I Lost My Live Poker Virginity In Vegas

[jmbreslin 0]

I'm back from my weekend in Vegas, my first trip there since I started my online NLHE "career". Some of you will know from my posts prior to the trip that I was a bit intimidated at the thought of moving from micro SnGs and .02-.05 cash games to the stakes in Vegas. So I thought I'd share a bit of my experience.What I playedI ended up playing 1/2 cash only, as many of the tourneys had terrible structures and I just couldn't find a 3-4 hour window to devote to one of the better tourneys. The $60 tourney at Planet Hollywood is by far the best value for the money but I just couldn't make the scheduling work. I also thought about the $70 single table SnG at Mirage (the only one I came across all weekend) but I didn't like the structure: 1000 chips and 15 minute levels starting at 25/50.Where I playedI stayed away from the big poker rooms, since they didn't have stakes as low as 1/2, so I ended up playing at Bally's, Harrah's, Flamingo and Mirage. Bally's was decent and I was quite impressed with Flamingo and Mirage. Harrah's was a piece of crap. They only had 3 tables going at the time we arrived and I ended up standing around with my brother, father, and future brother-in-law for more than 1/2 hour while they very slowly got around to opening up a new 1/2 table after telling us they would (there were already 4 names on the list, plus us 4). It just seemed very disorganized and slow. Mirage was the most impressive overall - they had a wide variety of games going, including single-table SnGs, and the process was smooth.My experience and observationsIt wasn't nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be. I was nervous when I first sat down at Bally's but I got the hang of things pretty quickly and I had a good first table: a few people who seemed to know how to play, but a relatively young group and not too much aggression. As the weekend wore on I felt more and more at home when I sat down at a table. One thing became pretty clear: most of the people at these tables are not poker players, they're gamblers. They like to see flops and play hands, even if it means calling 5-6BB raises with J9o and Q7s. That kind of raise often got 3-4 callers and people seemed to chase draws in a big way. I realized that even I knew far more about NLHE than the majority of the people sitting at these tables, which helped me feel more relaxed and confident. The most eye opening experience was at Flamingo, where there was one guy who was clearly a semi-regular from somewhere in California and an intimidating presence at the table - both physically and in terms of his aggressive play. He was chatting it up with a couple of other guys about which pro they played with in which tournament. Anyway, they start sharing stories of big laydowns and intimidating guy shares his story of the time he layed down AA preflop: "These guys were going all-in a lot; I knew I had the best hand but I didn't want my Aces to get cracked, you know?" Needless to say I didn't find him quite so intimidating after that comment.How I didI never bought in for more than $100 and I played a pretty tight and disciplined game, so the few hundred I brought was more than enough to last. My worst session was a loss of $45, which actually turned out to be my only losing session. I had a few other small wins but my overall was a loss of about $20. There were a couple of hands I didn't play well (I'll post one of them in the NLHE forum) but other than that I was pretty happy with my play. For some odd reason I actually found it easier to be aggressive at the tables than I do playing micro stakes online - maybe because this was a unique experience for me and I was playing with money that we had set aside specifically for gambling (my wife and I like to play a bit of Roulette too). Whatever the reason, I actually think this trip will help me play a stronger, more confident game online.

[MyPlayIsRAB 0]

ill assume youa) didnt get laidB) didnt profitbut its probably a good read, glad you prolly enjoyed your trip!

[Zach6668 513]

Thanks for the report, sir.Glad to hear you had fun, and didn't go busto :PI'll see you out there in June for the '08 WSOP.

[CBass1724 1]

I agree with what you say about the gamblers at the table and the players whom don't have much poker knowledge. They are easily exploitable. You'll have your share of bad beats, but overall, you will make mad money. Last time I was in Vegas, I logged 34 hours at 2-5nl at MGM and profited $3,300. It was 4 sessions total and I didn't have a losing session. My play is pretty straight forward so that was barely any bluffing except for my C-bets. Play ABC and you will come out ahead in the long run at places like MGM and Mirage.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Glad to hear you had fun. We were there at the same time, but I only played a very little bit - a few hours Thursday Nite/Friday Morning @ MGM and Saturday Evening @ Caesar's. I played very poorly. Each session I built a good lead, then donked it off! Whee! I wasn't even drinking, so I can't blame that, I just managed to lose my focus (and many of my chips!) Most memorable hands were donking off a bunch while I overplayed A/10 and then another hand where I hit top two, only to see that my opponent Flopped a straight... then the board went Runner Runner to complete the straight for a Chop. Whew!

[jmbreslin 0]

You'll have your share of bad beats, but overall, you will make mad money.

The most frustrating hand was when I raised to 5BB with JJ and got 3 callers. One of them called with Qd7d and flopped a diamond flush. Who the hell calls a 5BB raise with Q7s? I would have lost anyway, though, since the flop had both an Ace and a King. It was just about the worst possible flop for a pair of black Jacks...

[jmbreslin 0]

Glad to hear you had fun. We were there at the same time, but I only played a very little bit - a few hours Thursday Nite/Friday Morning @ MGM and Saturday Evening @ Caesar's. I played very poorly. Each session I built a good lead, then donked it off! Whee! I wasn't even drinking, so I can't blame that, I just managed to lose my focus (and many of my chips!) Most memorable hands were donking off a bunch while I overplayed A/10 and then another hand where I hit top two, only to see that my opponent Flopped a straight... then the board went Runner Runner to complete the straight for a Chop. Whew!

I walked into Caesar's but the limits were too high (starting at 2/5, if I remember correctly). That was an intimidating room, though. I think the average age was about 60, and many of them looked like seasoned players. Most intimidating room, though, was the Bellagio where I stayed. I passed by Barry Greenstein walking through the casino. He was on his cell so I didn't want to bother him - probably sharing a bad bead story from the Big Game.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I walked into Caesar's but the limits were too high (starting at 2/5, if I remember correctly). That was an intimidating room, though. I think the average age was about 60, and many of them looked like seasoned players. Most intimidating room, though, was the Bellagio where I stayed. I passed by Barry Greenstein walking through the casino. He was on his cell so I didn't want to bother him - probably sharing a bad bead story from the Big Game.

Caesar's spreads 1/3 tables. It was actually MUCH more juicy than MGM's 1/2 tables. MGM had horrible play, but it was TIGHT and required paitence, but the opportunity was there. Caesar's presented way more opportunity for action.

[Cappy37 0]

Gratz on having fun in Vegas. It's always a moral victory when you come home on your own prerogative, and not on a Greyhound Bus. ;)Do you have any particular strategies when you play roulette? I have a buddy who sits and waits for 4 or 5 reds in a row and then bets on black, etc.. swears by it. I still say you get better EV flirting with a female "dealer".

[jmbreslin 0]

Gratz on having fun in Vegas. It's always a moral victory when you come home on your own prerogative, and not on a Greyhound Bus. ;)Do you have any particular strategies when you play roulette? I have a buddy who sits and waits for 4 or 5 reds in a row and then bets on black, etc.. swears by it. I still say you get better EV flirting with a female "dealer".

Lol. Roulette is a game that emphasizes the gambler's fallacy more than anything else. We play it just for fun, betting on our kids' birthdays and stuff like that. The only problem with that "strategy" is that you end up leaving out a lot of the high numbers! My wife usually has pretty decent luck at Roulette, but it was not kind to us this trip.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Lol. Roulette is a game that emphasizes the gambler's fallacy more than anything else. We play it just for fun, betting on our kids' birthdays and stuff like that. The only problem with that "strategy" is that you end up leaving out a lot of the high numbers! My wife usually has pretty decent luck at Roulette, but it was not kind to us this trip.

You realize, of course, that this is just as much a Gambler's Fallacy as any other.

[jmbreslin 0]

You realize, of course, that this is just as much a Gambler's Fallacy as any other.

Curse that Roulette, it just makes it so easy to fall into the trap...

[Seymour Bluffs 0]

Great Story

[bigstack1980 0]

cool post thx for your report....

[gimeabrak 0]

I'm back from my weekend in Vegas, my first trip there since I started my online NLHE "career". Some of you will know from my posts prior to the trip that I was a bit intimidated at the thought of moving from micro SnGs and .02-.05 cash games to the stakes in Vegas. So I thought I'd share a bit of my experience. Thanks for the great info. Never played in Vegas, living in San DIegoI sure have been a lot of times, but not since i got bite by the holdem bug.I played live one time in the Bahamas, and it wasn't much fun, 1 tablestarted at 5:00 daily and is roped off etc. 3 days in a row i stood around and no body ever arrived.there was a huge sign and the casino is small , right place right time no game. Good for you, and hope one day to do the same

[antistuff 0]

I still say you get better EV flirting with a female "dealer".

i think this is about the only kind of ev you can get playing roulette.

[jmbreslin 0]

i think this is about the only kind of ev you can get playing roulette.

Actually, we had an even more +EV experience. My wife and I were playing a bit on Sunday morning before breakfast and this nice looking guy in his late 30's or so came by with his suitcases and dropped two $100 chips on black. He said to the dealer (or spinner, I guess), "I'm on my way out, might as well play them." Anyway, he won and as he grabbed his chips and started heading away from the table, he flipped a $100 chip onto the table in front of us (we were the only other players at the table). We looked at him dumfounded and he said, "I have no use for it, I'm leaving now - have fun." We were speechless. I think my wife might have managed to pull her jaw off the floor long enough to mutter a weak, "thank you." The cashier was literally 15 feet from our table, and he held on to the other $300 in chips, so obviously he was just in a generous mood. It restored my faith in my fellow human being just a bit.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Actually, we had an even more +EV experience. My wife and I were playing a bit on Sunday morning before breakfast and this nice looking guy in his late 30's or so came by with his suitcases and dropped two $100 chips on black. He said to the dealer (or spinner, I guess), "I'm on my way out, might as well play them." Anyway, he won and as he grabbed his chips and started heading away from the table, he flipped a $100 chip onto the table in front of us (we were the only other players at the table). We looked at him dumfounded and he said, "I have no use for it, I'm leaving now - have fun." We were speechless. I think my wife might have managed to pull her jaw off the floor long enough to mutter a weak, "thank you." The cashier was literally 15 feet from our table, and he held on to the other $300 in chips, so obviously he was just in a generous mood. It restored my faith in my fellow human being just a bit.

They're all "dealers" regardless of the game - Craps, roulette, card games....at least he didn't say: "I'll give you $100 to sleep with your wife"