We were togehter about 4 days and stayed in the quad hotel (Now linq). The poker room there was still open (it closed in february 2015 an is reopened now). First I've to tell, that i started to play poker in 2011/2012. I play just little tournements in germany but mostly some tournaments where you can't win money. You play for a TV, Smartphone etc... In germany are no card clubs etc.. There are just a few casinos where it is allowed to play for cash, also tournaments.... The other tournaments are small companys which instruct these tournaments where you can win a TV / Smartphone ore smaller things like a Camera or something...!

The first evening in vegas, I played the 10 PM tournament in the Quad. It was a 40 or 45 Dollar tournament. There were about 20-30 players. i could made the first. I could remeber that in heads up my pocket pair 22 hold up against K10 or K9 (something like that..) I picked up about 200 / 210 dollars for winning... Nice for my first poker experience in the quad...

The next days i didn't play much because we were there with 5 people an did things 2 togehter. Just one other guy also plays poker... Had a bit cash game in luxor. Lost about 120 bucks with a set of 6 against a made straight on a 567 flop... At all, I think i overplayed my set... I dind't raised preflop an so we were I think 5 or 6 players in the flop.. I raised all In with about 120 in a 30 dollar pot... Think just calling and maybe fold would be better... But oK.

The next days I can't really remember every tournament. But I did really o.k. Then, my friend flew back to germany and I had about 8 days more in the US.

I went to Zion NP to enjoy the nature an did it to the observation point. Later the watchmen trail ! Really nice experience wich I can tell you to do if you're there.... I have a lot of problems with the jetlag but there I slept like a baby an charged my batterys after 4/5 days vegas with just very little rest time... After two days in nature, I went back to vegas and stayed again 4 days in vegas... The I just played poker, but mostly tournaments...

In the Mirage, wich is one of my favorite casinos (I don't knew the new poker room at all) I playes mostly the 60/65 dollar tournament at 11 Am and 7 pm I think... I also playes flamingo 50 dollar tournament and luxor / excalibur in the morning.
Once I played the 125 in the Aria...

I didn't count every dollar or every tournament I played. But let's say. At all. It went really good for me and my poker experience so far. I played very tight an mostly waited for good starting cards. Just sometimes I playes a little bit more loose... Lets make it short. I could win the mirage tournament once and one day later I was 2nd.. That was a good hit for my "Bankroll". Let's say, i don't name my money bankroll. It's my money for holiday, not more. I don't like the name bankroll. I'm an absolute hobby player...

But so far it went good. In the luxor we chopped with 3 people the price pool an it also was about 150 Dollar Plus..

Ok. I like to tell you more about my winnings. In the other tournamets I got broke. I think mostly of playing too tight so that the blinds were to high. Sometimes I was really card dead. Could not pick up anything in 2 hours.. But I felt well and playing was also fun so that I enjoied playing. Only once in the startosphere tower tournament at 11 in the morning (I think this tournament is gone now). There where about 20-25 players. But really got bad calls with rubbish after my raise and got sucked out from an older man who called every gutshot etc. and got lucky.. That was a little bit frustating but also was an 50 $ tourny...

Let's tell you quickly about my Aria experience.. It was the 1 PM tourny weekdays. Before I had a littly snack at the tapas bar there... It wasn't cheap, but really delicius. Had artichokes (?) and bread with Serrano and Ginger ale... Very friendly stuff there at the bar an a nice place to eat a little bit before playing... That's also a reason why I don't like the name bankroll in my part of playing... I also like good food ! I think you also have to enjoy the other interesting things like food in vegas. Not spend every dollar for playing. Also enjoy life in the other way of dining etc... !

O.k. I was on a table where I thinkn where some really good players. One black guy with a hoodie and ear(phones) (Music..) was a little bit poser.. He could call the personal by name and shows everybody that he plays often in the aria. It was fun for me, because it was just interesting for me to play in this atmosphere... :) I sat in 2 or 3 position. .I playes thight agressive an picked up good cards... I could win mostly smaller pots with my c bet on the flop. Mostly I could hit top pair with A Q etc..

I lost with AQ a bigger pot against the black guy. I raised and it was just he and me on the flop. It came about 9 Q J.. I hit top pair but there wa danger. I c betted and he called.. The turn was a king. Really bad card for me ! I think I ceched and he betted. I called an a blank on the river. He made a big bet. I folded. I showed the Q. He told me he had it on the turn.. I believed him...

But a few hands later, I picked up JJ. Again the black poser guy. Flop came 10 High. He went all in. I called quickly and me JJ hold up against his Top Pair. I think it was 10 9 or something like that.. I got a lot of chips... A few hands later I picked up AK.. I raised from UTG.. I thing i got one caller but the big blind( a French soccer pro, don't know the name; he was there with 2-3 other soccer pros) went all in. I think about a half minute because he was very very tight. Didn't play a hand... Could not remember any action of him... But I called or shoved and the other caller foldet. He shoved A 10. My AK also was good. I eleminated the 2nd or 3rd player on this table. So far really good. I feld good an I think at this point most of the players respected my play so far... Sry If you think I'm selfish or so, but for me as a really hoby player it was a tough experience there for 125 bucks in a field about 120 players...

Some hands later, It was one of my "best" hands I think. I was in the big blind. A guy who looked like an Indian computer hacker ( :) ) raised from the cut off or button. The blinds were a little bit higher right now but my stack was good at this moment.I picked up A of Diamond and a Q. Don't remeber the colour. I was in the big blind.

I thought a little bit and I re raised him. It was just me and him... He looked very interested an called. The flop came all Diamonds. I could not hit an ace or my queen. I checked after a moment and he went all Inn very quickly... I had a little bit more chips then him... I watched this guy and something told me that he did not feel very comofortable. He was a little bit nervous I think. He really playes very solid so far but he also recognized, that I mostly showed strong hands ! I looked again at my cards. I had two overs and also the nut flush draw with my Ace of Diamonds. I could't give him a special hand on this flop. It was his all in wich was very overbet there... So I decidet to call ! He quickly showed me that it was a good call. He Shove Q-J with the Q of diamonds there. Yes, I was far ahead !!! The turn was a blank. The river was a diamond. I made the nuts an bustetd him. Made a big pot...

But from there. Things changed. I got a table change and that was the beginning of the end... ;(

Bustet in about 30-34 place.... Did not cash. But I played for hours and it was a lot of fun and experince... My last hand I calld a raise with Q-9 from the BB. The original raiser was an older guy who was very active. The flop Came 9 High. Top Pair for me and I went all in. He wasnt' happy about my move but after a while he called an showed KK... So I Think my move was O.k. There...

Left vegas a few days later to LA... There I also played. I'll tell you later !

Greeting from germany !