East Coast Regular Heading to Vegas. (tips wanted)

[white_lytning]

Well, I finally did it. I'm going to Vegas during my presidents break.

I have been playing cards pretty regularly for the past 5 or 6 years. I play in a live 2/5 cash games 2-4 times a week a the local card room. I have been delaying my Vegas trip for far too long. I'm a winning player live and have done pretty well this past year (over 100 sessions). I'm a teacher and lived on money made from poker over the summer. I have been talking about going to Vegas for too long. I'm finally using some of the bankroll to go.

I have a teacher planning day next Friday and I'm flying out that afternoon. Staying at the Trop Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I chose to go alone so that I didn't have to worry about entertaining friends and could maximize my time at the tables. Right now I don't even know where I want to play. The Bellagio is on my list. Other than that I'm just gonna kinda pick and choose.

I made the thread to try to get some info from people that have been, and any information they can give me about Vegas that may be useful. I grew up in NYC and frequent AC. I don't need information about live games, or casinos. More Vegas specific stuff. (I have heard that the cab drivers try to rip you off when they pick you up at the airport?). I like strip clubs and will def go if I have a winning session. Whats a good one? What about food? I dont plan on partying too hard, but again, if I have a good night I will def enjoy myself a little. My goal right now is just to pay for the trip itself.


Any tips are appreciated.

 

[white_lytning]

Hook me up with some info here boys. I know most of you are under aged online players, but there has to be some of you that have been there.

 

[dj11]

Look for some tips ALiengenius gives about his trips to Vegas. Involves coupons, and getting more bang for you non game bucks.

 

[Egon Towst]

I know most of you are under aged online players.

Lol, hardly.

This is one of the threads mentioned above.

 

[Crummy]

Planet Hollywood.... Great poker room imo.... Bellagio has a great room as well..... Always pretty busy, so you will always find a game... Esspecially on the weekend.

 

[flyfish4]

i dont take cabs . either buy a daily bus pass it runs all up and down the strip and into fremont street for binion s or the nugget. the monorail runs behind the strip so u have to walk all the way thru the casinos to get to the strip.

 

[flyfish4]

atratosphere runs a nice low buy in tourny.venetial has a deep stack bigger buy in.i stayed at the flamingo for a convention. they have a 50$ tourny each eve and the cash game was pretty good. 1$ an hour comp rate. if u like seafood go to the RIO for seafood buffet its expensive but worth it.

 

[XSCREAMMANX]

it's sunday know i hope u are doing well in vegas ,hope to hear about it when u git bac. gl

 

[white_lytning]

Thanks for the link to AGs thread and some responses. Has some good stuff there. AG, what was the best strip club you went to?

And the info about the bus is good too. I haven't really figured out how I'm going to get around. I'm not renting a car, and if a bus is cheaper I will def take advantage of that. I'm glad to see the trop has a decent room. I don't want to spend too much time in that room, but it will be a nice to have one close for any late night hit and run type operation.

My plan is to mainly play 2/5nl and take a shot at a 5/10nl if my 2/5 goes well. I don't think I will play in any tournaments, just not really my cup of tea. The last tourney I played in was a little donk tourny at the hilton in AC a few months ago, took 3rd but wasn't worth the time or effort. I'm just not really a tourny person.

I was also thinking about playing limit again. I got into poker at turning stone casino, in college, playing the 2/4 limit. Eventually got the roll up to 15/30 but havn't played limit since then just because its hard to find good limit games. There must be some type of 15/30 or 20/40 limit in Vegas thats good. I would like to play that again, only if my 2/5 is going well.

Anyone have any info on food? Whats the best buffet for the price. I do like seafood, and will check that one out. How much is it? ~$20? I'm a bit of a food snob and will like to check out some of the famous restaurants too.

This friday is coming up soon. Looking at AGs post got me excited. Can't wait.

 

[JAMILE1]

My only tip is to go and eat at Vic & Anthony's at the Golden Nugget hotel. Kinda pricey but that steak and lobster is well worth the price, it actually is the biggest steak I ever saw, ran me about 75.00 but definitely worth it if you want a good steak.

 

[dj11]

google is your friend

Las Vegas deals shows lots of stuff.

 

[Monoxide]

Thanks for the link to AGs thread and some responses. Has some good stuff there. AG, what was the best strip club you went to?

And the info about the bus is good too. I haven't really figured out how I'm going to get around. I'm not renting a car, and if a bus is cheaper I will def take advantage of that. I'm glad to see the trop has a decent room. I don't want to spend too much time in that room, but it will be a nice to have one close for any late night hit and run type operation.

My plan is to mainly play 2/5nl and take a shot at a 5/10nl if my 2/5 goes well. I don't think I will play in any tournaments, just not really my cup of tea. The last tourney I played in was a little donk tourny at the hilton in AC a few months ago, took 3rd but wasn't worth the time or effort. I'm just not really a tourny person.

I was also thinking about playing limit again. I got into poker at turning stone casino, in college, playing the 2/4 limit. Eventually got the roll up to 15/30 but havn't played limit since then just because its hard to find good limit games. There must be some type of 15/30 or 20/40 limit in Vegas thats good. I would like to play that again, only if my 2/5 is going well.

Anyone have any info on food? Whats the best buffet for the price. I do like seafood, and will check that one out. How much is it? ~$20? I'm a bit of a food snob and will like to check out some of the famous restaurants too.

This friday is coming up soon. Looking at AGs post got me excited. Can't wait.

I would think the B or Wynn would have some higher stakes limit holdem. For sure they would be your best bet, imo.

 

[tpb221]

Go across the street from the Trop to MGM Grand. Nice poker room and sports book. I play the daily tourneys there and win aleast once a trip. Always lots of action for ring games. Holiday weekend should bring out more fish/donks.

 

[white_lytning]

Go across the street from the Trop to MGM Grand. Nice poker room and sports book. I play the daily tourneys there and win aleast once a trip. Always lots of action for ring games. Holiday weekend should bring out more fish/donks.

I'm a sucker for sports bets. Lose so much on those stupid things. A grand on the bj pen, GSP fight the other week. ooops. But I will still check that place out.

I leave tomorrow. The plan is to play at the MGM grand, Bellagio, and I want to check out the hard rocks new poker "lounge" seems like a cool idea.

If I win I indulge in strippers, if not, I just play more. I will update when I get back. Thanks for the tips so far.

 

[white_lytning]

Well, I'm back from Vegas. Back to school tomorrow; I feel bad for my kids if I don't adjust to this time change quicker. My trip went pretty well. I was pretty happy with my first Vegas experience. Made some good decisions and some bad ones and had a good time.

Over all I was actually disappointed by the amount of quality poker rooms. Maybe because I had this idea that there would be large rooms, packed with tourists at all hours. Anyway, I'll review my trip below:

Session 1: Friday Night. MGM Grand 11:30pm - 2:30am. -300

I arrived in Vegas at about 8pm local time and wanted to try to get to the card room asap because I could already tell that time was going to be a factor. Had a problem with the room at the trop (If I reserve a non-smoking room, I expect to be given a non-smoking room). Then my friends arrived and we went to a buffet for some much needed calories. At about 11:30pm I finally ended up playing at the MGM grand, sat 2/5 with $500 and watched my brain spew chips away. I think it was mostly fatigue. Two coffees and a red bull could not keep my attention span on the game. Left around 2:30am, called it a night. -300.

Session 2: Sat afternoon at Caesars. 1:30-5:00 +400

This session went a lot better. I like Caesars card room a lot better than MGMs also. Much more quiet and it seemed like a looser game. I played 2/5 again. Sat with $300 and left with $700. So up I’m 100 so far. Left to have dinner and walk around.

Session 3/4/5: Saturday Night. Mirage/Bellagio/MGM -40

I met with someone at the Mirage (bad card room in my opinion) They only had one 2/5 going and there was a long list, so I picked the next highest game I could get into (10/20 limit..zzzzzzzzzzzzz). This game was going ok, I was just playing to wait for my 2/5 to get called, ended up getting stuck in two hand and lost $60. Got up, it wasn't worth it. I haven't played limit in years, to sit with 6 regulars in a loose limit game is not what I was looking for.

Went to the Bellagio and was happy that I had finally found a decent card room. Lots of people, lots of chips, and lots of games. Sat 2/5 around 10pm. Left around midnight up 200.

Feeling pretty good about that. I made my walk back towards the trop and stopped again at the MGM. I got into a pretty good game which included a drunk guy, blind raising every pot $35. I love action games and this was prime. He obviously didn't make it too long but I was able to hit him up two pots for about $150 before he left. I was playing good until I started drinking as I was getting ready to leave. Tried to make a play one hand against a person that just sat down. I had the button with j,10 and was getting respect from the rest of the table. It was the only time I tried to make a big play the whole session and got caught. Pre flop raise, $25, enemy calls. Flop: A, Q, 4. Enemy checks, I make it 40 to go hoping to take it here, if not I still have the straight draw. Calls. Turn is an 8 or a 9, giving me more outs. Enemy checks, I make it $60, calls again. River is a 6 or a 7 nothing too important. Enemy checks, I make it $130, he spends some time thinking, (says I hope you don't have AQ) and calls with AJ. I get up and leave, drunk and unhappy, why would he not consider putting me on AK too? down $100 from my initial buy in.

Session 6: Sunday Venetian 1-7 pm +900
Ahhh..The Venetian. Best card room I got to play at. Tons of action, Tons of players. And a great facility. Sat 2/5 and after turning a winning night into a losing night yesterday I wanted to play a very disciplined and consistent game. I did exactly that. I was lucky to have an insanely high win rate post flop. If I made it to the flop, I won an abnormally high amount of the time. I was playing a little looser for the middle part of this game when in position and it really paid off. Bought in for $300, left with $1200. Finally had a good session. I was happy with how I played, was making good reads and folds and was able to finish with some cash in the pocket.

 

[buzzopaff]

Congrats on a good trip. shame you played while fatigued. Then you made a move on a player who just sat down. Your table image was unknown as was your opponent's. Did you try and make a calling station lay down his hand ??? LOL
Money you don't lose adds to your bankroll as much as money won. think what a great trip you could have had. Hoping you take kindly to constructive criticism. Buzzo

 

[RAMARAIDER]

Check out All Vegas poker.com They are very good for poker room ratings. Hope your not concerned about accomodations. Tropicana an IP are pretty brutal. Red flag deals has good info on any deal. Looking for soft competition, stay away fromthe big rooms and save them for tourism. NL play is best suited at MGM Grand. Big room, high turnover of bustouts using tourney-tv strategy resulting in low wait times. Lots of young, hopped up brash youngsters looking for a score. I go to Vegas 4 times a year and make my money the first two days at MGM and spend the rest of the week having fun checking out the touristy rooms with high rakes and low comps.