Wednesday....

Ok, back to update all on things - we're essentially waiting for Saturday, but to review Wednesday.

 

-  Moved over to the Candlewood Suites, just off the Strip. Good property, convienent, with a kitchen and separate bedroom, so it'll be a good spot to make home base for the duration of the trip. I picked up a router from Circuit City and configured it Wednesday too, so at least we have secured high-speed wireless here as well.

 

-  We ate at a place called Rosemary's way out on West Sahara (we picked up a rental car Tuesday) for a late lunch - recommended by a friend and well worth the off-Strip trip. Can't beat a top shelf three-course meal for lunch for only $25

 

-  Decided to check out the downtown area and the Fremont Street Experience Wednesday night. Probably will not do that again. It's the land time forgot. Everytime there was a "light show" on the covered roof, it seemed like it was an LG advertisement, yet people looked up anyway.

   Good to know the Golden Nugget has a reasonably decent looking poker room, though we did not play there. We did pay homage to Binion's across the street and sat in at a must-move game - at 1/2 NL....(???)

    Jenn said she's never been more bored playing. Me too. Bunch of old Tighty McNits and people bouncing between betting $25 into a $10 pot on the flop, and people just check calling with a full house on the river. Just really, really odd play, and no entertaining table talk or conversation at all.

    Hard to believe the original home of the WSOP has come to this, but since it's Binion's in name only now, perhaps I shouldn't be surprised.

 

- Anyhow, after that colossal waste of time, we tried to get to the top of the Stratosphere tower, but the line was pretty long, we didn't feel like paying to get to the front of it, so we shelved it for later in the trip. Besides, we had a pretty good view from the Wynn, so it's not like we haven't seen Vegas from above yet.

 

- Later, I decided to pull a late session over at the MGM/Grand and see their poker room. Not bad, actually, although like most poker rooms, it's as far from the valet/self parking as you can get, the Wynn's room being a notable exception. Very young crowd. Newer tables. Room seems pretty well run, and it gets a lot of foot traffic (close to the pedestrian bridge across to New York New York, and next to a couple bars/nightclubs)

 

  Players much more aggressive and talkative - and that's a good thing, because if the table isn't entertaining, with a lot of chatter, live poker can suck. The silly stories and chatter makes live play worthwhile. Pretty much every other hand had a live straddle, and one time there was a blind raise UTG for $20, followed by a blind all-in for $160. The raiser tanked and folded after seeing he had a Queen - The blind all-in showed 54o... :-0

 

   Anyhow, I never really got anything going. Best part was raising only to $12 in EP with KK  (too small, but I wanted action) and getting four callers. Flop ATx. I check, figuring someone has an ace. By the time it gets back around to me, there's three all-ins for about $90 apiece, so it's a ridiculously easy fold. The all-in's show KT, A5, and AT for flopped two pair. The fifth guy in the hand that folded said he had AQ. So, there's only one Ace left in the deck, and it has to come out on the flop - but at least it only cost me a 12 spot.

 

  Left after three hours only up $40. But, I liked the room.

 

  So far, I think I've enjoyed the Venetian and MGM the best of the poker rooms I've played in so far. The Wynn was nice, but something - the dealers, floor, players, I don't know - just seemed quirky to me. Maybe it was the weird $3 chips everyone was playing with at the 1/3 NL game I was at Monday night - I really have no idea. Caesar's has a great mid-day tournament, but I'm not sure about their cash games, since I was sweating Jen and didn't play there Tuesday after busted out. (Though I hear Caesar's sometimes runs a low-limit mixed game I keep seeking out this trip - although upon further research, the Venetian is more likely to run it, another point in it's favor.)  I have not played at the Bellagio or Mirage yet.

 

  I believe later this afternoon we will poke our heads into the Rio to do more celebrity watching, and probably see what the properties west of the Strip (Palms, Orleans) have to offer. Friday will be mellow - I'll probably watch the start of the Main Event, and in the afternoon I have the party/meet and greet with Full Tilt to get squared away for Saturday's 1B start. Otherwise, I'll relax, maybe sit next to the pool with Dan Harrington's Hold Em tournament books for final study, and get some rest for a long session Saturday.

 

  I'm pretty sure I've figured out how to blog via phone, so there may be some audio updates Saturday, along with the occasional entry if I can tap into a wireless network at the Rio. It's the only way to keep up with how I'm doing - any coverage from CardPlayer or wherever will just mention me as "Seat 1" or "the other player" :-)

 

    Table 197 is right on the rail in the front of the room, next to the massage area, near the cages. So 1) there will be a ton of foot traffic and distractions but 2) the table will probably be one of the first to break up, so at least I won't be there the entire session, although that may not happen for many hours. At least I will have a short trip to the bathroom as needed.

 

  More TK Friday..... Heff