Ten Days in Las Vegas

For the first time since joining PAS in March 2008 I was able to leave most of the work behind and go to Las Vegas. I’ve taken trips before but they were always working vacation. This time I worked less than an hour a day which was a real treat. To me that is a vacation.My plane landed at 1:05pm and somehow I made it to The Orleans for their $340 HORSE at 2pm. Although I made it to day 2 I failed to cash. I busted just in time for the $340 Omaha8 but ran into a couple of bad beats and found myself out early. I went to the casino bar to play 9/6/5 Double Bonus and have a beer to unwind from virtually non stop poker for two days. Before I even got my beer I managed to catch a ten of spades into AKQJ spades for a $4000 royal flush. That was as good as coming in 3rd in the poker tournament so I’m happy and looking forward to the next day’s WSOP $1500 Omaha8.I was playing and running great at the World Series of Poker. I then get into a multi way pot where I raise from the button on the flop with a massive draw (A346 into 25K). Before anyone calls my raise the dealer puts up the 3 of clubs which gives me a scooper hand but since nobody called me it got burned. After catching two running 9’s and getting called down by AAxx I was as tilted as I think I have ever been. I went from being the easy chip leader at my table to being crippled. Shortly after this inexcusable dealer error I knew my time was short.My tables breaks and I get a pleasant surprise. I get seat 9 at a table where Howard Lederer is in seat 10. I’m not one that usually cares about pro poker players but he was especially classy and talkative. Unlike many well known players he was a joy to play with. Phil Ivey came over a few times and they cut up about prop bets they had been making. This table soon breaks too and I’m off to find another table to bust on. I finally got all in to a massive pot but missed my draw. It was time to go forget about being the victim of that ridiculous dealer error.I decided to take Monday off from poker to help forget. I moved hotels as planned from The Orleans to the Golden Nugget. I must say that the Golden Nugget is now my favorite place to stay. I already liked downtown and the incredibly nice rooms right in the middle of Freemont Street are in a perfect location.I find my way to the craps table, the obvious hole in my gambling game. Since there isn’t craps where I live I tend to have a one day binge in Las Vegas. I got most of it out of me and made sure to leave some money behind to help stimulate the Las Vegas economy. In the end that day got me a free week in a junior suite as well as all food comped. In the end I think I came out ahead there.On Wednesday I went to Sam’s Town to go see what my retirement future holds. I played the only regular Stud8 cash game in town. It was a 2-10 spread limit with 2-20 on 7th. It had a double qualifier where you had to have two pair for high or else the low would scoop. It also had a kill. I played with seven of the grumpiest old men I’ve ever played poker against. They didn’t like each other but seemed to not mind me being there. It was certainly fun and when I’m retired I can see myself in their shoes. I found it to be quite entertaining as well as profitable.That night I ended up playing in a $100 Binion’s tournament where I came in 4th, finally my first tournament cash of the trip. I would go on to cash in three other Binion tournaments with two 1st place finishes and one off the final table in HORSE. The only other tournament I played was at the Golden Nugget where I busted early in what I consider my game, Stud8.It was great to get away and just play non stop poker. It helped to take my mind off of everything and now I can start out refreshed. I spent about $800 total including airfare and rental car during a 10 day Las Vegas trip. To me that is a win.Answering support emails virtually every day for two years can take its toll. It’s not as easy as it sounds but now I’m ready to come back full strength. Hopefully it won’t be two years before I can go do that again and leave work behind.