I played my first live poker at Excalibur back before they built the Poker Room. Only played poker there a couple time since they built the room, and now the room is being converted to the sports book (sports book is turning into a night club). So Monday was the last day for the Poker Room and Tuesday was the first day for the poker area. I played a couple sessions in the new area. It is located just a few feet from old Poker Room, so you can still be guided by Poker Room sign.

Excalibur poker is a great place to learn if you have not played live poker, and is good if you want low limit and to have fun. It is seldom you find unfriendly people, although over the years I find dealers more hit and miss (maybe due to explosion of poker and dealers moving around). I know a couple of my favorite dealers there moved on, but there are still some fun dealers there.

Although a great place to warm up and get mind on poker, I am reminded that the donkeys congregate at low limit too. So play to have fun or bad play will ruin your day. For me the best example was my AK UTG with flop of KQ8. I check raise after flop and get rid of all but 2 players. Next card is a 9, board is rainbow. Knowing donkey will bet, I check raise again to see if I am up against 2 pair or J10. Other “player” reacts to my raise and I know he is folding. Donkey calls. River is a 10. Donkey bets again and I worry he still may have hit 2 pair, maybe a straight. I call and he had J3 off suit (mid position).

Even in a 2-6 game, calling a $6 raise to two over cards and another $6 raise with only a gutshot possibility still amazes me. Generally I like taking their money, but they will hit their card occasionally, so remember at this level to have FUN!

Played Aladdin tourney and finished in money. I was short stacked with about 14 players left and just waited for a big hand. With 11 players left I was short stack. Other table had 5 players and we had 6 players. I am on big blind with A9 and flop is KQJ. Player with short stack at other table goes all in and gets called, so I think really hard about my hand. Decide to fold when player loses and we are down to final table.

First hand at final table I get KK. I get 2 callers with AJ and 99. Flopped a K and tripled up. Next had I get AA and take the blinds. Now I am at average stack. Two short stackers go out quickly to player in seat one. A couple hands later seat one is BB and 2 players before him go all in. Since he is cheap leader, he calls with JJ. Other players have QQ and 88. Yup, and J comes on flop and other 2 players are gone. Rest of are in money. Seat one mowed my A4 clubs with JJ and sometimes one just catches good cards.

Next day I wanted to play noon tourney at Ceasars but Vegas Open was going on and I didn’t have $1000 with me. Couldn’t play at temporary daily tourney time of 2pm since I had an evening commitment so I went to Binion’s for 2 pm tourney. I did see Shawn Sheikhan playing what looked like $400-$800 heads up in high limit area at Ceasars (at noon), and he looked liked he’d been there a while.

Binion’s tourney was not quite as fun. It was my first time there and it was mid-afternoon mid-week, but it was very quiet and players/dealers were not real friendly. Game was extremely tight until a couple players won, and then they turned into bullies. It was twice the money compared to Aladdin and about same amount of players. It appeared the Binions tourney had a little better level of player, but not unbeatable. If you like a little less noisy area, it was definitely quiet. Only made it thru first break, so no money here for me.

Last room I played was Monte Carlo. Had never been there so wanted to give it a try. Staff was very cordial and I liked the room. They did not have $4-8 going so I played $3-6 for a couple hours. I generally liked the feel of the room and will play it again for a nice change of pace. I think once you get past beginner poker (Excalibur/Luxor) and if you don’t want to play higher than $4-8 and/or tough competition (Bellagio/Mirage), then Monte Carlo could be on list to play.

IF you want a really big game, try the $400-$800 game with Shawn in the morning at Ceasars! LOL