TR: Two 40yo fishcakes return to Vegas from UK
It’s been a day and an age since my last
Trip report (2014) - and now we’ve grown older (40!), maybe wiser and certainly no less awful at poker.
As someone with a job and now two small children since my last TR, I plan on cramming a years worth of questionable behaviour into a week to keep the degen demons at bay.
I’m travelling from Edinburgh today. My Irish partner in crime heading from London tomorrow.
Some plans already firmed up :
- low stakes NL (obv)
- some dinners (Momofuku/steak/din tai fung/Bavette etc)
- gambles (blackjack and craps mostly)
- atomic golf ?
- maybe a cirque show.
Plus a few more highlights along the way. (No spoilers)
I intend to use this as a live-ish diary of two guys with a hope and a dream for a week in our favourite spiritual home of gambling.
Much love, Scottery 👍🏻
Good luck! Just be aware that Vegas 2026 is quite different from Vegas 2014. Much more expensive, many fewer poker rooms etc. But obviously these days with YouTube and other social media, it's easy to keep up with the changes and how everything looks.
Good luck! Just be aware that Vegas 2026 is quite different from Vegas 2014. Much more expensive, many fewer poker rooms etc. But obviously these days with YouTube and other social media, it's easy to keep up with the changes and how everything looks.
Hey ! I’ve been a couple times in between 2014 and now but certainly seems different.
Plan is to try Aria for 1/3, I’d like to check out the new Venetian room and Bellagio for 2/5.
There’s a 400$ comp at the Wynn (100k gtd I think) on Monday that looks nice too.
I'm in! I remember meeting you in that 2014 TR as I was in town at the same time. Always fun to cross paths with other +2ers. Good luck!
I'm in! I remember meeting you in that 2014 TR as I was in town at the same time. Always fun to cross paths with other +2ers. Good luck!
Wow blast from the past! I remember being taken aback seeing someone from 2p2. Was it the Venetian you saw me ?
5h flight to vegas awaits. Unsure of inflight food options… I’m around 7pm UK time so probably should eat.
There is this Jim’s cheesesteak spot, which is tempting. But my last and only time ever in PHL I went to the OG spot in the city and had cheesesteak, peppers and whiz(?). Half an hour later I nearly **** myself and ran to a Starbucks bathroom to evacuate my innards. So much for best in the city.
I don’t fancy my chances, perhaps a pizza slice is best ��
Ever a glutton for punishment I went for a closely related option - A pork sandwich with provolone from Chickies & Pete’s. I declined on the whiz recommendation.
Whilst It looks pretty bland and dry, the pork was actually quite tender. For my first food stateside - it was a solid 6/10.
Wow blast from the past! I remember being taken aback seeing someone from 2p2. Was it the Venetian you saw me ?
Yeah, I think we were seated next to each other at the Venetian
Thanks brother. I can’t guarantee I can do either of those but I’ll try my best :-)
Day 1: Landed in Vegas around 7pm. Feeling pretty zoned out as I think it’s around 3am my time. Maybe later. Didn’t get to sleep much on the flights, maybe 30min tops.
Got an uber from LAS to the hotel which btw is a horrendous experience. There were hundreds of people waiting in some grubby 2nd floor car park area at the back of the airport. Chaotic. Next time I will just get a regular cab out front.
Hopped on down to my first hotel The Linq - only staying for one night but I like the location. Sandwiched in between Bellagio and Venetian, it feels great value for mid(ish) strip, but is a little drab inside. Got a super cheap stay I think £6 ($10) after some hotels.com discounts I had saved in my account. Resort fees of $55 on a $10 nightly rate was pretty funny. I’m sure they’re double since my last stay.
Wandered over to check out the new poker room at Venetian. It took me 20 minutes to find the effin place. Numerous people sent in opposite directions but got there eventually. Buying for 300 at a 1/3 table and first hand I’m UTG on a bomb pot hand (double board 4 card PLO). Get trash and fold. Table is very short and boring looking. 5 mins later get offered a seat at 2/3 and snap call a transfer. Much deeper and more action, first corona on its way.
First hour only hand I have is AKdd and 3b young reggy tag guy to 55$ and he folds. Don’t see a flop until my bb is checked around and I xf. Yawn. Order more corona and coffee.
Later on I raise KQo in cutoff to 10. Sb and bb call. Flop KKJr xx I bet 15. Sb raises to 45 (200 eff). I call. Turn 7 spades. He bet 50 I call. River J he xf to my jam ?
Later stacked the 2 seat. He raised up front to 15. One call in seat 6. I go 55 on button with AA he says all of it. “I announce call I got AA bud” and the seat 6 hadn’t called him yet. Seat 2 has AK and snaps it off. I hold.
Big mistake acting out of turn there as seat 66 wanted to call even despite my hand announcement but later begrudgingly folded TT. I blame lack of sleep.
Won a couple small ones anfter and cashed out. In for 400 out for 705$. Resisted urge for bubble craps in Harrahs on way back. A nice way to start the trip. Bed time for me now.
Poker winnings total : +305
Gambling win/ loss : +0
Day 1: Landed in Vegas around 7pm. Feeling pretty zoned out as I think it’s around 3am my time. Maybe later. Didn’t get to sleep much on the flights, maybe 30min tops. Got an uber from LAS to the hotel which btw is a horrendous experience. There were hundreds of people waiting in some grubby 2nd floor car park area at the back of the airport. Chaotic. Next time I wi
That may be the best solution. Trips from Strip to/from airport are now a fixed price in a taxi.
POTUS arrived in Vegas today. I'm still in town, so he's going to appoint me as Governor of Iran, our new 51st state.
Following. Good luck.
Day 2: Jet lag is real today. Ended up going to sleep at midnight and woke at 2am wide awake.
Headed to the Bellagio for a sleepy 1/3 game. Tables kept breaking and to be honest weren’t very good.
Up and down with small pots. Funniest moment was when I raise 44 UTG to 12, button 3b to 30 I call.
Flop :
Q 9 7
I cc 20.
Turn Q
I lead 40 and he folds AA face up? lol
Cashed out a massive 1$ up. Got a couple more hours sleep and had a good diner breakfast at Denny’s.
Now chilling at the 2/3 at Venetian. Guy to me left has a massive bag of candy - not creepy at all?
Checkout the Linq at 11 so some dead time, so likely to hang at the B for most of the day until checkin opens.
I was going to point out that this lead does not accomplish anything, but I guess I was wrong 😀
Yea I hated it as soon as I bet.
The guy with the candy is a ref at the Venetian. He plays there every day all day for 18 hours straight. When I was there in March and the tourney promo was running he was playing 30 hour sessions, going home to sleep and shower for 6 hours and do another 30 hours. He slept between hands. Crazy guy.
The guy with the candy is a ref at the Venetian. He plays there every day all day for 18 hours straight. When I was there in March and the tourney promo was running he was playing 30 hour sessions, going home to sleep and shower for 6 hours and do another 30 hours. He slept between hands. Crazy guy.
Reg, can’t edit anymore.
