Where to begin....

***editors note***
What you are about to read is missing several key links. Please do not think of me as a bad blogger. It would be better if you could think of me as someone that has 79 miles of dial-up that really kicks ass! It's just that today the ass it's kicking so hard, is mine!

= = = = = =

"It's the most wonderful time of the year."
It most certainly is!

No, I'm not ready to start talking Christmas just yet. I mean the 2009 WPBT Winter gathering.

The only possible downsides there could ever be to such a wondrous thing are;

a) It went by WAY too fast and is sadly over already
&
b) I have to try to put into words, how amazingly fortunate I am to have had these past 3 days.

Now I know that no intelligent being stops by here, to admire my skilled and deft writing craftsmanship. There are REAL writers out there for that and as a group, we should all know that we're damn lucky to have them. When I look at the fact that each of those gentlemen has called me a friend and also that our time around a gaming table/bar has created experiences that I for one will never forget, I just wish I had the ability and skill set to convey my gratitude properly through this space. Alas, my usual mumbling and muttering is just going to have to do. Hopefully as we stumbled, (almost always literally!) into one another, I did a much better job of getting that point across in person.

Peb's and I got in to Vegas earlier than ever on Thursday, having checked in to Bally's and holding our first drinks of the trip by noon. That was where we gave in to the first of our four major Vegas vices. The Lobstermania Penny slots.

Three hours, $20, 4 Scotch, 6 beer and 5 C.C. and Gingers later, I thought we'd gotten the trip off to a pretty good start.

Since it was just about 4:00pm local, (7:00pm actual body time) we headed over to The Flamingo for something to eat. Cow and Crab served the purpose just fine thank you very much. The second of our Vegas vices, had just gone by the wayside.

Knowing that everyone would start filing into The Geisha bar at The IP fairly soon, vice #3 was also about to bite the dust. We grabbed two seats at our Let it Ride table just outside the bar and started the -EV amusement. Our seats allowed us the perfect vantage point to see everyone as they arrived. New friends were made and old friends were grabbed and squeezed to no end. Manly man hugs and "I have been waiting to squish you forever" hugs with the ladies ensued, almost as often as the exceptional cocktail service made it's rounds around our table.

I wasn't up huge, but I was indeed up. That is of course until the ulti-cooler made an appearance to stop by and, "just say hello." Sixteen hands! That's how many hands both Peb's and I lost straight, once F-Train stopped by for a visit. The first hand after he left to go say hey to the folks over at Pai Gow, I get a no-brainer win and Peb's turns a set into a boat for a much bigger score. I then went on a streak of six winning hands in a row. I tossed a green $25 chip over to the Pai Gow table, asking them to keep the cooler right by their sides if they would. Slightly funny side thought though! The screams of "Pai Gow" seemed to settle right down over there, once F-Train joined in on the fun. Coincedence? Hmmmmm....... Just sayin'. :)

We eventually made our way over to the Geisha to take part in The AlCantHang Experience. Truly the only show you're ever going to see in Vegas, worth the price of admission. The crowd grew and grew and as the night went on, The Geisha Bar was ours. I even got to meet Poker Grump, who I'd only known by name until that point. Of course I did what I always do when I get well lubricated and meet new people! I miss-told a hand history to perfection, confusing the hell out of both Pauly and The Poker Grump. Good times!

Well after a few hours of settling in for some great conversations with almost everyone, I saw the Let it Ride table just sitting there. ALL ALONE! Empty.

Grabbing hands and arms and using any other means available to me at the time, I called for The Blogger Let it Ride Olympics to begin. Dragging DRIZZ, CK, Recess, Dr. Chako and several others along for the fun.

That's when in comes my friend and fellow BB, BadBlood.

Blood : Let it ride Bammer.
Bammer : OK.
Blood : Damn!
Bammer : Hahahahaha. That's OK, it happens.
Blood : Here. (he hands me $20)
Bammer : What's that for?
Blood : Let it Ride.
Bammer : OK
Blood : Well, maybe look at one.

We pick the center card and reveal The Queen of Hearts.

Blood : Good enough. Let it Ride.
Bammer : Hahahahaha. Sure!

We hit two pair and get paid.

Blood : Let it Ride again Bammer.
Bammer : You sure?
Blood : Let's just look at one.

We pick the center card and reveal once again, The Queen of Hearts.

Blood : That's good enough. Let it Ride.
Bammer : Okey Dokey.

We flop a Queen for a pair and get paid.

Bammer : Here you go. (attempting to hand Blood his profit)
Blood : Let it Ride Bammer. Trust me.
Bammer : Blood dude, seriously? Take the cash.
Blood : Bammer, trust me.
Bammer : Can we look at one again?
Blood : Sure.

We pick the center card and reveal to our amazement, The Queen of Hearts.

Blood and Bammer : (in near harmony) Let it Ride!

Here's how that worked out for us.


I guess a straight's not too shabby!

But then again, maybe it is!

With conversation at the table that will most likely never be repeated without ALL of the exact same participants around at the same time, DRIZZ took the game to the next level. Prompting what I think is the only tweet that everyone was pretty happy to bring their phones over to show me.

Otis : Let it Ride is the new Pai Gow!

I don't know a whole lot about what the Casino's really think about us invading their little corner of the world, but I do think I know one thing about The IP. I think that they'd pay out this little pot over and over again,


just for the pure enjoyment that is the DRIZZ, "Quadzilla" celebration dance.

If the first day's events were any indication at all, this was going to be one hell of a great weekend!

We'll see if I can get another day done tomorrow, including why no one should mess with 130 lbs. of fury!

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....