My buddy and I got into Vegas about 3 pm on Fri 12/14, staying at the Palms and also seeing Tool play there that nite.The show started at 8 so I had some time to kill and did so by playing some 1/3 NL in their poker room. The max buy in was 500, I bought in for 300. Nothing spectacular enough happened to write about, but I will tell you I hated playing there. Small ass cramped room and a couple lame dealers made it an unpleasant experience. Got wasted off long island iced teas, went to see Tool at their beautiful Pearl Theatre, played some pit games and hit the sack.
Woke up around noon the next day, and I could smell success in the air. I had researched on AVP beforehand, and knew that Planet Hollywood had a 2pm, $60 NL tourney. My buddy and I took a cab over there and registered. I busted out early but my buddy was doing well so I played 1/2 NL cash game (bought in for max 200)there. First hand I sit down I double up with a spade flush against an opponents top 2. I got lucky on the hand making my flush calling a bet I shouldnt have, so the table thought I was a maniac. My loose image made me another 400 by the time I left, as people were betting into me with 2nd best hands thinking my hands were weaker than they were. Wrong! Drank a few long islands and bailed. I loved the poker room here, one of my faves.
My buddy busted out of the PH tourney, so I took him downtown cause he'd never been, and I havent been since I was 12. I loved downtown! So dingy, yet charming. My brain alerted me that the tourney schedule on AVP said the Plaza had cheap sit n gos. We wentto try one out. The second I walked into that shithole I felt dirty and depressed. Everyone in there looked unhappy. like they had given up on life and were putting one last quarter into the machine before they were going to die. The pokker room was scummy and the cockktail waitresses dressed in all denim. The sit and go had 1000 starting stack, and 25/50 blinds. Really bad structure. Busted out early with QQ and got the hell out of there!At leastI got a couple freelong islands out of the deal.
Next came T. I. I just had to see what the huge deal was on this site about everyone raving, worshipping, and endorsing their poker room. It was fine, played the 7pm tourney. My buddy once again did better than me in the tourney. Ive come to realize through this trip Im a far better cash player. As far as the room goes, it just doesnt live up to the hype presented on this site. It was perfectly average. Sucked down a long island and mosied on over to check out the Venetian while my buddy finished up his tourney.
Now this place lives up to its reputation. It is absolutely beautiful. This place put all other rooms to shame. Besides the actual size, quality of tables and chairs, competant dealers, and great cocktail service, it also had a structure I loved. The 1/2 NL game had a max buy in of $300 rather than your standard $200.
The session was pretty uneventful for the first hour, then caught aces, made a couple flushes and left 2 hrs later up $350. This room in my opinion is far and away the best in Vegas. After 2 or 3 long islands I met up with my buddy who came in 3rd and cashed for $288 in the T.I. tourney. Went back to the Palms, drank some more long islands, played some table games, went to bed and called it a trip. Viva Las Vegas!