ES
4/26-4/29
I landed in Vegas and got to the Flamingo by 6pm, then it was off to the Bellagio for dinner and poker. Dinner plans changed as I decided to play first, lol. Sat down @ a 4/8 LHE table for 2 hours. Just getting my barings I finished only up a few dollars ($10 I think). Later that night I went back to the Bellagio for more 4/8 and after another 2 hours finished up $80. No specific hands to discuss as I was in rock mode. Friday morning, still no sleep yet really I ventured back to the Bellagio for my hand in 8/16 LHE. Here is where I opened my game up and after 3 hours I cashed out for +170.
After a quick nap, I went over to the Mirage for lunch at the Carnegie and possibly some poker. The restaurant was packed so I headed for the tables. I sat a juicy 6/12 LHE game where there was this French couple who looked like a donation stand. The husband was teaching his wife how to play so you can imagine how easy it was to play this table. After 2 hours I was up +370. Most memorable hand came when I had 8/9 offsuit on the button. Flop comes 8 9 K with 2 hearts. 3 players, check, bet, I raise, the call by the third player. Turn comes a 3rd heart and again, check, bet, raise, raise, and I sit and say to myself... I am beat for sure and I only have 6 outs to fill up. But wait.. I am on vacation right? So I call the $36 bet and the river lands the most beatiful 9 of diamonds I ever saw. Dragged a nice size pot playing a bit looser than I would normally.
After lunch I decided to go back to the Mirage Poker Room for more 6/12, but nothing was going on so I sat at the 10/20 table. I did OK here but I played only an hour and down -115. Guy hit the river card as he was riding AK all the way!
Saturday morning I went to the Venetion to take pictures for my wife who allowed me to come to Vegas alone :-). I stopped at the poker room of course and felt compelled to give it a go. Last year my $200 buy-in got swallowed up in 20 minutes. This time would be quite different. I was in a hand again in the BB. 3 players again, MP, SB, and me. I have A Clubs in my hand and 3 unconnected clubs hit on the flop. I check, bet, bet, I check/Raise with the other two players calling my raise. Turn hits the 4th club... I check again, bet, raise, I re raise, the guy on my left raises and the SB re-raises again.. We ended up showing down the pot and MP shows the King and the SB shows the Queen... I trump them both with my Ace of Clubs and drag a $200+ pot! I cashed out up 4 racks!
Next stop was Caesars... Nothing higher than 4/8 LHE going on so I sat in on that. Played 2 hours finished up about $50. Had AA twice on the small blind. Each time making just a small profit.
My last session was @ the Bellagio where I sat in on a 15/30 LHE game with $500 and after an hour doubled up. I played another hour with nothing big happening and finished my poker trip up $1500.
I was also to meet James Woods, David Williams, Tuan Lee, and most importantly... Johnny Chan! Fun trip!!!! Thanks for reading.
hey josh enjoyed your report will be traveling to vegas alone for the first
time.................plan on laying by the pool and playing........i will be staying at the flamingo ................hey info would be great.
Papadoc, I stay at the Flamingo frequently. Pool is excellent, one of the best in Vegas if you want to hang by a pool. Poker room is better than the rankings on this site show, IMHO, given recent improvements (unless you want to play higher limits than 1/2 LLNL or 2/4 LHE). Let me know if you have any questions.
THANK YOU IAPETE.......i am arriving 930pm on a thurs and leaving on the red eye mon. night.....would you recommend the flamingo most of mypoker action or should i bounce around...........i.choose the flamingo for its pool and location............any info on the flamingo would be great since i havent stayed there yet....thx cant wait.
I arrive at TI on Sat morning. I'm trying the tournament at Sahara? or Planet Hollywood? ?HAVEN'T?DECIDED??? I will play some at TI and maybe MGM for the drunken fish. Hope to run into you and other AVPers.
Papadoc, you picked an excellent mid-strip location with a great pool. I don't know how many poker rooms you've tried in Vegas or what game/limits you want. If you haven't tried many rooms, I'd suggest you bounce around some. Just read the various room reviews on this site and check out the player room rankings (again, I personally think the Flamingo poker room should be ranked a little better based on recent improvements and location). Flamingo is great for the lowest limits and the room is right on the strip so if you want to take off and try somewhere else its perfect. I play there quite a bit when I stay there since they now track your play and you can eat free after a bit. It is at least usually my last poker stop each day/night since it isn't far from my room if I need to crash for a while. I like to stay in the tower closest to the strip because the elevators come out very close to the poker room (the tower with the deluxe "GO" rooms is closer a little closer to the pool but further from the poker room).
thank you very much..............will be there 6/28-7/3....thx again
The best thing about the Flamingo besides location was that I could check in at the airport. When you go to the baggage claim it is on the right side near the #1 baggage line. It took five minutes to check in, so when I got to the airport I was able to go right up to my room. I didnt care for the Flamingo poker room, but the pool is perfect and access to the strip is golden. It is 20 minutes from hotel room to the Bellagio poker room. Funny thing is... it's right across the street.. hahaha but 20 minutes nonetheless!
The hotel room can be dated but the room is huge, the bed is super comfortable.. I was on the 17th floor with a vew of the courtyard/pool. I could have had a GO Deluxe room for $20 more a night, but the room is hardly used anyway.
I would recomend playing in cash games. The tourney's suck unless you shell out the $330--$1000 for the nicely structured events. Otherwise you deal with $2000 chip all in fests...
the 8/16 at the Bellagio was awesome.. I personally liked the 15/30 LHE best. You buy in for $400-$500 and away you go!!!
Anymore specific questions let me know!!!
Sounds like you played a lot of the bigger rooms with varying stakes (4-8 to 15-30). Any more detailed comments on the players at those tables, or any noticeable differences between levels? Just curious, although my bankroll doesn't even allow for the 8-16...
The hotel is great for location and pool. Margaritaville is a great spot to hang out, too. The room is not without its issues. The toilet leaked and the furniture is old. DO NOT EAT AT THE BUFFET! Other than that, the Flamingo is perfect.
@JoshFL
Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?
I don't think the flamingo buffet is terrible. It's not the best, but I've had it twice, and it served it's purpose. Now the IP, that's one to avoid.