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The Bellagio has been the epicentre nouveau of poker for many years now, and though the Venetian lacks the mostly empty but occasional spectacle of Bobby's Room and reliable higher limit games, this poker room is, at minimum, making a grab at the torch.
Both rooms are beautifully appointed using what I would assume are Italian architectural cues and both achieve the desirable sensation of being sequestered from the main floor of the casino while still being very much in the center of the action.
The Venetian, however, has a clear and refreshing advantage in regards to space. You can kick several feet away from your table (in unbridled joy or utter disgust) without disturbing a neighbor. For those who value the feeling that they are at a poker table in an opulent venue, and not still wedged into the coach cattle car with three and a half hours still to fly, the Venetian is the place to be.
Because of the configuration of the room, the Venetian has less than the Bellagio in regards to rail-bird hazards. Several of the tables on the left side of the Bellagio room are close enough to the rail that an onlooker with a Marlboro can make it tough to breathe.
The Venetian and the Bellagio are equal in ambience, but the Bellagio mortgaged a great deal of space by building Bobby's room and seems not to have made an effort to reclaim it by expansion. Because all other things are equal for a player of ordinary means, I give the Venetian the advantage.
The Venetian has a good mix of players, from the competent to the uninitiated. One player, when the action came to him for the first time, indicated that he would "stay" and made a nervous horizontal sweep with his hand. Not surprisingly, he had AJ and won a large pot (all-in) with two pair before the chip runner even brought his minimum buy-in to the table. (He cashed out immediately and we debated whether he'd known what he'd had, or if he had "stayed" simply because he‘d hit “21.”)
That story aside, there are a number of competent out-of-towners and local grinders. They are easily spotted and in greatest concentration at the 2-5 no limit game. At the 1-2 no limit game two or three players might be truly competent, and of those, at least one will be easily given to tilt.
One notably absent profile is that of the drastically “over served” player. While the inebriated player can be fun and even profitable, the deeply drunk often slow the game to a near halt and make it as difficult for you to make a decision as it would be for them to make a sound selection of bedroom company for the wee remaining hours of the night. I don’t know of any Venetian policy that precludes over serving, but I applaud the absence.
There is solid opportunity for profit here, especially at the lower no limit games. It isn't uncommon to see five or six players to a flop when a raise of six to seven times the blind is in place. Though that kind of action can be daunting with a premium pocket pair, it speaks to the kind of game you'll likely see.
The dealers at the Venetian are very good. They do a good job of running the balance between being jovial and invisible by dint of their competence. Not that it makes for a valid gauge, but I only saw one flipped card in two days of play. The tables at the Venetian all have automatic shufflers and the dealers do a good job of keeping play as brisk as possible.
There were twenty seven tables running on the Saturday that I visited the Venetian, and there were three cocktail waitresses covering the floor. When I needed a drink, I got one. Case closed.
In regards to scenery the waitresses, who were generally attractive, ran the gambit from tall, svelte and willowy to fit, curvy and, he-hem, “enhanced.” All of the wait staff had gym memberships.
The lone detractor was in regards to the in-room dining service. A player sitting at my table had to go through two cocktail waitresses and two room managers (and nearly 40 min of waiting) to get served. The poker room happened to be exceptionally busy at that time, and everybody seemed to be making an effort, but 40 min is excessive.
The management did a good job of managing the list and filling seats as they came available. Later in the evening, when our numbers dwindled, a rake reduction was approved instantly. In regards to the tournaments, you’re required to join Club Grazie in order to play. The line for this service was a little hectic and the lone operator seemed a little overwhelmed. Get this done early if you intend to play a tournament.
The comps at the Venetian are pretty standard - I think a dollar an hour of play. I’m unsure of what you get for playing in a tournament. There are no high hand or bad beat jackpots.
