Vegas Bound

June 15th: Anyone who knows me, knows that among my many hobbies is playing poker. I have a great group of friends here in Utah that play, and most weekends find me at one or another tournament or cash game. We play for pretty low stakes and not much money is won or lost. The game appeals to me though, in a way that no other game ever has. There's something about the combination of math (figuring the odds, making "correct" decisions) and psychology (figuring out your opponents motivations and strategies) that holds an endless facination for me. I'm not the best player in the world, but I enjoy the competition and am always trying to get better.  Over the past six or seven years, the beginning of the summer has always meant a pilgrimage to Las Vegas and the World Series of Poker. I go not to play in the Series itself, but to immerse myself in the carnival atmosphere that is six-weeks of high-stakes poker playing. It's fun to watch and there are always tons of tourists in town that play in lower-stakes tournaments and cash games. This year I'm traveling down there with my friend Justin and staying with Jim, my poker connection in San Diego. This year Jim has managed to luck box his way into a $1500 entry into a World Series event. I'm looking forward to railing (poker slang for watching) him and hoping that he can do well in the tournament.