1. Welcome to VegasMessageBoard
    It appears you are visiting our community as a guest.
    In order to view full-size images, participate in discussions, vote in polls, etc, you will need to Log in or Register.

A post-COVID trip to Sin City for poker, poker and probably more poker - Nov 8th - 26th (SEMI-LIVE)

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by Adam, Nov 7, 2021.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Adam

    Adam Creepy Vegas Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2007
    Messages:
    973
    Location:
    Newry, Northern Ireland
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    11
    Yeah, that was a Standard Room as far as I am aware.

    Poker gone bad today but I'll do the full report in the AM as I'm too tired to think straight at the moment!
     
    • Like Like x 1
  2. Adam

    Adam Creepy Vegas Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2007
    Messages:
    973
    Location:
    Newry, Northern Ireland
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    11
    3 days down, 15 to go, and Day 3 was, for lack of a better term, not a good one.

    Woke up at 3.45am and chilled in the room, writing in this and just killing time watching morning TV and doing bookkeeping on what I'd spent so far without going downstairs to the casino and doing the lot on stupid slots. Eventually dragged myself out of the room in order to get breakfast at around 7am and decided, of all the places to hit for breakfast...on McDonalds. Obviously I'm still making the wrong decisions! Whilst doing the math on spending so far, I'd realised that I was spending a fortune on Lyft's and stupidly overtipping, at least 40-50% in some cases. I also realised that I was staying on Strip to play poker, so I decided to get myself a 3 day bus ticket for the Strip in order to reduce these costs, and that's probably the best decision I made so far.

    After breakfast, I took the bus to Aria and got into a 1/3 game, but left 90 minutes later as the game was not good at all, lots of rocks and no action unless they had quads, and I dropped $55 in that game. Took the tram to Bellagio and quickly got into another 1/3 game there, but began the day of running big hands into even bigger ones. Firstly I raised QQ to 13 over one limper and got 3 callers. Flop was J46 with two hearts. Players check to me and I bet 22, only for the next player to make it 74, and the player after that to go all-in for 164! 4th field player folds, I fold and last player calls. Cards are shown and its pocket 4's vs pocket 6's for set over set. I eventually cash out for a loss of $205 after losing multiple hands where I had the best hand before the flop but that's poker.

    Decide on Earl of Sandwich for lunch (Earl's Club, naturally) and grab that before heading back to the hotel to chill. Spent some time on the phone back to my partner in England before she went to bed and I headed to the Rio via Lyft to take in the World Series of Poker for the first time. Get my vaccination confirmed so I can play and after catching up with a few old friends from when I did media stuff, I get onto another 1/3 table at around 6pm. Play at a very funny table led by a euro Twitch streamer and we're all having a good time with poker as the secondary focus. I dribble down a bit before losing another hundy when I run pocket JJ into pocket AA but manage to get away from it when the other guy goes all in.

    Unfortunately, about 5 minutes after this happens, there is a surprising announcement by officials that all cash tables are to immediately close! It turns out that the dealers were immediately needed as more players than expected had turned up for one of the tournaments, and as a result dealers were either not getting breaks, or weren't willing to do overtime as more tournament tables than expected were in use. As I used to work in the industry, I can understand this, but it is still annoying that I didnt get the chance to win my money back, but again it's poker and I have to deal with it. So that's another loss in the books, this time for $125, and leads to a grand total of -$385 for the day and -$415 total so far.

    Tried to Lyft back to TI but was suffering issues with both my phone and my credit card (why do CC companies not worry about the $800 I put on it in hotel fees, but query a $10 Lyft transcation, the 4th of the week?!) so eventually gave up on that, and thankfully had my 3 day bus pass so grabbed the 202 back to Ballys before heading to the Deuce to get back to TI. By the time I get back to the room it's 10pm and less than 30 minutes later I pass out mid texting with friends/family! Manage to get about 6.5hrs this time and wake up at 5am, but stay in bed just chatting on WhatsApp with friends about a trip next year until 7am, when I get myself presentable and decide to head to Walmart for snacks/in room water/Gatorade so I don't have to pay 250% Strip prices. Yep, I'm frugal at heart. Quick Google directs me to the 203 where I can stay on one bus and get to the Supercenter at Spring Mountain & Rainbow, and am in and out in around 90 mins.

    Plan for today is more poker, but hopefully with better results than yesterday!
     
    • Like Like x 6
  3. JosieCat

    JosieCat VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2011
    Messages:
    3,821
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    40
    Enjoying your report so far! That's too bad about Sonesta. I have a stay there booked for January, and I was looking forward to your thoughts on the place.

    Have a great trip, and hopefully your luck will improve!
     
  4. DiamondJim21

    DiamondJim21 High-Roller

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2014
    Messages:
    594
    Location:
    Indiana
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    52
    Great report so far. Following along. Better luck with poker.
     
  5. Adam

    Adam Creepy Vegas Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2007
    Messages:
    973
    Location:
    Newry, Northern Ireland
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    11
    Yesterday couldn't have gone worse. Sorry to be the old Debbie Downer but my reports are generally "warts 'n' all" and this was just that.

    Not much to report really. After travelling back from Walmart where I finished the previous day's TR, I'd identified some issues with my poker game and spent some time reviewing those with the assistance of some notes I'd taken before I left on ranges etc, basically some poker and math study for those who aren't as into poker as I am. It's, by necessity, got a lot more technical and mathematical than it was when I first started playing! I then headed for the Fashion Show Mall in order to pick up the shuttle to the Orleans as I had called ahead and got myself onto the 1/3 list there, but made a pitstop at Bath & Body Works (or is it Body & Bath Works, I can't remember right now, but the former seems more likely) for some hand sanitisers that my partner had asked me to pick up as we struggle to get scented hand sanitiser in the UK.

    Unfortunately this caused me to miss the shuttle and as a result, in order to not lose my spot on the list, I took an Uber instead. Got to the Orleans and was quickly seated in a 1/3 game. This did not go well. First hand I played I flop trip aces in the big blind with A-3 suited on an A-Q-A flop and lose to a short stacks A-9. Second hand I play I donk off 100 when I miss a straight flush draw. Third hand felts me when I raise to 10 with K-Q of diamonds, the short stack next to me pushes for 41, the very aggressive young male next to him calls and I call. Flop is Q-J-T with two diamonds and I move all-in as an overbet to get him off his obvious aces. He sigh-calls and I miss the world. -$400.

    Decide to go get some food after that and get the shuttle back to the Strip where I initially head to Hash House at the Linq as Google thinks it is open longer because of Veterans Day. It wasn't. Walk to the Venetian and get Chicken Parm at Grand Lux before heading back to the room to watch the Ravens get destroyed in an upset by the Dolphins. Exhaustion, disillusionment and lack of sleep catch up to me and after some stomach troubles, I find myself hitting the sack at 9.30. What a life.

    I should probably take some more pictures but tbh there's only so many chip stacks I can show :)
     
    • Like Like x 7
    • Wow! Wow! x 1
  6. NittyOne

    NittyOne VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2018
    Messages:
    4,699
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    10
    Damn don’t you know it’s 2021 and no beats the rake at low stakes anymore, or so says the LLSNL guys on 2+2. Id say try a smaller room for a change of pace. Not sure which Cesasars property has cash these days (PHo, Flamingo, Harrah’s, Bally’s) but maybe try one of those places. Maybe even something like the Sahara. I already mentioned GN for a definite change of pace.
     
  7. Adam

    Adam Creepy Vegas Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2007
    Messages:
    973
    Location:
    Newry, Northern Ireland
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    11
    Funny you should say that, I'm at the Sahara now! Granted this game is not great...
     
    • Like Like x 1
  8. ashleyr409

    ashleyr409 Tourist

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2021
    Messages:
    58
    Location:
    Texas
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    0
    Following.... Hope you can get more wins!!!
     
  9. NittyOne

    NittyOne VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2018
    Messages:
    4,699
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    10
    Darn, maybe try your luck at another random room, try the Westgate, you’re not that far.
     
    • Funny Funny x 1
  10. Adam

    Adam Creepy Vegas Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2007
    Messages:
    973
    Location:
    Newry, Northern Ireland
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    11
    Up 140 at the Sahara. Full report tomorrow AM as is the usual procedure - it's a nice way to spend a morning before hitting the felt.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  11. azlefty

    azlefty VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2014
    Messages:
    3,650
    Location:
    West Jordan, UT
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    40
    This is a fascinating report. Best of luck to you!

    I always try to play some low-limit cash poker when in Vegas but the times I have played during the WSOP I have gotten creamed. Once I went to the Excalibur, a place I had previously won facing some really unskilled players. I realized by my quickly disappearing chip stack on that day the table was full of WSOP bustouts who were way out of my league.
     
  12. NittyOne

    NittyOne VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2018
    Messages:
    4,699
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    10
    Interesting I usually find the low stakes games better during the WSOP. Full of a bunch of wannabes fan boys.
     
  13. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2013
    Messages:
    31,296
    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    28
    Good stuff so far. Hope the poker goes better for you!
     
    • Like Like x 1
  14. Mirageluvr

    Mirageluvr Let's Ride!

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2015
    Messages:
    2,000
    Location:
    Ijamsville, Maryland
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    30
    Beautiful pictures of WynnCore. Awesome trip report....thanks.
     
  15. azlefty

    azlefty VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2014
    Messages:
    3,650
    Location:
    West Jordan, UT
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    40
    Next time you head back to Walmart, you may want to stop at one of the hundreds of great restaurants along Spring Mountain if you want a change from casino food. Monta Ramen is excellent, inexpensive, and a great place to dine solo. Also Kwaro next door for all you can eat Korean bbq. I suggest stopping before you shop so you don't have to bring a big bag of groceries into the restaurant. If you want anything else, we can offer suggestions.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  16. Adam

    Adam Creepy Vegas Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2007
    Messages:
    973
    Location:
    Newry, Northern Ireland
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    11
    Another day in the books and thankfully this one was a much needed, albeit small, winning one.

    So after posting yesterday I had a long conversation with the better half and proceeded to get the healthiest breakfast ever:

    [​IMG]

    So after breakfast I pretty much spent the morning in the room recovering from the exhaustion and tbh I wasn't feeling it at all. Ended up dozing for some of it, studying poker hands for more of it, and faffing around online for most of it! I eventually get my aching carcass out of the room at around 1pm and decide to head up to the Sahara for a game. However I hadn't been paying much attention to the non-WSOP scene and quickly discovered on arrival that opposite Sahara is where the new festival area is based, and there was some hip-hop/rap festival going on, I think its something like Day N Vegas?? I wasn't paying much attention.

    Very quickly got into the only game running and it didn't take me long to realise this was not a great game. The three old gents to my left were constantly going on about how many hours they needed for the freeroll tomorrow (well, this morning at time of writing) and to hit the 40hr mark for a bonus payout, and there were two tourists sat at the other end who weren't exactly wanting to paly too much either, more like they were killing time. However, it wasn't too bad but I couldn't make a hand for the first two hours. Then the action changed. One of the tourists left and a couple more players sat down, including Jimmy. Jimmy looked like, well to be honest he kinda looked like a drunk. And he played like a drunk. He could barely see the board, didn't seem to understand how much to put in for his blinds, and played like a complete maniac.

    And proceeded to take my welcome to the table by rivering me for $100. Lovely.

    This left me with around $170 when three LA kids sat down who had come for the festival and were planning on playing for a bit before heading over. It didn't take me long to double up through them with three nines vs one kid's aces on a 9-7-4-2-8 board, putting me above my $300 buy in for the first time in what felt like a month. I made a few more hands and a couple of good bluffs to win more cash and eventually cashed out for 440 after 4hrs of play and the game went down to 5 players. I jumped on the bus back and made it to Harrah's as I decided I wanted my comfort food when I am in Vegas, which is the hand-hammered pork tenderloin at Hash House A Go Go. Get to the Linq, ride the escalator up to HHAGG, get immediately seated in what was a surprisingly empty restaurant, scan the QR code for the menu (and that's annoying, where's my damn paper menu) and...

    It's not on the menu any more. :cry::cry: Bastards. End up settling for the Sage Fried Chicken Benedict without the eggs cos this British boy does not like the vast majority of eggs unless it is in Fried Rice and proceeded to demolish the, as usual, over portioned monstrosity that HHAGG is, and yet I love it so much.

    [​IMG]

    Naturally this puts me in a food coma so I head back to the room to do some bookkeeping and see where the next available game is. Waiting lists were huge so I canned that idea and just chilled out watching AEW and WWE wrestling on TV before giving up and hitting the sack at around half 10. Woke up at 6 this morning and now packing ready for the move to Harrah's for one night.
     
    • Like Like x 6
  17. Necrochaos

    Necrochaos VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jun 17, 2020
    Messages:
    1,479
    Location:
    Michigan
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    3
    Any recommendations (based on your trip) where a low roller (1/2 game, maybe $100 buyin) could play and not get eaten alive by sharks? Just wanted to play a relaxed game, I'm a novice at best
     
  18. azlefty

    azlefty VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2014
    Messages:
    3,650
    Location:
    West Jordan, UT
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    40
    Orleans, Golden Nugget, and South Point all have plenty of non-professional, friendly, and low denomination games. Orleans and South Point have lots of tables so if you don't like the table you're at, you can try to move to another one. I only play limit poker so I can't speak to the particulars of no limit. Players are mostly locals, maybe a little tighter than play on the strip, and at the low limits the rakes are relatively higher so it's hard to win big but if you don't play recklessly you won't lose much either. a $100 buy in at a 3-6 limit table at any of these places can last all day.

    That said, during the wsop a lot of good players are in town so ymmv.

    ETA these suggestions obviously not based on this trip report, apologies for any intrusion.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  19. Adam

    Adam Creepy Vegas Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2007
    Messages:
    973
    Location:
    Newry, Northern Ireland
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    11
    Don't worry about it, the more discussion the better. I'd say on strip you want Mandalay Bay, MGM or Sahara. Off strip the Orleans and SP are best, albeit it's second hand info on SP as I've never been there yet. GN can be hit or miss, as there's no max buy in.

    Aria/Wynn/Bellagio/Venetian are more likely to have better players. Caesars can be hit or miss but I'd say whilst WSOP is in town then more likely better players than normal. After WSOP, if they reopen Flamingo and Ballys rooms then they could be worth it.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  20. NittyOne

    NittyOne VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2018
    Messages:
    4,699
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    10
    Didn’t realize the Mandalay Bay reopened. Also thought for some reason the MGM closed but it must of been them taking the jackpot money from the Mirage to redistribute.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.