WARNING:Only 22, the following content may be excessive or may not have the correct lingo. Proceed with caution.

After staying up until about 2am from the sheer excitement of leaving for Las Vegas the next day, I found myself wondering how beneficial that would be since my flight was leaving at 6am out of Charlotte. I got to the airport on time, and got on my flight with no problems and headed to Houston where I would catch my connecting flight to Las Vegas. As I was sitting in the Houston airport, listening to music with my nice noise canceling headphones I heard/saw the lady get on the intercom with one of those looks that you tremble about when you fear what could go wrong. It made that scary beep sound before she got on that I heard through my headphones like I had never heard anything before. “It looks like we have overbooked our flight to Vegas, and are looking for people to fly another flight.” After listening to the incentives I almost made the move no one else was willing to make, but a family of five decided to take the offer before anyone else. PHEW! I was still going. I got on the plane in seat 42A. Last row on the plane, sitting with two nice guys, mid 20’s, on their first flight ever headed to Las Vegas because they won the trip for 1st place in a Bud Light poker challenge of some sort in Texas. I asked them if there were going to play any cash games while they were there, and they weren’t even sure what cash games were. I wished them a hearty good luck as they got off the plane, but the only thing I could think is god only knows what those two are going to get into.

I arrived in Vegas on time, and decided that instead of taking a Taxi I would go ahead and spring for a Limo. I walked up to the driver and inquired if this Limo was available, and she gave me one of those puzzled, confused looks, and then stated “you know its 60/hr right?” Some may say she was doing her job/ but as a younger guy, I felt that it was coming off a little rude so in return I made her drive around for a little before she drove me to the hotel. I thought that it was a fair compromise, and she ended up being very friendly. When driving up, I had the fountains on my right and a long entrance as my excitement grew by the second as we approached the Bellagio. I got in, checked in extremely fast, and went up to my standard room that overlooked the 5, not one, not two, but 5 pools of the Bellagio. The beds were comfortable, room was neat, but they still have those boxy TV’s that look they belong in the 90’s. They even had open and close buttons for the drapes and curtains, which I found highly entertaining, and definitely used a lot.

I decided before the trip that I was going to play a tournament when I first got to Vegas instead of a cash game. Although I wanted to play at the Bellagio or the Venetian my bank roll does not anywhere exceed the amount needed for Bellagio’s daily $1080, and I did not have time to play the 10-??hr long Deep Stack tourney at the V. I decided that, after hearing primarily good reviews of TI, that I would try there 2pm $65. This could have actually been one of the fastest I have actually lost in a tournament. I called a few marginal hands early on in the blinds hoping to get lucky KQ, A7, QJ…and nothing really landed, or I got pushed out of the pot by some big raises where I knew my weak ace should not be involved in the pot. The blinds got to 50-100, and I had 1025 left in 2nd or 3rd position. I woke up with 66 and decided to shove it in there in hopes I could atleast find a race, or someone who would actually call off their chips with a low pair. Lower than 6’s that is. Unfortunately the guy reading his magazine at the corner of the table proceeded to call me from the seat infront of me with a 99. Embarrassed to flip my cards over, I did, where I proceeded to bust out after not catching any miracles. I wish I could have said I just got to Vegas, look at me, Im ready to gamble with anything…but I just said nice hand and proceeded to leave TI, only a short time after I had arrived.

I decided that I would go back to the Bellagio where I would be waiting my mom who was coming in at 9 or so that night. After looking at the 1/2 NL list I decided that instead of waiting I would try my luck in the 4/8 LHE game. Even though I had not played this particular game before, I quickly caught on, as it is not complicated and got right into playing. I bought into the game for $100 which seemed like it would be ok, even with 3 or 4 stacks at or below 60ish Im guessing, 4 stacks with $100+, and a stack or two that had $200+ and had looked like they had been there for quite awhile. After the first 30 minutes or so I had built my stack to about $200, and thought this was the easiest game ever. No one sucked out, no one caught any draws and every hand that I played beyond the flop I seemed to win. After playing a bit loosey-goosey (LG) for awhile I realized quickly that not all your hands hold up in this game which can make for some frustration, something I find a lot in as a no limit player.

One imparticular hand was AA in middle position where I promptly raised and was followed by an army of callers. Ofcourse no re-raise and we see the flop 7 handed, flop A 10 4 rainbow. After a bet in EP, I 2B to make it 8 and manage to keep four people in the hand. 5s hit the turn, as it was 2 bet again…and made the 2nd spade on the board. The river was another low spade, and thinking my top set was still good, went into a betting war with an young (cute) Asian girl who flopped over KQs who hit the flush on the river…who smiled as if she knew she stole a good one.

After stepping outside of the room to gather my thoughts momentarily and walking around, I found a video poker machine that seemed as if it were calling my name. Sitting down with a new found sudden interest I put in $20 and lit a smoke. I fell in love with this game quickly as I got up to $50 in the matter of minutes and couldn’t help but think why this game wasn’t just sitting next to me at the table. After cashing out I headed back to the room where I continued to stack off the rest of my chips to just about anyone that was in the hand with me.

My mom ended up coming in later that night, and I met her in the front of the hotel where I greeted her and helped carry her bags (that were massively oversized of course) up to the room, where conveniently the guest elevators are located on the other side of the casino. Ended up going to bed early and started the trip off down $165.

We woke up the next day and decided to have breakfast at the pool side café where you will find a good assortment of foods, or even a $6 bowl of cereal. (yikes) We ended up going to the MGM to pick up our tickets we had gotten off of the Travelocity deal, and then began a little tour of vegas hitting the big hotels and walking around. After going to the Venetian for the first time in a long time, I suddenly realized what an astonishing establishment the whole resort really is. Everything from the shops with the canal, to the casino downstairs. Everybody in there seemed to be enjoying themselves. We ended up back at the hotel later after walking around for ever and decided we were going to go the pool. As we were walking through the casino though I saw someone sitting at a blackjack table that had a couple stacks of $1K yellow chips. Cig in hand, sure enough it was Sammy Farha sitting there playing a couple of hands while a woman he was with was sitting back watching the action in the chair next to him. And of course being the little star crazed little kid I wanted to get a picture of him playing. My mom pulled out the camera and snapped one off where the flash apparently had decided to come on. And well that was a mistake, as not only the dealers looked at my mom as if they wanted to kill her or something, even Mr. Farha looked up to give his own disapproving look. I angered a professional poker player only one day into Vegas, and was a little embarrassed when he shot the look at us.

Later that night we went to the MGM showing of KA which really was a great show. We had gotten the tickets from making our trip off of Travelocity and were fortunate enough to be sat in the fourth row. We loved the show and decided to go back to the B for dinner. We ate at Circo, which was incredible and were lucky enough to grab a seat right next to the window so that we could enjoy the fountains at night. I ended up getting out of dinner and meeting up with a friend and his dad who enjoy playing blackjack. They enjoy blackjack as if it were a devoted religion, its scary. We have a short session of BJ and end up going to bed not long after, as I had to hear it from Chris and Dreyl about how they thought the machines were rigged.

The next morning I had gotten up to eat breakfast with my mom at the poolside café, and spent some time in the morning relaxing by the pool. After I got a short rest I decided I was going to play a little 4/8 to get the day rolling. The list was not long, but it took 15-20 minutes to get into the game. I got seated in the back corner of the room and had enough space to move around comfortably.

Although it wasn’t long before I really did get comfortable as I sat down and immediately began catching cards. Not just catching cards, but hitting the deck with a wand pointing in the direction of me. I bought in with $100, and was up to $230-$220 with in the first 30-40 minutes. I got up from the table to get a call from my mom who wanting to come watch me play. As I did not want her sitting at the rail, I asked if I could squeeze a chair in the back section so that my mom could watch me play. (this is where my mang. review of Bellagio got a 5, many other reasons though). I was able to get the chair back there with no problem, keep in mind this was during the WSOP, and my mom was able to sit down and watch me play cards for the first time.

As with all good moms, I guess you could say they are goodluck or something because as of the second that she sat down did I began to catch a string of cards that I really hadn’t run into before. I told her we would go to lunch on me, but 3 or 4 more orbits around the table and we were still sitting there, still stacking chips. I don’t remember any particular hands, but I ended up cashing out with $425-$450 after sitting around for awhile as I did not want to look as if I pulled a hit in run at the table, which I felt would be improper.

We ended up eating at Zefferino? at the Venetian, which was really good. I got my mom on her flight later that night, and had the last night to hang out with my friend and his dad.

Still cursing the new blackjack machines at the B, Chris and Deryl were sitting up in the room drinking their beers as we thought about what we could do on our last night. We ended up at the Mirage trying to get tickets late for the Beatles Love show. After talking to the incompetent concierge people who were telling us it was sold out, and who wouldn’t book us O tickets, we got to the line at the box office outside the show where they told us they did have tickets. We ended up getting tickets and decided we would play a little BJ to kill the time. We ended up in at the only low betting table ($10) that still uses a shoe in the whole casino. We all ended up losing a $100, but were able to play for awhile and got some strong drinks before the concert that ended up being quite worth it.

For anyone who has not been to the LOVE show at the Mirage, I recommend this as the absolute most amazing show I have seen. Anyone who appreciates music and has heard any Beatles song, would love this show. It really is top of the line. It also helped with the $18 mixed drink of half liquor that they serve outside the show. Either way, all good.

After the show, and certaintly not sober we headed back to the B where we played some more blackjack to cap off the trip. C&D ended up going to bed early and left me with Gary, the absolute cooler of blackjack dealers. I bought in for $100 that lasted me which seemed to be hours as I watched countless number of people come to the table and test their luck. I ended up with 3greens and decided it was time to take a risk and put it all out there. Ace first card, WAHOO! Ace second card, WAHOO?! As Gary shows a 10. $75 on the table and this joker has a 10, but the book always says split aces as I reach in my pocket to pull out another $75 to cover the split, and am VERY HAPPILY rewarded with two paints. 21 for both. And then as if it were planned Gary flips over his 5, playing 15…ACE…and then 5, for 21. A push….even Gary had a hard time saying anything. Then Gary really did it when I put the $75 back on the table for my last hand where I hit a 20…and Gary went for a 12…(TT 2) and hit a 9. Poor Gary had to hear some choice words after the fact, but it ended up being very entertaining considering the amount of time played.

The last day I woke up and played 4/8, and was really card dead as I expected after the previous day, and asked to be put on the $1/$2 list and was eventually seated. Most boring game I have ever seen but I got the seat looking directly into Bobby’s room as I got to watch two of the all time greatest play cards. Johnny Chan and Doyle playing made up for my terribly boring table I played at. I ended up losing my stack out of boredom when I shoved in a terrible bluff on the river and ended up being called by a pair of fours. YIKES!

Ending up going to the airport a little early as I did not have a good run that day, and spent the next couple of hours coming in and out of sleep to people screaming at the wheel of fortune machine.

Ending up being a great trip and only spent around 800 when all accounted for and had a great second trip to vegas in the past three months.

I plan on coming back August 19-22 and hopefully to play in the HLV Megastack tourney when I get there. Next time I will be adding more about the cards, I just have to remember to write them down.

Viva Las Vegas-
RJ