March Madness! 3/19-3/24 TR
With the way the WSOP and my personal schedules are shaping up, it looks like I will not be able to make it to Vegas for the summer. I had my eye on potentially coming for some of the circuit events at Horseshoe, and made a snap decision to book flights last week! We will be rocking a higher bankroll than usual due to an increased work bonus this year and some recent small online scores. Looking forward to getting out of the cold, wet Chicago weather.
I will be looking to play the $400 Mini Main (up to 2-3 bullets) and the $600 Monster Stack. The Monster Stack will conflict with my flight home if we end up making Day 2, but we'll see what happens there. Also on deck to round out the schedule:
- $600 Wynn Millions 300k GTD
- $200 Venetian DeepStack Showdown Bounty
- $150 Orleans HORSE (No real value here, just for fun and to see the property)
Currently booked at our usual, the Flamingo, but am shopping around for other hotels. Is it worth saving $400 (Excalibur) or $200 (NYNY) to add on an extra walk to the Horseshoe and Venetian/Wynn? Outside of tournament play am looking to play some 1/2 PLO and potentially some of the DBBP games at Caesars or Venetian. Hopefully the games are juicier than usual with the busy weekend. If we get tired of poker, it will be nice to chill and watch basketball for a bit. (As usual) my alma mater will not be participating in the tournament but maybe this is the year the Big 10 ends their championship drought? Will put out a few bets for fun if there are any games that interest me.
I am also headed out for MM looking to play mix as well as staying at the Fabulous Flamingo. Games should be good.
Subbed.
But first, we have a big opportunity coming up tonight:
If you've read rppoker's thread, you'll know that last month Global Poker was given a cease and desist order from the state of Illinois. I initially withdrew my roll immediately upon seeing the news, but after a few weeks it seems they will ignore it and continue operating. Playing on other sites like Coinpoker just isn't the same, so I decided to re-deposit and keep going for a while. That decision ended up being a good one as $300 has become $1300 in short order! After resting from some afternoon St. Patrick's Day drinking, we fired up some tournaments last night and managed to win one in order to be one of the lucky 100 people to satellite into this tournament! Would be amazing to win or make the final table, but even min cashing will more or less equal my largest win online playing low stakes tournaments. It would also be a great confidence booster and bankroll builder going into next weekend.
I’m here for it!
GL and let’s goooooo!!
Enjoy! I have that week off from work and explored the possibility of jumping out there to fire some of the NLHE stuff at Venetian/Horseshoe and maybe a mixed event or two. Ultimately, flights and room rates were prohibitive for me, so I'm going to be grinding a local series instead. I hope you and TonySoprano9 win everything.
In terms of potentially saving money by switching to Excalibur or NYNY, it really depends on what the inconvenience is worth to you. It may still be early enough in spring that the temperatures outside won't be punishing. On the other hand, Excalibur is moderately far from the Horseshoe and a very long hike to the Encore. I'd probably do it to save the extra $$$, but it's just a matter of personal preference and priorities. From a room quality standpoint, Excalibur is is trapped in 1993, but not outright seedy. NYNY rooms are relatively nice, equivalent to Flamingo or maybe slightly better.
Enjoy! I have that week off from work and explored the possibility of jumping out there to fire some of the NLHE stuff at Venetian/Horseshoe and maybe a mixed event or two. Ultimately, flights and room rates were prohibitive for me, so I'm going to be grinding a local series instead. I hope you and TonySoprano9 win everything.
You don't want to be flying now anyway.
In terms of potentially saving money by switching to Excalibur or NYNY, it really depends on what the inconvenience is worth to you. It may still be early enough in spring that the temperatures outside won't be punishing. On the other hand, Excalibur is moderately far from the Horseshoe and a very long hike to the Encore. I'd probably do it to save the extra $$$, but it's just a matter of personal preference and priorities. From a room quality standpoint, Excalibur is is trapped in 1993, but not outright seedy. NYNY rooms are relatively nice, equivalent to Flamingo or maybe slightly better.
AZ and Vegas temperatures usually mimic each other. If that holds true, Vegas will be quite unpleasant outside. Tucson is expecting 100 degree temps for the first time in March in recorded history. Global warming!
AZ and Vegas temperatures usually mimic each other. If that holds true, Vegas will be quite unpleasant outside. Tucson is expecting 100 degree temps for the first time in March in recorded history. Global warming!
1) No such thing as global warming. The earth has actually cooled down in recent times compared to the temperature before, which is why the new 'fits-all' slogan "climate change" was made up instead.
2) More importantly, upcoming weather for Las Vegas looks amazing 😀 Can't wait to enjoy some sunshine and pool time, in between poker rooms.
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For OP, I would say you are fine at Flamingo, especially if you have booked a 'Flamingo Room' and not a 'Go Room'. I am staying at NYNY next week, which is a great hotel as well, but obviously the location of Flamingo fits better for the tournaments you have on your schedule. So unless you are on a tight budget it probably makes sense to keep your Flamingo-booking.
Good luck. Seems like they'll be a few 2+2ers in town at the same time. Let's get it!
I'm in. Save the money for poker and get the extra exercise 😉
I don't mind riding the deuce, which is right outside Excalibur, take a short hike to park MGM and ride the free tram to Bellagio.
If the savings are significant wouldn't mind the stay at Excalibur. I am a fan of Einstein Bros Bagels so you have that going for you at Excalibur.
1) No such thing as global warming. The earth has actually cooled down in recent times compared to the temperature before, which is why the new 'fits-all' slogan "climate change" was made up instead.
2) More importantly, upcoming weather for Las Vegas looks amazing 😀 Can't wait to enjoy some sunshine and pool time, in between poker rooms.
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You sound quite un-euro!
For OP, I would say you are fine at Flamingo, especially if you have booked a 'Flamingo Room' and not a 'Go Room'. I am staying at NYNY next week, which is a great hotel as well, but obviously the location of Flamingo fits better for the tournaments you have on your schedule. So unless you are on a tight budget it probably makes sense to keep your Flamingo-booking.
I thought the Go was supposed to be nicer. Not the case?
No, the Flamingo Rooms are the most recently renovated ones, and they look much better. Have seen some pretty shitty Go Room reviews on YouTube.
I have stayed in a Flamingo Room a couple of times, and always found that to be a pleasant experience.
I don't know which type of room I stayed in two years ago, but I picked the Flamingo room this time as it is supposed to be the nicer one. Think it was a $5/night upgrade or something.
Still going back and forth on Excalibur - for 5 nights $829 vs $460 is a significant difference. I am not on a particular budget, but don't mind walking or the heat (especially the short distance from the castle to Horseshoe). The main benefit is just time and convenience. The extra money could be used for Ubers to/from Wynn if needed, a nice dinner, etc.
Take the money and run (or walk or Uber)!
look, I love walking and I love walking the strip. But Excal to Horseshoe is a fair distance and to your point, the exercise is one thing but the time spent is something else and doing that twice a day is a decent commitment
there's some real value to being able to pop back to your room for a shower or whatever at dinner break in an mtt
No, the Flamingo Rooms are the most recently renovated ones, and they look much better. Have seen some pretty shitty Go Room reviews on YouTube.
I have stayed in a Flamingo Room a couple of times, and always found that to be a pleasant experience.
Good to know, although I've never stayed at the Dirty Bird. That's the old nickname, sounds like it's better now. I also disliked their parking garage. Narrow lanes and tight corners, and when the area in the back floods, you feel like a U-boat commander getting in and out.
No, the Flamingo Rooms are the most recently renovated ones, and they look much better. Have seen some pretty shitty Go Room reviews on YouTube.I have stayed in a Flamingo Room a couple of times, and always found that to be a pleasant experience.
Good to know, although I've never stayed at the Dirty Bird. That's the old nickname, sounds like it's better now. I also disliked thei
As someone who has been to Vegas 140+ times (minimum a week at a time) and stayed at both places, IMO you should pick the Flamingo. Being center strip and close to everything is worth the money. Uber / Lyft will eat away quickly at the $369 savings by staying at X.
Closest Poker rooms to the X = Mandalay Bay & MGM
Flamingo: Bellagio, Caesars, Venetian
Thanks for all the feedback everyone - going to keep it simple and just stay put
It's been an early morning, but we made it! Despite the 4:30am wake up time I couldn't sleep much on the plane. Spent a bit of time doing some hand review of recent online tournaments and started reading Project Hail Mary (great read so far).
The nice weather felt amazing stepping outside! People are still starting to get verified and fill into the Normandy room so I think I'll skip a level and catch the end of some of the games before entering the mini main!
Project Hail Mary is a fantastic book.
We are at dinner break now after 12 (30 minute) levels with a stack of about 120k off 30k starting! Blinds will be 2/4k when we return which should give us a solid 30BB to work with.
My initial table was passive at the beginning but eventually turned rather tight (with one exception) My stack hovered around the starting 30k for most of the time. Two to my right was an aggressive Chinese player who was probably opening 2/3rds of his hands. Many were legitimate, but not all. I had to battle a little bit to stay afloat, 3 betting his button open short-ish with KQs, then check raising an A25cc board in another button single raised pot with air.
Eventually the table broke and a new one was just what I needed! It was a bit of a roller coaster: with 15BB left I shoved tens in the big blind over two limps, which went uncalled. Then the very next hand a lady on the button raised and I shoved again with eights, which held vs AK to double up past 60k! Shortly after she shoves ~12k and we wake up with AK and get it in... against aces. The flop comes JQT to give me the straight, and she gets up to start walking away as I say "wait...". This was the wrong thing to say as a king spikes the turn and we chop. I'm fine with the result given how far behind I was. Then shortly after I raise in the CO with KJo and get two callers. The flop comes JT5 and the SB checkraises my 5k bet all in for 18k. We are pleased to get it in good vs QJo, but he rattles off a runner runner straight to win. I get a bit more back after flopping top pair + NFD with AQs and hitting on the turn.
Then, this hand happens: I am a bit tired having been awake since 2:30am local time and accidentally announce the raise right after flopping a 5k chip down to open A2s from the CO. The guy from the other table has just moved to my left. My bet is counted as a limp, which he raises to 8k. Everyone else gets out the way and I make the call. The flop comes all hearts to give me the nut flush! It is checked through then I get two streets of value (30k on river), and then river a flush in a SRP with AJs to propel me up past 150k!
Give a bit back after blinds but looking to continue the momentum.
Sadly we busted 7th off the money, crippled after 3 betting AK against the table chip leader and having to fold after he leads out for my entire stack on a Q8T flop. Got eaten up by blinds thereafter. With 6bb left we go all in over a button raise with A8 but run into AK and can't improve. Guess we'll try again tomorrow.
After the tournament we chill out and get a nice view of the Strip from the Beer Park.
We are tired but against my better judgement I decide to head to Caesar's and check out the double board bomb pot game. The room is pretty busy, I'm glad they decided to move out of the temporary location in the mall. We are able to get in right away at the $5 ante 5 card DBBP PLO game.
The game isn't exactly great and we are seated at the must move. Half the table are clearly local regs, though on the younger side and very personable. No one is really drinking at all. There are a few egregious mistakes from everyone else but it is otherwise fairly tight. Almost all pots are chopped, little to no scoops. We are mostly card dead and brick out on big draws but eventually work back to almost even after 3/4ing two decent pots. I should have just picked up there but then get moved to the main game, which is even worse. Eventually decide to call it a day after being up for almost 24 hours down -$280.
The key to PLO DBBP’s is you want to be playing with terrible hold’em players
