Las Vegas - July 2007

Only there for four days this summer. Had to miss some things, but got to most of the highlights:

HOT -- Yes, very hot. 116 one day, with most of the others about 112. Walking on the strip is miserable and its a steam bath to get your car from the parking garages too.

POKER - Played several rooms and limits;
Mirage, 10-20, 6-12, and 3-6
Wynn, 15-30, 8-16. And a 8-16 Mixed Game (2-7TD, O/8, Stud/8, and Razz)
Rio 4-8 (wsop cash game area)
TI 3-6
Ballys 3-6
South Point 2-4
Missed out playing at Bellagio, Venetian, Caesars, and Planet Hollywood.

$ WINNINGS - hahahahah, won 100 my first night there (the only triple digit result of the trip) and ended up plus 110. This is NOT enough to pay for the trip. In fact, its not enough to pay for ANY nights hotel room, the rental car, any airline ticket, or the Beatles LOVE show.

ONE POKER HAND - Really only had one interesting hand the whole time.
8-16 at the Wynn, I am in the bb with 77. Two limpers and a late position raiser - all call.
Eight small bets in the pot and four of us see the flop of 7 6 4 with two clubs.
I check, limpers check, pf raiser bets and I raise. Limpers fold and bettor calls.
Six big bets in pot with two players.
Turn is a red Ace. I bet and the other guy folds.

WSOP - I was there the day before the Main Event started and it was a madhouse. The crowd surge was again hilarious. Hundreds of young kids showing up at the last minute and complaining about long lines, etc. Harrahs AGAIN unprepared for it.

The side game area of the tourney room seemed to be set up better than the last couple years. More room and more organized. The "tent" tourney overflow area just looked awful.

Sure missed all the hospitality rooms from the last two years. There were only two this year; Ladbrokes (not open to US players) and PartyPoker (remember them?) had a room.

The Gaming Exposition was really cheesey. Some book selling, but mostly chip salesmen and strip clubs. The Jim Beam tasting booth was kinda ok. I was trying out one of the new "electronic" poker tables that casinos are starting to use. No dealer, no real cards or chips. Just 10 players at an electronic table. But --- the next booth had guys throwing baseballs at a target which would drop a stripper into a dunk tank. She would scream and the water would slosh out into the aisle. Way too distracting for my "A" game.

One funny story---- all the young kids were doing poker "celebrity" sightings and standing in lines to get autographs. "Oooh, oooh, theres Mike the Mouth". I was walking out the hall when I saw a scruffy old guy in blue jeans shuffling/stumbling along in front of me. No one was talking to him, so I went up and said; "Mr Preston, let me tell you a story." We laughed and talked and (as is his reputation) he told me a story too. It was of course Amarillo Slim, and as he walked away (with some difficulty) --- still, none of the young kids knew who he was.

POKER ROOMS:

Mirage - Still my favorite. Made arrangements thru the poker room for the poker room rate at the hotel and it was handled perfectly. Got the buffet comp one day with no problems. Room had games going at all hours and was usually almost full in the evening. Never had to wait long as there were lots of tables and different games and limits going. They had 7stud, Omaha/8, SnG's, nightly tourneys, NL (usually four or five tables) and Limit Holdem at 3-6, 6-12, 10-20, 20-40, and one night a 40-80 game.
Room decor is completely redone from a couple years ago and it looks nice. New table cloth and new chairs are great. Chairs are a little wider than before, so all flop games are 9 handed.

Wynn - A great place. Limit holdem (10 handed even with the huge chairs) at 4-8, 8-16 (with $2 chips) 15-30, and higher. Mixed Game goes sometimes. Omaha/8 at 10-20 and 20-40. Poker room rate at hotel of only $129 on weekdays.

Venetian - A very plush cardroom, but I got a very strange response this trip. Went to the front brush mid afternoon and asked to be signed up for all low and mid limit holdem and mixed games. They said they didn't have any. About 12 tables were running and a tourney was about to start using another 12, leaving the room 2/3 full. The bursh said that the first 12 tables of cash games were all NL and they wouldn't have any limit games until after the tourney ended that evening. He said it would be the same tomorrow. Thus ended my trip to the Venetian.

TI - It was so hot outside, I couldn't even walk from Venetian to Wynn without stopping. TI did NOT have their famous mixed game going when I was there. But its a fun little room, staff is great, players are nice and they are all having a good time and glad you are there.

Bellagio - Another surprise here! I was not treated rudely by the staff. They just took my name and put me on the 4-8 and 8-16 list. Then I saw the corner ghetto where the 4-8 and 8-16 tables are still packed in like sardines.

South Point - A nice little card room and casino. Located on the extreme south of town, just off the Interstate towards LA. A brand new facility (1 year old) with a new name (about 6 months ago). Eleven tables with LOTS of space. Great cocktail service and terrible players.


So thats my few days in Sin City this summer. But, now that we have direct flights_______.