Williams, Arizona

Hi there

Time for some update ... Margret is just writing her views on the other computer in a small internet cafe in Williams, Arizona

Poker first ... Margret really managed to win some money- but not at the Mirage ... we played at the Bally's as Margret did not want to play 3/6 in the Mirage (we were there on our first afternoon and she played for an hour losing 6 Dollars) ... Margret won about 100 bucks there ...
I - was terrible ... did not win anything but lost some money ... I was running straights into Full houses, Trips into gutshot straights, and so on ... Terrible thing is, my play was okay ... but people bet there drawing hands, and my nuts on the turn lost after the river allmost every time ... We all know that this happens at Poker, but it does hurt ...

What hurts more is my left foot ... I do not know what happened but I thin I somehow itched a nerve and walking hurts since two days ...

at the moment we are in Williams Arizona - we came in on the old Route 66 and the landscape and the wideness of this country is overwhelming ... last night we were in a typical american bar with guys wearing Cowboy hats, western boots and Harley Davidson outfit and had some beers, which was really nice, especially as all the people are very, very friendly over here ...

Today we will head to Grand Canyon (one hour drive) where we will stay until tomorrow ... we are not sure what we will do afterwards, but I guess we'll drive north to Utah and visit Bryce Canyon


See you

Gernot

Day One - a long journey

Hi all

We are finally in Vegas, and just enjoying some pancakes near Stratosphere Tower ... it is great ...

The flight was very long, but I was on the lucky side, as United had 8 Movie Options and a small screen for everyone ... Margret had just one big screen!
I saw The Devil wears Prada + Cars + a feature film about the Championship in riddle solving (with Bill Clinton as special guest + a NY Yankee player)

The Saharas is nice - we even have got a balcony ... we were very tired yesterday, but had a look at the Poker Tables and were not too impressed by the play of the guests, but did not play... I woke up at 4:00 am and went back to the Casino, but no Poker was 0n, and I managed to blew 20 bucks at the Black Jack table ;-)

Now we are going to do some shopping and then move to our 2nd nite hotel ... then it is sightseeing and in the evening we will play some poker (because we promised mike to take down the Mirage)

By the way ... Stardust is history and will close on January 1st ... another big theme casino can be expected ...

More updates later ...

Bitten by the Sharks

Being the small fish I am I won nothing at all yesterday - but I got Dave Scharfs "Winning at Poker" book today and I´ll study that on the flight to Vegas ...

In my oppinion this trip is clearly not a gambling trip ... but being there and getting $500 in free chips we are obliged to try our luck + watch out if the rumors about Americans are true (some sharks, but millions of fish as well)

I did some room confirmation calls yesterday, so I guess everything should be allright now ...

Today we´ll hit the road and leave for Munich, where we want to spend the evening with a friend: We can also sleep there - so we won´t hurt our bank roll on unnecessary luxuries like Hotel rooms ... thx Michiko in advance...

More news tomorrow!!!

23h and 50 minutes till my flight leaves!

G

Three more days ...

Hi again

We are getting busy preparing for our trip ... flights are booked, the first two nights in a hotel as well (1st sahara, then some Motel at the Strip) ... Car is ordered as well (Pontiac) ...

Mike L., the guy who brought us all to Poker invited us to a home game, where he wants to show us the best ways to get the cash of ignorant tourists at the Cash Game tables in Vegas. Margret is training the cash game as well - she tried some hours the last days at www.intertopspoker.com - a site I have to recommend to everyone ;-)

Some short words to our trips as it is planned so far

First 2 days: Vegas
Afterwards - drive to Grand Canyon (probably stay for one night on the way there)
then - Grand Canyon booked a lodge there
afterwards - up to Monument Valley (maybe we have to skip that)
- Bryce Canyon
Zion National Park
and ... the big finish
Three nights at Cesars on cost of mansion, with the possibility of playing for 25.000 bucks!

Wohoo ... I am looking forward to that

Thanks for the invitation, Mike "I am gutted" L. aka. langboy, we appreciate that!

Why Vegas?

To start with ... this trip comes as some kind of surprise to me and all the people I know ...

But I should start chronologically ...

As I played Poker for some time, it happened that I opened an account at a Poker Provider called Mansion, (although they are supporting Tottenham, the worst club in Premier League history) and started to play there. In week One there I managed to win a satellite and got a ticket for the Mansion Poker Dome Rebuy Qualifier Tournament - with one guaranteed seat at the Mansion Poker Dome Seat attached to it ...

I was not even aware, what this Poker Dome thing was all about (although Riverlucker told me, that he almost qualified for it) - but there was a Poker tournament, and prize money as well ...
so I sat down, played the tournament - and suddently I was at the final table and in the money!

GREAT .. so what now? Keep cool and look at this other people - are they better than you??? Some of them definitely were, but I felt quite comfortable and I had already reached the main goal ... to win some money. As the final table action progresses, more and more people drop out - and I am in great shape. For some time I am the Chip leader and put some pressure on the table ... getting beaten only by one guy "'Entrecot", who is all in against me once - and gets very lucky on the river (he would have gone out 9th). This guy hits a lot and gets lucky some times, too. I just can´t get no hold on him - he always outdraws me somehow. Finally it is just the two of us - and I got uncertain ... a trip to Vegas or safe money?

Trip to Vegas - never been there before, being there on my own, quite probably going home without any winnings.
Safe money: If I come in second I´ll have a USD1500+ on my bank account in some days ...
My girlfriend is a little worried as well ... won´t I blow my whole savings if I am in Vegas - way out of her control ... + this City must be called Sin City for a reason.

First Hand in the Heads up and I am still uncertain and got a decent, but not impressive hand ... I´ll think about it and push "All In" - get called and lose to a better hand ...

Bye, bye Vegas

I thought!

Next day ... I receive a mailing "We need an alternate - will you come to Vegas on November 5th???"
First I do not even get it and forward the mailing to langboy, me julie and riverlucker telling them that I might go to Vegas if someone gets ill ... Minutes later I get a call from riverlucker, who tells me that this is the real deal ... I am going to Vegas!!!

So here I am - going to Vegas on cost of someone else (apparently an indonesian tobacco mogul) + my girlfriend, who was to afraid to let me go on my own and uses her last Frequent Flyer Miles to come as well (I wanted to have a shared cost deal with her - the miles came as a very welcome surprise)

Margret will post soon, too ... so if your interested check out this site in the next days, as we´ll provide you with updates on our trip!

Gernot