I've been reading all the trip reports for the past few months ever since I found out I was going to Vegas with a few buddies. Only me and one other guy played poker though.

We went Wed-Sat and book priceline $28/night at Imperial Palace for Wed/Thurs and $100/night Fri/Sat. Right after checking in at almost midnight on Wed, I went straight for the IP poker room. Definitely my least favorite of the trip. Played for about 3 hours and lost about $40 or so. The entire casino floor smelled like a mixture of smoke and what I image the 70's smell like (since I wasn't born then). The only thing I liked about IP room is the hot HOT HOT waitresses. Went to bed and the next morning, woke up to go to the 9am tournament $65 buy in at Caesars...

The tournament had 3 full tables, 30 players. Early on, I bet my open ended on the flop, missed on the turn, and bet again to be called, and hit on the river, and crippled the other guy. The only other notable hand I had, it was down to about 12-13 players, and I was getting short stacked, so I look down and see one ace and go all in w/o looking at the second card. I get called by pocket 8's and luckily, my second card was also an ace. After making the final table, was probably 2nd in chips (everyone was at about 2000-8000, except this Asian lady who probably had a good 40000 or 50000). When we were down to the final 6, 5 of us chopped the 2nd and 3rd place prizes and gave her first, since blinds were pretty high and it was basically an all in contest. Got paid $125 after leaving a $10 tip. I'm not sure if we were supposed to tip since all of us did the staff appreciation, and an older gentleman said we didn't have to. I did anyways since I wasn't sure.

Afterwards, I checked out the 1/2 at the Mirage poker room. Definitely the funnest table I played at. I was socializing and having lots of fun and drinking plenty of tequila and coronas. Not really any memorable hands. The drinks came alot and the people were really cool. Got really really drunk and they actually stopped dealing me in because I dropped the Fbomb too many times. Don't remember much else and my buddy took me back to the hotel and I passed out til the next day. And somehow I made 200+ dollars as hammered as I was. I would say the Mirage was my second favorite poker room. I went early Friday morning back to the Mirage and played again. One guy at my table was there from the previous drunken day and filled me in on the day before. But anyways, that morning I went back, got my pocket aces busted by pocket nines after an all in preflop because 4 spades came out and flushed me. Good thing the 9's were shortstacked at about $60. Lost another $50 this session. I don't know if any of ya'll have played there, but at my table was a Chinese lady named Annie about 60 years old showing people naked pictures of herself and it appeared everyone knew her and she plays there alot. Yup, pretty gross...I'm wondering if any of you guys have encountered her.

That afternoon I went to the MGM. My favorite room by far. Lots of drink service. Good dealers. Didn't have many memorable hands and made like $25. My buddy who was there with me told me Morris Chestnut from Boyz in da Hood was there at another table playing 1/2, but I didn't see him. That night I played in the Caesar's $130 headhunter tournament and the best hand I had the first 3 rounds were pocket 2's. I was completely card dead. The tournament was well structured but I made a bad call when KKQQx was on the board and I had a queen. Lost most of my chips and got knocked out when I went all in KQ vs KJ and a jack flops. But props to the Caesars staff on the well run tournament.

Went back to MGM the next day (Saturday) and played a great session. Had a very interesting hand. I had 89 of clubs and the flop comes out 67J w/ 2 diamonds and 1 club. First position bets 10 and I call. Turn is the 5 of clubs. First position bets 30 and I raise to 60. First position goes all in w/ over 100 and I insta call. He actually had a decent hand w/ decent outs: J7 clubs. Ace of spades hits on the river and I take the pot. Won another 200 at that session. I love the MGM poker room. It was also nice to see opening weekend of college football on 3 screens around me marking the end of baseball season for another year...at least for me.

Sunday morning I go back to the Mirage poker room. My buddies and I actually got a room in the Mirage Saturday night because we hated the Imperial Palace room so much. I do not recommend staying there. The rooms smell awful. The sheets smell awful. I know people say not to splurge on a room in Vegas because you won't be in there much anyways, but we did not mind paying another 200 to stay in a better place (only $40 for each). Anyways I cash out up $40 and head out to catch my flight. My buddy bought in $100 and cashed out almost $400 in 30 minutes after tripling up on the first hand he sits at and is dealt pocket 10's and flop comes T22.

I made about 300 in poker for the trip but lost 800 playing blackjack and craps. I think I'll stick to more poker next time. Ha ha. One other thing I wanted to say: We were at Caesars playing virtual blackjack on Friday night, and one of my buddies went straight from the airport to the casino. We all say hi and have a drink together and he sits down, puts in $50, loses it in a few hands, reaches back for his wallet and it got stolen literally within the span of 5 minutes. It was turned in to Caesars by whoever stole it minus $500 in cash. So be careful about your wallets!!!

And so not to end on a negative note...I loved the trip. I've only been gone from it for 7 hours and am having withdraws. I gotta start planning my next trip!!!