Vegas Trip - Golden Nugget and Horseshoe

Spent last weekend in Las Vegas and played hold 'em for about 30 hours out of the 60 that we were there. We stayed downtown at the Golden Nugget, so I played exclusively there and across the street at Binions.

Binions -

Played a lot of 2/4 limit and found the tables to be very loose and passive. Easy to beat, even with the bad cards I was getting. Only frustrating part was the number of players who didn't know the betting structure, played out of turn, splashed the pot, and made very other bad ettiquette move that there is.

Did suffer a few bad beats to no fold 'em newbies, but more than made up for it with those hands where three people stayed to the end (and raised) with third pair and worse!

Other than winning money, not a great experience because of the slow play caused by people who just haven't played any hold'em before. Dealers were getting frustrated trying to keep people straight. A few discussions with them, and the few experienced locals at the tables led to the conclusion that a lot of tourists who don't play poker are stopping in Binions just to be able to say they played there during the telecasts.

Also played a $60 NL tournament with an interesting structure. This is a daily tournament starting at 2pm. $60 buy-in for $1000 in chips, and $10 buys you a Bonus $500. One re-buy $40/$1000 at any point during the tournament. I re-bought after getting rivered by a bad flush draw, then got knocked out ten hands later, KK beat by AA, but it was fun. Again, lots of fish (68 entries) and the payout was just under $2000. They rake 10% of th entry for the dealers, and another 5% for a drawing that is held an hour after the tourney ends. Any tourney player in an live game is eligible for thtat drawing.

A few good cards and a break or two and anybody on this site could easily finish high in the money.

They also have a $125 buy-in in the evening, which I didn't play in. Only had two tables going and the competition looked only a little tougher.

Golden Nugget

Definitely liked their card room better, and the players were more experienced by not much tougher. Played 2/4 with my wife, who is a real newbie, and it took them two hours to bust her $50 buy-in. A few real calling stations at that table made it easy to make money, and lots of people willing to play the flop.

Also played a short-handed 4/8 game at 3:30 am (after my requisite 3 hours of sleep) until my wife got up at 8 and made just over $100 against some very tired by competent locals.

I found the dealers at Nugget to be much friendlier, probably because they weren't baby sitting, and with the comps and poker income I was able to make up for the drunken craps session we all had the last night.

Didn't make it to the strip, just had too much fun downtown and didn't want to waste time/money on the cab ride.

That structure on the rebuys bugs me, although it's becoming very common.

When you can rebuy (or add-on) chips at "half-price", it simply has the purpose of upping the buyin, since all but the largest stacks gain by taking the option.

Heatman - Very nice write-up. Looks like you had a great time. I'm jealous.

I am going to Vegas tommorow thru the weekend. I haven't been there since I started playing poker seriously. Where is the best place to go? Where Downtown? Where on the Strip? I will probably play mostly 2/4 3/6 5/10 and maybe a little NL if I can find a good place. I have been to Vegas many times but mostly playing Blackjack. Any ideas would be welcome.

Hey Scgolfer,

I personally like the Monte Carlo poker room, it is small, but very nice, they have low-limit and usually open a no limit table, $100 buy-in, Friday nights and Saturday nights if there are interested players. Actually, I think they'll open a no-limit table any time if there are interested players. Monte Carlo also offers a little Bonus for any four-of-a-kind hand or higher, there has to be a minimum pot size, but you can get a couple hundred dollars or more (it depends on when that hand hit last - progressive) for just having the hand. I always see someone winning some kind of Bonus there during my sessions, and unfortunately one of them was against me. (AQs vs 88, Q88 on flop)

I've also played at the Palms (weak), and Bellagio. Bellagio is also very nice, although I think the lowest stakes there are $4-8. Bellagio's poker room I think is the largest on the strip, and is pretty busy.

Good luck!

I'll back up Tanaka on the Monte Carlo recommendation - I spent most of my time this year in Vegas in that room, and it's pretty secluded with relatively weak play. Luxor is also extremely weak, but it's a little dingy and dreary (Excalibur falls under this as well).

I'm a huge fan of the 4/8 half-kill game there.

For the high hand Bonus, remember that it has to go to a showdown and you have to use BOTH of your hole cards. I hit a royal using only one and lost out on $1600!

At the very end of the strip there are 3 connected properties each with a good poker room. Each is within 10-15 min. walking distance which is very close by Vegas standards.

Starting at the very end is Mandalay Bay. It has a pretty big room right next to sports book. Great atmosphere and good spread of games. Next is Luxor. Very small room. However, I played there and I have seen a lot of positive feedback about Luxor's tiny card room. Next is Excalibur. I did not play there but I passed it several times. It looks like a bunch of tourist dads that are ripe for the pickings.

You can walk from one to the other without setting foot outside.

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Vegas Trip - Golden Nugget and Horseshoe

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Vegas Trip - Golden Nugget and Horseshoe