STARTPOST TITLE: Las Vegas Jan 1-8 AUTHOR: Damian DATE: 1/13/2006 11:20:00 PM ----- BODY:

Well I'm back from a week in Las Vegas. We stayed at the Imperial Palace this time. Yes, I know it's old and not as nice as the new hotels, but it was available during a very busy week (CES) and it was right in the middle of the strip.

Since I was staying at the Imperial Palace I naturally decided to try their poker room. The only thing they were offering was 4/8 limit and 1/2 NL. Well I generally stay away from limit so I decided to kill some time playing 1/2 NL. I quickly learned that there were just too many beginners in this poker room and seemed like chasing and catching was their specialty. After losing my $200 I decided that I would try to stay away from this place if at all possible.

Next stop was the Wynn poker room. I had heard that it's the best one in town. It's definitely nice and cozy. Chairs were adjustable and there were a very wide variety of games. I was planning to play 2/5NL, but there was a long list, while 1/3NL had a seat open so that's where I parked myself for the next 6 hours.

When I went to buy chips I asked "What's the maximum buy in?". I got the weirdest look. Apparently there is no maximum buy in like at every other poker room that I've been to. I buy in for $300 which is a rack of $3 chips. Yes, that's right, $3 chips. I wondered how long it would take me to count by 3s. It looked like I wasn't the only one with that problem.

One notable hand: I had QQ and raised my standard 5x BB ($15). I got called by 2 people and flop was TQx. I was first to act, so I check, there's a bet of $30, 3rd person calls, so I raised to $60. Original raiser re-raises to $120, the other person quickly folds, so I move all in for another $150. Now looking at a pot over $700. He flips over QT turn is a T and my bigger full house beats his. I did finish my first day at the Wynn up over $700 and I knew I would be back.

Now if I had stuck to my original plan to ONLY play poker I would be fine, but of course I had to play slots, craps, and blackjack. Good thing I had poker profits to feed those other fun games. I did get to take a look at some of the other poker rooms on the strip. The famous Bellagio was nice. It wasn't as intimate as Wynn. Ceasars Palace just opened their poker room less than a month ago, and it's very nice as well. To me it felt like a conference room though. All the other poker rooms I saw were in the middle of the casino, so not really a separate room.

I did go back to the Wynn and this time played for 8 hours. I was up $300 after that session. Again playing $1/3 NL since I had such good luck at it last time. My KK did get busted by 66 when he somehow made a straight on the river. We were both all in preflop. It's amazing how busy the poker room still is at 4am.

We took the deuce (bus) downtown and I had to take a look at Binion's poker room since that's where the WSOP was born. They have a wall of champs. Interesting to see how young everyone looked in the 80s and 90s. I didn't get to play here as we had to meet MikeJ for dinner.

Dinner was at the Rio. I thought it was an excellent buffet. For some reason it closes at 10pm. I thought everything was 24h in Las Vegas. After dinner, MikeJ and I played some 2/5NL. The Rio is where most of the WSOP is played. MikeJ got into and amazing hand when he had AA vs KK, vs AJo. Everyone was all in preflop. Flop: xTK. So now KK is ahead. Turn: Q. The worst hand makes a straight. And miraculously the river is a 4th club. It turns out one of the Aces MikeJ has is a club. He takes down the $700 pot. We didn't stay long and I was maybe up about $5 when we cashed out.

My final day of poker was spent at the Wynn (of course). I really felt comfortable in this place. Right from the beginning I was being out drawn. I should have stopped once I realized I was going to have a bad session. I had QT and flop came QTx. I bet $15 into a $15 pot. 1 caller. Turn is 8. I bet $45, he calls. River is J. What does he show? 99. Yes he caught his straight. Seemed like that was my day. I finished down $400, and saved by MikeJ who came to get me for dinner before I had to leave for the airport.

In the end, I was still up playing poker for the week. When I return I will definitely play at the Wynn. And will probably play at Ceasars as well. I only wish we had live NL games close to home. I guess it's online poker for the time being.

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