I enjoy the forums although when I'm in Vegas, it's difficult to get me to sit down at a poker table. However, I know trip reports even small ones provide a bit of insight for those looking for it.

I was travelling with my brother (J) and friend (B). We play poker regularly at home, but they are even harder to convince to sit down at a poker table then I am in Vegas.

I talked them into trying out the "Strip Poker" tourney on Saturday night at the Excal. Part of the sell was that it's a short tourney, small buyin, has a gimmick, and due to it's kitsch it's likely to attract beginners and novices like we are.

We bought in for $50, $40 is the entry and the extra $10 is for an additional 1,000 in chips and the opportunity for a rebuy. There were two tables to start and a third was formed for late entries and rebuys.

The prize pool I believe is juiced with $500 in jackpot money, although I could be wrong about that and it could be a $500 guarantee prize pool. I didn't check the fine print on it. I guessed the juice, as from what I had been told from the room staff is they usually chop the prize and it's about $300 or so a piece for the top 3.

I believe first prize was $480 something that night.

Anyway, on to the poker, I've been reading the forums a bit and am definitely starting to feel more comfortable at the tables. I've also managed to mix in small poker sessions on the last three trips, and I'm guessing at some point I'm going to start playing more on my trips. The players appeared to be average at best. Dealer did a nice job at the start of approaching it as a novice tourney and explaining small points like string bets, verbally declaring, english only, one player to a hand and other rules.

The blinds started at 50/100 I believe and doubled every 20 minutes, within 2 orbits I was feeling like I was going to be hurting and I was card dead, with a pocket pair of 4's being my best hand which I won a minor pot with.

By the time we were down to two tables, I lucked out on the draw and managed to gain a couple of deals before having to post the blind, and I pushed with K9, with a King on the flop. It wasn't to be though as KQ called my all in and busted me.

My brother and friend were at the other table the entire time, and B knocked out J right after I was knocked out. B wound up busting out in 7th though out of the money.

For what it is, a novice tourney for those that don't have a lot of poker experience, I say the experience is worth it. The strip poker part of it is a bit of a joke, the dancer does a strip routine and sits in a box, however about 30 minutes into the game, she disappeared for a break and I didn't see her return. There were a number of players that were far more interested in the 'strip' poker aspect of the game, then the game itself, if it wasn't a shovefest, it probably would be worth it for a skilled player to take a shot here, if nothing else, it should juice the cash game afterwards a bit.