This was my first trip to Vegas and I was jumping at the chance to play some tournaments. I was staying at MGM 10/1-10/4. I found the very helpful tourney guide on this site and decided to play the Omaha 8/B tourney at Orleans on 10/2 at noon as that is the only place that I found to have Omaha tournies while I was in town. I decided I would walk from MGM to Orleans. WRONG!! Much farther than it appeared on Google maps. Made it to NYNY taxi entrance when sidewalk ran out so I grabbed a cab. Found poker room in rear of casino and registered, wanted to play some warm up before and with 15+names on list I asked host when they would open a table and was told they were working on it. They only had 20 empty tables so either they were working on finding a deck of cards or a dealer. well either way they never opened one. Tourney starts and my table must have average age of 70. Tourney proceeds slowly and we get first player out after an hour, he came and complained to his mom that he played every hand and never won one. Boo hoo! I win a few hands lose a few but never get over average stack with 15 players left I wake up with AcAs3s5c. I get it all in and am called down by 3 players. Flop 2s4sJh I announce that I CANT LOSE NOW!!! 3 players check me down board hits brick brick. No low, no flush, my Aces dont hold so BOOM it's over. I would play this tourney again as it was fun and cheap. Dealers need some training here as we had to help a few dealers read the board and count out pot. Each time I was involved in the dealers mistake it started to my benefit but then when corrected went the other way which was right. Maybe the dealers were just being nice to a younger player!!!
I head back to MGM and play some 3-6 limit holdem. good way to drink beer but not to play cards and make any $$$ but I did get some cheap hours logged as I wanted the $40 taken off my bill per night. I decided to play in the next mornings holdem tourney at MGM. This tourney was very well run and I was impressed with the attention the tournament director gave to the tables and the speed at which he consolidated tables. The blinds move fairly steady and if you go card dead you will be gone soon. I was fortunate to double up early on pocket kings when after I checked the flop and turn, a playerr moves all in when Q comes on board and they hold AQ. I insta call and knock them out. I play tight and use position to steal a few blinds. I have one annoying player at my table from beginning who has to explain proper strategy and let everone know how good he is. So it is to my utter dismay that he gets knocked out after an hour of play. I catch some hands and push and get doubled once and tripped later. We get down to 14 players and I am moved to a table where to my immediate left is the chip leader by far. He plays bully and gobbles up more blinds but luckily a few players get knocked out at other table and they move him. We finally get down to final table and 8 places are getting paid. Director tells us that deals can be made if they are unanimous. Some one asks immediately what the chop would be at that time. It is $445 so hands start going up to agree and to my shock the chip leader who has at least 35% of chips is gung ho about the chop. So we all win!!!
I played some 1/2 no limit late Saturday night at MGM and first hand dealt get AK. Flop comes AK3 rainbow, I bet $50 get one caller, turn brick, bet $50 more get called, river brick, I bet $50 other player comes over top I insta call and double up to his A9. Wow what a player he was!! Very next hand I get dealt 1010 and raise it 25 French speaking player with plaid framed shades to my immediate left makes it 100 everyone folds. I ask what he has left and he informs me he will not fold. I feel he is pulling one but I fold face up and he shows me AK suited. the Frenchman and his buddy and I joke around and run over the rest of the table as weak loose players get felted and leave the table finally breaks up. I play for a few more hours and leave up $500.
I see the poker room manager and he makes a call to adjust my room rate the next day. At checkout my bill has been adjusted for the ten hours of play. All in all the MGM is a very nice place to play and dealers and cardstaff are top notch. Can't say the same for the Orleans but if you want omaha you just have to DEAL with it!!!