First time in Vegas - Sept 9-11!
So I figured I would quickly divide this report into three sections. Poker, Food, and Other. That way you can skip ahead if you're not interested!
Poker:
First day, played in the afternoon around 1pm for the first time ever in person. Didn't know what I was doing really, bought in at TI for the $1/$3NL game for $150. Tried to buy a pot.. unsuccessfully.. ended up being down to like $40ish.. added $100 on.. and ended up -$189. Best cards were 99 and 55, no set flopped. Won only one hand.. pure bluff at the end right before I was leaving. The players were a lot better than me.. tourist or otherwise.. and I knew it. I probably shouldn't have even played at all but it was the only table going at the time.
Later that day, wandered over to Excalibur. Saw a young couple buy in for $50 at $2/$4 Limit. I got there at the same time as this other guy who will henceforth be known as Mr. Beer. He had a beer in his hand and ended up sitting next to me. He kept pounding back beers and I kept drinking water. No memorable hands.. but it was memorable because it was the first time I could spot the LAG internet wannabes, the fish who calls with bottom pair until end, and the tight aggressive regular who won't bet/raise unless he's got it. Bought in at $90 I think and I came out at exactly the same. The people at Excalibur were almost all tourists and it was a ton of fun.. much better experience than TI earlier in the day. At least we could joke around and have fun... and the dealers would hold your hand through it.. telling you all your options and really explaining it thoroughly. Good prep for me.
Poker Day 2, watched Serena Williams on TV, so didn't leave my room until 11ish.. got to the poker room at TI and there was a $1/3NL table with 2 guys there and the tourney was running of course. I sat down at the table and bought in for $100 thinking I'd be buying in short. Turns out those guys had like $60 each. Guess I bought in too much. It was a fun time with just the three of us because it was like a home game. I got my AK beat by KK with a K on the board.. but it was a good hand. Later, more people showed up with bigger stacks, like $200+, so I soon cashed out at $104. Up $4... not bad.. since it's the first time being up. Ever.
Later in the day, I came back to play around 6pm but there was no one playing $2/$4 Limit. This guy who plays there all the time named Mike D (57 years old, white hair and beard, baseball cap) was there and said that I should probably come back around 7pm because generally people show up around then. I go do some tourist stuff.. come back around 7:30pm.. still just Mike.. me.. and a third guy.. we start with small blind only and later more people show up. No memorable hands again.. but I could start to read the TI people and understand their profile for a change. Bought in and cashed out at the same amount.
Final day, checked out of the hotel and went to TI around 12ish. There was a table going already and I bought in for $100. Had a fun group and it was genuinely a good time. I was only up because I lucked out. Playing Tight Aggressive, I kept getting good hands in a row. AA, AQo, 77 with flop 7xx, AK, KK. My KK was raised all-in by a guy with QQ and it held up. Up $183, making my trip total -$2.
It shows that I'm breakeven-ish.. but I'm not a very good player... but at least I know that! I may seem better at no-limit.. but I'm not. I'm probably around the same level as TBC. Guess everyone knows to come find me at a poker table the next time I'm in town..
Food:
Pho @ TI: Wasn't really all that authentic and I loved how the waitress had to ask me what I ordered so she could tell the other table.. because she wasn't even sure. Guess the other table said they wanted what I was having.
Coffee Shop @ TI: I found 1 hair in my eggs benedict and flicked it away.. but then I found a second hair, so I just stopped eating it. Coffee tasted horrible.
Canter's Deli @ TI: My biggest suggestion is to order a half sandwich, half salad/soup combo. The sandwiches are way too big for human consumption
Joe's @ The Forum Shops: Stone Crab Claws... loved this restaurant.. and Key Lime Pie. At first I thought I would be underdressed for it.. but at lunch, they accept anyone and everyone. Worth going to for sure.
Cheesburgers @ Miracle Mile: I had a Cheeseburger and Fries + Mango Smoothie. Afterwards, I spent a lot of time in the bathroom. I think their food was tainted with something.. probably contaminated mishandling of the food.
Other:
Best free show were the fountains at the Bellagio. Mirage's Volcano were just ok. Moving Statue 1 and 2 @ Forum Shops were just ok as well. Wynn has a nice waterfall, worthy of using as a backdrop for pictures. Miracle Mile has a small fountain show that's hardly worth it. This is all free though.. so I guess I can't complain.
What about the lookers? If you must know.. the dealer at TI, Kristi, and the manager for the night time Megan were probably two of the best looking girls I saw in Vegas. If you really want to see someone good looking though.. Troy @ TI is actually pretty hot.
Wireless Spots for all us cheap people who just want free internet with our iPhone / iPod Touch / etc.. : Forum Shops right outside of the restaurant, Joe's.. or even inside Joe's.. there's a free wireless spot. Also the Apple Store at the Forum Shops has a wireless spot. Fashion Mall has an Apple store with a wireless spot and Miracle Mile has free wireless if you stand outside of the really small Italian place... weak signal but still good.
TBC is actually a good lower limit poker player, he spent months in Vegas just off of poker, dispite his obv BJ gambling problem. He has other issues that cause him problems.
Thanks for the report.
Hmm you were not propositioned - this leads me to doubt your entire trip report. You sure it was the vegas in nevada, usa? quite suspicious. you also mention troy being hot perhaps you are a female (Or in drag?)
seems very fishy
Had to laugh at the hooker comment. I was Downtown in August and I got approached three times. Twice while watching the bands on Fremont St and once at the bar at 4Q
I can't find a 'hooker' comment anywhere.
There's a " Looker " (i.e. 'attractive') comment, is that what you mean? I would have thought that 'hooker' should have been obviously wrong from the names given!
Perhaps 'Looker' isn't used as much in the US as it in in the UK?
@Boston2LasVegas
@Paulie_D [/quote]
I think he was referring to Easystreet's comment....
Ummmmmmmm ,
I just don't get it , why some people put up with waiting to play or playing short-handed in the middle of the Strip !!! There are so many games going minutes away !!!
I did personally try to play at TI two mornings/noon time back in May and there was nothing going on at that point. I kindly thanked the staff for their kindness and attentive service and walked back to the Venetian. I mean, what are you supposed to do ? Jeopardise your poker trip ? I finally managed to play there one evening and it is in fact a pleasant room ( made some money by getting my AA cracked by QQ and spinning the wheel , oh well ).
No way I get my a-- on a plane to cross the Atlantic + USA cost to cost to play three handed
@cokeboy99
Found it...it's in the Summary title on the AVP Main Page...for some reason it doesn't appear in the post.
Summary: "Lost some money, made some money, didn't get propositioned by a hooker.. but had fun!"
rofl.. you guys are funny. Yes.. I dropped the whole hooker thing from my actual report. I was tired when I wrote it... back from red-eye flight that morning. I was actually quite disappointed that I didn't get propositioned by a hooker... though I didn't even bring the clothes to get into any lounges after 5pm. That or I'm just not wealthy looking enough. I should also rephrase. I'm probably worse than TBC when it comes to poker. He likes to trap though, so his var. is huge. I'm the honest tight aggressive.. so I usually only win small pots. I didn't breakeven due to skill. I broke even due to luck. Lucky that I got the cards on the last session. Thanks John (Dealer)!
As for playing shorthanded.. I think we play for different reasons. You play to make $ and I play to have fun. The conversations are much more fun when there's 3 of us. One of the dealers and local were commenting about who they think will win the TI December Freeroll.... sometimes we talked about the football games going on instead of poker. Again, it really depends on why you're in Vegas. I'm there to have fun. Plus, it usually only takes like 30 minutes before the whole table fills up with people and it turns into a real game.
OK you guys scared me I though I had a spell or something when I saw the hooker comment.. I knew it was early when I posted. LOL