Playing in Vegas

[ramjam]

I am a beginning online player. I started a couple of months ago after having only played poker two or three times for pennies during my youth. I have studied a number of standard texts (including TOP and HEPFAP). My record at online HE ring games (mostly 1-2, some .25/.50) since I started compiling data on January 1 is +$203 over 38 hours (I would estimate that I blew about $50 bucks when I started in December).

I will be travelling through California and Nevada and will stopover in Vegas for three days.

Perhaps someone could advise me:
-What are the lowest limit HE games available in casinos (and in which ones)?
-Would it be advisable for me to play in those games given my limited experience - or am I likely to be a big dog?

[Dynasty]

The smallest game you will find is probably the 2-4 game at the Palms.

However, anybody who has read HEPFAP and TOP should have no problem at any of the 3-6 or 4-8 games on the Strip.

[Dentist]

Dynasty,

Since you are the Vegas legend on this board:

Where is the best list of what games are spread on what days, and each of the Vegas cardrooms?
I've always heard that pokerpages is bad, and I wanted an updated list before I hit Vegas in March.

Have you ever compiled a list? or do you only play at certain venues?

Which place holds the best tournaments? I'm really thinking of the under $50 buy-in tournaments...

How's the Sahara no-limit tournament on sunday nights?

I'm going to be there on a Sunday through Thursday and wanted to know my best bets for good weekday hold 'em so that I don't run into too many complete rocks and semi-pros.

I generally play between 4-8 and 8-16 (although I might try some 10-20).

[Howard Burroughs]

Well I'm not Dynasty but people HAVE told me to, "Die! Nasty". So I'll try to sub until the master returns.

1) Sahara no-limit Sunday tournie:


Although I have not played in the Sunday tournie, I have played the mid-week no-limit hold'em tournament more then a few times. This is where you need to be. Short fields, bad payers. Go get 'em Dentist. The money is there for the taking. If not, it's still your best chance to shine.

2) Best local tournies:

Orleans & Mirage. If you are looking for under $50, better make it Orleans & Sahara. Orleans is......big fields & well run. Sahara......Small fields and "so-so" run.

The Luxor A.M. tournie is a real crap-shoot but might be worth a look for
some fun. Who knows, someone has to win those things. IF you find yourslf up that early & standing inside the pyramid; Hell, have some fun.


3) If you want to avoid as many rocks as you can, avoid playing in daytime games. Most rocks are early to bed & early to rise. Swing shift & graveyard are when the best games can be found most days of the week. Y.M.M.V.

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Card Rooms In the Las Vegas Valley............

1) New Town Tavern

2) Poker Palace

3) Arizona Charlies (west side location only)

4) Plaza

5) Binion's

6) El Cortez

7) Boulder Station

8) Sam's Town

9) Sunset Station

10) Texas Station

11) Nevada Palace (tournaments only)

12) Palace Station

13) Palms

14) Orleans

15) Flamingo

16) Sahara

17) Circus Circus

18) Stardust

19) Mirage

20) Bellagio

21) Monte Carlo

22) Excalibur (great room for beginners)

23) Luxor

24) Mandalay Bay

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That's my list anyway. I have played in all of these rooms many, many times. Though, it has been a couple of months since I've been inside the Nevada Palace.

BTW, There are two new card rooms that should be opening up sometime later in the year.


Hope I have been of some help.

Enjoy your visit to Las Vegas.


Best of Luck

Howard

[KrackedKings]

Howard,

Very useful info, and much appreciated.

I'm coming to Las Vegas for a long weeked (4 days) shortly, and I also have never played in a casino (about 120 hours of online).

Are you mainly a tournament player or do you play a lot of ring games also? I think I'd like tournaments, but will wait to have more experience first.

You said Excalibur is great for beginner casino players. What do they do? And what games do they spread? I expect to have some "performance jitters" (making stupid beginner flubs that slow up game, etc.) I'd like to minimize those flubs.

Thanks for the information again,

KK

[sucka]

I'd skip the Excalibur if I were you. With the amount of time that you've spent playing the game you'll be fine anyplace you play. Believe me, I've played in a $6/12 game at the Mirage with players who weren't 100% sure why they had to "post" blinds. I'm not kidding. FWIW, I think the Excalibur holdem game is a $2-6 spread that probably plays like a $2/4.

Within 2 orbits, you'll be comfortable and ready to take those jokers down!

I'd highly recommend the $3/6 game at the Mirage. It's a great room and a highly beatable game. If you like a 'non-smoking' room, then I strongly suggest playing the $3/6 at the Mirage, the $4/8 at the Bellagio or the $4/8 at the Orleans.

I think once you've played in any of those rooms and then you stroll by the Excalibur room and see all of the old crusties in there chain smoking and grinding it out you'll see what I mean.

[Dentist]

thanx for the info - GREAT POST.

Now, that I know which casinos have card rooms, if I only knew which games they spread........during the week.

I do have a tournament list from cardplayer mag....but knowing which places spread which games - now that would be great..

[Howard Burroughs]

All rooms spread low limit hold'em (ie 4-8, 3-6, 2-6, or simular ilk).

MOST rooms have very low limit stud (1-5).

For Stud 8, refer to my post in the stud forum (pertaining to stud 8) on ths site (2+2). But to put it in short words. There's not much stud 8 in town but if that's your game & you don't play too high (higher then 2-10, 20 on end), you should be able to find a game if you do your home work.

Low-limit Omaha 8 is spread at a few rooms but the Orleans is your safest bet to have game's going. IMHO.

I was in there the other day & they had five O/8 games going. More then any other room in town I would think. Never hurts to call a room before you get there to find out for sure what is going on at the given moment BTW.

***********************

8-16 hold'em is at Bellagio. This is a great game for the most part.

10-20 hold'em is at Mirage & Binion's (and here or there now & then, like the usual weekend at the Orleans). If you want to play 10-20, your best bet is Mirage or Binion's. Mirage plays very rocky most days A.M (even more rocky then most A.M. games). But can, and does get good later. Binion's casino is another world. Some love it, Some hate it. Decide for your self.

I think Bellagio 8-16 hold'em is your best bet in that 8-16 to 10-20 family. Y.M.M.V. though.

As Sucka said, the Mirage 6-12 can be a great game too.

Mirage has 5-10 stud & up (as well as 1-5).

Bellagio has 4-8 stud & up (as well as 1-5).

************************

In essence, if you play the 4-8 type game there are a gazilion places to choose from.

If you play 10-20ish (hold'em), it's pretty much Binion's, Mirage & Bellagio.

If you play higher, then it's the Bellagio-Mirage Two-step for you.

Best of Luck

Howard

[Howard Burroughs]

KK,

1) I mostly play low-limit cash games.


2) The Excalibur spreads hold'em (2-6 at any time) and stud (1-5).

They sometimes get other games but that's what they have most nights.

The rake on the stud is high but their stud games have more gambling tourists per capita then you could imagine.



3) What makes the Excalibur a great room for beginners, In my opinion?

I've played a lot of hours over the years and IMHO the dealer's (as a whole) seem to be more patient to beginners then in most rooms.

Plus they bring out food at 4 pm (6 days a week) for the players.

The games are great on graveyard but a rock garden weekdays A.M. (do you see pattern forming here?).

If you get pocket aces cracked in hold'em, you get to spin a money wheel ($20-$300). You also spin for any four of a kind or better.


**************************


In essence, the people that work there go out of their way to be helpful. Not the only place like this, but the most consistant to beginners for my money.


Best of Luck

Howard

[Dynasty]

Dentist, I never saw your request to me. I'm sorry I didn't reply.

I only play on the Strip and all the low-limit games there are very beatable. You'll find 6-12 and 10-20 at the Mirage. 8-16 is at the Bellagio. All the other rooms spread 4-8 or 3-6.

If you're going to play 3-6 or 4-8, you should consider staying away from the Mirage and Bellagio. They have the highest rakes on the Strip. The have a $4 total rake with no jackpot. All the other places on the Strip have the same $4 rake but with various types of jackpots and bonuses. Essentially, you have a freeroll at all the places.

I actually played the Excalibur 2-6 spread limit hold'em game last Monday with Clarkmeister. It was the first time I played it. The game is much more beatable than any 3-6 game could possibly be as long as you adjust to the game's structure. The ability to raise to $8 pre-flop and bet $6 on the flop allows you to severely punish the weaker players.

[balt999]

Along with the Palms, there is a 2-4 game at Palace Station...

[sucka]

good point about the rake. I haven't played all the places on the strip and didn't realize that most of them still had the $3 rake + the $1 jackpot. From other players I had talked to, I got the impression that just about everyone on the strip was bumping their rake up to $4 max.

That's good information though - we'll definitely spread out a little this next trip and try to play some other places.

I'm REALLY fond of the no-smoking rooms though - we walked past the Excalibur room a couple times when we were down that way and the smoke in there was horrendus.

It's nice to have that extra shot at a jackpot - but I think I'd rather play in a relatively smoke free environment and not shave a couple years off my life from inhaling all that mess over a 4 day trip. /forums/images/icons/smirk.gif

[Dynasty]

Some of the smaller rooms have their tables set up so that one half of the table is non-smoking. That may help a bit.

[KrackedKings]

Howard,

That was part of the good info you provided -- avoiding the rocks. I'm posting this at 1:40 AM. I'm a night owl.

KK