Trip Report - Vegas low limits.

[TripleH68]

My latest trip to Vegas was a combination of golf and poker. This turned out to be too ambitious. With tee times at 7:00am and afternoons at the pool...my trip turned into more of an experiment on sleep deprivation than anything else. That said...

Hotel: JW Marriott - If you are looking for a place off the strip this is a very nice hotel with a comfortable, quiet pool. Very family oriented, which was nice for my brother and his son. Connected to Rampart casino. Adequate little place. No poker.

Poker:

Sahara - Just to get my feet wet I jumped into a 2-4 game. The game had a few seedy characters, but that was nothing compared to the crowd walking past. For 2-4 it sure was a tense game. Gave me the feeling this was not necessarily low stakes for some of the players.

For comedy there was a gal who sat down with $80 and was playing every hand. She kept open-folding on the turn or the river when she did not like her hand. Her boyfriend watched over her shoulder and obviously knew nothing about poker. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

I could only stand to play a few orbits and left down $10.

Mirage - Got into a newly formed 6-12 game. The game was about half locals and played pretty tight. My experience with local players in Vegas rang true in this game. Most were tight preflop and played straightforward postflop. A check-raise was rare and anything resembling bluff also rare.

I played about five hours plus $90.

Mandalay Bay - 4-8 at Mandalay Bay has $2 for the first round of betting. It can be raised to $6. This was one of those games where when you raised in late position half the limpers would be told by the dealer "four more" and would say "oh, okay." Great stuff.

I pissed off some lady by 3-betting her on the flop with A9s making top pair. She hit her str8 draw on the turn, but I runner-runnered the flush and check-raised her ass on the river. She gave me the longest coldest stare and in her cigarette grizzled voice said "runner-runner?" Hooha.

They guy next to me says "You play a lot of no limit?" I said "No never, I hate that game." He says "You play like a no limit player. You don't play many hands but you like to raise them when you do." Hello?

I could play only two hours up $77.

Binions - Ha ha ha. During the day 2-4 was ridiculously soft. I switched to some 4-8 and it was like a private game. Locals and they all knew eachother. I got crushed when I raised KQ and flop came KQ6. There was a devil's set out.

I did force an older lady to leave the game. Two limpers to me and I raise in the CO with A9s, BB calls. I bet all the way(lady folds) and hit a broadway str8 on the river. She says "he's betting with nothing and he's calling with [censored]. That's it, I'm leaving." lol.

About 1 1/2 hours of afternoon play. Down $9.

MGM Grand - Believe the hype. It was a great place to play. Though only 2-4 and 4-8 limit was available.

I played 4-8 from 10pm to 5:30am. There was a convention in the hotel and several poor players were at the table. As the night wore on the game got tougher, but from 10pm to about 3:30am the game was as loose and passive as they come. I played aggressively and hit a couple nice draws, and built a tremendous pyramid of blue chips.

The best hit was QJ [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] in the BB.
K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]T [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].
What a sweet river. I bet the river and got to show down my beautiful str8 flush. First ever in live play.

Cashed out up $345 and strolled out to daylight.

Wynn - I wanted to try some 8-16, but the game was half full when I arrived in the afternoon and looked tough. Being a little nitty I sat in a new 4-8 game and had great position at the table. The guy on my right was a good, aggressive player. The two players to my left were tight. Players across from me were Laggy, especially the guy two seats to my right.

I hit one really huge pot where I limped in with 55 and it was raised and 3-bet behind me with six-way action. Flop was KQ5 with two [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. We capped the flop three or four ways, I got a raise in on the turn and my set held up. Bingo.

One thing that must be noted about Wynn. It seems in order to be a cocktail waitress you must be very good looking. All the gals were so hot it was very distracting in the best of ways. Even when one spilled a cold coffee drink all down a guys shirt at our table!

I left Wynn after six hours and headed to the airport up $248.

Poker total = +$741.

Other gambling cost me about $300. Why do I bet on horse racing? It is a long term losing proposition. Please berate me.

I am a knucklehead though being from Detroit and making $00.00 on the Pistons while in Vegas.

I also stared at Retief Goosen at 12-1 in the US Open but decided against it. We will see tomorrow.

Golf: Paiute was phenomenal. Surrounded by mountains and barren desert. TPC Canyon a typical TPC. Very well done but a little antiseptic. Angel Park gets a big thumbs down.

To sum up for those of you interested in live play and worried about levels of difficulty: I have been playing for 1 1/2 years and am a marginal winner at 1-2 online. The 4-8 games I played in at MGM and Wynn were easier than 1-2 online. And I am not just saying this because I had a good run.

Overheard at the podium at Wynn. Young guy(25ish) says "I want to play Texas Hold'em." Hot blonde replies "We have 4-8, 8-16, 15-30, blah blah no limit, etc." He says "wait a minute. I don't know what any of that means..." Get my drift?

Now get your ass to Vegas.

[Qwijibo]

Nice post. Looks like you were running pretty well throughout. Hope I have the cards going for me; heading down there next Wednesday.

[gr8vertical]

It looks like you should have went with Goosen [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[KenProspero]

Thanks for the write up. I'll be down there in a couple of weeks.

Probably playing at Mandalay, MGM and maybe one night at Alladin.

[lighterjobs]

[ QUOTE ]
It looks like you should have went with Goosen [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

bodog laid him at 13-1. i am kicking myself.

[TripleH68]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
It looks like you should have went with Goosen [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

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bodog laid him at 13-1. i am kicking myself.

[/ QUOTE ]

Looks like the goose laid a rotten egg.

Boy would I have been pissed...

[Acepimp05]

Welcome to my life i live 20 mins from the strip and play at the mirage mainly,but have been going to mgm latly because more fish.I played at 6/12 game at mirage you werent there on a monday or tue were you?Thats what i play, mostly no bluffing at limits if they bet they have a at least toppair.Makes you never wanna play that online BS lol.The people give there money away at 2/4 saraha river rats they are.But yep vegas offers alot for me plus i deal at the palms if any one goes there play a 3/6 look for dan.