Missing Sin City

by John Carlisle, MA, NCC

My wife and I are Las Vegas regulars. In a usual year, we'll fly into McCarran International every couple of months for a long weekend or mini-vacation. Our trips often surround the World Series of Poker or some other major tournament that I will play in (or cover for PakerPages.com). The more times that we stay and play, the better offers for free/reduced rooms and shows we get for future visits. Before long, we are accepting one of the special invitation offers and jetting off once again to hit the Strip.

Over the years we've grown to consider Sin City our second home. Quite a departure from our suburban lives on the East Coast, Las Vegas has a way of "recharging our batteries" every single time that we visit. The poker is always the big attraction for me, but the shows, restaurants, clubs, gambling and energy of the city combine to make this the ideal destination for a quick and fun getaway even if I don't play much poker. With my wife being unable to fly in the later months of her pregnancy, we could not hit Las Vegas during this winter or spring. Now with a two month-old infant to take care of at home, we are unable to travel and are watching updates of the WSOP from a couple thousand miles away. While the rewards of parenthood are incredible and immense, there is no doubt that we are still missing our beloved Sin City.

We always try to sit on the right side of the airplane when flying into the city in order to catch a view of the Strip as we descend for landing. The bright light beam from the apex of the Luxor and the sight of the Eiffel Tower send a tingle up our spines every single time. Like a couple of kids heading into an amusement part, our hearts palpitate as we get giddy with anticipation with our first step into the casino. For us, Las Vegas is our playground. We hit our favorite locales every time, and we uncover new adventures every time as well. In fact, Las Vegas is constantly changing. Even though we usually are in Vegas every couple of months, we seem to find a newly-opened restaurant, shopping area, or show every time.

For my wife and me, visiting Las Vegas is not an addiction. Instead, it is a passion. It is a source of energy, fun, excitement, and stress relief. For those few precious days that we spend together in the city we feel an odd mixture of an emotional rush and emotional comfort at the same instant. It is that emotional mix that lures us back time and again, and makes us start to plan our next trip as soon as our plane touches down on the return flight home.

If you have not been fortunate enough to visit Sin City, perhaps now is the time to do so. With the economy slowing, people are traveling less and less. In an attempt to not feel the pinch in the traveling down-turn, Las Vegas hotels have some of the cheapest room rates and best online specials that I've seen in years. Another magnet to attract poker players to the city is the WSOP. Over the past few years I've witnessed the evolution of the World Series of Poker. For a poker fan, it is a must to come to Vegas to take in some if this poker nirvana as a participant and/or spectator. Once a quiet conglomeration of a few poker pros, the WSOP and the new Gaming Life Expo have made this a tourist stop of its own right. A poker player could spend a full day roaming the exhibits of the expo to see new poker merchandise, peruse the latest poker technology, and grab freebies of all kinds. Not only will you walk away with some free posters and poker magazines, you might also walk away with an autograph or memory of meeting your favorite poker pro. Even if you don't have a grand or more to spend on a tournament entry, you could still find a cash game or low buy-in satellite to fit your bankroll to feel part of the poker excitement. Standing along the rail to watch Brunson, Chan, and Hellmuth battle for another bracelet can be a real treat for most poker amateurs. Getting lucky enough (or unlucky enough) to play against them is a memory that no one can take away from you.

My son will be old enough to allow us to travel soon enough. We will then certainly be making another trek back to our second home. When we do, it will probably feel like we are reuniting with an old friend. If you possibly can, start planning your visit and perhaps you can begin to share my passion. Especially during the WSOP, the city is a poker player's mecca. Likewise, it offers enough to thrill and entertainment to those who have no interest in our game. You might go just to have fun, make money at the poker felt, and see a few shows, but you just might make lasting memories and connections that last a lifetime while you are there as well.

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About the Author:
John is a National Certified Counselor (NCC). He has a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from West Virginia University, and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Lock Haven University. You can find out more about the psychology of poker from "the Poker Counselor" at pokercounselor@yahoo.com