Hooched at the MGM

I am not exactly sure why I went to work last Thursday. Sat around trying to get some stuff done but my mind was already thinking of flinging poker chips around at the MGM. I was excited. It was not only a Vegas trip but a chance to meet some people I had been playing some online poker with and had been reading for quite a while. Thus as soon as lunch was done, I announced I was out of there.

No big suprises at the airport either. Had a couple of beers before getting on the slightly delayed flight. Yeah, I don't fly Southwest so there wasn't a gate person preventing me from boarding. Read all the way there- Harrington on Hold Em. Excellent book. Has helped my game already. Waited about 10 minutes in the cab line and was off to the Imperial. On the way, passed by the Hofsebrau (sp?) House, the German bar by the Hard Rock. Sounds like the joint was hopping as the polka music was blaring out! Was tempted to stop right then and there for a beer but decided to hold off a bit.

No wait to check in at the luxorious (note the sarcasm) Imperial Palace. Desk person got me checked in quickly, telling me to go pass two bars to the second group of elevators. Talk about temptation. I have to pass not one, but TWO bars??? Must be strong. Need to get to room first or may leave bags by Larry Lobster slot machine. Of course, I go to the wrong set of elevators and have to walk around half of the 15th floor.

StB Vegas Tip: If you have a choice, I say always ask for a room on one of the higher floors. You will love it over your stay when trying to catch an elevator. Nothing sucks more than when you are jonesing to gamble and watch 5 full elevators open and close before you can get on one. If you stay on a higher floor, that problem goes away.

The rooms at IP are good enough. Nothing fancy. A place to crash on the strip in a good location. I dumped by bags, slapped some new deordorant on and was off. Out the IP I went on a walk to the MGM. I am funny that way. I like to walk to casinos if I can. If it is a true haul, then forget it, but for the most part, I rather walk it. I hit the strip in all of its lit up glory. I was soaking it in when I realized I forgot something. I quickly turned into the Flamingo and up to Bugsy's Bar. One Miller Lite later, I was back on the strip passing the Barbary Coast and going up the escalator.

Weather was warm, a bit breezy (as it would be for the trip). I walked down having to make another stop at the Aladdin. Check on the Brewers score and get another beer.

StB Vegas Fact: It is a 2 beer walk from the IP to the MGM. This may be changed however, as I did not get the beer at the IP and was finished with the 2nd one just outside the MGM. My estimate could be rounded to 2 1/2 if not 3 beers on the walk from IP to MGM. Further study will be done in future.

I was in the MGM to meet up with some bloggers to play the mixed games that Felicia had set up. Girl has connections as we would not only have a table to ourselves but it would be in the private skybox area above the poker room facing the sports book. Nice. I was a bit early so I signed up for some 4-8. I walked around checking out the new poker room/sports book area. It is quite nice but to put this in, they took down the old stage bar. That bar was one of my favorite places to cool off and raise a couple on a late afternoon, watching the Elvis/Blues Brothers/Buddy Holly imperonators play. After a half hour, I sat down at the 4-8 table. I posted one hand before I got called to the mixed game.

Up the stairs I went to sit down with a group of not so strange strangers. Hard to describe this. You read their trials and tribulations on a daily basis but you do not know them personally. Yeah, some met back in December but I was not part of that some. There are a couple that have pictures but the majority of them do not. I recognized Felicia right away and introduced myself. I also recognized the Poker Prof as well. I would have a great conversation with him, finding out that the Friday WSOP Event was closed. No hitting it big for me as the WSOP this year. I would also meet the Human Head, Gracie, Maigrey, -EV and Bill Rini. Apologies to whomever I missed. I was kinda drunk at end and didn't write stuff down. Ok, I wasn't kinda drunk, I was drunk.

After having about 4 beers, I switched off to Makers and ginger. The sweet nectar was going down good. Maybe too good. I kept sucking them down as we played. I learned a valuable lesson about mixed games that night. I suck at them. I need to get better. I gave my money away during these hours. But the company made it worth it. Not too long in, I got a call from Al. Soon he would be up making his entrance. Now there were two tables going. Some changed back and forth between games. I would have some SoCo with Al towards the end of the night. It was the SoCo that would put me over the edge. The little glasses they brought us were bigger than shot glasses. I should have recognized that right away but the Makers made my eyes smaller. When I popped the liquor down, I didn't realize how much was in it. At first, I coughed a bit as the last bits left a tickle in my throat. I got my sense back just in time. I was not going to puke all over a poker table just because I didn't properly recognize how much booze was in a glass. A little Makers and ginger got rid of the cough but the drunk was settling in.

The game would break up soon. I met Iggy that night as well as BG and Bob as well as the SC crew. The rest is a haze. Not quite sure how I got back to the IP. Not sure when I drank the Lites that were on the table when I woke up either. But is anyone quite sure about what they do in Vegas?

Coming up....railbirding at the WSOP, playing the WPBT, the Wynn, poker Monday and other things that may only interest me.

More poker details over at Beer City Poker soon.