Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

I'm organizing a group of guys who play regularly to go to Vegas for my Bachelors Party. We'd like to get into a tournament or a poker room for a while and play. Most of us aren't regulars at the casinos though. Any reco's on where to play?

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

I'm investigating the same thing. The answers seem to be as follows:
1) Bally's is an aquarium after 11pm.
2) The Excalibur is "newbie-friendly"
3) The MGM is great for the young "hip" crown - very modern
4) Aladdin and Harrah's are a solids mix of regulars and tourists.
5) Not much easy money, or tourist-friendly options downtown

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

More importantly Nick - what hotel are you choosing?

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm investigating the same thing. The answers seem to be as follows:
1) Bally's is an aquarium after 11pm.
2) The Excalibur is "newbie-friendly"
3) The MGM is great for the young "hip" crown - very modern
4) Aladdin and Harrah's are a solids mix of regulars and tourists.
5) Not much easy money, or tourist-friendly options downtown


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6) the Luxor is a nice low limit room and very newbie freindly.

7) the 4-8 at the Bellagiao is full of retards (copied from someone els's post but pretty much confirmed from personal experience.)
8)the strawberry smoothies (strawberry julius?) at the Bellagiao might be the greatest beverage in the world. ( Thanks for the tip Milo!)
9) the Wynn poker room is beautiful but I think the floor sucks.

10)the Excalibur poker room has 1-3 spread limit but play the 2-6 because you want to be able to spin the big wheel if your aces get cracked or you make a big hand.

11)Avoid the buffet at the Excalibur at all costs.
12) Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill in Caesar's Palace made me fart, a lot.

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

Nobody ever recommends the mirage...

Try the mirage, the floorstaff is very reasonable and will attempt to try to seat some of you at the same table.

Nice room, clean, and larger than it looks.

you can get a free buffet comp around 7:45pm if you talk to the floorstaff (best buffet in town)

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

Go here (not my site, but awesome)

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

I absolutely HATE the Luxor's room. It's terrible. It just feels so... I don't even know... crap. Go to the Mirage and hit the 3/6 or the 6/12. The games are good, floor's great, the waitresses are liberal with the double shots, and they have plenty of tables to hopefully get you guys all together on the same table if that's what you want. The Bellagio and the Wynn are the nicest rooms and have great waitresses (sometimes it's spotty) - go play the 4/8 there. I personally don't really like the MGM, but I think it might be a hit with your bachelor party. Hit that too.

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

If you play NL, the Luxor's system is horrible. Max is $50 for blinds of $1-1-2. And what happens when you win a hand? $1 tip to a dealer. Or when the cocktail waitress comes around. Not worth it.

I'd also try the Stratosphere's poker room, which has $2/4 (and up, depending on demand, but mainly $2/4) and NL $1/2 ($200 max) tables. It's pretty friendly for beginners.

If you have a way to get there, the Tuscany's new poker room has these morning $300 freerolls (top 3 places pay). I think they're M-Th though. Registration starts at 8 a.m. for the 10:30 a.m. tournament, 40 players max. The Tuscany is on Flamingo near Bally's.

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

No offense but saying

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Not worth it.

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in regards to a 1/1/2 NL game with a $50 buy-in (and you can rebuy up to $99 if you tip the dealer a buck)

and then recommending 2/4 is ridiculous

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

I still think the Luxor room is good for beginners. the limits are low and the competition is soft.

Bypass the Pyramid cafe if you just want a sandwhich. The Nile Deli near the sportsbook has really good sandwiches. Yhe brisket sandwich on pretzel bread is really good.

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

Anyone played at the new Wynn poker room? Is it worth a visit out there? I'm staying at the Rio this weekend so the Wynn isn't exactly next door for me.

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

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Anyone played at the new Wynn poker room? Is it worth a visit out there? I'm staying at the Rio this weekend so the Wynn isn't exactly next door for me.

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Neither is much of anything except the Palms, which is worth checking out. I didn't hit the poker room there, but it looks like a really fun place. Plus, the cocktail waitresses I saw were hottttttttttt.

What you should do is, in the morning, hop on the free shuttle they have from Rio to Harrah's on the Strip, which is right across the street from Mirage and down the street a little way from Wynn. From there you probably could walk it, but if you wanted a cab for whatever reason, once you're on the Strip its easier.

Then again, Wynn is one of the few places I meant to hit but didn't on my first trip out...gotta get back there.

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

If you end up at Orleans at some point(I know, off-strip, but...), they have reasonable buy-in tourneys every day without feeling like you need to be a high-roller to play and they are well run.

They will also set up a private tourney for you and your friends, if you ask. I think it was a $50+10, or something like that. Dealers included. You just need to play at a time they can accomadate you.

Have fun.

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

Edge - you need to get over the distance thing in LV. I stay at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay and takes cabs.

I'll be there this weekend as well and probably spending most of my time at MGM and the other new rooms seeking out the tourist fish. I might go to Wynn just to check it out and will probably skip the Bellagio altogether. Might also hit the Mirage 6-12 game so my buds can play some 3-6.

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

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Edge - you need to get over the distance thing in LV. I stay at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay and takes cabs.

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[img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] I think I recommended something eerily similar to the guy I responded to, who is staying off-strip at Rio. All I said was that he should take the free shuttle if he's going to the strip, then he can decide whether he wants to walk or cab it...

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

I'd like to echo the sentiments of some of the previous posters. Forget MGM and Luxor, the Mirage is great. The floor and wait staff are professional and friendly. There is plenty of action for LLHE, and the poker room is spacious, smoke-free, and spreads all kinds of games.

Las Vegas and Distance
 

Off topic, but can I ask why more people don't seem to rent cars in Vegas? Particularily if you're not alone? It's like $32 a day with gas, even alone that's probably 4 cab rides a day and the freedom it gives you is certainly worth it. If you have a friend with you, you probably come out ahead in the end. And you can always leave the car at the casino you're at if you want to get drunk. Seems like a no brainer to me. Unless you just want to stay where your room is, which I don't when I am in Vegas.

Re: Las Vegas and Distance
 

I just think its the hassle of walking all the way to the parking garage and dealing with the Las Vegas traffic that deters the rentals. Not to mention valet can take forever.

On a side note, a rental can be had for around 18/day + taxes which is very good.

Re: Las Vegas and Distance
 

Cause those cab lines sure are great... I don't think there's much to choose between the valet and cab lines when things are busy.

Re: Las Vegas and Distance
 

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Off topic, but can I ask why more people don't seem to rent cars in Vegas?

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1. cocktails
   
2. staying and playing on the strip - not really going elsewhere
   
3. can't be bothered finding way around, fighting strip traffic
   
4. cocktails

Re: Las Vegas and Distance
 

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1. cocktails

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Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

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the strawberry smoothies (strawberry julius?) at the Bellagiao might be the greatest beverage in the world. ( Thanks for the tip Milo!)

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But the Organge Jilius is consistently terrible! Never order the orange julius at the Bellagio. Wynn's by contrast is pretty good, although I've only had one.

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

Take your bachelor party crew downtown to the El Cortez for some cheap rakes (lowest in Vegas), good company, and Corona served in a can.

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

I heard that Casino Fairlawn is really good. Free money!!!!

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

I haven't seen anyone mention tourneys....

I was out there a couple weeks ago, and the Sahara has the best structure IMO

42 buyin, 20 rebuy = T2000 + T1500
blinds start at 25/25 and are 20 mins.

daily tourneys at 11am 7pm 11pm

you won't find a better low buy in game. you gotta take the monorail to get there though.

Imperial had some fishy tables but that room is pretty crappy...

Re: Las Vegas and Distance
 

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I just think its the hassle of walking all the way to the parking garage and dealing with the Las Vegas traffic that deters the rentals. Not to mention valet can take forever.

On a side note, a rental can be had for around 18/day + taxes which is very good.

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The adjustment for the long valet wait is simple. Tipping! It doesn't take a big tip either. Just show them a few bucks behind your reclaim ticket and watch them move you to the front of the line. I would much rather tip the valet than a rude dealer. Most people do not use valet service because they do not realise just how cheap it is.

Re: Poker Rooms in Vegas
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm organizing a group of guys who play regularly to go to Vegas for my Bachelors Party. We'd like to get into a tournament or a poker room for a while and play. Most of us aren't regulars at the casinos though. Any reco's on where to play?

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Where are you staying? What limits do you want to play?

You can play some form of low limit poker at the majority of strip casinos. You probably want to donk it up close to where you sleep.

The answer also depends on whether or not you want to spot poker pros or have hot waitresses bring you drinks or if you just looking for weak players.