Went to Vegas for a 48 hour poker session Nov. 1-3. Stayed at Luxor because I got a free room from friend who works there. Started the poker session around noon on Wednesday with 2 hours at the Excaliber 1/3 NL. Good mixture of donkeys, locals and pro wannabes. Dealers and room were well run, but there were only 2 full tables. Made about $260 and went back to room for an early nap.

Hit MGM around 6 p.m. and had to wait about 30 minutes for a seat at 1/2 NL. Another good mixture of players, with a few more locals than I would have liked, but soft games pretty much lure the locals in pretty fast, so soft games don't stay that way too long. Anyway, staff and dealers were very good and the play was pretty unpredicable. Had a couple of very, very drunk old geezers at my table and they really slowed the game up alot, it was very annoying. Also, the room is right next to a bar and it was very noisy. Lost about $450 on a couple of brutal beats, set over set and quads over full house. I felt like Clark Griswald in Vegas Vacation.

Hit Luxor around 2 a.m. to check out there room. Staff and dealers were fine, but the structure of their NL is absurd, $50 min/max buy in with 1/1/2 blinds is a joke. It is pretty much an all-in or pot committed festival preflop on every hand. Took me about 15 minutes of this crap to realize this was not for me.

Slept in the next day and made it to Caesar's for the noon tournament. This place by far has the best dealers and poker setting of anywhere I played. The poker room is large, spacious and peaceful, and the dealers are great. The tournament is everything it is cracked up to be, good structure and very well run. I last into the fourth round, but cold cards can only get you so far. Stayed and played some 1/2 NL and the players were a good mixture of locals and Gus Hanson wannabes (pretty funny really). Made $475 and called it quits when tables started breaking for the 11 p.m. tournament.

Next stop Bellagio. For such an extravagent hotel I expected a lot more from the poker room. It was very, very crowded and little room to move around between tables. Big game was in progress while I was there with Chan, Harmon, etc. Dealers and staff were very good. Played some 8/16 limit holdem and it played like a .05/.10 limit game on Party Poker. Eight people seeing every flop for 3 bets, it was amazing. My cub scout den has better card players, seriously. Made about $275 in 2 hours and called it a night. Hate to play when tired.

Overall good trip, up $400+ for two days of poker. Will stay and play longer next time.