Day: Oct 10
Total Cash: 14,104
Eric's Play: +1884
Shirley's Play: -959

I know it has been a couple days, but this should be a good one! Here are my session stats:

Sat - Orleans - Tourney: -80
Sat - Bellagio - 30/60: -1200
Sun - Orleans - Tourney: -75
Sun - Orleans - 1/2NL: +270
Sun - Mirage - 10/20: +260
Mon - Orleans - 1/2NL: -300
Mon - Orleans - 4/8: -75
Mon - Mirage - 20/40: +1400
Mon - Venetian - Tourney : -185
Mon - Mirage - Sit & Go: +385

So let's see, well there as been a lot of poker play going on but Where to start? hmmmm where did I leave off, ohhh I see we were heading to the Bellagio. Well as you can see from the stats I had a bad session, I dropped 1200 in a 30/60 game. No real big hands to talk about. I just couldn't win a hand!

Anyway the next morning (Sunday) My buddie Bob calls and says he is looking for a Tourney to play in. I told him that they have a good one here at the Orleans at noon. So I went and picked him up and we played in it. I didn't do very well. I was out like 30th or so. I played some 1/2NL while I was waiting for him. I scooped 300 then Shirley comes down from her nap and Bob get knocked out of the tourney. We decide that we should all go out for dinner, Me, Shirley Bob and his wife Hannah. We decided to go to the Aladdin Buffet, as it was supposed to be the best in town. When we got there we noticed that it was being remodeled and they were serving the buffet is a temporary location. We thought we would give it a try anyway! MISTAKE. The selection was very limited and the food was cold and the chicken was dry. I could go on but there is no point really.

After dinner we head out on the town for some CHEAP one dollar margaritas. Me and Bob thought we would give the dice a roll at the 3 dollar craps table, while Shirley and Hannah headed off to find some 1 cent slots. I don't ever really play any of the table games, but we were out on the town just having some fun and drinks with friends. It was a good night! After we left Bob and Hannah it was only 11:00pm or so. Shirley had slept all day and I didn't get up until 11:00am so we decided to go check out some of the other poker rooms on the strip, to see where we might wanna play in the future.

We went to the Monte Carlo, checked it out. Nice room no action. 1/2NL and 2/4 limit. We then headed to the Mirage. Execellent game selection 6-12, 10-20, 20-40. It was a good spot for us. We sat and played until 1:00am or so. We played 10-20, we each made money. Shirley found her game, and since that session she has had 4 wins in a row. She is on her way now! After that is was back to the Orleans to bed.

The next morning I talk with Bob, and told him that we are going to be heading to the Mirage, after we get some time in at the Orleans. I lose 300 in the 1/2 NL game. I have AA vs. JJ and lose. Then I have AA vs. TT and lose. I got pissed off and told Shirley that it was time to leave, and that I wanted to go to the Mirage.

We got to the Mirage around 1:00pm or so and there was a 20/40 game going so I sat in. It was an EXECELLENT game. Very live with lots of action! I ended up making 1400. Only one real hand of note. I have 88 in middle position. I raised, 2 callers and a wild Asian woman re-raised. I called and it went to the flop 5 handed. Flop came 684 with 2 hearts. I check raise the Asian woman and she 3 bets. I raise again and she calls. We go to the turn 3 way. The turn pairs the 4 but brings the 3 heart. I KNOW she has flush. So I check raise again and she 3 bets. There is another guy still in the hand so I call, hoping to get his bet. But he folded. River is a King I just bet and she calls showing AQ flush. I show 88 for the full house!!! WINNER WINNER!!!!

At 7:00pm we leave the Mirage, cause I want to play in a tourney at the Venetian. It was a $185 Multi table Tourney. Unfortunately I didn't do very well so it was back to the Mirage!

The highlight of all the poker play happened when we headed back tot he Mirage and I am dying to tell the story. On our way into the Mirage poker room last night Shirley says,"hey look there is Greg Raymer." Sure enough there was Greg Raymer (2003 World Series of poker Champ). He was playing 2/5NL, I couldn't figure out why? And I still can't! Anyway I noticed the he put his name on a list for a $115 Sit and Go, For those non-poker pros a SIT & GO is a one table poker tourney of 10 people. I immediately put my name on the same list. Once Greg put his name on the list it filled up right away. So there I am play poker with Greg Raymer at the Mirage. LOL it was GREAT

Anyway we played the Sit and Go! It was a bit of a crap shoot starting with 1500 chip and the blinds go up every 15 minutes but we were playing with the 2003 champ!! It started out VERY tight, I think the fact that Greg was in the game made everyone try to play there best, but it didn't take me long to figure out that I was playing with a VERY weak field. They were all golf pros and buddies of Raymers. The first hand I play was A3s in late position. It was on Raymers big blind. Everyone folds to me and I notice that Raymer was playing very tight as well. I hadn't played a hand in the first 15, I was sure that he noticed so I though it was a good place for a steal. I raise to 400, 4 times the BB. The Button called me YUCK! Small Blind folds and Raymer says to me," I was going to call ya but I'll let the button take care of ya!" LOL Anyway I make NUT FLUSH, but do not have to show my cards. So I become a slight chip leader early.

As we played on I build my stack fairly well to about 3000. Then with 6 people left I make a raise to 700 when the blinds are 100/200 with AQs. A guy with 1400 chips pushes all in. Stinkin', I call and he shows 88 Board comes QKK, turn 8, River J. I lose, but am not crippled.

Anyway I make it to 4 handed. It is Raymer, a golf pro, another guy, and I left when I play this hand. Raymer is in the Big Blind and I have the button. The blinds are now 200/400. I am short stacked 1225 chips. I look down at KK, I think how can I get Raymer to double me up. I just smooth call, and he checks the board comes J73 and he pushes and I call as fast as I can!!! Double up! My KK vs. His JT holds up and I'm at almost 3000 chips! Raymer was now short stacked, and after a couple steals off the other 2 guys. I found myself with the chip lead.

At this point Raymer has now become short stacked and when I'm in the small blind, he pushes for 1225. I have 4500 chips I look down to see A9s it is 925 more to me, so I push all-in to avoid the Big blind coming in (he only had 2000 chips). BB folds and Raymer shows A5o. My hand holds and I take out RAYMER!! BOOOOOO YEAH!!!!

Anyway I go on to scoop 1st place and take home 500 bucks! It was AWESOME!

Then the weirdest thing happened. Shirley was playing 10/20 with this 50 something year old, and he told her that we had to celebrate my big win. He wanted to know if we would join him for a bottle of Champagne. We said sure. So off we headed to the HIGH LIMIT LOUNGE, he was a really nice guy. He was a lawyer from Chicago, and he bought us a $100 bottle of "Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin" Champagne. We sat and talked for awhile, he didn't even drink. I found out he doesn't drink. He had water. It was the weirdest thing. A nice guy, looking to make someone else smile. He left shortly, and Shirley and I sat around the highrollers room for awhile sipping on Champagne. It was nice. We then head back to the Orleans and went to bed!!

Today I think that we are going to take a day off from poker and meet up with Bob and Hannah for dinner. We are then going to see a movie or go Bowling. There are bowling lanes here in the Orleans casino! I'm going to try and write more frequently as it as taken my almost 3 hours to write this entry!!!!!

-Eric