[pig4bill]

Sunday 12/3 5 PM:
I decided to drive back to the Bay area via Vegas rather than L.A. and the Commerce. I found a decent rate at Treasure Island, $62 with my AAA discount. Although their room is small I'll give it a shot. Their only limit game is 2/4 so I take an open seat at the 1/3 NL game. There are a few tourists and a gal that seems to know what she's doing that plays at the Commerce and Bike, no cowboys. The German tourist to my right gets stacked and rebuys. Gets stacked again, and rebuys again. A tourist with an Eagles jersey is taking him to school. I'm not catching much but I get a few small hands and get up $30 to $40. German tourist gets stacked again and leaves. There's also a Belgian tourist that I'm having good banter with, but we haven't butted heads in a hand yet. A couple others bust out and they break our table.

Belgian tourist, Eagles jersey, and I end up at the same table. This is a fun bunch. This is exactly the kind of table I like to play at. I can win a little money and have a good time. Little by little the tourists are losing their money, some to me but mostly to Fun English Guy on the end. I find out later that Fun English Guy is a local pro. Meanwhile, I decide to have a few free beers and do some drunken gambooling. TI is the only Vegas hotel/bar that I've found that has Molson beer. A few different people cycle through seat 10, until another local pro shows up. She makes a few plays at other people when this hand comes up. I limp in EP with pocket 5's and someone raises to $15. All call and we have 5 to the flop. It comes something like 2 5 8. One thing I've noticed about this bunch is that nobody seems to play low cards. Someone playing Negreanu style could clean up. Anyway, I've made my set of 5's. Seat 10 pro bets out $20 and isolates me as I call and everyone else folds. Turn is a blank and she bets $40 and I call. I'm still slightly fearful of a higher set before I call, but she seems agitated by my call, so I'm feeling good right now. River comes a Jack and she pushes with about $80. I put her on making 2 pair with the Jack, and I call. 5's are good and she leaves in a huff. Eagles jersey, who came over to the Pro table with $500, is dribbling them back out to the pros, and a few to me. Shortly after, Belgian tourist, Eagles jersey, and the rest of the fun bunch all bust out and leave.

Two more local sharks show up. I can practically see their pectoral fins sticking out of their backs. What the hell are 4 pros doing at a 1/3 game at TI? Some dealer or floor must have called them about the chum in the water. Fun English Guy confides to me about one of the other pros during a break. I'm up about $400 and debate leaving but the Molson slows my feet. I dribble a lot of it back, and get involved in a hand with Noisy Arrogant Pro, who has been losing a lot to the (sober) cowboys who have showed up. For some reason I put him on just making a move because of steam and call to the river with just second pair. I dropped about $150 in that hand. I decide to stumble across the street to the Wynn while I still have chips.
BUY IN: $100 Played: 4 hours Result: +$86

Sunday 12/3 10 PM:
I made it over to the Wynn in one piece. Man, it's cold outside. I take an open 4/8 seat. A couple more grumpy local pros are sitting. Pickings must be getting thin if these pros are having to invade 1/3 and 4/8. Grumpy Deep Stack to my right succeeds in chasing off the main donator on the end, not with his play, but with his grumpiness. I get a couple small hands, but nothing memorable. A few others leave and are not replaced. They break our table and I decide to just go to bed.
BUY IN: $100 Played: 1.5 hours Result: +$36

Epilogue:
Mistreating myself for a week on the road takes it's toll. I'm not a young pup any more and wake up with a nasty cough. I call in sick and pound vitamin C.

Overall, it was a fun trip, but it was distressing to see so many pros playing in low limit games. Maybe it's better on weekends.