Rio trip report

[Jedster]

I've always wanted to write a trip report. Tonight I'm realizing that dream.

Earlier this evening I went to the Rio to check out how things were looking in advance of the WSOP. I also planned on playing a single table satellite or two.

I got there at about 7.30pm and parked out back by the convention area, assuming that I'd see some WSOP-related stuff going on. Although I did see Mark Seif walking down the hall with an attractive companion, I did not see a single ounce of poker activity in the area that will be the center of the poker universe in just a few days.

I continued past the coffee shop (which was closed?!?) and the Indian restaurant, finally winding through the maze of the Rio pit to the poker room. It seemed like any other poker room. Maybe 10 games were being spread.

I asked the floorperson whether they were running satellites and he said they would start 24/7 on Thursday but that until then they'd only run from 9am to 9pm. But he said there wasn't any interest in playing any more that day so they had finished for the day. (It's shocking that they don't have any interest -- hundreds of people are playing online now for WSOP seats, they can't get 10 blokes together in Vegas to play a $110 or $165 single table?)

I asked when they'd open the tournament room -- he did say that they have 60,000 square feet of space that can handle about 200 tables. He said EVERYTHING would be run out of there, including side games, satellites, and the main tournaments, starting on June 1st.

My net impression is that they are taking a minimalist approach -- the biggest event in poker starts in about 72 hours and they didn't even have one satellite going nor did they have any effort under way to seriously promote the events.

It's really good news they are going to have just one big poker room in the convention center (like the Orleans at the Orleans open). But I'm very surprised they aren't opening the tournament room on Wednesday. For starters, I'm sure that opening it Wednesday would generate a ton of satellite interest. Secondly, I'm also sure opening a brand new poker room -- which is essentially what they will be doing -- in a 60,000 square foot space is going to take some getting used to. Why not open things up a little early before the crowds start mobbing the place?

In all, I left feeling little excitement and a touch of dread. I very much hope that things run smoothly but I sense the laissez faire attitude could end up biting them in the ass. I get the sense that they think the only thing you need to get right for a tournament is hiring enough dealers, setting up enough tables, and having a structure sheet. There's much more -- side games, satellites, 2nd chance tournaments, etc., and I haven't seen any evidence that they will get those things right.

But they might get things right, and I hope they do, since I've decided to play in Friday's, Saturday's, and probably Sunday's tournaments, but if they don't, places like Wynn, Bellagio, Mirage, and MGM will more than take up the slack with the side games. (And the Bellagio daily tournaments should be bumping as well they don't run any 2nd chance tournaments at the Rio like they used to do at Binion's.)

-Jed

p.s.: I didn't even bother to play a single hand of cards. How silly is that? If your card room were hosting the biggest poker event of the year, and excited poker players came to check out your event site, wouldn't you create an environment to make them want to sit down and played a lap or two, or more? Instead, you feel like you're invading a locals casino poker room or something!

[Chairman Wood]

I was really hoping this was going to be about Rio de Janeiro. Oh well

[Chairman Wood]

Silly me, I thought I was in OOT.

[Jedster]

I will say that even though it's not THAT Rio, some of the the cocktail waitresses at Rio, Las Vegas are simply smoking. I wonder if they ones working the WSOP will be wearing the same outfits?

[TimTimSalabim]

[ QUOTE ]
My net impression is that they are taking a minimalist approach -- the biggest event in poker starts in about 72 hours and they didn't even have one satellite going nor did they have any effort under way to seriously promote the events.


[/ QUOTE ]

The $500 buyin employee tourney is the biggest event in poker?