Vegas was... awesome. I am still in shock at just how big the hotels on the strip are. So much money in the casino and in real estate there, it is ridiculous.

I played poker mostly at Caesars but also tried my luck at the MGM poker room. I played four sessions, three cash game sessions and one tournament.

First session was $1/$2 with $200 buyin at Caesars. I played for about 6 and a half hours and was down $50. Next day I played $1/$2 at the MGM for about four hours. Was down $20 before I played my last hand (literally, Matt and I were about to go get some food but I wanted to play my button, I had just posted before Matt came over). Some guy mid position raised it to $12 (normal raise) two callers, I called on button with 22. Flop comes 972. Checks to me, I fire out $25 into $48. Initial raiser makes it $50 total (min raise). Folds to me. Since he was the initial raiser, it's tough for me to put him on 97, 77, or 99. I put him on a monster, AA or KK, and I reraise all in. He thinks for about five seconds and then calls. I figured I had him at that point. I told him I had a set and he said he did too. Great. He nearly flipped out when the turn was a 7, for 9727, but I flipped over my 22 and the miracle 2 never came on the river. So about four hours of work at MGM and I was down $200.

Total so far: 10.5 hours down $250. Crap.

Third session was a tournament at Caesars. 160 people entered, buyin was $80 with a $50 rebuy that gives you an additional 3000 chips (we started with 1500). Awesome. I grinded my way all the way to 20th place before I busted. Top 18 paid. SHIT! Just call me bubble boy from now on.

The turning point of the tournament was when I had QQ in early position. I raised it to 5000 with blinds at 1k/2k (I have about 40k stack). Some guy goes all in for 25k total. He hadn't played too many hands, but when he did play he wasn't showing down monster hands. I saw him raise preflop, and cbet the flop and then he showed AJ for ace high. Anyway, it folds to me and I think for about a minute. I ask him if he has AA or KK. He simply says, "you have to call first to see it", I ask him to see what, AA or KK? He just smiles and shrugs. At that point I didn't think he had AA or KK so I called. He flips over AQo. Sweet. 70% chance to be in real chip position for final table. Naturally, an Ace hits on the flop and I'm down to just 15k.

About an orbit later I get KJ utg (I have about 14k with blinds at 1k/2k) and I open push after thinking a little bit too long. That thinking was my ultimate pitfall. It folds to the BB and he says, "I'm supposed to call with this hand, so I call." He flips over 99 v my KJ, flop comes 966 and I am done. GREAT.

I definitely think after I thought to long over that all in that I should have mucked my KJo. I think if I had pushed immediately in it would have been a much better play. Maybe even folding would have been better, it definitely would have kept me in the tournament for that much longer. Oh well.

My fourth session was just a fun session. I played $3/$6 LIMIT Hold 'em with Matt and Drew. I was just having a good time at the table and enjoying it. I ended up losing $100 in about four hours play, but I did not even care. I was enjoying the game and for the first time in a long time I was playing poker for the fun and not for the money. I should try that more often because I had a great time.

Brief list of places I saw (in order of appearance):

Imperial Palace
Caesar's Palace
MGM Grand
Mandalay Bay
Bellagio
Saphire
Venetian
Wynn
Mirage

Shout outs:

TJ - thanks for treating us right at Caesar's poker room, best place we played while we were
Evan - crazy New Yorker, hope the tables treat you right, you were taking some tough beats
Nick - nice slow role on Matt, I enjoyed it thoroughly
Michelle - you're good at what you do, stick with it

To all the numerous dealers, floor guys, and everyone that made fun of Drew while on the trip, you were awesome.