summer getaway to the 702: TR 5/31 - 6/4
it's my second Vegas trip of 2026. This one was unplanned, maybe even unnecessary. expected to wait until November, but spring is always my busiest time of year by far, and now that I'm through all my major obligations and events, feel I earned a break. looking forward to getting out of Dakota and into the sunny heat. the Vegas itch never seems to go away, and I deserve to scratch it!
my recent casino priming seems to have worked. even on a limited playroll, received comp offers at Fontainebleau and Palms. really want to come during pool season, so 3.5 days now seems better than a week in November. wife and kiddos are out of town for a bit so this time makes the most sense.
this is a working getaway allowing for a little fun. smaller playroll with fewer and shorter sessions. the goal is to work-work remotely as normally as possible, and get some pool time during the days. while WSOP is happening there is no plan for a tourney and I am staying away from Caesars properties. still, expecting at least 3 cash game sessions Sun-Mon-Tues (will reevaluate at that point). there will be some pai gow too. looking forward to the Palms buffet and at least one nice meal at Fontainebleu.
told myself I wasn't coming this summer but gave in. last time was my last TR yet here I am. telling myself I won't put so much energy into this but I always end doing so anyway. do enjoy these as a Vegas journal I can look back at later even if there's not much follower engagement. at this point I have pretty low expectations but who knows, maybe there will be some pleasant surprises. but you know what you're getting from a Langdon trip report.
Eager to read anything and everything you want to write about!
You write, we'll read. Looking forward to the TR.
my recent casino priming seems to have worked. even on a limited playroll, received comp offers at Fontainebleau and Palms. really want to come during pool season, so 3.5 days now seems better than a week in November. wife and kiddos are out of town for a bit so this time makes the most sense.told myself I wasn't coming this summer but gave in. last time was my last TR yet here
There are always more people reading than commenting, and I also love having TRs to look back at afterwards even if they are a sh*t ton of work at times.
Palms is a great property, sadly a bit too expensive for me most of the time but I hope I can stay there again eventually.
Langdon, though I speak for myself, I am sure I echo the sentiments of a lot of the lurkers on here - we really do appreciate all the efforts by ALL you posters - I don't think that I would have the patience or time to real time my exploits in Vegas - either too drunk or tired to post.
So please keep posting as we live vicariously through you and your writings!
I know what I'm getting from a Langdon TR, and very much looking forward to it!
I'm in! 
IN as well
Langdon TRs are always A+ looking forward to it!
Yep! I'm tagging along.
my recent casino priming seems to have worked. even on a limited playroll, received comp offers at Fontainebleau and Palms. really want to come during pool season, so 3.5 days now seems better than a week in November. wife and kiddos are out of town for a bit so this time makes the most sense.
Those are a couple of out of the way places. You gambled enough at them to get comped, though?
There are always more people reading than commenting, and I also love having TRs to look back at afterwards even if they are a sh*t ton of work at times.
Palms is a great property, sadly a bit too expensive for me most of the time but I hope I can stay there again eventually.
There's no poker there any more, so I haven't much considered staying there. I also haven't been in there for 10 years or more, it's nice hearing they haven't had a huge decline like Rio did.
There's no poker there any more, so I haven't much considered staying there. I also haven't been in there for 10 years or more, it's nice hearing they haven't had a huge decline like Rio did.
True, but that can be said for many Vegas properties (no poker any more). It's still a very short and efficient Uber-ride to the Strip. When I stayed there for a few nights in 2023 practically all my Uber-rides were $10 or less each way.
Palms got new ownership around 2020 and also renovated all their rooms around that time as well (just before Vegas closed down, I believe). Both the rooms and the casino floor looks very bright and inviting, IMO.
following along as always
The cat will be following!
every getaway is good but February was emotionally taxing and led to a bunch of self-reflection. told myself and Mrs Langdon that I would take a gambling/gaming break, coinciding with Lent (which we never really observed before). stated I would have this extended break until Halloween.
yet here we are. so why am I doing now? real reason is I'm weak. haha. but in reality, Spring has been a lot. outside of my day job I'm a classical musician, and from March to May I had five major programs across three different groups. working for 8 hours then having a 3 hour rehearsal a few days a week, going out of town for four days to perform and then driving back for another rehearsal that is already underway... it is enriching but draining. in addition to that, also coach third grade girls spring soccer team two days a week and have church commitments two days a week. also do my other side gig as a poker dealer one weekend a month. I'm busy as hell, mostly voluntarily.
finally finished concert season, soccer is over, completed some church obligations, and now wife is on a trip overseas, third year in a row, and took all the kids this time (and an extra kid) for three weeks. suddenly my schedule is wide open.
love Fontainebleu, my favorite hotel on the Strip. so when I saw an offer for two free nights, the possibility of a trip came into my radar.
never stayed at Palms but visited and lost a little there with a new players card and that was enough to get free rooms plus dining credit and freeplay. so four free hotel nights in my favorite city becomes easy to justify.
now I'm no dummy; even with low to no hotel costs, my last three trips have been very expensive. and at the end of each of them I vowed I wouldn't poker or degen again for a while.
....
....
I like writing a good story and been struggling for days on how to continue the narrative from here as there's no good segue. I'm not a complete lying degenerate addict in denial. our home finances are in good shape, and I live a happy and fulfilling family life. and despite my wife making fun of my losses, I'm my own biggest critic. which is good. and I have taken a legitimate break. gone from playing home games monthly or more, to none in the last 6 months (and just a few times the previous 6). my gaming has been limited to a few Vegas trips and even my Vegas trips have gone from 35+ hours of poker to like 15 choice hours with a disciplined bankroll. I'm kinda boring.
...
so yeah, this is an extra trip. I AM going to play poker. and I WILL likely degen gamble a little bit too (only at FB and Palms where I am staying).
the goal is to play well, not have any grievous mistakes, get on the good side of variance, and don't let it spoil my trip either way.
and then my NEXT trip report (likely 2027) will be a full-time 40+ hours of poker trip. in the meantime will make the most of this early summer experience in the desert.
here's a pic from February to remind me that I do know how to grow a stack
thanks everyone for your kind comments
In case you need it
Spoiler
National Problem Gambling Helpline
Call: 1-800-MY-RESET
Text: 1-800-MY-RESET
Chat: www.1800myreset.org
I keed, I keed. Looking forward to the TR.
good luck. would be interested in pool pics from both hotels please.
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since no one else is home and and everything closed Monday for the holiday, decided to go to bar free poker night for the first time in like 2 years for a little pre-trip tune up. naturally, these games usually suck but it's a chance to see cards and handle chips. played pretty well and made it to the end with a chip lead. but when it goes from 10k/20k to 25k/50k to 50k/100k in consecutive 10 minute levels, off my 10k starting stack, there isn't much to say other than making the final handful is an accomplishment. finished runner up out of 31 players.
been so hot here in Dakota. every day this week in May is hitting 92+ degrees. checked Vegas and it's around 79. heat is nice for sitting in the pool but I'm trying to work in my garden and other yardwork and it sucks.
got my doggie Eevee (+EV) a summer trim
before/after
I applaud any dog pictures in a trip report!
got to Getaway Day. after weeks and months of waiting, few emails get me more jazzed up than "it's time to check in for your flight."
Saturday dealt for a local poker tournament. slightly disappointing turnout, 45 players, but provided me a little more cash insomuch that I don't need to make any bank withdrawal ahead of Vegas. my friend offered to take my dog starting last night so that's another less thing to worry about. another friend also agreed to water my garden while I'm gone but after a real dry May some good showers Saturday (and in the forecast) so that should be good as well. a morning church meeting was cancelled, a friend drove me to the airport. flight is on time. "accidentally" boarded during priority but they didn't stop me. everything coming up aces pre-trip. hope that continues.
a few plans:
one good thing about this schedule is I got some comps for Palms for May I can use and also some comps for June I can use, so will start my Vegas time with a visit there even though not sleeping there until Tuesday. hitting the FB pool after check in, then a poker cash game session at Venetian. Monday afternoon will go play at Mandalay Bay for the first time in a while. Tuesday between hotels will go play at Venetian again. Wednesday (final day) schedule will depend on how the earlier days went, but lobster dinner at Palms AYCE is a priority and highlight of the week.
will play pai gow. Vegas is the only accessible place to play PG so is definitely a priority/focus. as long as I don't lose a ton I'll be fine.
(gotta remind myself this is a working and relax trip and not poker-focused. not supposed to play for 5 more months but making a little exception. the reality though is I love poker and that's why I'm coming, and also the purpose of this TR. therefore...)
tiered poker goals:
* no terrible calls
* build stacks worth sharing a picture of
* share stories and hand histories worth reading
** finish >$1+
*** profit $410, which will cover my travel expenses
**** profit $660, which will make it a winning trip
don't plan on playing long enough or wild enough to expect much beyond that.
tiered poker goals:
* no terrible calls
* build stacks worth sharing a picture of
* share stories and hand histories worth reading
** finish >$1+
*** profit $410, which will cover my travel expenses
**** profit $660, which will make it a winning trip
don't plan on playing long enough or wild enough to expect much beyond that.
That first one there is a huge leak I have that I've been trying to fix for months. I wish I had to enter a password or something before I could make a call. Even though I keep telling myself to pause before I call, I still keep calling.
That first one there is a huge leak I have that I've been trying to fix for months. I wish I had to enter a password or something before I could make a call. Even though I keep telling myself to pause before I call, I still keep calling.
In a recent episode of Thinking Poker Podcast, Andrew Brokos recommended to a listener with this problem that he play a session (or maybe more, I don't remember) practicing folding. In any situation where you only beat a bluff, fold. Period. Practice it to recondition your brain to recognize that folding is OK.
I'm not saying to do this necessarily on this trip, but hey, it might work to do that for the first hour or two.
I'll be interested in reading what you think about the Palms AYCE lobster fest.
