Should I go to Vegas next weekend?

[CrazyLond]

I stopped playing back in January after a terrible night where I ended up getting smashed and dropping a couple grand at the blackjack and $20-$40 holdem tables at Casino AZ. I decided to stop drinking and have been in a recovery program since then that's been working well for me. Anyway, I started playing cards again about a month ago and was doing pretty well, up about a grand. I quit my job because it was sucking and then had a great night playing in the $10-$150 spread limit game about a week ago where I won $2100. Since then, I've hit a horrible streak, losing $1200 at the $5-$150 game, one of the worst runs I've ever had at that particular game.

Anyway, I'm thinking about going to Vegas this weekend to play in the $1500 NLHE WSOP event. I've got about $2K I could blow on the trip so unless I cash or get hot at a $1/$2 table I'd pretty much be leaving right after I played. I figure $100 for gas there and back, maybe $200 for a cheap motel for fri and sat, then $1500 for the tourney leaves me with just a couple hundred bucks to buy into a game friday night. Anyway, do you guys think this is a good idea? My main concerns are not being able to find a game I can get into with the crowds there for the WSOP as well as a temptation to drink. I'm 25, just got out of the military last year, have about 25K to my name, and live at home while going to school on the GI Bill. Last time I went to Vegas I left up a couple hundred as there was a soft game at Caesar's Palace.

I guess the other concern would be my girlfriend and parents bitching about me doing this. Last time I was there on my own I was drunk for a week straight and blew about 5 grand playing pae gow at hooters.

Any thoughts?

[Photoc]

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ast time I was there on my own I was drunk for a week straight and blew about 5 grand playing pae gow at hooters.

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Please come! Post back with where you'll be playing [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[pig4bill]

Vegas ain't the place for you.

[KappaSig215]

5K at pai gow? christ

[Howard Beale]

Don't go. Sign up for GA. Seriously. You're heading over the cliff.

[CrazyLond]

Yeah, that pai gow run was like nothing I've ever seen. I can usually stay at a table for 2 hours on $100 but that week was just ugly. Luckily, I was up about $1000 at poker which softened my pai gow loss a bit.

When I'm not drinking, I think I'm a fairly responsible gambler. I've never overextended myself financially and have only run into major problems when drinking. I do log every dollar I win or lose in an excel spreadsheet which helps me know which games I win at and which I lose at.

Part of what really killed me that one time was my friends drove there while I was flying in from Washington. I stayed for a week, but they bailed after a couple days. An alcoholic gambler alone in Vegas for that long it just bad news. At least if I go this time, I'll be driving, so I can leave whenever I want.

[sternroolz]

The selfish a-hole in me wants you to go and post a trip report upon return.

The human being in me knows that nothing good can come of this. The best result is you lose all your money you are taking and don't want to go to Vegas again. The worst result is you cash in a tournament for tens of thousands(or more) and wind up staying in Vegas chasing ensuing BJ loses for a few months and wind up at the end like Nicholas Cage in Leaving Las Vegas. I already know two people who did this....won huge tournaments and then blew it over subsequent months playing BJ and craps. Baller, but a horrible finale.

Look, there will always be poker. Always. You are young. If you have that cash and live at home and going to school, there's not even an imperative to get a job immediately.

Why don't you concentrate on your recovery and school as much as possible? You are always gonna have time to play poker later in life. After a while, get a part time job...15-20 hours a week. Something to put down showing you are productive, and to occupy time. Hell, it doesn't even have to pay much...just something you like. I'm not even sure that gambling is so great for you.

[I.Rowboat]

Wow, very impressed with the overall quality of the previous replies. Seems like a 100% chance this trip will be a train wreck. As pig4bill said, "Vegas ain't the place for you."

[fishyak]

Let's see... what would your AA sponsor think about putting you into an environment where you have crashed before and that offers FREE ALCOHOL and the chance to prove you have multiple addictions? The mere fact that YOU would ask the question shows that you KNOW THE ANSWER.

I pray this question isn't real and that you are just crank yanking. If this is real, get real help, right away and follow your doctor's orders.

[AML525]

Save the $2K & spend some time with your gf.