to the Monte Carlo. The nicest staff in town IMO. I make a point to stop in each time I'm in town. Bob (the floorman) always remembers my name and Mary Jane and Debbie (the dealers) are friendly, competent and run a good game. I sit with 5 other guys and start up the first table of the day (2-6 spread limit). Pretty uneventful and we play for about an hour before enough people show up for a 1-2 game.

I bought in for my usual $200 and managed to run it up to $420 playing ABC TAG poker. I could feel myself starting to get a bit distracted and restless and I was planning on leaving when the Blinds came around to me. The tightest player raises to $7 UTG and it folds to me in late position and I look down at AhJh. I call and we are heads up for a flop of A-10-4 with one heart. He bets $12. I call. Turn is a blank and he bets 15. I know he has AK but I call anyway. River pairs the 4. He bets 25. I show my hand to the table, tell him I'm sure he has AK, but I like him so I'm going to pay him off. I throw the chips in and he rolls over AK. I need to get away before I donk off all of my profits.

Back to the Palms to eat. I expect it will be a late night as I'm leaving tomorrow, so I decide to rest for awhile. I get motivated at about 7:00 and head over to the T.I. I'd read about the mixed game they spread there and wanted to make sure I was there in time for a seat. The cards were in the air at about 7:30 and the line up included Las Vegas Mike, Motorcycle John, Talon and PokerMuffin made it there later that evening. There were some others there as well. Sorry that I can't remember their names. The rotation of games included Crazy Pineapple, Omaha 8, Razz, Badacey, Double Flop Omaha, Stud 8, 2-7 triple draw. It was easily the best time I've had in Vegas for awhile. The action was fast and the conversation was very good. The players were good natured and there was a lot of playful banter back and forth. I was truly impressed with the level of play. There are some really good players in that group. I felt good that I was able to leave at 1:00 with a $60 profit. Thanks for the lesson guys. :-) I will certainly look forward to playing with you next time I'm in town.

Thanks for reading. And as always - Play Good!