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KrackedKings
02-24-2003, 01:33 AM
This past few days I played at 4 Las Vegas card rooms. In fact, it was my first live poker anywhere.

A brief summary of my experience:

This was mainly a vacation, so sight seeing, escape from winter were as important as card play. I did have fun!

About the card play:

I played in 4 different casinos, all low-limit games -- mostly 2-4-8-8 spread limit Hold'em. I was tense, especially the 1st day (played 2 different days). I found it very difficult to concentrate when not relaxed (takes a while to filter out the unimportant).

I played 2 hours the first session, lost $1. Played 3 hours somewhere else, won $2.50.

Played 1.5 hours the next day at the Monte Carlo and lost $36. (I'll say more later about this. One hand bothered me at this place.)

After a break, I went to another card room and played for 7.5 hours and won $20

So I lost $14 - $15 over 14 hours of playing.

My hole cards were poor to terrible, but this isn't a bad beat story as the flops were a mixed bag for me of good flops and bad. Many of the hands I played were from late position or the blinds with several callers before me and no raises so I could come in with 5-4 suited, T-9 unsuited and the like and get out cheap if the flop didn't hit hard.
Half of the time these tables were loose enough and passive enough to take shots like the above, lucky for me as I wasn't getting better cards too often.
In 14 hours -- No AA's, one KK (and someone else had AA that same hand, thus the handle), one QQ, no JJ, two TT's, one 99, and three 88's, no 77's, and lot's of small pairs. I never had any AK's suited or unsuited, had one AQ unsuited, and two AJ's unsuited (I thought AT unsuited was a good hand after a 9-10 hours of this). Also only had no KQ suited, one KJ suited, two KT suited, and no QJ suited.

It's not to whine that I'm mentionining the above, what I'm saying to other beginners is that even if you receive poor starting cards it's possible to play close and not loose much and even win sometimes.

Later, I say more about the hand at Monte Carlo that upset me. (I got up and left the game about 15 minutes after the hand because it was still bothering me).

Krackedkings

Howard Burroughs
02-24-2003, 06:42 AM
Of the four card rooms you played in, which one did you feel was the best overall poker room?

I know you did not play long. Just curious.



PS, Don't forget to post your Monte Carlo situation. I'd kinda like to read that.

Best of Luck

Howard

KrackedKings
02-24-2003, 04:13 PM
Howard,

Yeah, I want to thank you. I played at the Excalibur, which you recommended. That was my 7.5 hours of play on the second day.

It is surprising just how much dealers set the tone for the game, and they had a couple of excellent dealers there, who were entertaining as well as technically professional. I can see why many perfer card rooms.

On the other hand, one dealer made a misdeal which ended up breaking up my table. The player on my direct left had been dealt a KK was steamed. The dealer tried to make up for it, saying he would give this guy some money later. The steamed player got up and tried to change tables without asking. Soon the table was down to 7 then 6 players (about 4 hands were played before it totally broke up at the 6 player level). I used the opportunity to win a couple of small pots with very little by being aggressive.
A short while later I was playing at another full table.

Yep, Excalibur became my favorite. And it wasn't that smokey while I was there.

I think I was the only greenhorn at these tables -- at all 4 places, or maybe it just seemed that way.

I also played a short time at the Orleans, ran into impatient people working there. I suspect my experience would be better some other time.

Thanks again,

KK