Las
Last weekend some friends from high school and I went to Las Vegas. We stayed at the Monte Carlo. It was a really good hotel. It had a nice buffet, excellent poker accomodations, good location (on the strip), and was pretty affordable. We ended up walking from our hotel to various attractions. Of the places I remember, we visited the Bellagio, the Hilton, the Mirage, Caesar's Palace, Aladdin, Binion's Horseshoe, Paris, and Circus Circus.
Of all the places, Binion's Horseshoe was the most depressing. It has become famous for hosting the World Series of Poker, but you could hardly tell it was anything special when you were inside. The decor was drab, the people old and few, and the poker dealers average. The highlights of my visit there were seeing a professional poker player (I have his face in memory, but I can't put a name to it), getting quad aces, winning $60 in about five minutes (on a different table from where I got my aces), getting a Horseshoe-branded hat and cards, and accidentally using the women's restroom.
Some other highlights from Las Vegas in general were winning a stuffed bear at Circus Circus, eating at Las Vegas's Cheesecake Factory, doubling $5 by betting on black in roulette and then stopping immediately, seeing Star Trek: The Experience, getting a $12 drink at Paris that was served in a large plastic Eiffel Tower, and playing lots and lots of poker.
I've recited my poker travails about a million times since I've gotten back to Berkeley, so if you've heard them already and are tired of it, think about how bored I am of them. Some people (my parents included) haven't heard them yet.
Most poker that is played in casinos is structured with limitations on how much can be bet at certain times in a hand. There are numerous, well-founded reasons for this, but most people enjoy the thrill of playing a poker game where there are no limits on how much can be bet. To accommodate these people, no-limit tournaments usually take place. The tournament format squelches most of the problems with a no-limit game, but also introduces others.
Las Vegas (the Monte Carlo in particular) was the first place I found no-limit cash (i.e., non-tournament) games. The minimum buy-in was $100, the maximum $300. The very first hand I was dealt I got pocket nines. Somehow (I've repressed the details) I end up going all-in (i.e., betting $100 on this hand) versus ace-three. My opponent ends up pairing his ace on the river.
I walk around a little bit and collect myself and then give the no-limit game another go. I sit down and the very first hand I'm sitting down for I get dealt pocket jacks. Someone else all-ins before the flop. I think about for a good while, but having not spent any time analyzing the people at the table, I didn't really have any read on the person who went all-in. I called. Pocket queens versus pocket jacks. Another $100 down.
I came back the next day. I was pretty drunk entering the game (kind of irresponsible of the people I was with to let me play, no?) and pretty quickly lost another $100. That's $300 down the drain. I spent the next few hours winning it all back and more. I ended with $431.
The last highlight that I'll share with you from our trip was at Star Trek: The Experience. We visited that place largely on Dae-Ho's urging so it shouldn't surprise you that most the pictures (taken with Dae-Ho's camera) that follow are from there. Star Trek: The Experience is simply a Star Trek-themed area. They had a bar (serving Romulan Ale of all things), a gift shop, and some other attractions.
What was most memorable about Star Trek: The Experience was what I saw while I was sitting on a bench waiting for Dae-Ho to pick out a shot glass from the gift shop. A father was pushing around his apparently mentally disabled son in his wheelchair when a woman wearing a Klingon costume walks by and greets the son. She gives him a strong handshake and the son beams with joy. Something about that scene touched me and, I'll admit, my eyes teared up a bit.
Happiness can so easily be attained and lost. We should relish the times we're happy.
Greg and me at the Las Vegas aiport. Note the slot machines in the back.
Needless to say I entered my email address immediately.
Matt, Dae-Ho, Greg, and me with a Klingon.
Matt and Diana look on as Greg and I pose.
Matt and me with the Borg queen.
Me in my poker uniform.
Matt and me drinking.
My gumball was stuck. Violence ensued.
The no-limit poker table. Sammy Farha on the right.
Assuming the Ace-3 was unsuited, you had 70/30 odds to win with pocket nines. Pocket jacks versus pocket queens has 17/83 odds to win.
I wish I had time to go with you guys. Roaming around vegas after driving for 11 hours kind of sucked in comparison.
It looks like you had an awesome time Los Vegas, especially with the poker feat! Thanks for sharing your story. I really need some excitement in my life, even if it means living excitement vicariously through your blog. Your bear looks so cute; I think I shall try to steal it. ;)
That was basically one of the best trips ever. EVER. What do you say about a trip to Japan over spring break? I hear they love foreigners there. Especially big white ones.
PS My stuffed animal is cooler.
“….getting a $12 drink at Paris that was served in a large plastic Eiffel Tower.” - Excuse me, could you possibly read me the manufacture name on the bottom of that cup please? :) I didnt get one of those cups when I was in Las Vegas but Im looking for the manufacture name of those cups.
Thank you!
Angie