New Years in Vegas: ready to move up in games?

fimbulwinter · #1 12-29-2004, 03:18 AM

I've been playing now for a little over a year seriously. My normal game is online NL with capped buyins from $400 to 100. I'm used to a 100bb or 50bb starting stack, but I understand that often in live play you don't get to start that deep.

You may have read my posts; I feel I can handle most small stakes stuff that comes up but I'm still (in my opinion) not ready for a game with very good live players as I have very little live experience and I don't think I could handle sitting live with more than $500 for a buyin. My bankroll, at this point, is very very large in relation to the stakes i play. much more than I would need to start playing games much bigger than those in which i currently sit; the reasoning for not wanting to play a game bigger than 500 is purely psychological as that money still has quite a bit of value to me being young and facing the expenses of med school etc. in the near future.

I'll be going to vegas with the girlfriend for new years and will probably play some NL while there. I anticipate the games should be fairly good/easy to beat (because of the influx of peopl due to new years) and I'd like some input from those that have experienced them. my only live NL experience is th live $100NL games at commerce/bike/hollywood park which, despite their enormous rakes, have proven to be fairly easy pickings with very little thought involved in the plays and very very terrible opposition. I always hear that play live is of a considerably lower caliber than that found online, which makes sense and has proved itself true to a degree thus far. I also feel that if i want to take the game seriously I should really play with a buyin that is meaningful to me, and hopefully one which allows for somewhat deeper stacks.

I don't know PL and would prefer a NL game. I plan to bring 4K of my bankroll and will be playing for 2 days, specifically the 30th and 31st. can anyone advise:

1. What level game and where I should play?
2. What are the blinds at that level live?
3. What (in general) will the table makeup/skill level be at such a game?
4. What is the rake (in general) at bigger NL games? I'm actually curious on this one both in Vegas and bigger games elsewhere. Do they just take 3-5 bucks a hand no matter the level or does the rake escalate as the game gets bigger?

thanks for the responses

fim

DBowling · #2 12-29-2004, 05:57 AM

might wanna cross post in b&m just because.
i havent played in vegas yet myself, so sorry, cant help

fimbulwinter · #3 12-29-2004, 07:43 AM

good call. done.

limon · #4 12-29-2004, 02:55 PM

the palms will be insane new years. 4k is a more than enought for a weekend of 2-5nl att the palms.

OrangeCat · #5 12-29-2004, 04:51 PM

You would like the Palms or Bellagio but getting into a game will be difficult on New Years. You should come back the following week during the CES show.

I go back and forth between LA and Vegas quite a bit. I only play the 100 to 500 max buy in NLHE games. I usually do better in Vegas. I think this is because Vegas has a much higher percentage of casual players who are there to gamble. LA has more maniacs. Both places have quite a few wannabe poker pros but I think the percentage is higher in LA. Vegas has a higher percentage of strong players but you should be able to spot them. This is just my impression of the lower level NL - the higher stakes games probably have a totally different makeup.

NickPoker · #6 12-29-2004, 05:09 PM

Mirage also has decent 100 to 500 games. I haven't played a whole lot in Vegas, but Balley's 100 to 200 was easy pickings when I was out there earlier this month.

Don Olney · #7 12-29-2004, 08:29 PM

aladdin now has some very good 1/2 games --- 3 to 4 going all the time ---- 2/5 game has turned into a GREAT GAME --- goes after 6 every night the last two weeks ---- STAFF IS GREAT ---DEALERS GOOD TO VERY GOOD --- ROOM IS GREAT ---------
I say SCREW THE COMPS AND PLAY A NICE ROOM ----------

NotMitch · #8 12-30-2004, 06:01 PM

[ QUOTE ]
aladdin now has some very good 1/2 games --- 3 to 4 going all the time ---- 2/5 game has turned into a GREAT GAME --- goes after 6 every night the last two weeks ---- STAFF IS GREAT ---DEALERS GOOD TO VERY GOOD --- ROOM IS GREAT ---------
I say SCREW THE COMPS AND PLAY A NICE ROOM ----------

[/ QUOTE ]

The aladdin 1/2 is very good. (Don I think we played in it together a few weeks ago.) I never did make it into the 2/5 but should have goven it a try on Sunday I think. But agreed great room, great staff.