ES
Slow and Steady
Arrived in Vegas Thursday night 5/10. My wife and I traveled with another couple and had numerous plans, but he girls understood poker was the reason for the trip. We stayed at MGM for the poker room. I had been to Vegas one other time and the MGM poker room really fits my style!
As we walked through the hotel we passed the poker room and showed the girls where they could find us. At the first table sat a guy with an i-pod, and dark sunglasses. The girls laughed and said they thought people only did that for TV. After we stashed our stuff in the room we went down for some 1/2 NL. When I got a seat at a table who do you think I sat next to? You got it, MR. Sunglasses. The girls got a real kick and left to waste money on the blackjack tables. The table was a total limp fest. Every pot had at least 7 limpers. I have been working hard on my game this past year so I would raise up the pot every now and then just to build some pots. When I hit the nuts there was something in the middle to entice callers. I did flop a royal flush on one hand and all I could win were the blinds. What a waste. I did end up $400 after 4 hours.
Friday at noon my buddy wanted to play the Caesars noon tourney we both did well until the well known all in fest after 4 hours. Went back to MGM and played at 1/2 NL table for 2 1/2 hours. We had a guy that thought he was the best. He had a good rush going and was far to confident. We decided to play 1 more hand before dinner. At that point I am up 100 giving me 300 in chips. The guy on a rush has about 275 when I get pocket 7's. It flops 7,A,7. The poker gods blessed my friend with an Ace. I checked the flop and he bets 25. I thought for a while and call. The turn was a jack. I checked knowing he will raise all day as he had for the past hour. Another 75 goes in the pot. I call and the river is a rag. He tries to raise me off the pot with an all in. Immediate call an I bust him hard. He did not take it well. Up another 400!
I played 1/2 that night up again. Played 2/5 the next afternoon much more fun up another 300 and played a slow 1/2 game Saturday night and only was up 150 for that session.
Finished up $1600 and never touched my buy in of 200. I had a great trip and can't wait to go back. The noise and funny rail on the tables you have all heard about but I still love a poker room I can make money in!
Any trip where you come home with more than you came with is good! Sounds like you had a good time
Welcome aboard!
I heard MGM was a rockfest. I guess it's not??? or did you just run hot?
MGM a rockfest? Nothing could be further from the truth. MGM has some of the softest games on the strip. Check it out.
I've run into both rocks and donkeys at MGM. In all of the times I have gone, on weeknights I seem to be likely to find a rockfest.
However, on the weekends it has been a totally different story. The silk shirt crowd loves to hit the MGM on Friday and especially saturday nights. You get people who have watched tournament poker on TV and feel like they have the talent to make the final table. Of course they don't and as long as you are patient and willing to trap, you can make a nice hefty stack. I highly recommend MGM and TI on weekend nights.
Curious, what's Sunday night like? Is that more of a weekend crowd or weekday crowd?
From what I have seen, it is of course less action than on a friday or saturday, but better than a weeknight. If you come earlier in the evening, you can sometimes catch people who are willing to take a quick gamble for that gutshot straight on the river before they catch their flight.