The premise was: I’m turning 50 in a week. I'm going to Vegas with my younger brother. Most of my Vegas trips are only 2 or 3 nights—this would be 4. The past few years I’ve been going in June and December. In 2017 I went in March and missed the WSOP craziness. The previous trips have been at places like Flamingo, Linq, Vdara, Treasure Island, and Rio. This one would be one night at Planet Hollywood, where I’ve stayed before, and three nights at Aria, where I’ve never stayed. I decided not to do a live TR so I could live in the moment.

Cliffs: First Vegas trip where I’ve returned with more cash than I started. Met two LVL notables, took a few shots at 2-5NL, and did surprisingly well at Ultimate Texas Hold Em.

The plans for this trip were made over three months ago. This means I had to avoid thinking about Vegas until about a month before…



But soon enough December arrived and the final countdown started. there was some frenetic packing because of a visitor in the 2-3 days before my trip, but I pulled together some casual shoes and some dressier shoes, and a $5K roll to be used for a combination of poker and pit games.





THURSDAY
My flight was on Southwest. I had a G&T at the airport and another on the flight.




The layover in PHX was excruciating, 2.5 hours. My departure was at 4:50 and my arrival time was 4:50. The key was to be able to make some sports bets for my friend, who gave me $4400 to bet for him during the weekend. So even though I was staying at Planet Hollywood, I figured my best bet was to cab to MGM and run through the casino to make the $2200 bet on the Redskins before kickoff at 5:25. Despite some skepticism (looking at you Canoe), the plane landed at 4:50 and I was in the cab about 10 ninutes later,



and at the sports book at 5:15. I might have hit some lady with my suitcase as I was zipping past the blackjack tables in MGM.

As it turned out, my buddy probably wished I was slower, as Washington was getting killed in the first half. So he said “put the remaining $2200 on the over for the 2nd half”—and that bet did in fact win. So now we were down to $4200. This would be a common theme: Make two bets, win one, and the house keeps the juice.



I walked from MGM north along the strip, got some water and Gatorade, and checked into my room at Planet Hollywood



It was on the 22nd floor but it was room number 13! I was only slightly concerned about any bad luck. I’m not that superstitious, but I definitely avoid $50 bills in Vegas.

I then took my last cab ride of the trip. I wanted to Uber over to Venetian to eat at Bouchon, but I forgot my password and couldn’t log on. So I figured, how back could the cab ride be? Turns out, really bad. The ride from PH to Venetian took over 30 minutes, the guy got stuck in thick traffic on Koval, so instead of turning in to the Venetian from Koval, he went past Venetian to Sands, then turned left on the Strip, and got stuck at the stoplight for about 15 minutes. At least the music was good, but the trip cost me $23 and I didn’t tip anything. During that long ride I was able to reset my password and took Uber the rest of the weekend with only one mishap (couldn't quickly find the Uber pickup between Flamingo and Cromwell and the driver didn’t call us to find out what happened, he drove away and tried to charge us (got it reversed).

OK, so now I’m at Venetian but I need to wait for halftime to see what the O/U is for 2nd half. I played blackjack at a table conveniently located near the sportsbook and quickly won $100.



Which nearly paid for my dinner at Bouchon.

I had a martini (Plymouth gin), half-dozen oysters, half of a small lobster, and trout. There was a big Amazon web services convention in town so lots of tech talk at the bar. Met a nice guy from France and chatted a bit about wine, and what an actual “bouchon” is back there.




I don’t recall exactly what I did after dinner. I think I walked back to PH to await my brother’s arrival.




He was originally going to get in on Friday morning, but he changed his flight to Thursday night and got to the hotel about midnight. We ended up going downstairs to Aria, and then wandered down the Strip playing a bit of table games (mostly 21 and craps) at Paris, Harrahs, and Cromwell.

I would end up at Cromwell several times on this trip. I played there back when it was Bill’s, and before that Barbary Coast. They had some good live bands, the blackjack was 2 decks with 3/2 blackjack payouts even at $10 minimum (no doubles after splits though). Also $5 limit Ultimate Texas Hold em.

Eventually crashed at about 2 or 3 am.

FRIDAY

The next day I woke early…about 6:30. No matter what time I got to bed, I always get up by 7 am. An annoying habit. I walked down to MGM to get a bloody mary and played some SUPER BORING poker with a bunch of OMCs who were playing for the high-hand bonuses. And of course there was one younger guy who stacked me—I made a K-high flush and lost to an A-high flush. Down $200 to start the day.

Then I met my brother at Mon Ami Gabi for a small breakfast around 10 am. We packed up the room and moved to Aria—nice room on 37th floor.



I played some poker at Aria. Usually I’m a 1-2 or 1-3 player, but I wanted to take some shots at 2-5 again. I sat down, ordered a beer and a watermelon juice, and bought in for $400. I played tight, mostly folding, and then with JJ I raised to $20 preflop and got a caller. Flop was AAT. Not totally sure about the action, but on the river a third diamond came, I know he bet $90 and I raised to $190, and he called. Now I know I played this poorly. I was trying to get value, but clearly he wasn’t scared about the flush, so maybe he could have had AJ, but damn he had AT! I could have stacked him easily. Oh well. The table was a mix of relatively fun talkative players and one nerdy guy with a Stanford shirt who didn’t say a word. Two “regs” that played aggressive, tried to stay out of their way. Cashed out up about $150.

The thing about the Aria 1-3 games this weekend is that they were all super boring. Amazingly tight and slow. That’s not how I remember them. I did have one good session later (Sunday night actually) at 1-3 where I had KcTc and flopped a flush draw. I bet 20 and a middle-aged Euro woman raised to 40. I forgot the turn action. I think she bet 20 and I called. Then on the river a Qc hits, so I make my flush, and she snap shoves for about 200. Again, I have a King-high flush, but I snap called and she had QQ for a rivered set. Ship it!

Friday night we went to Kabuto. This was my 3rd time. We both had the $80 omakase, and it was excellent as always. Here are a few pix:

SATURDAY

Saturday is kind of a blur. I woke at 6:30 am and went to PH to watch Liverpool demolish Brighton 50-1. I bet LFC at +230 and won $50. I watched the game with three guys from Ireland, one of whom was a former semi-pro soccer player from there. They were drinking Bud Light and Corona, I was drinking Newcastle.








I know that I drank a lot this day, and unfortunately mixed beer, wine, and cocktails.

My buddy had me put some money on UCF +7 against Memphis. This was the game that went into double overtime, and we just managed to eke out a push.
He also took the under (82), another poor move given that there were >100 points scored.




Some other bets...some went well (Bradley), others did not. He eventually lost the remaining funds by betting on Miami vs. Clemson (d'oh!). I was going to get 10% of any profits, but of course we all know what 10% of $0 comes out to.

Dinner was at STK where my brother and I split a dozen oysters; for the main course I had filet mignon with crab. Another martini, followed by red wine. We eventually made it back to Cromwell where I played blackjack and Ultimate Hold Em.

At some point I went to Rhumbar at Mirage and had this 1964 Padron cigar.

SUNDAY
My brother had to leave early on Sunday to attend to some family issues back home in California. So I woke at 7 am again and had Breakfast at Bouchon. I had a bad hangover, and looked into changing my flight to late Sunday, but the cost was prohibitive. I’m glad I didn’t because I had a great time on Monday.



Then I met Canoe at the high limit room in Cosmopolitan. Had a great time with him and his friend at the bar, where he played VP, and we watched the 2nd half of the morning football games. Great bartenders there, I think I had 3 cocktails and 4 shots.




This guy Canoe, he plays big, and is generous, good natured and outgoing, willing to risk it all to have fun. Really enjoyed meeting him. After the games ended we met Gobbo there and walked around Cosmo playing some random video games and then a few more in Aria. I left those guys to hit Holsteins with the hope, unrealized, that I might meet up with them later. Gobbo is a wealth of information about Vegas, and the various options for maximizing EV, as well as his truly deserving reputation as a leading critic of Vegas food establishments. If anyone has questions about almost anything in Vegas, he’s your guy.

Sunday was my best day of gambling. After that 300 win at 1-3 described earlier, I won another $100 at blackjack and then $300 playing Ultimate Hold Em at Aria. I was getting terrible cards but still hitting pairs and beating the dealer. I don’t play the trips bet or the bonus. While playing this same game at Cromwell earlier in the week, a lady next to me got a straight flush in the 6-card bonus and won 250-1 on her $5 bet. I also won a bit playing UX for nickels

MONDAY
Even though I had thought about leaving the night before, I was glad to stick around all of Sunday and have a relaxing final morning. I wanted to go to Egg Slut but the line was too long, so I ate at Earl of Sandwich and had a bad coffee. I didn’t do any gambling on Monday, and went to the airport in time to catch my 11:30 flight. An interesting aspect of security was they had a dog sniffing people. “Canine Screening in Progress”. I don’t know if the dog was screening for drugs or bombs or both, but I didn’t have to take off my belt or shoes or take my computer out of the case. Weird. But it made the process go much more quickly. Is this the future?

Picked up some chocolate “chips” for the kids...



and left Vegas a winner for the first time I think. I won something like $500-$800 over the course of the weekend.

I'm pretttttyy sure it was more than 4 shots but I guess I'll take your word for it.

Awesome TR man, enjoyed the non potato quality pictures i always seem to turn out. Bummer we didn't all meet back up, but maybe next time. Nice win you booked yourself there too. It's always great to have a "free" vegas trip.

I vote we head back for AVN at the end of January WOOOOOO

Thnx for the TR! Very nice.

Dinner at the Bouchon bar, with a gin martini. You and I should be friends.

" I played tight, mostly folding, and then with JJ I raised to $20 preflop and got a caller. Flop was AAT. Not totally sure about the action, but on the river a third diamond came, I know he bet $90 and I raised to $190, and he called. Now I know I played this poorly. I was trying to get value, but clearly he wasn’t scared about the flush, so maybe he could have had AJ, but damn he had AT! I could have stacked him easily. Oh well."


I'm confused...he flopped a boat and you could have stacked him easily?

Good point. The reason is I turned a higher boat. Forgot to mention Jack on the turn. Key point I guess. I was not taking notes on hand histories.

I assume board was TTAJx then.

Yes, with a 3rd diamond on the river.

So did you like the 1964 padron? Its my most expensive box of cigars, and I cant get through one. I love strong cigars (various oliva etc) but those turn me green half way through....

Nice report - UTH is super-evil

"Former semi pro soccer player from Ireland"

That is basically meaningless by the way. Cant believe anyone would ever tell someone that is what they were. Even the pro players living here barely make enough money to live.

I only smoke about one cigar a month, and this was quite strong (maduro wrapper). Smooth though. I actually prefer the Padron 3000.

Why is it evil? It seems like you just have to beat someone heads up, and you can bet more when you have a good hand. I don't know all the odds, but if you stay away from the sucker bets, there's some skill involved if you know poker. Helps if you can see other players' hands.

I meant to PM you (I think you live in Vegas?); next time let's meet up, as I've always thought highly of your contributions to LVL.

TY DrBeech, fun read

Sausages at Bouchon look underdone

I actually don't live in Vegas (and I have a six-month old so next trip is likely far in the distance) but if you're ever in LA, give me a shout.

Wow, I've never seen someone roll 100s like this. I might have to steal this, as it is clearly a space saver and also easier to count if it is in groups of 100s like that, vs. my huge wads. Thanks for the idea!

That_pope humblebrag game is on point!

I've seen this in at least two other TR's previously. I know one of them was WarmDeck's degen thread. Another was in a thread by cl0r0x70 that I compiled in this thread (but the photo is no longer active).

https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/1...16/?highlight=

Here's the WarmDeck photo...So as you can see, I can't take credit.

I missed that, must not be in LVL.

Looks like a BBV thread, this one?
https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/5...ively-1447213/

Looks like I have some reading to do!