MY FIRST TRIP TO VEGAS

My first trip to Vegas was during the 2008 WSOP and included meeting some THFers for the first time.

Wed 7/9 Hopped on an early flight to Atlanta, Ga then on to Las Vegas. I was settled into my hotel room by 2:00pm pacific time (important to note as I had just gained 3 hours in my day). Contacted Cali and Ref to confirm dinner reservations at the Voodoo Restaurant and Lounge at the top of the RIO where they were staying. Got there early to meet them, but had no luck finding them after searching and paging them for 2 hours. Finally one of them checked their cellphone which they could never hear the whole trip!! We met at the lounge (51st floor). It was all hugs and smiles. We chatted as I sipped my expresso martini (well deserved after my 2 hr search). After observing the awesome view of the strip, mountains, Trump Tower, Ceasar's Palace, The Oleans, we headed down one floor to dinner and oh what a dinner it was. Great food and at sunset we had our picture taken together by the restaurant photographer (yes we all bought one). After dinner we went downstairs to sit in a 1/3 NL ring game. After a couple of hours (11:00pm though I was on 2:00am EST) my bed was calling me. No more time to be patient. I went all-in on a nut flush draw and was not favored by the poker gods. I promptly said goodnight to Cali and Ref and raced back to my room via taxi. It took approximately 4.5 seconds to lalaland and woke to day 2 at 7:00am.

Thursday 7/10 Rat, Cali, Ref and I decided to play our first MTT at my hotel, The Sahara, at 11:00am. Rat thought he would surprise me by showing up early for coffee at my hotel, but being up at 7:00am I beat him to the coffee and the phone call. Rat and I hugged and smiled (do you see a pattern here) and spent sometime playing Keno. Then we decided to sit down on a 1/2 NL ring game while waiting for the tourney. We won our MTT entrance fee and a bunch of tickets for a daily drawing. Cali and Ref showed up and met Rat for the first time and of course hugs and smiles. None of us made the final table, but Rat stayed in the longest. We all went and played Keno and the slots after. Cali hit the slots for $200+ at which time we had a photo session. Cali and Ref had plans for the evening and Rat and I decided to play a MTT at the Binions until I hit the wall!!! By 3:00pm I was exhausted and decided not to play, but get some rest instead. Found out the next day Rat never played it either. I woke up after a couple of hours and was ready to go again. Downstairs for the same MTT I was in earlier that day (they ran daily at 11am 7pm 11pm) with the same results. On to BJ for a few hours. Sixty dollars for 3 hours of entertainment in Vegas is relatively cheap. Had to get some sleep as we were all meeting the next morning at Binion's for a MTT at 10:00am.

Friday 7/11 Up at 7:00am, grabbed coffee, a danish and a bus to Binion's. (In case anyone is wondering I am showering as well). We are all there in time for the $45/$20 rebuy tournament. We all met Wade Andrews of the Holdem Radio show (you guessed it, more hugs and smiles). I am the only one to make the final table, but am the first to go out. I joined Cali and Ref at the slots where I win $100. At least my tourney was covered. I never took the rebuy. Cali and Ref went off to the Price is Right Show and Rat and I played Keno at Fitzgerald's to kill time until the next tournament started. This one was a $75/$40 rebuy (I believe) and I did end up taking the rebuy. Both Rat and I made it to the final table. I was short stacked when I made a terrible suck out (we won't repeat, right Rat?!) and got a bit too comfortable. Rat hung in until 7th and I went all-in with AQ when my Q hit the flop, just to find AA in my opponents hand. My only claim to fame in that tourney was I knocked out of the final table, a player who had played two days of the WSOP Main Event. Woohoo!! Rat had informed me on one of the breaks we were to join Wade on Holdem Radio live. Hmmm, this was unsettling to me, but no one really gave me any choice. On went the headphones, and the video cam was aimed just right (I believe it was to get the best cleavage shot) and we began very random chat. Next thing I know the tequila bottle is coming out and we are downing shots with Jenny (the casino's massage therapists). Jenny gave me a great neck and shoulder massage while on the radio. Thank you again Jenny!! (forgive me if I am spelling your name wrong) Wade has an unusual collection of tequila bottles...just ask him!! I was talked into a second shot (I begged to make it a girlie one 1/2) and needed to drink 3 Redbulls in order to get my head together for the next tournament, a $40 SnG Rat and I decided to play at the Plaza. The show was a blast and quiet frankly forgot people were even listening to us. Geesh, I hope I didn't embarass myself. Then Bundas came along and more hugs and smiles. I took some pictures of Bundas, Wade and Rat in the podcast booth. Our SnG was fruitless due to an unbelievable lucky player who in the first couple of hands was cleaned out except for one 25 chip!! Yes, you guessed it. He won the tourney. It trully was the kiss of death when I went all-in with my pocket K's and he was one of the callers holding an A. That's poker!! We decided to call it a day (a very long day) about 10:00pm and headed for my bus stop. On our way we caught an awesome light show projected on to the canopy that covers 2 blocks of Freemont St. The area is called the Freemont Experience and is a must do in Vegas.

Saturday 7/12 You guessed it, up at 7:00am. As good as my bed looked I never got to sleep until 1:30am which proved to be a detriment to me this morning when I faced Kaart in 2 online HU matches we had scheduled. The detriment was spilling my coffee while half asleep into my laptop!!!! I thought I would have a heart attack. I managed to dry it out quick enough and have no ill affects. I just needed something to blame for my 2 losses!! I went back to bed after the games and caught 2 more hours of sleep. I was waiting for my brother and his new wife to arrive from San Diego. They drove 6 hours just to visit and it was great because I hadn't seen my brother in 5 years. While waiting I played a 1/2 NL ring game (profit $25), some Keno and BJ. Thank goodness they arrived before I was cleaned out!! We all hopped the bus over to Freemont and played slots for a few hours, watched a couple of light shows and took a taxi back to the room. I dumped myself into bed and they went downstairs to play more slots. They were doing very well. I never heard them come back to the room.

Sunday 7/13 Up at 6:00am (fooled ya) but, need to tip toe around my guests who told me later they got in about 5:30am!! Coffee on the
balcony was great as it had cooled to a chilling 98 degrees or so due to overcast skies. My guests bravely got up a couple of hours later. After some chit chat and pictures on the balcony we all went downstairs for a hearty breakfast which was badly needed by all. My brother drove us over to the Rio where I went to watch the WSOP Main Event (4 tables by this time), take some pictures/video of it and pick up souveniers at the WSOP Store, while they (you guessed it) played the slots. I joined them for slots where my brother generously gave me $100 for my birthday to which I responded, "thank you and if I win anything I will give you a birthday present, also." I think he got the picture. Six o'clock came pretty fast (no present for my brother). I went back to the room to pack and they stayed downstairs to play the slots (poker doesn't seem to run in the family). We said our goodbyes (was a great visit) and my brother walked the slow, sad walk to the shuttle waiting area with me. I will miss him greatly. Well, as any great vacation ends, mine would prove to be no different. The shuttle never came, I had to race to the airport in a taxi,
nearly missing my flight. The only thing that saved me was a 1/2 hour flight delay due to inclement weather somewhere. Once on my flight to Atlanta, where I had a 3 hour layover, all I could think is, BOY I NEED A VACATION!!!

Oh by the way, they managed to lose my luggage, but it was delivered unscathed to my home Monday evening.