New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

I have a convention to go to in Vegas in December. I am a small limit player who has lost all confidence and skill and will be staying at the north of the strip.

Where should I go? Best as I have found out is the 2/4 at Imperial Palace.

And I respect that a majority of you are very respectable 1/2 NL, 20/40 players and that this request seems annoying.

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

I heard somewhere that Excalibur has 2/4 also. Maybe you should call them.

Pretty tough to beet the rake in a 2/4 game I would think.

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

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Pretty tough to beet the rake in a 2/4 game I would think.

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if your a bad player then i agree. If your a good player and the pots tend to be 6players +++ then its quite easy to beat the rake. Since I have never found a 2/4 game on the strip that has less than 6 players average to the flop I think the OP will do just fine if he plays well.

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

I don't mean to be offensive, but you have to be able to beat $1/2. Seriously just the fact that you typed out a coherent OP that didn't have a ton of spelling/grammar errors makes me honestly believe that you're smarter than 1/2 the people at those stakes. Just play premium hands and be overly tight.


99,633 and counting

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

Lots of places have 2/4 - Bally's (though they may have a jackpot drop too), Treasure Island, Planet Hollywood, Orleans among others.

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

THe Excalibur is an amazing poker room. Check out the review I wrote here

Anyway, they have a great bonus system, a really soft 2-6 SPREAD limit hold em game, and it's a well run little room. If you want to try to make a few bucks and drink on the strip, I'd highly recommend it.

Hope that helps!

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

[ QUOTE ]
I don't mean to be offensive, but you have to be able to beat $1/2. Seriously just the fact that you typed out a coherent OP that didn't have a ton of spelling/grammar errors makes me honestly believe that you're smarter than 1/2 the people at those stakes. Just play premium hands and be overly tight.


99,633 and counting

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Built whatever bankroll I had at 1/2 when I was assigned to projects in Jacksonville. Sure we are talking about expecting $20 a night.

My bankroll has disappeared (incorporated into general funds) as I have played once in 2007. Thank you PPA!

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

As a total hijack of this thread, I always find it amusing that people will suggest players move to higher stakes poker because the rake is difficult to beat at a certain game. Most often the case is that the player does not have the bankroll to play higher, nor can he beat the players at the higher stakes. While beating the rake might be difficult or even impossible in some games, the rake remains the same and never changes. The gap between your opponent's ability and your "dis"-ability can grow greatly at higher stakes and while you can beat the rake in theory, if you are severely loosing to the other players, you would have greatly benefited from playing smaller stakes. You might still have a loss but the losses will be on average much smaller if you are just loosing to the rake and not to the players also.

Just my 2 cents, which I feel applies to the OP since he admits he is on a short bankroll and his current skills aren't what they used to be. Personally, I applaud him for being honest with himself about it.

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

I'm going to Vegas in December, and I'm in a similar boat. I don't have the modest poker skills that I used to, and I've rarely played in a NL cash game in a casino (and very rarely online - and most of the time when I play NL I play very scared) - I understand why even 1/2 NL seems intimidating - because it does to me. I'll probably play 2/4 a lot and hope I don't lose that much.

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

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As a total hijack of this thread, I always find it amusing that people will suggest players move to higher stakes poker because the rake is difficult to beat at a certain game. Most often the case is that the player does not have the bankroll to play higher, nor can he beat the players at the higher stakes.

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Yeah that's a good point, but they have a good point as well. Consider $2/4 at the IP and $4/8 at the Bellagio. Yes you might have bankroll issues but the game is equally beatable and you have less rake. So the bankroll issue is offset somewhat by the higher earn rate. At any rate, if 2/4 is affordable, I really think 3/6 is too, and you can find easy games for that anywhere too.

Usually when we talk about moving up in limits and facing tougher players, it doesn't really matter until hitting 10/20 or something like that. Certainly, that could very easily be beyond bankroll, and there's a very realistic chance of starting to run into (some) good players.

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

Keep in mind that Ballys/Paris/Harrahs have a $5 rake plus $1 jackpot. Everywhere else in Vegas is $4 max +$1 JP (in rooms that have JPs, which is most).

Treasure Island, MGM Grand, Luxor, Excalibur, and Monte Carlo would be my recommendation (basically non Harrahs properties).

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

I just got back from my most recent trip (by just got back, I mean about 12 hours ago.)

I didn't play on the strip this time, because I was feeling anti-strip for some reason, so I played at Tuscany (on Flamingo.) I also decided to play LHE this trip, rather than 1-2/1-3 NL.

So here's the thing I suggest, because it worked pretty darned well for me. I decided to brush up on low stakes LHE (been a couple of years since I played it in a casino) so i brought Small Stakes Hold 'em with me and re-read the first half of it on the plane.

After rake, tipping what would be considered by many to be exorbitantly (5%ish of pot) and tipping waitresses from my stack, I still walked away with what averaged to be $34.50 per hour from $3-6 LHE, just by applying what I'd read in the book (and not being perfect about it, either - I definitely missed a lot of bets by being sloppy.)

Last time I played LHE was $2 - 4 at Excalibur, but that was when I first started playing and sucked more than I do now.

Just remember to relax and have fun. It's easy enough to put low-stakes poker into perspective if you just rememember that you can easily lose an entire poker buy-in from a 45-second run of bad cards at the blackjack table.

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

IMO, soft LLHE in LV = Bally's, MGM & Excal. It is entirely possible to beat the rake. Relax, play smart, have fun. $100 is an all day sucker @ 2/4.

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

Binions

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

Yeah, I know NL can be intimidating. But honestly, as long as you're not at a table with a super LAG, just limp in with some hands when several people are in, and just wait to hit some big flops or draws and you'll make money. It really is a pretty easy game if you're just patient and wait for hands. Be aware that the preflop raise amounts can be shocking, even with weak hands. You'll see AT or KJ raised to $15 all the time. Also, never slowplay, especially like AA or KK preflop. You will make money, with little variance, surprisingly.

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

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IMO, soft LLHE in LV = anywhere with an open seat It is entirely possible to beat the rake. Relax, play smart, have fun. $100 is an all day sucker @ 2/4.

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FYP and you guys put way too much thought into who has the "best" low limit games.

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

stayed at ip last august. dont play there. they only have like 5 tables which dont even have automatic shufflers. play at mgm grand or the flamingo

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
IMO, soft LLHE in LV = anywhere with an open seat It is entirely possible to beat the rake. Relax, play smart, have fun. $100 is an all day sucker @ 2/4.

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FYP and you guys put way too much thought into who has the "best" low limit games.

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That's because an extra dollar rake and jackpot drop have a much bigger effect on a 2/4 game than any other. If ever there should be a discussion on the "best" games in town, it should be for 2/4.

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

I have played at almost every hotel on the strip, and my suggestion would be MGM Grand, hands down. It has such a fun and upbeat atmosphere, so it attracts a lot of idiots! I had the most fun at this casino, and did pretty well.

One thing that a friend of mine said, is to always play the lowest limit offered at the casino. I always have the idea that any low limit game (from 2/4 to 5/10) is full of horrible players and that it doesn't matter which game you end up in, but I DID notice that at MGM, the 2/4 game had significantly worse players than the 4/8 game there, so I think what he said had some validity to it.

Hope you enjoy your trip!

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

The only issues I have with playing 1/2NL is running bad with bad players. For instance, I am a strong enough player to crush a 1/2 game with very little effort. Really all you need to do is play 1-2-3 poker.

The problem is when your AK gets beat by A5, or when your Kings get run down by pocket 3's... I can put my money in where I am no less than a 75% favorite, and still end up bad for the night.

The problem is one guy sucking out on you can crush your bankroll, and I understand that concern. If I am going to play 1/2, I need to have 400-500 dollars, even if I am buying in for 100. You have to assume that someone is going to get out on you. It's the variance argument - If you are a good player, and keep playing "right" poker, you will end up winner in the end... Provided you have the bankroll to do that.

Honestly, if you want practice at low-limit NL Holdem, go online and play at a .5/.10 table, where you can't get hurt too bad. If you are showing a profit there, you can expect the same at a 1/2 table.

Remember, it's one long session!

Hope that helps!

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

O'Shea's has a great, soft 1-5 spread limit game right on the strip. Lots of drunk players, lots of players seeing the flop and lots of fun.

Play good cards and understand the range of hands the other players are calling with and you should beat the rake.

Re: New to Vegas - Micro limit player
 

Yeah... But O'Sheas is a S$#%hole. I'd rather not play with frat boys throwing beer on me... and the poker room is like, right on the sidewalk!

If you are 25 and want to party while playing, that's not a bad room. However, if you want a fun room with a MUCH better atmosphere, try the Excalibur, Luxor, or even Circus Circus.