Since I have used the site to get information about different poker rooms in Vegas I thought it only right that I submit a trip report of my own.

I'm a novice no limit player and was looking to play small stakes no limit and tournaments while in Vegas. Since the site and trip reports raved about the MGM that is where I started my playing even though we were staying at the Mandalay Bay. The MGM poker room is what every poker room should aspire to be. Large, open, friendly and convenient. The tourney director - Tommy - was especially friendly. That is the MGM room. Started out by playing no limit max 200 buy in while waiting for the 6 pm 100 buy in tourney to start. The table was nearly all weak players save for one local who I tangled with on the very first hand when I elected to post rather than wait for the big blind. My 9/5 off was a monster after the 9-5-A flop. I guess he saw me as clueless as he kept betting into me while I just called him down. I think he had a weak A but I'm not sure. The other players were all tourists and rather poor players so my overall experience was that the game could be beaten. I cashed out ahead and proceded to the tournament which has a high rake and low payout but hey - it's the MGM. Very well run tourney and nice staff the mix at the tables was of a much higher caliber player than the cash games. I think I finished mid 20's after playing one hand after the first break. The took 70 entries. The tourney lasts about 3-4 hours and the blind structure is pretty good. you start with 1500 and blinds are 25/50 with 30 minute levels or it could have been 20. Anyway with about 900 chips at 90 minutes I was short stacked and went all in with A9soooted. No match for AK in the BB.

The next tourney I played was the 10 am 50 buy in at the Flamingo. This is limited to 30 people so it is really a 3 table sit and go. The mix at this tournament was clearly more novice than average player. At my first table one guy didn't really even know how to play no limit as he was a limit player. He had also been up for 30+hours which didn't help either. The blinds went up every 20 minutes. I was very patient and didnt see a flop for the first hour. Got short stacked and took down some pots with all ins. Made the final table with an average stack and well...the rest is poker history. I won it. Nice payout of 750 for a few hours work. Didn't play the cash games there but there was a limit game going on that had a lot of beginners.

Made my way back to the Mandalay to play their cash game. It is a 200 max buy in which is nice. Ended up winning there after I lost a 380 pot to 99 with AA. I still can't believe the guy called my all in re-reraise but I battled back to get up a hundred or so. Bought into there 6 pm tournament for 60 bucks that is limited to 30.

As for the Mandalay cash games I say they are easy pickins. Didn't run into any locals save for one guy and most of the play comes straight off the WPT tour. All ins with nothing - trying to make moves at pots - overbetting etc. ABC poker will work here.

As for the tourney - I wouldn't recommend it. Starts with 500 chips and the blinds at 10/20 going up every 20 minutes. Of the 10 people at my original table 2 didn't know how to play. I made final table here and bubbled out in 6th when it turned into an all in fest.

All in all the MGM really cannot be beaten in terms of the layout and the staff. The Mandalay has easy games but the room is small and the drink service is slow - as it is at the Flamingo.