Well I made it to Vegas and returned after a 5 day binge of poker. I think i will do this again next year, just not sure if i will do it by myself next time. It's awesome being able to up and go whenever ya want, but it's also nice to share the experience when ya go.

• Fly out at 6:05am Friday, January 27...Had a slight delay and almost missed connection in Atlanta. Man was I tired...no sleep the night before from late work and being amped to go on trip. Never was able to sleep on flight either.
• Arrive 10:20am...Flight arrived on time and baggage was waiting when I arrived to claim it. Short wait for a $20 cab ride to Bill's Gambling Hall.
• Check in to Hotel/Casino...I tried to check in early and use the $20 trick but they had no upgrade rooms available, so I decided to wait.
• Venetian Deep Stack $350 tournament - Day1b...Walked to Venetian and ate lunch at an oriental restaurant near the Sportsbook/Poker area. Walked to Pallazzo where the tournament was being played and registered and took my seat. I picked up some big starting hands early and played hyper-aggressive so the table didn't believe my image and finished level 3 below start stack after almost doubling after level 1. Been a while and can't remember how I busted, but it was around 4:30pm in the 6th level I believe.
• Cash at Venetian or Mirage if I bust...I didn't stay at the Venetian after busting, so I walked backed to Hotel and checked and the guy didn't know how to upgrade so I got my normal room. King no=smoking standard room. Was good and clean but nothing fancy. Going on about 36 hours of no sleep I decide to eat quick and play some 1/2nl at Bellagio. Bought in for $200 max and played very LAG as most were nitty except one good player across table from Europe and a loose kid from Israel about 3 seats to my left. Cards were awful but ran some bluffs, finally getting looked up all in on a combo draw on turn. I bricked and rebought $200. Playing hyper still (had too much money in my pocket I guess) and dwindled to about $130. When I get all in again with Flush draw and over card against two pair of good Euro player. I flushed turn and doubled to about $280. I was dog tired and decided to leave game for sleep. Sleep from 8:30pm to 4:00am and decide I'm ready to go.
• Day 2 of Venetian - Satellite WSOPC Caesar's Main Event...Walked to Caesar's expecting to try to satellite into the $1060 Main event, but get involved in a 1/3nl game at Caesars with a bunch of tards. Cards were still running bad but I was breaking even for 3-4 hours. I actually ordered my first drink of alcohol at 5am and kept drinking all day. I had a loose/tard 2 seats to my left with a big stack and he has been drinking all night. (Heineken) He overbet the pot, or moved all-in several times with lots of action behind him and each time everyone folded, but if he has a real hand...he doesnt get paid anything. He had 3-bet a few times, but they were all effectively min raises when I raise to $12 and he 3 bets to $25. I 4 bet one, I called a few and folded a few when there was no action between us. Finally after 4 hours I pick up AA and raise to $12 after a couple of limpers. He 3 bets to $25 and I one player calls between. I 4 bet to $77 and he moves all-in for $700. Other play folds and I snap call with about $300 behind. He shoved A7hh and bricked flop,turn, river and now I have almost $800. The player goes on to lose his entire stack within another 30 minutes and retires for the evening...It's about 10am and I have had about 5 bourbons. I cashed out about $650 so I make back my buyin from Venetian.

I walked to through the Caesars Shops to the Mirage and each lunch at Nathan's deli i think. I watch some hoops and buy into a $1/2 game at Mirage. I played a couple of hours and won $115 but it might have been the nittiest game I have ever played in. Also drank 2 or 3 more bourbons. I left poker room and went back to Caesars and watched UK play LSU at sportsbook.

This report is about 6 weeks delayed and what I did after the UK game is a bit foggy. Not too much bourbon, but fatigue from no sleep and flight so I think I took a nap for 2-3 hours. I got up around and went to Aria to play in a 7:30 tourney. I played 1/3 for an hour and bought in late to the $100 tourney. I busted my $300 buyin after 4-bet jamming AQhh into KK and bricked every street.

Tourney was uneventful other than catching a lady on a bluff when she 3 bet me all in when I had 2nd Nut Flush. Board was 4-flushed with a K and I had Q9dd. I took forever to call, but couldn't fold after putting so much in pot. Structure seemed to get fast fairly quick and got all-in with 77 vs 1010 and bricked out.

The Aria casino was a labarynth and I never knew which direction was out. I left around 10:00 and went to the Bellagio. I found a 2/5 game and bought in for $500. Game was pretty good as there were mostly locals and only a couple that were very aggressive. I played a LAGGy game again and lose about $100 when I pick up AA in SB. A few players limp $5 and I raise to $35 and get 2 callers. Flop comes 10 Q K rainbow and I bet $60 and the one LAG local moves all in. Other player folds I have a little over $300 to call all in. His possible hands are 2 pair but more likely a combo straight draw. I called after a minute or so and the dealer bricks the turn and flips a 9 to give the guys KJ and straight. I left Bellagio with a -$500 session and went to Bills to watch some Karaoke and drink specials.

I drank a few more bourbons...had 2 at Bellagio...none at aria and after getting bored watching Karaoke, walked back to Bellagio to rebuy into the 2/5 game. A few new players were in and the game had nitted up pretty good and I lost another $150 or so. Day started great, but ended up a big loser by the time I went back to bed.

With a few sports bets I was stuck about $1100 now and only 1 good winning session.

Getting late...I'll post more of trip soon.

• Cash game at Bellagio if no tournament
• Day 3 Venetian Deep Stack - $350 if cash or tourney success so far
• Cash game at Bellagio/Aria
• Day 4 Cash game at Bellagio/Aria
• Fly out at 11:00pm
• Day 5 back home at 12:00pm (Noon)

Being busy at work leading up to Friday will help make the time go by quicker. Trying to scope out some good food to eat while I'm there. Flight cost $10...Room $215...hopefully poker make up for this and more.

It has been a while since I have played live away from Perryville. Probably created some bad habits so I will probably tighten up my play until I get settled in at each table.

My itenerary for Vegas is...

• Fly out at 6:05am Friday, January 27
• Arrive 10:20am
• Check in to Hotel/Casino
• Venetian Deep Stack $350 tournament - Day1b
• Cash at Venetian or Mirage if I bust
• Day 2 of Venetian - Satellite WSOPC Caesar's Main Event
• Cash game at Bellagio if no tournament
• Day 3 Venetian Deep Stack - $350 if cash or tourney success so far
• Cash game at Bellagio/Aria
• Day 4 Cash game at Bellagio/Aria
• Fly out at 11:00pm
• Day 5 back home at 12:00pm (Noon)

Being busy at work leading up to Friday will help make the time go by quicker. Trying to scope out some good food to eat while I'm there. Flight cost $10...Room $215...hopefully poker make up for this and more.

It has been a while since I have played live away from Perryville. Probably created some bad habits so I will probably tighten up my play until I get settled in at each table.

Another profitable night at Perryville on Thursday evening. Bought in for $300 and made a few plays to no avail and dwindled my stack to about $150. Pick up KK ...utg...and raise to $8. Loose player in late position makes it $38 after a few callers. Folds to me and I shove my stack. Quickly get a call by the 3 bettor and he wins with AA.

I rebuy another $300 and in the SB I pick up 99 and call a mid-position raise ($12) with a few callers in between. Flop was 983 with 2 hearts and everyone checks past original raiser and the button bets $50. I raise to $130 from the SB and all fold except button....he calls. Turn is Q of hearts which completes straight and flush but I can't fold with half my stack in pot, so I shove all-in ($150) and he deliberates for 30-40 seconds before calling.

River was an off suit 7. And I show the set of 9's. He shows 94 off suit with the 4 of hearts. Nice pot so now I'm back to even. I made the nut flush after playing a hand passively as 5 others were involved and I hoped someone else would flush as I led river. Got one caller for a 40% pot bet and now I'm ahead $250 and play even the rest of the night.

Off to Vegas next Friday!

Graph of my play over the last year. Big spike was my weekend at Hollywood Casino in August.

Forgot to add I am going to Vegas on the 27th and return home February 1st. The Venetian has it's Deep Stack series going on and I plan to play the Friday, 27th event. It's day 1b of a $345 buyin NL event. Should be a big purse...hope to run good.

The rest of the time I epect to play cash at Venetian, Bellagio, Mirage and maybe Caesars and Aria. Ill be staying at Bill's gamblin Hall where the drinking and eating is cheap. Still trying to convince my wife to go, but it looks like a solo trip as of now.

Game at local American Legion still remains a juicy game as I review my year from 2011. For a 1/2NL game it plays a little bigger as there are frequent straddles from $6-$15. The Mississippi straddle is allowed and is used almost exclusively on the button.

I profited $3660 in a little over 121 hours for a win rate of $30.23/hr. I had 3 losing months with the most being $975 in June and 9 winning months and the most $1535 in December. My largest winning session was $1245 on March 3rd and the largest losing session was $500 on June 16th.

The players have adjusted very little over the last couple of years other than they do 3 bet more PF when I open raise almost every pot I enter. With no straddle, my normal PF raise is to $7 or $8 and CBet $21 or $22. Cbet% is probably 50% or so and typically only when I flop equity or I'm playing post-flop versus 1-2 opponents. Very rarely do I have air and Cbet into a bunch of PF callers.

This past week I did get put into an awkward spot when someone 5Bet shoved effective $315 after I 4Bet KK to $73. He normally is very ABC and I have folded KK to him preflop on another occasion, but he has opened up his game in recent weeks versus me and our metagame has changed. I made the call and the flop was Q78...turn 10...river 4. He tabled AQ suited. Nice!!!

I was only able to play a little less than 2 hours this week and won $695 in that time. The game played short-handed the last hour or so and I just ran over the table. Probably won 40-50% of the pots and owned most of the $1 chips on the table at the end of the night. Lost fairly big pot at the end when I folded the nut flush at the river on a paired board. He showed KJ on a JJ5K7 board. He gave a speech on my turn bet and insta-raised my river bet. Pretty easy fold, but he showed me just to confirm.

Not sure why they show?

Long time no post! The feds have taken away online poker which has left me little to write about. Despite not being able to play online I have been able to play a little more live than I had previously. We still have a local game that is very juicy and a few other local games in a nearby town. The casinos are 1.5-2 hours away and made a few more trips than usual to them...especially Hollywood Casino in Indiana.

Also played alot more 2/5 live than I have in the past as I have gained a new level of confidence ans look for more challenges and profits on the felt. The highlight of the year was a trip to Hollywood for the Indiana State Poker championships. I traveled up on a Sunday evening and planned to play Sunday night and a $265 Bounty tournament on Monday.

This event was in August and its now January so my recollection of most of the hands will be vague except for the last which I will remember for a long time. Upon arrival I put myself on the 1/2, 1/3 and 2/5 holdem lists. The 1/2 came open first and lost a little before my name was called for 2/5. I bought in for $1000 and in my third hand, I am dealt QQ and raise to $20. I get a few callers including the SB. Flop was below Q and the SB leads for $50 and I raise to $130. He 3 bets to $330 and I fold expecting to way behind. He never shows, so I'm down $150 pretty quick.

UTG on the first orbit and I limp with 55 and a late position raise to $25 gets 3 calls including me. Flop comes 55x and it gets checked around. Blank on turn and I check again and the guy who 3 bet me in the QQ hand bets $60. All fold to me and raise to $160. He flats and another blank on river and I bet $225 or so and he folded after much deliberation. I showed the quads and he opens up and lets me know he had a set in the earlier hand.

It's probably about midnight now and players are beginning to drop as we are the must move table. We get down to 5 and 6 handed and I take down some nice pots and lost one in mostly cooler situations. I lost a flush over flush situation where I raised PF and bet,bet, bet each street versus a short stack. Stack was about $700 at this point and raise AQ on button. SB called with AK and flop comes AQx and I bet each street with him calling me down each time for a big pot to put me back ahead for the night. (~$1100 stack)

About this time a younger player sits at the table 2-3 positions to my left with a full buyin of $1000. He quickly tried to become table captain but the deck continued to hit me in the head. We had moved the game to a $2/5 mandatory $10 straddle. I raised 76 from the button and the new guy calls with one other. Flop was 97x, they check and I bet $50-60 and the young guy calls. Turn was and over card and we both check. River was a 7...he checks I bet $100 and he raises to $250 and I quickly call. Not sure a raise would be profitable as I only get called by worse. He shows a bluff trying to rep the 7 and says, "nice hand!"

Another aggressive player sits with $1000, making us 6 handed and he on the left of the young aggressive player. The new player and I get locked up in a pot where I have the betting lead and make a small flush on the turn. The river is a blank and he check raises me with the naked A and I call. Advanced play by him in a short-handed game so I know I'm probably in a little over my head, but only because I'm not used to playing live at this level, but i love short-handed and want to keep testing myself since I'm ahead.

A few players come and go and we end up being 4-handed when the hand of the night goes down. I'm SB(~$1800)...Young guy has ~$1400in the BB and the other good player is CO with ~1500. The other player was the weakest at the table and had about ~$800 but played no part in this hand. CO raised to $30...button calls...I call with 78dd in SB and BB calls. $120 in pot and flop comes4c 5h 6c. I check, BB checks and CO continue bets $60...button folds...I raise to $170...BB raises to $400 and the CO goes nuts saying we are "bullying" and reluctantly folds after a 2 minute tirade. He slams his cards to table and walks about 10 feet away. I look down at my chips, do a count and announce all-in afterr about 30 seconds. BB asked the dealer if the casino allowed it to be run twice and the dealer said no. He reluctantly called off his stack and with no hesitation the dealer slams out the turn and river....6.....4. No clubs. My assumption with the way he called was that he was drawing but I still didnt like the board pairing twice. He mucks his cards and I take down a $3000 pot putting my stack around $3400.

Funny part was the CO folded 65 and would have made the nuts with the turn card. If the young guy in BB doesnt make raise...I get stuck some on this hand...buy I doubt I lose my whole stack.

So now we have a tilted guy because he folds...another player stuck $1000 and I have the biggest stack in the room playing NL. Taking down a few other pots I build up to $3800 when the floor comes to our saying I must move to the other table as they aren't full. They probably had $6000 on table combined, so I decided to leave as it was 2:30am and I planned on playing noon tournament the next day and i didnt have a hotel room yet. I finally get a room and go to sleep around 3.

The tournament is a $265 Bounty tournament with 130 or so runners. I make the final table with a short stack, but the funny part is I sit next to the young guy I busted the night before for a bout 3 hours toward the end off the tourney. Turns out he was and online cash player that now travels with a group of other players and he is the backer of the group.

He wound up making a min cash and two of his horses cashed with one makig the final 6. I busted 7th so I dont know what the horse's actual finish was. I had a big day at work on Tuesday and it was 1:00am on Tuesday...100 miles from home and the we have 7 players left. The TD says we can continue play or come back tomorrow at 2:00pm. All players must agree to continue though...and the damn chip leader wants to go to bed!!!

I somehow made it back the next day despite my needs at work and busted in 10 minutes as I was very short. Cashed in $1800 including bounties making it a very profitable trip!