Trip Report, Vegas 3-10 to 3-13 (long, with poker content)

[icepick]

This was to be my first trip to Las Vegas. My two sisters, M & S, and my brother-in-law B and I had been anticipating our trip together for a long time. I ended up taking notes, and have written them up to share.

I started my first day by plowing through the 3" of fresh snow that tried to keep me in Minnesota, but 3 hours later, I was on the ground enjoying the beautifully refreshing warmth of the high desert. I played "Spot the Terrorist" on my plane, but the closest I came to were the 199 NASCAR fans heading out to the race. I did have a aisle seat, but no drinks for me, yet I was at the Belliago by 10 am and checked my bag (just 1, I'm not gay).

M & B weren't due to land untill 8, and S wasn't coming in untill a bit later. What was I to do? Poker of course! I chose to start off at the Mirage, because "All I was thinking about was Vegas and the [censored] Mirage." Since it was on the way, I stopped at the Flamingo to pick up our show tickets for later in the week.

The Mirage was a great room. It being 11 am, game selection was a bit sparse, but I didn't have to wait to get into a 6-12 game. I was a bit apprehensive, as the highest live limit I've played untill then was the 4-8 at Canterbury. Turns out, I didn't have anything to fear. Two members at the table were dealer-props, two were crusty old locals (COL) and over all the game was just okay. Played two hours, ended up -$5. One of the dealers there, Todd, was litterly the fastest dealer I've ever seen. Memorable hand of this session: I have AT in late position, and limp, 4 to the flop. Flop is AT4 with 2 hearts. Checked to me, I bet it. BB check raises, floded to me, I 3 bet, he calls. Turn is a heart, checked to me. I bet, and Villian calls. River is a blank, I bet, he calls. He shows T4, and MHIG.

It now being 1 pm local time, and 3 pm body-clock time, I'm starving. I hoof it back to the Belliago, and eyeball the temporary poker "room" there. Looks good, but I've gotta eat. After some wandering, I settle upon Noodles. Food was great, service was a bit slow.

Afterwards, I started towards the Mandalay Bay. M, S, and B weren't poker players, so this was likely to be my only chance to go all the way down there. Everyone I had mentioned my trip to told me to wear comfortable shoes, and I did. However, I guess I didn't realize exactly how huge things were. The Mandalay didn't look that far away, but it was like a mountian. Big, and even after you walked and walked and walked, it didn't look like it was getting any closer. Took the tram from the Excaliber, and started my stripper card collection.

The Mandalay bay room was nice, but seemed small. Most of the rooms that I saw seemed small. Guess I'm spoiled by Canterbury. I got in a new table 4/8 with the 1/2 blinds. It took a couple of orbits to get a feel for this odd structure, but it worked out. The game was pretty soft. My 4rd hand there, I limp after 4 limpers in the CO with 89s. Flop comes T76. BB bets, 4 callers, I raise, button calls 2 cold, BB calls, 4 others fold. Turn is an A. BB comes out firing, I raise, and it ends up capped 3 ways. River is a blank, capped 3 ways again. BB turns over 89o, and we split. BB shows 66 for bottom set. I play for about 4 hours and end up +$100. Quote of the day: After some young guy check raises his straight on the river. "I learned that from Doyle." COL guy "Doyle who?"

I hump it back to the Belliago, collecting more stripper cards. I take another peek at the poker area, and it's a freaking zoo. I spot Ivey and Harmon playing 2000-4000 with some other folk. It's nearing 8 now, so I head out to meet M & B. On the way, I get propisitioned by a working girl (difinate whore). I politly decline and set up shop at the bell stand, relaxing and waiting for M & B. I'm there 2 minutes, and spot them walking in. We check in, marvel at the room and relax. Eventually S shows up, and we're off. M & B were intent on playing craps for the first time. We wandered to the Barbary Coast and hit up a $5 min table for a while. First time playing craps for me too, and I wasn't impressed. We switched to $5 blackjack, and S's and I's casino whoring skills kicked in. Ended up -$40. We attempt to hit up the Shadow bar at Ceaser's, but they wouldn't let us in because B was wearing shorts. [censored] 'em.

Around 3 am, M & B head up to the room and S & I check out the Belliago Baccarat Bar. A couple of drinks, and a first hand glace at the world's oldest profession in action, and we call it a night.

Day 2, we decide to find some more $5 blackjack and free beer. We end up at the Casino Royale. M, B, and S all get roped into the free $50 slots play. I watch as all they (as well as everyone else in on this "deal") run their $50 upto $200+, but unable to cash out untill they hit some nebulous jackpot. They all bust after a while. Atleast I got free margaritas. We scope out the table games, and they only had 2-deck blackjack, 6:5, so my recomendation was to pass. I was supprised, they had Blackjack Switch, so I sit for a while while the girls played some slots. B floated between them and watching me. I have played ALOT of Switch while whoring, so I had a fair idea what was going. Clearly the house must love this game because most people played it like it was blackjack, which it aint. End up -$5.

We tour the Ventian and get a glimpse of the new Wynn. My knee starts acting up, must of been all the walking yesterday. The ladies want to layout by the pool, so I let them go while I rest my knee...at the Mirage. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Now, this is the table that I dream of, 6-12 again. Two COL rocks to my left, and a couple of Gus Hansen wannabes to my right. Loose as a goose. Hand of the day: I have K9c in mid position, and limp, button raises. Everyone calls, 6 to the flop. Qxx, two clubs. Checked to me, and I check planing to check raise. CO bets, button raises, BB cold calls, I call, CO calls. K spades on the Turn, and now the BB comes to life. I just call, CO looks unhappy and calls, button calls. River is a beautiful club. BB leads out, and I raise. CO and button fold, BB calls. MHIG, but the BB start ranting and raving how I suckered him into leading out on the river and how I should of raised the turn. I nod, and fire up the iPod after COL doesn't shut up. +$349

That night, after some Bengay for the knee, we walk down to the Trop for $5 BJ and drinks. We get there just as they're opening a new pit up, so we sit together and proceed to have a grand old time. Our first dealer John, just rips into us, hitting 6 and 7 card 21s like they're going out of style. For the rest of the night, we feared the dealer's 6, afraid of being "Johnnied". I end up +$90, and we all have a good buzz going. We try to get into 54 in the MGM, but are refused this time because of my atheltic shoes. God damn, what do we have to do to get into a club in this town? [censored] them too. We end up at the Tequila Bar in Bally's. Wow, what a great find. Great service, great nachos, not crowded, and a live band at the place accross the hall to listen to. We take our waiter's suggestion on a tequila for a shot, get a couple of rounds of Corrona's.


Day 3. M, S, & B wanted to hit up Ceasers and tan again, so it was time for me to hit up the Belliago for some poker. I arrived about 10 am, and checked out the list. 4-8 had 40 names on it, and 8-16 had about 10. 8-16 it is. Got in on a new table in about an hour. Decent table, one tough player, a couple of COL, and two complete fish. Hit two open ended straights in my first orbit and things were looking good. Then I went card dead for the next 3 hours, getting not much of anything, and hitting nothing when I had something. From +$150 to -$50 in that strech. It turned around eventually. Two memorable hands from this session. Black aces in the small blind. Mid position decent player open raises, folded to me, I smooth call, BB calls. Flop is Q94, two clubs. I was planning on checkrasing the PFR on the flop, but the BB comes out betting. Mid position raises, and I reraise. Both call. Turn is Kc. I lead out, both call. River is the 3c, I bet and get called. BB shows 44, mid position shows 99. Got lucky. Later, COL to my right, who hasn't shut up since he sat down, and I get into a hand. I raise with AQo UTG, folded to the BB, the COL. He calls. Flop is A86, I bet, he raises. I call. Turn is a K, check check. River is a Q, he bets, I raise. He shows 86s and MHIG. Now he starts ranting and raving how he can never win against people who play so badly and chase everything. I smile and I stack his chips, and cash out on the next orbit. +$349.

We hit up Sensi in the Belliago for dinner, and what a dinner it was. Food, wine, service, all top notch. And we got some entertainment as well. The table next too us included a guy and his two "lady friends" for the night, enjoying some pre-entertainment dinner. Quote of the day: The blonde: "I don't need any lip gloss, and I'm not talking about *these* lips"

We head over to the Rio for Penn & Teller. We split a cab with the guy next to us in the taxi line. On the way over, he claimed to be a poker pro heading to the WSOP Circuit event. I tried to "sup bro" him, but he ran off as soon as we arrived. With some time to kill before the show, we scope out the tourney action, and I get to explain tourney hold 'em to M, S, & B. Penn & Teller were great, however the show was a bit short at 90 minutes. Afterwards, we attemt to hit up Rain or the Ghost Bar in the Palms. We arrive, and find the lines to be extreme. After much debate, we end up back at the Tequila bar. Nachos and Corronas. The others pussied out, so I made up for it and got a tequila sampler of 3 shots. They were big shots though, more like 4 or 5 in my opinion. NASCAR folks everywhere.

Day 4. I had an early flight out, so no real plans. S & I hit up the $5 blackjack at the Belliago and suck down a few mimosas while killing time. We hook up and enjoy the buffet for lunch, and then it's off to the Trop again for some slot club action and cheap blackjack. We play for a few hours, and then it was time for me to head out. Ended up +$50 for the day. Window seat for the flight home to rest my weary head against.

All total for the weekend, I ended up -$13, including hotel, airfare, entertainment, food and beverage. And got 100x that in fun. Now I've got to plan a trip back.

[Peca277]

Sounds like somebody took Rick Diesel quite literally! I'm heading out for the first time in May and hopefully I do as well as you... except maybe have more non-whore stories [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[meep_42]

[ QUOTE ]
$5 BJ and drinks.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice.

-d

[billyb]

[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like somebody took Rick Diesel quite literally! I'm heading out for the first time in May and hopefully I do as well as you... except maybe have more non-whore stories [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I like the whore stories.
so keep em coming (no pun intended)

peace
billyb

[StevieG]

Nice report, icepick.

I need to see Penn & Teller next time I'm there. Ninety minutes seems average for Vegas shows, though, and not really short.