Overall: I spent July 17 - 20 2007 at Paris Las Vegas. I intended to play in the Paris poker room, but had a hard time finding a game. The poker room is small and there was never more than 1 table playing. I went to the poker room early on one morning, and not only wad there not a single player in the room, but the staff person had little information about when the action might pick up. I did, however, have a good experience at Ballys. Ballys and Paris are connected, so I was able to get in and out of Ballys quickly.

1st Tourney @ Ballys: I played in the 11 am tourney at Ballys on Wednesday. $65 buy in. There were 31 players registered. I found out quickly that the level of play was going to be fair at best. There were several players at my table that seemed to be in a little over their heads. I was quickly knocking players out. I must admit that I caught some decent cards, but nothing great. I found myself in 3 "races" where I had a low to mid pocket pair, and won chips off of AK, AQ, KQ, etc. As a result of wining these hands, I had enough chips to be a little more aggressive. When we combined to the final table, I was second in chips. I won a few big hands, and found myself in the lead with 4 players left. The two short stacks did not last too long, and I found myself heads up with an older wild looking guy who appeared to be a regular (he knew the dealers etc). He was a bit of a jack ass, so I wax pleased to beat him and take first. $630 for 2 hours worth of work. The Bally's room has about 10 tables, the dealers are good, and the action was decent. I played a few cash games over the next couple of days, and gave some of my winnings back, but enjoyed the action, the dealers, etc.

Bad Beats: I was in a cash game on Thursday at Ballys, and took a pretty bad beat, as I made a trips on the flop, and bet out. I was raised by a guy in late position, I called. the turn gave me a boat. I bet out again, was raised, as a guy in late position went all in. Obviously, I called. when the card were flipped, we both had boats, but his was higher. Fotunately, he was only in for $100 or so, so the hand did not deplete my chip stack. As I replayed the hand mentally, I don't know that I could have played it differently. Even with trips on the flop, he had top two pair, so the chances of me betting him off the pot were slim. Oh well, thats poker.

Planet Hollywood 2 a.m. tourney: Last night in Vegas, last tourney. $60 gets you 4000 in chips. While this not a rebuy tourney, registration is open through the first hour of the tourney, so if someone gets knocked out, they can start over for another $60. Second hand I am dealt 77. I raise, it is called by a couple of players. Flop comes A7 trash. I bet out, and am called by the guy to my left. turn comes A. I am on 7's full of aces, and bet out. The guy to my left pushes all in, and I call. He flips A7. I am drawing dead. tough beat. I buy back in. I play for a while, but am not catching any cards. Several hands later, I am dealt KQ. Flop comes Q, low card, low card. I am early to act, and bet heavy. Some yahoo at the other end of the table calls. Turn comes Q. I go all in. the same jack ass at the end of the table calls. he is on a damned spade draw! Wouldn't you know it, river comes spade. idiot. I had had enough. A tough beat and a flippen suck out.

Conclusion: seemed to be a lot of card chasers etc. If you pay correctly, you can win, but, you will also see some suck outs. Also, of the three poker rooms that I was in, PH was the biggest and nicest. The 2 a.m. touney is the last tourney of the night in Vegas, and not a bad option (45 players the night I played).