Aria (Las Vegas, NV)

For sure this new structure (5/10 with a 20 rock, mandatory) addressed my concerns at the venue:

1. No false advertising / scams being run by the regulars there

2. No more bullying to people who don't want to straddle, since it's now banned after the rock

3. The game is now 3 blinds instead of 4, which makes the game easier to manage

4. No death seat (the guy who had to put in 20 after the rock) who's sitting next to a guy who wins a very high percentage of pots

Caveat: If you're trying to get from 1/2 up to 5 10 20 that's a pretty big move up, and I wouldn't suggest Vegas if you're wanting a game in between those stakes at PLO.

until they start bullying people for dead 40s after the rocks in 6 months to a year

just get rid of the stupid rock. problem solved.

I doubt that's going to happen, because Aria has a consistent group there who can play 5 5 10 20 (or 5 10 25 now), but they don't want it bigger cause it's too high for them. If I do see this happening, I'll report it.

Note:

I was in Texas a few months ago to play the 5 10 25 game. They told me I needed to straddle 50, and I quit playing there.

Next game down was 2/5

No rock involved

Oh I agree it's not gonna happen.

This. Just make it 5/10/20, no dumb rock.

I've never seen a game at Aria where anybody was pressured to put out the 40 in a 5 5 game, just to be clear.

At that point, they can def start a 25 25 game for that table

I've played in a few sessions where I was pressured to put the 40 and one session to put the 80.

Was the action good?

How was the game?

One reg whale in the game to keep it playable. Otherwise no—a lot of reg pros.

This post got overlooked. This new policy is slowing down games at Aria A LOT.

Rock is better IMO. Forced $20 blinds would be a totally different game.

Can someone explain the concept of the rock from an expert and insider perspective?

it's disproportionately in position and rewards short stackers way too much which are both terrible for the game. It's also just moronic. Straight triple blind just creates way more action.

It's like a third blind or straddle from the position of the last winner of the hand. It's $20 that gets recycled from one hand to the next.

If you're UTG+1, it's worth maybe $5 because you'll be UTG and OOP the next hand. If you're SB, it's worth maybe $15 because you'll be BTN the next hand. If you're UTG, it's also worth maybe $15 because it replaces your $10 BB the next hand.

It's not real money. It has a discounted value of maybe $10 on average. It's only worth the full $20 if you win it and then immediately go to the cage and cash out.

Agree that nit-friendly structures are really bad for the game.

There was a European that visited Harrah's Cherokee. He played for 15 minutes. Once he realized rake was 8+2, he immediately racked his chips and left. But the game was so good.

In Vegas with the lowest rake in the world and other nit-friendly incentives, games suck. But Europeans will sit there all day, grind it out, get work done on their laptops, openly play PLO5 and PLO6 on their phones.

The difference between 5/10 with a 20 rock and 5/10/20 is like the difference between 1/2 (with a 5 bring-in) and 2/5.

1/2 (with a 5 bring-in) works. But 2/5 (where it exists) is definitely bigger and better.

5/10 with a 20 rock works. But 5/10/20 (where it exists) is definitely bigger and better.

I've seen euros in these games sit down with the phone stand right away slid under the rail so they can grind the apps. I've even seen some with multiple phone doing this. Then they'll sweat each other, give advice on hands etc. It's pretty gross. Vegas until a couple of years ago also had a really cheap cost of living to go with cheap rake with brings in tons of grinders.

At the end of the day rake is just another opponent which is really how people should view it. Obviously I'd love cheap rake with a dream lineup but that's not always a realistic option. There's a reason promo rooms in Vegas have the worst nl games. Look at the types of people interested in those things and you won't want to go within 500 feet of the place.

Is this a good place to have a few beers and play PLO?

For 1/2 PLO?

5 / 10 PLO?

Friendly / Chill usually?

You forgot man purses too.

I would say the moment you bring alcohol to the tables at Aria, you will immediately be labelled and targeted (maybe to your benefit). I don't see any game at Aria as being chill, it could be friendly. As someone who plays all types of games around town. Aria is where people go when they actually want real competition in the live cash setting, it is not where to go when you want to relax and splash around. You will be unlikely to get that splashy action back at 1/2, maybe at 5/10 with the right lineup. If you go, I would suggest try to get the table to do a shot or beers with you, I am going to set the O/U at 2.5 at an 8 handed table.

Where's a better place to play at when I'm drinking? what about MGM?

Any suggestions

It's hit or miss. The miserable Aria plo day regs camp out for 10-12 hours a day sipping green tea honey lemon and ordering Pelligronos with the cap on to put in their backpacks to take home.

Late at night I've been in some games where the dealer is the only one not drinking. But generally speaking I'm happy if I can get 2-3 people drinking with me.

I mean it does but it's for short spurts.
The people blasting tend to not play super long and when a game is great every backpacker in the room is trying to get in.

MGM is running a freeroll right now. They are trying really hard to get the nitty grinders into that room.

In addition to the freeroll, the top hours earners get bonus prizes, and every 4 hours played beyond the required 20 hours for the freeroll gets a player bonus chips.

Maybe the games will be okay but from my experiences the games are much worse when rooms run promotions like that.

In their defense, they are running some other promotions tourists will love. I’m surprised they are running so many. Just shows how little other rooms are giving out in promotions while they hold on to money from the promo drops.