I'm a novice who just started playing in Dec on a cruise ship, so I started out at the Excalibur. They have a 1-3 spread limit game where you can bet or raise $1-3 on any round. This took some getting used to. because I've been playing 2/4 limit. I liked it though. You can "fish" cheaply if you have a decent but beatable hand by betting $1 and then see if someone calls or raises (and decide what to do from there) while trash hands usually fold. Lots of beginners. Just 1 $1 blind, so you can be patient and fold lots of hands cheaply. Forget about bluffing generally though. You'll get 1 or more callers almost all the time. I don't like the Exc casino generally, but I love this poker room.

Bally's - Various levels of players, many novices, but watch out - some aggressive ones too. Poker area in the middle of the casino next to roulette and next to the bar, so drinks are delivered fast. Very loud when the band gets cranking. Friendly helpful welcoming staff. Nice new tables. Good place to play if you like the feeling of being in the middle of a lively casino. I enjoyed the atmosphere, but it's not far from being too loud to concentrate.

Harrah's - Various levels of players. Sat down one morning and was up $89 in about 45 minutes before I left hungry for lunch. Returned another day to a tougher group who took me for about $60. Nice attractive room with high ceiling (formerly sports book), pretty quiet. It feels isolated from the rest of the casino.

Played once at Aladdin. Got into a pool of sharks. Sat next to a VP from MGM with $400 in chips at a 2/4 game - mistake. I was down about $40 and got into a big pot that I won with a queen high flush (I had Q9 of D, flopped 2 more D, then the 5th D came on the river, thank God), which put me $50 above my buy-in, so I got the hell out fast. Really nice room though - like Harrah's, separated from the rest of the casino (a former high limit slot area).

Flamingo - I sat down with a group of fairly passive players. I got some decent hands and proceeded to win about $64 in less than an hour. Friday night & seemed like some of these folks just got off the plane. Pretty friendly game. My initial run of good cards finally ran dry, and this guy sat down next to me dressed in black with shades on acting like he's at the WPT final table (at a casual 2/4 game). Chill came over the table and I left. Nice but compact corner of the casino near a lot of slots. The strong vanilla smell in the Flamingo can be a bit much though. Nice tables with really cushy leather padding around the edges. I want to play here more in the future.

Imperial Palace - Off a dark hallway up the escalator a floor above the casino. Interesting mixture of players, many beginners, but for some reason, I just couldn't win there. I tried 4 sessions over 3 different days and lost every time. I had long droughts of bad cards, then would get a good to great hand and get beat. Best example: I had a jacks full of 8's (pocket jacks) beaten by 4 8's. I folded a K5 suited, only to see K55 on the flop. Stuff like that over and over. They do have cookies, coffee, and sometimes sandwiches for the players and give 3 comp dollars per hour - unlike other strip casinos. I just had worse luck there than anyplace else.

Monte Carlo - Very nice room in back left corner of casino. I won $27 in about an hour of play. Casual players, some seemed like local regulars. I'd like to play here again. Just 1 $2 blind in the 2/4 game. Special cash prizes for 4 of a kind.

Sahara - A little earthier clientele than the others. Sat down with a pretty rough looking crowd late on a Friday night, but they were not particularly good. I waited patiently for good hands and put it to them when I got them. One $2 blind. I quit after 1 3/4 hours up $85. A guy next to me went through $100 of chips in under an hour, then bought $20 more a couple of times - kept betting and raising losing hands. Poor guy. A little crowded and surrounded by slot machines, separated by a railing (kind of like Flamingo) which didn't really bother me.

Golden Nugget - Played there Sunday evening Feb 20. I enjoyed this room. Comfortable friendly atmosphere. A number of beginners who barely knew what to do. The guy on my right won a hand with a 72 offsuit. The girl on the other side of me was laughing, saying,"You know, that's the worst starting hand in poker." I told him,"Don't let her discourage you. You just go right on playing it." Didn't have enough time there. Next time I'm in LV, this will be where I play downtown.