Vegas trip report -- plaza downtown tourneys

[MrBrightside]

This isn't a full trip report, just the poker stuff. I'll give as much detailed info on the tourneys that I remember, in case anyone else is thinking of playing the Plaza tourneys. Summary: Overall, I thought they were very well run. The single table tourneys are a joke, you are better off playing craps.

Single table $25s: I played one of these, and one was enough. It's 10 people, winner take all for $200, which means the rake is $5 of your $20, pretty steep. You only get 1000 chips. The blinds start at 25/50 and double every 15 minutes. I'd rather go put $20 on the hard 10 at the craps table or something. Less house rake, and probably just as much luck.
This was mainly a trip with the wife, but I played a few tourneys at the Plaza. I settled on there because a: we stayed there, b: the binions' tourney's rake was outrageous (if you include the 2% withheld for the tourney of champions at the end of the month, which is usuelss for visitors) and c: the Golden Nugget tourneys were too high for my bankroll).

First off, if you're thinking of the plaza as a place to stay, it was OK. Nothing great. Nowhere near as nice as the Golden Nugget, but cheaper. I still prefer the Main STreet Station, hands down, as my favorite hotel in all of Las Vegas, but we couldn't get a room there (they fill up WAY in advance).

The first nite, I played the midnight tourney. Web site advertised a $50 with $50 rebuy, but it was actually broken down like so: $55 + $10 entry fee + $3 Bonus Buy of 500 chips (went to dealers) for totals of $68 for 2000 chips. A single $30 rebuy got you 2000 more chips. I wondered who on earth wouldn't take this, but I saw what appeared to be a local rock from the $1/$2 NL cash game move over to play this tourney and NOT take the rebuy when he busted out?!?

Pace of blinds, I thought, was very nice. 25/50 to start. 20 minute levels. Levels went like so (sb/bb/ante):
25/50/0
50/100/0
100/200/0
100/200/25
200/400/50
400/800/75
600/1200/100
800/1600/150
1000/2000/200

We got 30 players (full). Not only that, but several alternates came in after people busted. Players seemed a mixed bag of a few locals, WPT wannabees (of which I was probably pegged as one. I wore sunglasses because I know I suck at playing live). I knew I was in for a nice nite when I got AA in the third hand in early position. I raised to 150. Guy (who seemed a local) called. BB also calls. Flop is 7 10 A with two to a suit. BB checks, I bet out 125 (into a pot of about 500 at this point) and local raises alot (I think it was 500 more) , BB folds. I go ahead at reraise here, as I think he has something and thinks he is pushing my flush draw away. and sure enough, he goes all in and I gleefully call. He turns over a set of 10s and I double up.

We get a 15 minute break after an hour, I have about 5500 or so after the 2000 chip rebuy. Didn't do much else other than that double up other than lose one race, win another. Key hand in second hour: I get JJ when the blinds are 100/200 with 25 antes. I'm in fourth position. UTF min raises to 400 and third position goes all in for 4000! WTF!? I sit there for a while,thinking. This guy appears to be a local and a bit of a rock. Hasn't played many hands and has shown down big when he has shown down. I put this guy on good hand that doesn't want to be called. Like 9s or 10s. Possibly AK, but would he commit all his chips? I finally decide it just smells and I call and he rolls over 10s. My JJ holds up. I was really proud of this hand because of my read and it was a key hand.

Later, I got lucky as crap winning race after race. When we went to the final table, I was a solid chip leader. As a matter of a face, I was the only won they bothered to color up to yellow $1000 chips. I had ten of them. It was kinda interesting. After several people commonted on them, I used these as raising "intimidator" chips. Something about others not having them got people to fold. I was careful to not use a tell on them, I used them whenever makign a big raise, big hand or not. Anyway, I should have won, but kinda got conservative when we got to 3 and then tried to bluff the calling station young girl (dumb). Interesting note: the payoffs were 1200-600-480-120 I asked for and never recieved an explanation of the strange jump from 4th to 3rd ($360), and the small jump from 3rd to 2nd ($120). That was part of the reason behind my argression on the final hand (I had been making moves because I didn't fear letting the short stack back into play with a double up, because I honestly didn't care if I finished third or second. I was playing to win,, the hand he busted, I also busted out).

The 7 p.m. tourney I played the other two nites, not doing real well (both times busting the second hour). It was 3 tables both nites. The $$ was a little less ($35 + $10 entry + $3 bonus for $48 with a single $20 rebuy, but only for 1500 more chips). Play/levels was the same. Nothing notable at these tourneys, other than I would say it seemed to have a few more locals/a few less tournists).