7 Days of poker in Las Vegas, Bellagio, Wynn, Mirage, Venetian, Caesars’ Luxor, Excalibur, and Binion’s

7 Days of Poker in Las Vegas. It has been 2 months since the last trip to Vegas with the wife for the WPT at Mandalay bay and the first week of the WSOP. This trip started off just like all of the others, slow at the start and finished up strong.

Room Reviews

BELLAGIO 4-8 LH
This room is a where you can expect to see the big names of poker that you see on tv nightly. On this trip I did not see a big game going in Bobby’s Room all. The closest to celebrities was David Sklansky and Antwan Walker from the NBA’s Miami Heat. Both on this trip and last trip Walker was playing 10-20 NL .
Overall the staff is still very stiff and not very friendly. Play here was very loose, not uncommon to see double straddles and 5 people stay in on a capped pot.
Summary: -180 after 4 sessions. did not have to wait more than 10 min to get on a table, good drink service

WYNN 4-8 LH
This room is a very soft room, filled with LOTs of local players. The play here was the best that I found of the places I played. The play here was by the book for the most part. Very few suck outs here, just good solid play. The wait list here was also very short, the staff friendly.
Summary: +75, friendly staff, good poker, FAST drink service, short wait to play

MIRAGE 3-6 LH and 1-5 7 Stud
Went to the Mirage expecting to play some 6-12. This however did not take place. I was however able to play 7 Stud. This was the first time I have ever played Stud Live. It was spread limit 1-5 with NO ANTE. This is a very slowwww game with small pots. Lots of locals here as well mixed in with a few tourists. Drink service was good with a very helpful staff.
Summary +90

VENETIAN 4-8 LH
Wow what a room. This room is HUGE and spread out. You didn’t have to worry about leaning back and bumping chairs with anybody. Drink service was hit and miss. Staff was very friendly. Long wait times even after calling in. They only had 1 4-8 table going and waited over 1 hr to sit down each of the 3 days I played there. If you get a chance there is a nice French restaurant at the opposite end of the poker room. I strongly recommend the Shrimp Sandwich, it was very yummy.
Summary -145

CAESAR’S PALACE 3-6 LH
This room is the biggest room I have ever seen, this includes a separate tournament room. I would say there are close to 70 tables, this includes the tournament area in the back. This room also has a very friendly feel. The only complaints I have is that the nightclub pure is banging loudly in the back, and the lack of games that were running. On a sat night they only had 3-6. I did however put my name on the interest list for 3-6 and 4-8 omaha 8/ob, 5-10 H.O.R.S.E, 5-10 H.O.R.E., 6-12 Holdem. To my disappointment, not of the other games got going even on a Friday night.
Summary -28 drink service so-so. The nice thing that had going was that they were giving away a 10k seat to the highest hands for the day for mon, tues, and wed for the month of sept.

LUXOR 2-4 LH
Same old thing, nothing fancy at all about this room, just lots of suck outs and 8 people to the flop every hand.

EXCALIBUR 2-4 LH
Poker room used to be much better when it was in its old place back by where the sports book is now. Sitting in the middle of the casino floor sets the table for kitchen table poker. Same as Luxor 8 people to the flop, nobody folds.

BINION’s 1-2 NL
If you play poker you have to play at Binions, This place is where legends were made before the Rio took over. Lots of history in this room, pictures of past main event champions. That’s about all your going to find here, overall very dumpy compared to the strip casinos. This is the only place I played NL and that was because I was tired of being sucked out on. Only played here for 30 min, but was able to double up with the Nut Club flush.
Summary +135

TOURNAMENT’s
My wife did play in the Ladies only Tournament on Tuesday night at Planet Hollywood. There ended up being 4 tables of ladies playing. Mostly in the mid twenties up to a few in there 50s. My wife placed in 5th place for $110. She said it was a well run tourney and she looks forward to playing in it again next time

DINING
The Capital Grill (across from the WYNN) excellent steaks

Pompas (inside Planet Hollywood) All you can eat Steaks, Ham, Chicken, Fillet Minoan, it’s a Brazilian Steak place. If you go, I would recommend getting the ½ price tickets. Instead of $40 per person, its only $20

Gonzales y Gonzales (inside New York New York) Excellent Mexican food, the best salsa around we ate here 3 different times this trip

Dicks Last Resort (inside Excalibur) this place was very cool. They put bibs on you and give you paper hats, anything goes here, waiters talking trash to you left and right and throwing napkins around all the time, lots of fun

Excalibur Buffet (inside Excalibur) nothing fancy here at all, would not reccoment, not very fresh or filling, good selection of deserts

ACCOMIDATIONS
The wife and I have stayed at the Excalibur for the last 5 years (we are 28 and 30). The new rooms in tower 2 are excellent. 50 inch plasma on the wall and completely remodeled rooms. We were able to stay there for 6 nights for $450, not to shabby for Labor Day weekend.

I also dabbled in some 3 card poker at the EX, and ended up with 3 of a kind 4’s for 30-1 on my $5 dollar bet and then followed that up with a straight flush 4,5,6 spades for 40-1 just before getting on the plain to head back home to Chicago.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. Next trip planned is back to Tuncia MS for the WPT in Jan 2008 or possibly another trip to Vegas in Oct 2007.

Enjoy,
T$