For you poker players in the bunch

Mary Jane and myself were long overdue for a vacation that didn't involve a race track. Earlier this year Algiant Air offer some really cheap non stop service to Las Vegas form Greenville, and after some thought, we decided to go to Vegas, we've been before and like Vegas, lots to do there, even if you don't gamble.
Outside of cars, poker is my second hobby love, I play everyday on the internet, I mostly play Texas Hold Em tournaments, now mind you I'm no big gambler, I just love the game of poker, especailly Texas Hold Em, like they say on TV, it's a game it takes 5 minutes to learn and a lifetime to master. Most of my tournament play on the internet is in rediculous low stakes, I don't want to get hooked on gambling, so I play at stakes levels that would never hurt me financially, on the internet I play mostly in tournaments that are anywhere from 50 cents to enter to maybe a few dollars. I'm very much a student of the game, I watch it on TV as much as I can, Have a dozen of poker books I've read.
Poker is so much more than cards on a table, there are so many angles to it, there's the math, what cards percentage wise do when and how, there's the player, how does he play aggressive, bluff alot, what does he/she bet when they have a great hand, a moderate hand, trying to fiquire the player is most important aspect of the game in my opinion, it's what makes the pros good. Nothing beats live poker for being able to fiquire out the player better, internet just can't offer you this as well, as being able to see the player live. I aslo very much am a people watcher, so that another aspect of poker that appeals to me, you meet some pretty interesting folks at a poker table.
I've been playing poker since I was a kid, after running errands for my father at his home game at his office as a kid I learned to love the game. When I was like 16 years old, I finally talked my dad and his buddies into letting me play with them, I consistently beat them until that game disolved some 15 year later. Since that game disolved I've join in a occasional home game, but nothing consistently, mostly internet paly and the occasional trip to Vegas, Miss, or somewhere that has poker tables.
While I played a tournament here and there while in Vegas or Miss. in the past, I don't go often so maybe a total of a dozen live tournaments in a the last ten years. This trip was to be different, by staying at the Golden Nugget on Fremont Street in Vegas I had like 4 casinos I could walk to that had tournaments, so I could literally walk out of one casino into another for a tournamant. I wanted to see how many tournaments I could play and still have a good time with MJ doing other stuff besides poker. In my 4 day stay (and that was enough for me) I played in a total of 8 Texas Hold Em no limit tournaments, total entry fees for these tournaments ranged from $50-$105. Out of the tournaments I played I made 6 out of 8 final tables and cashed in two times, so when the smoke cleared I was few hundred dollars over my total entry fee cost. I made two final tables at Binions Horsehoe out of three tries. They do it up for their final tables, you play on a staged table, one of the ex World Series of Poker TV tables, they have a announcer, there's always spectators, it's pretty much a poker fantasy for low stake guys like me. At Binions they always attract your local semi-pro players, you know not the guys you will see on TV often, but still a guy who manages to make some sort of a living playing poker. As most poker players like to think we're good, these tournaments will test that for you. So it was cool to go play in these tournamants with some very good players, and see that I was able to carry my own.
Ok for you non poker players, I drank some really good beer, Flat Tire was real good, as well as some brewing house beer, Hausbrahaus (Spelling???) was good, and good German food as well. Had my first Baja fish tacos to see what all you West coaster have been talking about, like them, we try to hit a few local mom and pop places always on any trip. Went to the Bellagio and saw O', this is something I went to see more for Mary Jane than myself, but it was amazing, I wouldn't know where to start tell you about it, other than just tell you to go see it. Bellagio is a incredible hotel, had dinner there, at one of thier many restarants, it was great, saw their poker room, and even a featured table where players were playing with $10K chips, money oozes in this place.
Had fun, the "red eye" back to East coast kicked me like mule and I've just now caught up on my sleep, glad to be home, will go back again. I think my next poker trip might be to Foxwoods in the New England area, I like to see some of the surroundings up there.

Gotta love Vegas. I was last there in 2005 for the SEMA show.

mowog1 Wrote:

I really enjoyed SEMA and learned a lot while I was out there. Four days....and I'm sure that I didn't get to experience it all.

I did get to meet and talk Stacey David (formerly of Trucks!), Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Mario Andretti, Barry Meguire, and a few others....here's a picture of me and the Michelin Man..(he's on the right!)

Hap, I think you drank *Fat* Tire Ale. (-:

What's ironic is that my neighbor likes it and when I tried it didn't care for it much...so have kidded him about drinking *Flat* Tire Ale!

Rod you are correct, Fat Tire, yeah I guess "Flat Tire" would be a bad name for a Beer :), they also have a wheat beer called 'Sommertime" or Summertime, I had it last year at Runoffs in Kansas, was one of few fond memories I had in Topeka at the SCCA runoffs :)

On yours and other recommendations I need to try Fat Tire again....as well as their wheat beer. The one time I tried it I didn't like it at all, but it may have just been my taste buds were "off" as I'd had a glass of wine about an hour earlier. Since then all I've heard is glowing reviews...and that it's actually supposed to be a Belgian style ale.

Just remember...

The intake of too much Fat Tire may result in a Spare Tire.

;)