Was in Las Vegas last week for four days. Basically for business, but definitely managed to get in some poker fun.
First, a hotel recommendation. I stayed at the Orleans where I've never been before. I was extremely impressed. My room was terrific, almost a suite. The service was also excellent. It's off the strip kind of behind the Palm, but there's a shuttle to across the street from Caesars. The rates vary, but very inexpensive. The hotel has great food options and a super poker room except that it's basically locals (good and bad). Fun to get to know people who live there, but they're generally good poker players.
I played there for about 6 hours in a $1/$2 no limit cash game and won a few hundred, then played again later and gave $100 back. There was a pretty crazy guy to play and I should have changed tables, but I wanted to see if I could beat him. Basically, he made it a $1/$12 game in that he raised every pot, then after getting 4 or 5 callers, stuck in his rack for $500 and everyone folded. I was hoping to get a hand and bust him, but that's a bad emotional state to play in.
Basically, I spent the rest of my poker time at the Wynn. I like that poker room a lot. It's small and friendly with mostly tourists (like me!) who come with money and don't mind losing (not like me). I played there twice for about 6 hours each time in the $3/$5 no limit game. I lost $800 almost immediately when a bigger full house busted my full house, but I managed to come back.
I loved my table in that it had a good variety of people: young, loose guys, medium careful players, and a few really good ones. It was fun to figure out. When I played there the next day there were a lot of the same people which I like. We were old friends by then. Overall, I left up a few hundred and had lots of fun.
I didn't play any tournaments, although I like the daily at Caesars, but I can play those where I live, and don't get any cash game action so that was my focus.
It snowed for a few hours while I was there which was neat since it was right before Christmas. The cab driver said it hadn't snowed in over 4 years. I was glad they didn't close the airport the next day, but then again, I wouldn't have minded one more day at the Wynn poker room and one more clam chowder (the best) at the Oyster House at the Orleans.
