Cash Games
$1-$5 Spread Limit Holdem
$1-$2 NL Holdem
The cash game wait list is a simple piece of paper with your first name written in pen, and if you aren’t within earshot after your name is called, you will be skipped quickly. There are two areas of this poker room, with the tournaments played in a slightly secluded and quiet area, and the cash game tables a few feet from the sidewalk sandwiched between the doors and a bar. The staff is not accommodating in spreading other games, mostly because there are no extra tables. The cash game rake is standard, and the comps are also standard for Harrah’s properties with $1/hr to the total rewards card and can be redeemed at any property.

TV/Food/Drinks/General
By all standards, this is the bottom of the barrel when it comes to amenities. There are no TV’s, and with the volume from the live music that is normally going on, concentration is gone. I have played O’Shaes many times, and most nights the cocktail staff is never visible at the poker tables. When you ask the dealer for help, they kind of give a “I feel your pain, but I can’t help” type of look and shrug their shoulders after calling for the floor person that didn’t hear them anyway.

Cheap eats are within a short walking distance; Burger King, Subway, and other options can be found in a mall food court style setting in the back of the casino. There are no side tables to be found to eat at the table though, and speaking of equipment most poker rooms have- O’shaes does not have nice chairs, in fact they have the worst. No auto shufflers in the tables, and the felt and cards are both worn out and terribly overused.

Tournaments
O’shaes has a short list of tournaments. Usually a $40 buyin and they start at staggered hours around 6 times per day. Listing the exact schedule is pointless though, because they never start on time and are usually waiting for more players. This is nothing more than a home $20 or $40 buyin you would play with friends, and a mass % of that is going to the house anyway. I don’t recommend looking to O’shaes if tournament poker is your thing. The one positive though, the tournament area is away from the cash game area, so a bit of focus and the feel of an actual poker ROOM become slightly evident in the tournament area.

Staff
Another O’shaes review that I read stated there is a rumor of dealers who get in trouble at Flamingo being sent over to O’shaes as punishment. That is very possible. In my many trips to O’shaes, they always seem to be the most irritated and unhappy to be there, “I hate my job” types of people that I have ever come across. You have to understand something though; this place has $5 limit blackjack, live country/rock n’ roll cover bands, $1 drafts, beer pong tables, and a tattoo parlor. This is a place meant to cater to the low end tourist crowd; so the crowd is usually a bit on the rough side. Dealers are forced to put up with a ton of play errors, and they enforce etiquette rules very loosely. F-bombs at O’shaes are commonplace, betting out of turn is just sort of forgotten.

I’ve had one experience with a dealer who seemed to be having a good time here, and he was actually farting loudly and laughing with other players about it while sitting at the table and dealing…

In closing; this is my favorite place to play in town. My favorite? with everything I just wrote? YES. This game is FREE. If you can force yourself to block out all of the chaos around you, you will find yourself in the easiest game you have ever imagined. Every drunk idiot can see the poker game going on without even being inside of the place, and just walk up and plop down in the game. Good players? How many good grinders that play on a regular basis would you expect to find in an environment like I described? I’ve played 8-10 sessions in my life and with zero batting of my eye or exaggeration I have walked out a winner on every trip. Its just really impossible to lose in this game if you have any clue.

If you don’t need fast drink service, don’t care that you know more than the dealer about the rules, and can handle loud obnoxious music and people, this is a great place to grind out your expenses on your next trip to Vegas.

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Phone: 702-733-3485
Web: http://www.flamingolasvegas.com/casinos/flamingo-las-vegas/casino-gambling/poker-detail.html
Address: 3555 Las Vegas Blvd

Cash games:
$2/$4 Limit Holdem
$1/$2 NL Holdem ($100 min/$300 max)

The above two games can be found 24/7, and dealers have the ability to spread higher games and other games upon request if the interest level is there from enough players. Wait times are low, and they have computerized wait lists and microphone/loud speaker combos to make sure everyone is aware the moment seats become available. Locals come here in the daytime during the week, so the games may be “tougher”, but senior citizen “regulars” in $1/$2 can’t be THAT tough. If you are specifically looking for a weak game, The Flamingo is a still a good place but you should wait untill the weekends or play at night through the work week.

Events:
$1/$2 Pot Limit Omaha Saturdays at 7:00 PM
$4/$8 Omaha Hi/Lo Thursdays at 10:00 PM
$4/$8 H.O.S.E. Tuesdays at 4:00 PM
Monthly freeroll for anyone with 60 hours of play. $3000 prizepool
Aces Cracked from 4am to 4pm = $50
High Hand Jackpots

Comps:
Flamingo is part of the Harrah’s corporation, so all comps are tracked and go directly to the total rewards card. $1/hr comps for the normal limits spread; and these can be redeemed at any Harrah’s property in the world. These comps are basically the standard for most rooms in town.

Television:
If watching every game you have a bet on while playing poker is a goal; this is not the best place for it. There are 3-4 big screens located around the room, and from any seat at the 12 tables in the room you could keep an eye on at least one TV, but it’s not for the sports fanatic.

Food:
A deli is near the poker room but not 24/7. There are various restaurants inside Flamingo but no table-side services.

Drinks:
Strong rating here. The cocktailers do their job in a less than slow fashion and don’t skimp on the orders. Poker players are treated just as well in the drink department as the high-roller black jack tables, so if a cheap buzz is on your radar, the 2-4 game and attentive wait staff at Flamingo might be exactly what you’re looking for.

Tournaments:
10:00 AM and 6:00 PM there are $75 buyin tourneys that rarely see more than 2 full tables. This may seem like a small schedule but you are literally within a stones throw of four other casinos if you are at Flamingo, and they display a list of all the neighboring tournaments in other casinos at all times.

Staff:
Poker room manager that I spoke with personally for this review was very friendly and helpful. The wait-list and seating tasks are handled well. Dealers conversed with everyone and had good understanding of the game in the few trips I’ve made to “the-Fla”… What this place may lack in glitz and glamor is definitely made up for with the great group of people running the place

Solid drink quality and speed, great staff in general, auto-shufflers for good hands per hour ratio, decent game selection for low limit players… Solid overall rating for a “mid-sized” room.

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Cash Games:

Seabrook Greyhound Park is host to only a few games, all of which are FL. These include $2/$4 and $4/$4 Hold’em and Omaha. These games run as long as the doors are open, 3pm-12am Monday thru Thursday, and 12pm to 12am Friday thru Sunday. Normally weekdays it’s a little slow, but weekend nights are always raging with a plentiful amount of tables running and waiting lists filling up.

Cash Game Rake:

Seabrook Greyhound Park generally takes up to 10% max rake, equal to max of $6. All proceeds do benefit various Charitable Organizations.

Promotions & Special Events:

The Poker Room at Seabrook Greyhound Park runs monthly promotional events for the Charitable Organizations they sponsor. Recently they held a $50,000 His and Hers Harley Davidson Motorcycle package giveaway. And of course, it is also a Greyhound Park, so betting dogs and horses is always allowed.

Television:

There are plenty of plasma tv’s in the tournament room used for professional sporting events, and several smaller tv’s hosting races, and blind timers for the several tournaments going on.

In the Cash Game room, there are only a few televisions, nothing too fancy.

Massage:

Players can receive a massage from a licensed massage therapist for $1 per minute.

Food & Drinks:

The Poker Room at Seabrook Greyhound Park has several waitresses always ready to serve players, and continuously make rounds through both the tournament and cash game room asking players if they need anything. Prices are generally acceptable. Dishes for either lunch or dinner will run you between $7-14. And the portions they offer are definitely more than adequate.

Tournaments:

Seabrook Greyhound Park’s poker room is split in two. One side is the cash game and sit n go room, where the other room is strictly used for tournaments. There are 7 cash game tables readily available, with a lower lobby used for sit n goes, housing about 24 tables. In the tournament room there are 24 tables present, most of which are always being used as they have tournaments running all day. Call and find out more for yourself toll free at (603) 474-3065 or visit the website at www.seabrookpoker.com for any other information.

Schedule:

Sit N Go’s running daily ranging from $40 to $250 Buy ins, 75% of the prize pool paid out, 25% is taken as rake.

Also there are table games available all day – Limit Blackjack, Roulette, 3 Card Poker, and Let It Ride.

Monday-Thursday

5:00 PM $70 Buy in. 4,000 chips. 20 minute blinds.

6:30 PM $120 Buy in. 12,000 chips. 30 minute blinds (Mondays ONLY).

7:00 PM $80 Buy in. 4,000 chips. 20 minute blinds (Tues-Thurs ONLY).

8:00 PM $30 Buy in with 2 optional rebuys. 1,500 chips per $30. 20 minute blinds.

9:00 PM $250 2 table Sit N Go. 20 Players. 6,000 chips. 20 minute blinds.

Friday

1:00 PM $100 Buy in. 6,000 chips. 20 minute blinds.

5:00 PM $70 Buy in. 4,000 chips. 20 minute blinds.

7:00 PM $100 Buy in. 5,000 chips. 20 minute blinds.

8:00 PM $30 with 2 optional rebuys. 1,500 chips per $30. 20 minute blinds.

9:00 PM $250 2 table Sit N Go. 20 players. 6,000 chips. 20 minute blinds.

Saturday-Sunday

1:00 PM $150 Buy in. 10,000 chips. 30 minute blinds (Saturday ONLY)

1:00 PM $50 Buy in with 2 optional rebuys. 2,500 chips per $50. 20 minute blinds (Sundays ONLY)

4:00 PM $70 Buy in. 4,000 chips. 20 minute blinds.

7:00 PM $100 Buy in. 5,000 chips. 20 minute blinds.

8:00 PM $30 Buy in with 2 optional rebuys. 1,500 chips per $30. 20 minute blinds.

9:00 PM $250 2 table Sit N Go. 20 players. 6,000 chips. 20 minute blinds.

Seabrook Greyhound Park is a very nice card room. It is kept up nicely, and is very clean, the management is unbelievable and always eager to assist, dealers are quite friendly, and the overall environment is very warm and welcoming. Rake is expensive here, but it is for a good cause. The food is great, the people are nice, and there is always plenty to get involved with since the track is just through a set of doors. Seabrook is a very social and enjoyable card room, check it out for yourself!

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Cash Game Rake:
10% per pot up to $5, +$1 from all pots of $10 or more to the high hand bonus. Pretty standard for Vegas.

Comps:
One of the strongest poker rooms in this category and for good reason. To start, they are tied in with the Total Rewards card, which will accumulate comps from any table game play at any Harrah’s property on the strip and around the world. Standard $1/hr comp rate is available for cash games, and this same rate is applied to tournament play; one of the only poker rooms that awards an hourly comp for tournament players and these can be redeemed for shows, food, rooms, etc. High hand bonus money is awarded and each hand is progressive, for example if the 7 high straight flush hits, there is still a big bonus for the guy on the next table if he makes quads.

Television:
Because the poker room stands in place of the old sports book, this might be the best place in Vegas to play poker and watch sports. A massive projection screen occupies most of the south wall, and there are other flat screens hanging on the walls to each side of it, and more on the north wall. Leo Soderman, lead poker room supervisor, told me during March Madness the feel in the poker room will be electric and if any game is on TV ANYWHERE in the world, they will get the feed into the poker room upon request.

Drinks:
Very strong rating in this category. Redbull is served in the can, and all alcoholic mixed drinks are made with top shelf liquor. Cocktailers are older and not dressed in scantly clad outfits, but another review I read says the reason for this is the fact Harrah’s workers have a union, so firing cocktailers because they aren’t what you see at a strip club is not possible. That is fine by me. I don’t need more distractions when I’m playing, and the service is very punctual so all is good in the drink category.

Food:
Table side food service is available, and can be paid for with comps. I don’t have a list of all the menus available, but this is a large property with many restaurants and food stands so if you want it, they’ve probably got it.

Tournaments:
Most people who read “poker tournament” are thinking something like they see on TV or online, but buyer beware with most all tournaments in Vegas. Many have a list like the one I have below here; but the reality is there are rarely more than 2 tables, and often these things only fill one table with only 1st place paid. This is exactly the category Harrah’s falls into. However, because the fields are so small Harrah’s does something nice and carry’s a TLB competition, which is one of the few in town. So even though they are very small, you can be rewarded for doing well consistently. $6000 is divided among the leaders every month.

$40+rebuys at 12:30 AM Daily

$150 freezout at 8:00 PM Daily (80% payback schedule better than most)

$110 bounty at 11:00 AM & 3:30 PM Daily ($10 bounty)

Special Events:
The same review that I mentioned reading earlier, boasts Harrah’s as one of the best and most aggressive with promotions and that may be true. Take February for example; “The Poker Player’s Bailout Plan – Round 2″.

75-100 hours = $2 for every hour played.

101-125 = $3 for every hour played.

125+ = max bonus of $599.

These bonuses are paid in cash; and are over and above player comps making this a very good place for locals on the daily 1-2 cash game grind. Also, because this is round two, and the way Leo described it to me, this should be an on going monthly promotion and is a very nice way of giving back to the locals that help keep this room afloat.

Staff:
Dealers are proficient; and the room is always overstaffed to ensure seamless dealer changes and no breaks in the action. Rulings were handled efficiently in the three tournaments I’ve played at Harrah’s, and in the brief period I spoke to the staff they were extremely helpful and accommodating even on a day I didn’t intend to sit.

My play in Vegas is limited to only a handful of casinos, and Harrah’s is one of them for the reasons mentioned above. You feel right at home in this very comfortable and inviting poker room, and I recommend it for anyone traveling to the city looking for a good 1-2 game in a relaxed environment. Another advantage to the secluded room is the lack of cigarette smoke. Sure, all Vegas poker rooms are non-smoking; but the barrier between smoking and non at some places is nothing more than a velvet rope; here you are completely and 100% separated from all the normal casino related downfalls a poker room would face like cigarettes and slot machine noise. And, for those who do smoke, don’t forget one of the walls is glass, so you can easily smoke and see the action at your table.

For a mid sized poker room that only has 10-15 tables, this is probably the best on the strip.

Cash Games
These games are spread 24/7
$4/$8 Limit Holdem
$1/$2 $300 max NL
$2/$5 $1000 max NL
$5/$10 $400 min-no max NL
$10/$20 $800 min-no max NL

The Venetian absolutely has something for everyone. $25/$50 NL runs occasionally, and there is usually a $4/$8 Omaha HiLo half kill running as well. This room also boasts the ability to run any game at any time, so if a group of you wants to play something not already going, it is more than possible to get it started. There is a wing slightly separated from the main floor for “high” stakes, and a third completely secluded ultimate VIP room for the “HIGHEST” stakes players. Which games being spread in the high limit rooms depends on how many players are playing, but the limits for playing in these rooms are generally pretty low by most VIP standards. The poker room also has its own cashiers cage which is nice at the end of your session, and chips can be purchased from the dealers when you first sit down, so there is no extra waiting once you have your seat. There is a good mix of bad to average players at the lower limits, and because it is a nicer casino, the fish generally have more that they can afford to lose.

Cash Game Rake
Since there is no extra rake for Jackpots, this is one of the better rooms for players that want to play a serious amount of time and not be eaten alive by the rake. 10% per pot up to $4.00 is the standard rake in all games at all limits.

Comps
Tournament receipts are good for a food voucher, and the size of the voucher depends on the tournament buyin. Cash game comps are $1.00/hr at lower limits, and $1.50/hr for 2/5 NL and higher.

Television
25 high def plasma screens are scattered around the room, putting vital statistics like average chip stacks for tournament players, and ballgames for sports players in plain view from every seat in the house.

Food
The Venetian has limitless choices when it comes to eating. 29 different restaurants can be delivered to you table side, from extravagant five-star dining, or just a slice of pizza at the food court, they have whatever you want and close by. One would expect such a rich feeling place to have the $20 hamburger but that isn’t the case unless you want it to be. As I said above, food for all tastes and budgets are readily available. Also there is a very high amount of side tables available. Most rooms have only a few and players enviously watch the guy with his own mini coffee table. At Venetian, if you want one you’ve got it.

Drinks
This category may be one of the biggest influences on me writing such a positive review, but it seriously doesn’t get any better than this. Not only are there several beautiful cocktail waitresses dedicated to the poker room to ensure fast service, they bring you the best when they come back. You can order any type of mixed drink and expect it to be filled with the very best alcohol. A vodka-cran is not a $5 bottle of vodka thats 50% watered down, you’re getting Grey Goose without even having to ask. Another review I read about this room mentioned how the RedBull comes served in the can, and that is a massive + for me also. Some rooms like Excalibur give you an awful tasting thing served in a glass, no matter what brand of energy drink you order its this same generic thing every time, not The Venetian. Also there are no qualms about “double-fisting” so if you are playing low limits for fun and in an effort to drink cheaply, this is a good place for it as they won’t bat an eye when you order a “shot n’ a beer” at the same time.

Tournaments
Daily tournaments are handled by the existing poker room area along side the cash games, and every table has automatic shufflers to ensure the highest amount of hands per hour possible. If you read a review for any poker room, you will see a long listing of daily tournaments offered, but very few are what the normal tournament seeker had in mind. For example, the nightly $150 at Harrah’s is rarely more than a 10 person single table tournament that only pays first place…

At the Venetian the 7:00 pm 7 day per week $120 usually gets 60 players, and with one of the very best starting stack to blind increase structures in town it offers the most “play” possible. Also, of the $120 that you pay to enter, 80% actually goes to the prize pool, and for a buyin this low, that % is easily one of the most player friendly numbers in town. 7 days a week at noon there is another tournament, this time for $170 and it sees a higher number of entrants, slower blind levels, and more starting chips. Sunday the noon tournament is a $500 and the stacks/levels increase even more.

Special Events
What originally started as a smaller buyin tournament series to mirror the World Series of Poker and run only once per year, the Deep Stack Extravaganza is now an incredibly popular tournament series that goes on for an entire month, four times per year. Buyins range from $350 to $5000, there are satellites for all tournaments, and all of the events have extremely long blind levels and huge starting stack sizes. A detailed list of event dates, payout structures, past results, giveaways, special room rates, and exact blind structures can be found here: http://venetian.com/Pages.aspx?id=2451

To handle fields of over 300 players, an entire chunk of slot machines between the sports book and poker room are removed, and more top level tables exactly like the ones in the normal room are inserted. They do not have enough of the great chairs from the poker room to expand during this series, but the outer tables collapse first and it really isn’t uncomfortable if you draw one of these tables.

Great buffets are offered each day for all cash and tournament players during the series, and the menu changes with each day of the week so players attending for several events don’t get tired of the food. Also, every players tournament entry receipt can be stamped for a $10 voucher good at most food counters in the building.

Because there is a separate desk for the tournament entry’s and cash games, at two completely opposite ends of the room, there is plenty of room for registration during the series. I really can’t say enough about how well organized this thing is. Every floor person has an earpiece, everyone is flying around handling business, but its very controlled and relaxed at the same time. Top notch stuff, once again.

Staff
Even during the series when they hire extra people who may or may not be the most experienced poker dealers, everything is ran very smoothly. Rules are clearly visible and available to all players at all times, and the staff executes all rulings fairly. Every staff member is also very friendly and they remember faces of players who come in often, which is nice.

Basically, this room is “The Nuts” of Vegas poker rooms in every category you can think of. Tournaments or cash games, they have it all, and they do it the best. If you are trying to decide where to plan your next poker trip, look no further.

Phone: (702) 414-7657
Web: www.venetian.com/POKERROOM.aspx
Email: poker@venetian.com
Address: 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South

The Caesars Palace poker room is very spread out, with plenty of room inside. While a lot of rooms have a cramped feel to them, this room is just the opposite. I also like the colors inside the room, which are subdued and calming, rather than busy and loud like most other Las Vegas poker rooms.

The poker room at Caesars Palace is located adjacent to the sportsbook, making it easy for players to take a quick break to place a bet. On the opposite side of the poker room is the famous Pure Nightclub and the Pussycat Dolls Lounge. Just outside of the poker room is the Pussycat Dolls blackjack area, where girls in tiny outfits dance in cages and make otherwise respectable men slobber themselves.

Cash Games

The most popular games at the Caesars Palace poker room are $1/3 & $2/5 NL Hold’em and $3/6 FL Hold’em. These games basically run 24/7, all week long. $5/5 NL Hold’em and $4/8 FL Hold’em games are run most of the time as well, especially on weekends. They also run Omaha & Stud games when players request it, and on weekends when the room is busy. While the WSOP is running, the Caesars Palace poker room starts running all sorts of games, such as Badugi, Chinese Poker, Razz, 2-7 & 2-5 Triple Draw.

Cash Game Rake

The rake at the Caesars Palace poker room is 10% up to a $4 max on $1/3 NL, $2/4 & $3/6 FL games. While the max rake is the same as other rooms, the final 2 strike points come earlier than at other casinos. What this means is that in small pots, more rake is taken. $2/5 NL and $4/8 FL games are raked at a rate of 5% up to $5, which is $1 more than most other rooms. $5/10 and bigger games are raked at the rate of $6 per player, per half hour. That’s a good rake rate, which is about equal to what active players at lower stakes games are paying. So, the rich get richer.

Caesars Palace also has an additional $1 that is taken from every pot that reaches $10 to pay for the high-hand jackpots. For players who like high-hand jackpots and various promotions, Caesars is a good place to play. For more serious players who put in a lot of hours, the higher rakes can take a toll on your profits in the long run.

Promotions & Special Events

Every Monday night during the NFL season, Caesars Palace runs a promotion where they throw money into random pots after every score. For every field goal, $50 is thrown into a pot. For every touchdown, $100 is splashed, and for every safety, $200 is put into a pot. Watch for the red zone!

Television

While there are plenty of tv’s in the poker room, most of them are a good distance from the tables. You’ll be able to watch your game of choice, but good luck reading the score.

Massage

Players can receive a massage from a licensed massage therapist for $2 per minute.

Food & Drinks

The Caesars Palace poker room has dedicated cocktail waitresses to serve players. Whether you’re looking for tableside food from the Augustus Café, or a Vodka & Red Bull, service is always prompt and professional. While the Augustus Café has a wide variety of very good food, the prices can be higher than most poker players are used to. Lunch dishes generally run in the $15-22 range, and dinner meals will cost you $32-44. Players can choose between Mexican, American, and seafood dishes.

The Mesa Grill is located within a couple hundred feet of the poker room, and is one of Chef Bobby Flay’s restaurants. At the Mesa Grill you’ll find a southwestern flare to steaks, seafood, and Mexican dishes. Lunch will set you back $15-25 per meal, while dinner ranges from $24-48.

There are several great restaurants at Caesars Palace, but don’t expect anything cheap. Possibly the cheapest meals in the casino to be found are at the Café Lago Buffet, where breakfast, lunch & dinner are all served. Breakfast is $15.50 per person, lunch is $17.50, and dinner is $23.50. Other restaurants inside Caesars Palace include The Bradley Ogden, Hyakumi, Rao’s, Restaurant Guy Savoy, Neros, Payard Patisserie & Bistro, and Cyprus Street Marketplace.

Tournaments

The Caesars Palace poker room is split in two. One side is the cash game room, while the other side is reserved just for tournament play. With 31 tournament tables, nice sized tournaments can be held in here. Caesars Palace runs the Caesars Palace Classic Tournament Series, as well as various other tournaments throughout the year. Call the poker room toll free at (866) 227-5938 for current and upcoming tournament information.

Schedule

$65 No Limit – Every Day at 9am: 2000 chips. 500 chip add-on – $5. 30 minute blinds.

$125 Sunday – Thursday at 12pm: 5000 chips. 2500 chip add-on – $10. 30 minute blinds.

$330 Friday – Saturday at 12pm: 10,000 chips. 2500 chip add-on – $10. 40 minute blinds.

$65 No Limit Daily at 3pm – 50 Player Max: 2000 chips. 500 chip add-on – $5. 30 minute blinds.

$150 Daily at 7pm: 4000 chips. 2000 chip add-on – $10. 30 minute blinds.

$120 Daily at 9pm – Bounty Tournament: 2500 chips. 1500 chip add-on – $10. 30 minute blinds.

$65 No Limit Daily at Midnight – 50 Player Max: 2000 chips. 500 chip add-on – $5. 30 minute blinds.

$120 Sunday at 5pm – Shootout Format: 1500 chips. 1000 chip add-on – $10. 20 minute blinds.

The Caesars Palace poker room is one of the nicer rooms in town. The room and tables are well kept, management is great, and the dealers are friendly. While the cash game rake is a bit higher than most, if you’re looking for a poker room where you can relax and enjoy good food, it’s hard to beat Caesars Palace. If a more exciting, social game is what you’re after, you’d be better off at the MGM or the Palms.

Beginning on Thursdays, the bartenders at the Palms put away the Ovaltine, and break out the Red Bull & Vodka! People who don’t need walkers start showing up in high numbers, and the games get fun. Monday through Wednesday, getting paid off on your big hands can feel like pulling a tractor through a frogs ass. Thankfully, that changes as the weekend nears.

Younger players looking for a good time create loose, fun tables that can easily be beat. As the drinks start flowing, so does the cash from uncaring players who are there for nothing more than a good time. Around 1-3 am is when the games tend to get their juiciest, so if you can stay awake and alert for a while past that time, you can win some nice pots.
The poker room is split into 2 rooms. One side of the room is the FL side, the other side is for NL games. The two rooms are divided by a hallway to a bathroom, which is literally within 10 feet of either room.

The Palms poker room doesn’t offer any tournaments, just cash games. With only 10 tables in the poker room, there isn’t enough space to hold any tournaments. I spoke with Joseph Sartori, the Poker Room Manager at the Palms, who told me that they like the room the way it is. The room offers a fun social experience, loose action, and cocktails as quickly as you want them.

Cash Games
The Palms poker room offers predominantly Texas Hold’em games. Although they’ll run an occasional $2/5 Omaha game when requested, the majority of the tables play $1/3 and $2/5 NL or $2/4 and $4/8 FL Hold’em games. Occasionally, the room will open up a $5/10 NL game as well, but not too often. If you have a group coming to Las Vegas and you’d like to play a different game or higher stakes, let the poker room staff know, they’ll create a game just for you.

The Palms poker room runs several different promotions, including a progressive High-Hand Jackpot, the Poker Football Cash Bash, a Diamond Flush Jackpot, and a $25 for $20 promo. I particularly like the Poker Football Cash Bash, where players can win up to $300 whenever a team scores. The High-Hand jackpot is fun too, where payouts range from $60-$599 depending on the hands made.

Fun Facts
Joe Awada is a regular at the Palms poker room. He generally plays $2/5 NL Hold’em, and he can usually be found laughing and having a good time while he plays. Joe is most known for winning a gold bracelet in the 2004 World Series of Poker 7 Card Stud event. If you’d like to test your skills against a world class player, head down to the Palms poker room. Joe can often be found playing during daytime hours. In fact, he was there the day I was gathering details for this review.

The Palms Casino is also where “Celebrity Poker Showdown”, hosted by Phil Gordon was filmed.

Cash Game Rake
All games have a no flop/no drop policy. So, if the hand ends before a flop is seen, there is no rake. They also offer rake reduction for short-handed tables. If your table has 5-6 players, be sure to ask for a rake reduction.

For $1/3 NL, $2/4 & $4/8 FL games there is a $3 maximum rake. The strike points are: $1 taken when the pot reaches $10, then $1 at $20, and the final $1 at $30. All games have an extra $1 taken at the $10 strike point to pay for the High-Hand Jackpot, essentially making the max rake $4 in these games.

In a $4/8 game, there is some good and some bad with this rake structure. Most poker rooms on the strip have strike points in the range of $10, $30, $50, $90. With the rake structure at the Palms you’re putting in more money into smaller pots, but less into bigger pots. If you’re looking to play during the day time when games are typically tighter, you may want to play at another room. In the night time and on weekends, the Palms may be a good place to play $4/8.

The rake for $2/5 NL is worse at the Palms than most other strip casinos. The strike points are $20, $40, $60, $80, with a maximum rake of $4. The $4 max rake is standard, but the final strike point at other poker rooms tends to be in the $110 – $150 range. So, your table adds the final $1 of rake earlier, thus more often.

Cocktails
Although the poker room is smaller than some of the other rooms in Vegas, the Palms still has cocktail waitresses dedicated to serving just the poker room. With no more than 100 players playing at any one time, this translates into great service. As an added bonus, some of the waitresses at the Palms poker room are smoking hot!

I was asked not to repeat this, but I’m going to anyway…an employee who will remain nameless actually told me that as part of the Palms reputation as the party place in Vegas, management actually wants to encourage lots of drinking. If you’re here to party, that’s good news. If you’re a local looking to rob the tourists of every last penny, that good for you too.

If you prefer, there are bars located all over the casino. There are two in particular that are located within about 150 feet of the poker room. Looking out from the poker room, head left and you’ll see both of them. Before you can say Tommy Bahama Millionaire Mojito, you’ll have one in your hand.

Food
If you’d rather not leave your game to eat, players can order room service meals to eat tableside.

There are several choices for finding either a quick bite, or fine dining at the Palms. There is a place called Bistro Buffet which offers a wide assortment of Italian, Lebanese or American dishes. They also have a decent variety of seafood. While I haven’t had the pleasure of eating here yet, the smells coming from the restaurant are literally mouth watering. I don’t know that I’ve ever smelled anything so enticing. If you’re a Club Palms member, the prices are as follows: Breakfast – $6.99, Lunch – $8.99, Dinner – $13.99. For non-members the prices are still quite good. Breakfast – $7.99, Lunch – $9.99, Dinner – $16.99. Looking out from the poker room, head straight ahead through the slot machines. Walk about 50 feet to the opposing wall and walkway, then make a left. You’ll only need to walk a couple hundred feet and you’ll see the Bistro Buffet on your right.

There is a food court within close proximity to the poker room as well. Looking out from the poker room, make a right turn and walk about 150 feet. You’ll see the food court on your left, close to the exit. The food court offers: McDonalds, Panda Express, Nathans Famous Hot Dogs, Famiglia, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and The Coffee Bean. If you’re looking for a longer break, there is a movie theater located at the end of the food court.

Beyond this, there are several other great restaurants at the Palms. They include: N9ne Steakhouse, Nove Italiano, Little Buddha, 24/7 Café, Simon Restaurant, Blue Agave, Alize, and Garduños.

Massage
Massage therapists are available for $2 per minute, which is comparable to the price at any poker room.

Televisions
Each of the poker rooms have LCD tv’s located on each wall of the poker room. While there aren’t as many tv’s at the Palms as some other rooms, the rooms are fairly small and you can see them from just about anywhere.

Summary
The Palms Poker Room is a great place for $1/2 NL and $2/4 FL players. Because of the smaller rake, players who play $1/2 NL and $2/4 FL games essentially get a free shot at the High-Hand Jackpots.

Players who want to play $2/5 NL or $4/8 FL can find better rooms in regards to the rake. Also, stay away from the tables Mondays through Wednesdays, where nobody makes any money except the house and the waitresses.
If your goal is to find a great sociable room, Thursdays – Sundays are good days to play at the Palms. You can get plenty of drinks, talk to some sexy waitresses, and have a great time.

Although it’s a long walk from the main lobby of the hotel to the poker room, once you finally get to the room, everything else is simple. The poker room is well staffed and highly professional, making it easy to get a seat, drinks, chips, and to cash out when you’re done. The MGM poker room is known for it’s low-stakes games, running more $1/2 NL and $2/4 FL Hold’em games than anything else. For visitors planning on doing some drinking while they play, sticking to lower stakes games is probably a good idea.

The locals love the high percentage of loose & inebriated tourists, making it a profitable room in the long run. While some of the locals complain that the MGM dishes out the most bad beats in town, the truth is, that’s a good thing. Of course, poker is a long term game which shouldn’t be measured in single sessions. In the long run, these loose, bad players offer locals a chance to make a nice profit in relation to the size of the game. While there is no defense against a bad night here and there, if you stick to playing your ‘A’ game, you can have huge nights as well. Recently I had a night playing $2/4 FL Hold’em where I took home $431 profit in only 5 hours of play! While admittedly the deck hit me pretty hard, it’s difficult to be hit so hard to make 21.5 big bets per hour anywhere else. If I had made the same hands at any number of other casinos, my profits would’ve likely been much less.

The MGM poker room is situated next to the sportsbook, so if you want to make a bet on an NFL game, a boxing match, or anything else, it’s easy to do.

If you’re planning on having a long session at the poker room, bring a sweatshirt or light jacket with you. The ceiling vents for the air conditioning are lower in the poker room than they are in the rest of the casino. As a result, the vents blow directly down on the players, freezing anyone in shorts and a t-shirt. You’ll feel stupid walking through the parking lot with a sweatshirt in 107 degree temperatures, but you’ll feel smart when you’re sitting at your table.

As a result of a great exchange rate for Europeans, it’s not uncommon to sit at a table with more Europeans than Americans. These people have come a long way to vacation in Las Vegas, and most are willing to lose lots of money for the sake of a great time. They help to create loose tables, and a fun atmosphere.

Cash Games
As I mentioned above, the MGM poker room is known for it’s low-stakes games. $1/2 NL Hold’em and $2/4 FL games run 24 hours a day, never breaking. $2/5 NL Hold’em is also popular here, and only breaks during slow times. On some Friday and Saturday nights (or when requested by groups), a $5/10 NL Hold’em game can be found as well.

Mike Green, the Director of Poker Operations, told me that the MGM poker room will run any game you like, so long as you have enough players to open a table. So, if you have a group you’re bringing to Vegas, and you’d like to play Omaha, Stud, or any other game, just let them know. The same goes for playing higher stakes games.

$2/4 FL Hold’em games generate the most playful, loose players. While even the drunks at the $1/2 NL games are taking the game seriously, the $2/4 FL games are mostly about having fun. While there may be a few players that are trying to do well at $2/4, you’ll find that most of them are pretty bad players anyway. Even if you want to sit there and play an ultra-tight game, you can usually get paid off well when you make a big hand. Rarely is anyone paying enough attention to realize that you haven’t been in a hand post-flop for an hour, so don’t be afraid to bet even if you haven’t played in a while. With this said, I suggest that players see as many flops as they can when it’s not raised pre-flop. If your table is very loose, open up your starting hands to various suited connectors and small pairs pre-flop. Then, play your pot odds post-flop. Be sure to add in a bit of implied odds as well, as getting players to fold at these levels is close to impossible. Although betting the river properly is important in any game, it’s especially important in a game like this. If you don’t hold the nuts, but feel confident that you hold the best hand after the river, be sure to bet or raise with it. More often than not, your opponents will feel obligated to call with the second best hand. Let’s put this into hard numbers. Let’s say you have 3 hands in which you’re 3-handed after the river. All three times a huge hand could have you beat, but think you have the best of it. All three times, you bet or raise after the river. Two of those times you get called by one player, and the third time you get called by both players. Your extra bet generates four big bets that would not have been in the pot, which is $16. In the pot you lose, you lose $4 more than you would have had you not made the bet or raise. So, in those three hands, you’ve generated an extra $12 overall. During the course of a night, betting and raising the river in this situation alone could be the difference of going home a winner or a loser.

Food & Beverages
The MGM does a decent job of properly staffing the poker room with cocktail waitresses. For the most part, players can get their drinks ordered and delivered to them in a timely manner. The cocktail waitresses at the MGM do an excellent job of working the entire room, and they work fast. There are far fewer complaints here than at most live poker rooms. On busy, 3 day and holiday weekends, getting a drink can be slightly more difficult, but the poker room is set up in a way that makes it easy to find a waitress if she doesn’t find you first.

For players looking for a quick meal or snack, try the Stage Deli located directly between the poker room and the sportsbook. There you can get a hot dog for $3.50, a NY Pastrami sandwich for $7.50, or a bowl of one of their awesome soups for $4. If you’re really smart, you’ll ask for your soup in a cup and put a spoon in your pocket for the thick stuff. You can put your soup in your cup holder without having to sit out while you eat, or use a side table while you play.
The MGM Grand Buffet is also very close to the poker room. Prices for the dinner buffet range from $22 – $26, and offers a nice variety for hungry poker players. They have King Crab Legs, Prime Rib, several variations of shrimp, sushi, and a whole lot more. To find the Grand Buffet, from the poker room, head back towards the main lobby. You won’t go far as it’s right around the corner to your left.

Massage
Massage therapists are available at the tables for $2 per minute. Before you hire one, watch a couple of them give other people massages. You’ll find they all have their own style, and some are much better than others.

Cash Game Rake
The rake at the MGM is about standard for the industry.
$1/2 NL Hold’em, $2/4 & $3/6 FL Hold’em: $4 maximum rake. $1 taken at each strike point. The strike points are $10, $20, $30 & $40. So, when the pot reaches $10, they take $1 in rake, and so forth.

$2/$5 NL Hold’em:
$4 maximum rake. $1 taken at each strike point. Strike points are $20, $40, $60, $150.

$4/$8 FL Hold’em:
$4 maximum rake. $1 taken at each strike point. Strike points are $10, $30, $50, $90.

Multi Table Tournaments
Daytime Tournaments – Monday thru Friday at 11:05 am (Registration begins at 9:30 am)
$60 buy-in: $1200 tournament chips
Buy an additional $800 tournament chips for $5
No rebuys
Alternates accepted during the first 4 levels
20 minute blind levels
Blind Schedule
$25/50, $50/100, $100/200, $200/400, $400/800, $600/1200, $800/1600, $1500/3000, $3000/6000, $5000/10,000
Payouts
4 – 49 Players – 4 places paid.
50 – 59 Players – 5 places paid.
60 – 79 Players – 6 places paid.
80 – 89 Players – 7 places paid.
90 – 99 Players – 8 places paid.
100 + Players – 9 places paid.
Nightly Tournaments – Sunday thru Thursday at 7:05 pm (Registration begins at 5:30 pm)
$70 buy-in: $2000 tournament chips
Buy an additional $1000 tournament chips for $10
No rebuys
Alternates accepted during the first 4 levels
20 minute blind levels
Blind Schedule – Same as Day Tournaments (See Above)
Payouts
4 – 49 Players – 4 places paid.
50 – 59 Players – 5 places paid.
60 – 79 Players – 6 places paid.

Sit and Go Tournaments
Sit and Go tournaments run 24/7, as they fill up. They are offered with two buy-in amounts.
$60 Buy-in (50+10), 1000 Tournament Chips, 12 minute blind levels.
Payouts: 1st – $300, 2nd – $200
$115 Buy-in (100+15), 1500 Tournament Chips, 15 minute blind levels
Payouts: 1st – $600, 2nd – $400
Blind Schedule – All Sit and Go Tournaments
$25/50, $50/100, $100/200, $200/400, $400/800, $800/1600, $1500/3000, $3000/6000

First, the cocktail waitresses are nearly impossible to find when the room is busy. Cocktail waitresses are not only hard to find, but they can also be a bit rude. While I’m sure this is partly due to being over worked, don’t cocktail waitresses make most of their money on tips? They do of course, so I can’t understand the negative attitude many of them display. It’s possible that management doesn’t want their players drinking too much, keeping the belligerence to a minimum. However, it’s not cool to have to go to the bar outside of the poker room to get a drink. Plus, drinks aren’t free at the bar.

I’d also like to see them remove a few tables from the room and open it up a bit. The tables are placed too close to each other, causing players to back into each other when they get up. During non-WSOP times, this room generally has plenty of tables not in use. Why not remove a few tables and allow players a bit of breathing room?

Okay, with the gripes out of the way, let’s get on to the things we like about the Bellagio.

Game Selection
The Bellagio boasts the best game selection in Las Vegas. Texas Hold’em starts at $4/8 fixed limit, or $2/5 in no-limit games. They also run tables for Stud, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, and the occasional Razz game. If you have a group coming to Las Vegas, and have a particular game you’d like to play, the Bellagio will run a table just for you. $100/$200 Monopoly anyone?

Massage Therapists
Ahhh, if you can’t splurge on a massage while you’re on vacation, when can you? For $25, players can get a heavenly 15 minute massage while they play. If that’s not enough time, you can get 30 minutes for only twice the price!

Televisions
Players can watch dozens of 32” – 42” plasma tv’s located throughout the poker room. If there’s a game you want to watch, they’ll probably have it on.

Tournaments
The Bellagio poker room has a great, daily tournament that they run. From Sunday through Thursday, it has a buy-in of $500+$40, with $6,000 in starting chips. On Friday and Saturday, the tournament has a buy-in of $1,000+$80, with $10,000 in starting chips. Both tournaments begin at 2 pm, and have the same blind structure. The blind structure of these tournaments are very good in comparison to most daily tournaments in Las Vegas. Blinds increase every 40 minutes, and they don’t double every time the level changes. There are too many levels to show here, but to give you an idea, the blinds don’t get to 1000/2000 until 6 hours have been played! In many tournaments, that level is reached within 2 hours. This obviously benefits better players, giving them time to be selective and make good decisions.
The Bellagio poker room offers 10 player sit and go satellites for both of these daily events. Players can buy-in to the $540 satellite for $130, or the $1080 satellite for $240. In both cases, the top 2 players win an entry to the event.

Rake
The cash game rake at Bellagio is typical at the lower stake levels. They have a $4 maximum rake per hand, and the strike points are similar to other rooms in town. For example, the strike points at a $4/8 game are: $1 once the pot reaches $10, $1 at $30, $1 at $70, and $1 at $110. Above the $5/10 level, rake is taken in time, instead of per hand. In a $5/10 game, each player pays $5 per half hour at the tables. As the stakes increase, so do the time fee’s, up to a maximum of $10 per half hour. This is a great rake system for higher stakes players, as they end up putting a lot less into the rake.
The Bellagio poker room doesn’t run any high hand or bad beat jackpots. This is good for cash game players as the jackpots accumulate their money from extra rake taken out of each hand. For players who don’t want to be forced to give away their winnings, this is great. The odds of winning these things are terrible, and it’s no different than trying to win a progressive on a slot machine.

Food & Cocktails
If you’re looking to find something quick to eat, the Snacks restaurant is located about 100 feet directly in front of you as you exit the main entrance to the poker room. They offer pizza, sandwiches, and soups for a reasonable price. Soups cost around $4, and sandwiches are in the $8 – $11 range. The food is pretty good, and a lot of the locals eat their daily.

If you’re looking for a more formal dining experience, there are lots of choices throughout the casino. The food at Bellagio is typically good at any restaurant, you can’t go too wrong anywhere.

Summary
I spoke with Chris Gabriel, the shift manager while I was there recently. I asked him his opinion on what makes the Bellagio’s poker room stand out, what makes it different or better? He told me “we have the best dealers in the world. Our dealers deal all 16 games, and they’re the best in the business. Our dealers can go anywhere in the world, say that they worked at Bellagio, and get a job. They’re the best.”
While I’ve had the pleasure of sitting at the tables with some great dealers, as an overall group, he may be right. The Bellagio dealers make very few mistakes, deal fast, and are very professional.
The Bellagio is a great room to visit if you’re looking to see some of the big-name pro’s. Doyle Brunson, Jennifer Harman, Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, and many others play here commonly. I’ve also seen Joe Hachem, Johnny Chan, Cindy Violette and Marcel Luske at the tables. This is a great poker room to challenge your skills and take your game to the next level.

If you haven’t played at the Bellagio, it’s obviously worth your time. Don’t forget your flask.

This may sound silly in a review, but I think you’ll understand what I’m talking about if you visit this casino. Rarely do you find a poker room with such a great atmosphere for players to relax and enjoy themselves in. As a long time poker player, I tend to think from a players perspective first. In this case, I can’t help but put myself in the shoes of a tourist. There isn’t a better poker room for someone looking for a fun, yet relaxing poker trip.

The Director of Poker Operations is a wonderful lady named Donna Harris. Donna clearly has a passion for her job and her poker room. We had a nice discussion about the Mirage poker room and some of the more unique aspects to it.

Texas Hold’em Plus
Yeah, Texas Hold’em Plus is what they’re calling it. A game inspired by Crazy Pineapple, Texas Hold’em Plus is played exactly the same way as hold’em, with one clear difference. In this game, players are dealt two cards, just like in regular hold’em. The difference comes after you’ve been given your hole cards. For a price equal to the small blind, players can discard either of their hole cards and essentially buy another. My first thought when Donna told me about this was, “ahh, a great way to bluff pre-flop and set your opponents up” (by not taking a card). My second thought was, “anyone with an ace, king, or queen with a rag, will certainly draw a card”. That one difference certainly changes things, as the games are even looser, and finding a loose game in Vegas wasn’t too hard to begin with. So, essentially what this game causes is a lot of action, and some big pots. That alone makes it worth a try. According to Donna, they don’t play the game on a daily basis, but when the ‘inventor’ of the game comes in, he always gets a table running.

Training Table
There is a table at the Mirage, exclusively for the purposes of teaching new players how the games work, and to get rid of any fear they may have of playing at a live table for the first time. There is a sign located next to the table, when it’s lit, the training table is open.

Food & Cocktails
Finding a cocktail waitress at the Mirage poker room is pretty simple. Unlike a lot of poker rooms, the Mirage does a decent job of keeping enough cocktail waitresses on staff. The waitresses are friendly and polite as well.

The food at the Mirage is great, with a ton of great places to choose from. There are 15 restaurants, and 8 bars inside the Mirage, most of which are within short walking distance from the poker room. If you’re staying at the Mirage, I suggest the Paradise Café for a quick getaway from the tables. The food is great, and it allows you to see what the sun looks like between long hours at the tables. I also highly recommend the Japonais Restaurant. They have great seafood, Japanese food, and sushi worth more than you pay for.

Cash Games
There’s a wide variety of cash games available at the Mirage poker room. While they hold all of the typical hold’em games, they also run Stud, Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo games on a daily basis. Known for their busy $10/20 and $20/40 FL Hold’em games, they also have a deep following for the other games. Fixed limit hold’em starts as low as $3/6, and they spread a $1/4 Stud game which is a rare find these days. This room has plenty of action, and plenty of professional type people looking to have a good time & toss their money around. There’s money to be made here by players who take the game serious and don’t get caught up in the fun and games. If that is what you’re looking for, that’s fine too. Just be sure you bring more than one buy-in with you .

Rake
There is a no flop, no drop policy only when one player comes in for a raise, and everyone else folds. If there is a raise pre-flop, then a reraise which takes the pot down, the rake is based on however much was in the pot. The strike points at the Mirage are a little different than other rooms, but close enough that in the long run, there will be little if any difference in your stack size. There is a $4 max rake on all games, again in line with all of the other rooms in town. The strike points are: $1 taken when the pot reaches $12, $1 at $24, $1 at $48, and $1 at $80.

There are no high hand or bad beat jackpots. The benefit is that there is no extra rake taken to pay for them.

Tournaments

All tournaments have a 30 minute blind schedule

Sunday at 5 pm – No Limit Hold’em, $100+$25 (4,000 starting chips)
Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday at 7 pm – No Limit Hold’em, $100+$25 (4,000 starting chips)
Thursday at 7 pm – No Limit Hold’em, $200+$30 (5,500 starting chips)
-50 Players Pays 5 Places
50-124 Players Pays 9 Places
125+ Players Pays 18 Places

Satellites for the above tournaments are available Sunday through Thursday for $35-$55. The top two players win entry to the events.

Sit and Go Tournaments
All Sit and Go tournaments at the Mirage start when ten players are signed up. All are offered 24 hours a day (Except from 5 – 8 pm Mon-Thurs & 3 – 6 pm on Sunday). Each Sit and Go pays the top two places. 1st Place – 70%, 2nd Place – 30%
$70 Buy-in (1st-$420, 2nd -$180) $1,000 Starting chips, 15 minute rounds
$115 Buy-in (1st-$700, 2nd-$300) $1,500 Starting chips, 15 minute rounds
$175 Buy-in (1st-$1,050, 2nd-$450) $2,000 Starting chips, 20 minute rounds

Television
There are plasma tv’s located all around the poker room. If you have a bet down on a football game, you can probably watch it while you play. Between the tv’s, your iPod, and the new law allowing players to use their cell phones at the poker tables, you’ll completely forget you’re playing poker.

Summary
The Mirage is not just a great casino, it’s a great place to relax, eat, party, and play poker. Management has continued to keep this place relevant, even as the newer, mega-casinos have been built around it. The poker room has a wonderful atmosphere that combines fun and comfort at the same time. The dealers are well trained, the cocktail waitresses are great, and the entire staff makes you feel welcome. Players get a genuine feeling that the staff wants them to enjoy their time at the tables. At most poker rooms you can tell the losers in the game by the disgusted looks on their faces. At the Mirage, it’s honestly difficult to tell who’s winning and who’s losing. Hey, that really is the point right? If you’ve forgotten that poker is supposed to be fun, try the Mirage. They’ll remind you.