Wynn Poker Room - A Short Review

[AllVegasPoker.com]

I spent about four hours at Wynn's poker room this evening, and my expectations were easily met (if not exceeded). This poker room is really fantastic.

The furnishings are top of the line. The entire room has a very classy and up-scale feel. Unlike the MGM which has a cool and trendy up-scale feel, I would say that Wynn is more dignified. Perhaps, a better room for older card players, or at least card players that are put off by the music and go-go dancers at MGM's new poker room.

One thing you will notice immediately is that the felt on the poker tables has no markings, logos, commitment lines, or anything else. The tables are just simple green. And, they all have auto shufflers. This is the way the whole room is -- it's simple, yet elegant, with the appropriate accouterments.

Honestly, the biggest problem with the physical room is that it seems like they squeezed a few too many tables in. The room has 27 tables right now. It would be perfect with 20 tables. Sure, I understand Steve has anxious shareholders, and Wall Street is watching closely -- but this room would be even better if a few tables were removed.

So, of course, I was impressed with the actual room. But, I was much, much, much more impressed with the staff. Everyone was playing their A-game. From the dealers to the cocktail waitresses to the room management. They were all consistently excellent. I found this especially remarkable considering it was opening night, and there was literally chaos outside the poker room. Yet, despite the chaos, I felt like the poker room was being run very well under the circumstances. Even more important than the organization were the employees' attitudes. These people take customer service seriously, and it showed.

I do think the Wynn poker room will be a great success. However, I'm not certain it's where the biggest games will go. The Bellagio finished its remodelling yesterday, and it's something else -- especially "Bobby's Room" -- the private poker room for the games that start at $2,000/$4,000 -- If Wynn wants the biggest games, then I hope he will build a private room like that.

All in all, Wynn is among the top three poker rooms in Vegas right now -- along with Bellagio and MGM. They all have their pluses and minuses, so I can't say one is better than the other. I don't think a player visiting Vegas would be disappointed with any of those choices.

Oh - Comps! I almost forgot to mention. Wynn is offering $1 per hour in comp dollars on games up to $30/60, and $1.50 per hour on the higher stakes games. But, here's the kicker -- there is NO DAILY MAXIMUM. This is a first as far as I know for Vegas.

Also, all of the no limit games have no maximum buy-in. Last night the room was spreading $1/2 ($100 min), $2/5 (200 min), and $10/20 ($500 min). I was told that even the $1/2 had a $100 minimum with no maximum. This is an experiment. I'm interested in learning how it plays out.

[Clarkmeister]

I went there last night. Supremely overcrowded, maybe by as many as 3 tables. Other than that it was nice. Lighting was dim. Comps are $1-$1.50/hr depending on the limit you are playing. Electronic board. Shufflers. I recognized some good dealers.

They were spreading mostly 4-8 last night. 1 to 2 8-16 games, a few 15-30's. Some LL stud and Omaha8 as well. $2 chips for the $8-16.

I am disappointed that they spread 3-chip 2-chip games, but given the desire to compete against Bellagio and the room manager coming from a 3-chip 2-chip house I'm not surprised. That's really unfortunate unless they then go to a $50-100 and a $100-200 instead of $80-160. There may well not be the demand for that many games at those limits though. One would think that Commerce migrating to solely 40-80 after spreading both 30-60 and 40-80 would be the model for other rooms, but I guess not.

Staff was very friendly, etc. but you'd expect nothing less on opening night.

So to recap:

Negatives:
Cramped
Spreading the wrong structure games in middle limits.

Positives:
Everything else unless you dislike dim lighting.

As for the rest of the Casino, it's extremely nice. Kind of like Bellagio on steroids. The inside of the mountain in the front is absolutely the bomb.

[dicelumpY2005]

Couldn't agree more with what everyone has been saying. I was cramped. Where is this room going to fit into the Vegas poker scene? Right now, this is my take: MGM is by far the leader in the lower limit scene, not only with its room design and atmosphere, but the amount of 2/4, 4/8, and 1/2 nl games being spread. Who will be the leader in the higher limit market? Will people want to play at Wynn? Or will the Bellagio keep its tight hold on the big game market? I was hoping to see a review on the new Bellagio room, since I've been to Wynn already...

[AllVegasPoker.com]

[ QUOTE ]
Lighting was dim.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm.. at my table I took note that the lighting was good. I actually discussed this with another player. We were talking about lighting in various card rooms, and I thought the lights at Wynn were pretty good. Not too bright, but not too dim (like Monte Carlo for example, which has a nice atmosphere, but I don't care for the low light environment).

Perhaps it depends on the table. I only played at one table for the entire evening. I'll be going back soon, and I'll definitely double check the light situation.

[AllVegasPoker.com]

I definintely agree with your assessment of the MGM -- it is a low limit paradise. Also, I don't expect to see the highest stakes action move from the Bellagio anytime soon, especially after the remodelling, and the addition of Bobby's Room (the private, guarded poker room for the really big games).

I think there is a place for Wynn. If nothing else, Wynn will probably attract a lot of wealthy players who don't want to leave the property. There won't be a shortage of high stakes action at Wynn, and the room could establish itself as the best middle limit room in town (say, $8/16 to $30/60).

Any way you slice it, the best rooms in Vegas are Bellagio, MGM, Wynn (in alphabetical order [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[afk]

[ QUOTE ]
I am disappointed that they spread 3-chip 2-chip games, but given the desire to compete against Bellagio and the room manager coming from a 3-chip 2-chip house I'm not surprised.

[/ QUOTE ]

I haven't played very much B&M, could someone explain to my ignorant ass what a 3-chip 2-chip structure is?

[Jeffage]

I think he means 2-chip, 3 chip house. This refers to spreading games that a a 2 chip, 3 chip blind structure (for example 15-30 with a $10 SB and $15 BB, 30-60 with a $20 SB, $30 BB). Some players prefer games like 20-40, 40-80 instead.

Jeff

[SinCityGuy]

[ QUOTE ]
Some players prefer games like 20-40, 40-80 instead.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bad players make more mistakes by playing too many small blinds in these games.

[J.R.]

I thought the argument was that the opposite was true (i.e. they limp/call with more trash in the 2/3 blind games than in 2/4 blind structures), leading to greater and more freqeunt postflop blunders that bust them out quicker, meaning 2/3 blind games dry up quicker than 2/4 blind structures. But i dunno

[SinCityGuy]

In 2/3 structures, the player is almost never making a mistake by completing with any two cards. In 1/2 structures, bad players complete too many times with poor hands.