Vegas in March with $1K bankroll

[michiganlaw]

Heading to Vegas March 23-26 staying in Venezia Suite at Venetian. Unfortunately, Venetian's new poker room will not be open until May at the earliest.

Anyway, I've recently come into some sports gambling winnings that I want to re-invest in poker while I'm in Vegas. I've got a $1,000 bankroll that I'd like to risk during the entire trip. (this is poker only money, got extra $$ for March Madness betting and $$ for other nefarious activities)

I need your advice as to what limits to play given that bankroll. Assume I'm an average winning Party player at the $1/$2 limit level online.

I'd like to play limit mostly, but might enjoy mixing up a little no limit. I was thinking $4/$8 or probably $8/$16. And possibly a 200 max no limit game. What do you think? Limits? Places that spread those limits that you personally recommend (yes I've read allvegaspoker.com)

Replies much appreciated....

[smbruin22]

hey, i'll be there almost same time and have pretty much same question...

when does march madness start?? i'm thinking it's morphed more into april madness, but they just change the name.

[gilbert]

if you're staying at venetian you'll probably want to play at a classy joint like the bellagio or wynn.

bellagio has an 8/16 that runs almost always.

if you're wanting to gamble it up with your $1k bankroll, i think a 15/30 shot is in order.

[iagainsti]

Can't beat the Bellagio, in my opinion the Classiest place--comfiest chairs and awesome drinks, well, when I'm playing that's mostly capuccinos and such.. They have a 200 nl game that was a blood bath when I played it. People we're getting stacked virtually every hand.
I think their lowest limit game is 4/8.

Excal has a friendly 1/2 nl game, as does the Aladdin if I'm not mistaken. But I'm a Bellagio man at heart.

[Jeffage]

If you have only $1000, it might not be a good idea to jump right into an 8-16 game where you could potentially lose $800. Wynn is next door to Venetian and has a great room with 4-8 games that looked action packed when I was there (I didn't play it, but I'm sure they were good). Mirage has 3-6 or 6-12 and is close to Venetian, but the games are a little tighter there. You'll definitely want to check out Bellagio - it's about a 20 minute walk from Wynn, but a great place to play w/ great action. MGM (cab ride from Wynn) is cool too and their 4-8 game w/ half kill is tons of fun.

If you want to take a shot at a bigger game, it might be better to wait until a few days in (maybe the 25th) and if you're even or up, take a $400 shot at it. If you play that limit, play it at Wynn - they use $2 chips which probably induce more action.

Jeff

[michiganlaw]

[ QUOTE ]
when does march madness start?? i'm thinking it's morphed more into april madness, but they just change the name.

[/ QUOTE ]

march 23 - 26 is the second weekend of march madness, the Sweet 16 is Thursday and Friday, and the Elite Eight is Saturday and Sunday.

[Beachman42]

The 6/12 at Caesars is worth checking out. I NEVER put more than $300 on the table and won $400-$500 over 2 sessions. BTW - I play 1/2 or 2/4 LHE on-line @ ~5BB/100, so if you are a net +EV, you can definitelty play up in Vegas. Also, as stated in other posts, the 4/8 at the Wynn is a good game in a great room - make sure to tip the waitresses [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Mr.K]

[ QUOTE ]
I play 1/2 or 2/4 LHE on-line @ ~5BB/100

[/ QUOTE ]

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAA

Really, how many BB/100? Or maybe more appropriately, over how many hands? The rate you claim is not sustainable even under the best game conditions.

[Mr.K]

to the OP:

Is this $1K bankroll replaceable? If so, the suggestion that you try games as high as 8/16 or 10/20 seems appropriate. If this is your poker money and it cannot be easily replaced if lost, then you should stick to 1-2NL and 3-6 limit, and even then you're short for those games.

Assuming the money is either fully or partially replaceable, my suggestion is to start at the smallest games you can possibly tolerate (2/4 limit, 1-2NL, etc.) and slowly increase your GAMBOOOL as the trip goes on. Not only will this strategy help you stay in the games longer (by reducing the risk of being wiped out), but you'll be more likely to be playing with winnings by the end when you're in the bigger games, meaning you won't be playing scared.

Casino specific observations: the 8-16 at Bellagio is a jopke and very worth playing. Less so at the Wynn, YMMV. The baby NL game at Bellagio is amazing. I used to think the structure sucked, but then I sat in the game, and WOW, as others have said people were stacking off with AJo. Faaaantastic. The excalibur 2-6 spread limit game is actually decent if you can tolerate those microstakes, and all the games at Aladdin (other than the uber-tight 5/10, sorry Photoc) seem to me to always be worth playing. MGM Grand 4/8 w/ half kill is a good idea for someone in your bankroll range.

[sternroolz]

$1000. Poker only. You need to be certain it lasts at least 2 days.

You cannot play $8-16 or $200 buy in NLHE because you risk losing over half your roll with just a few bad beats. Venetian is very easy walking distance to the very best poker rooms in Vegas(with the exception of MGM).

Start at the $4-8 at Bellago or Wynn or the $3-6 at Mirage or equivalent at Cesars. Or $100 buy in anywhere. If you play at these levels, you should not have to drop levels at all during your trip. Even if you run really bad.

If you win a few hundred....say you get up $300, then take a $400 or $500 shot at the Bellagio $8-16 or the Wynn $8-16. Same thing with NL....just get up $200 or so, and then take a 2 buy in shot at a $200 NL game. If you lose, you just take the remaining $800 and drop back down. You will still be sufficiently funded.

Another option is to enter a couple of the smaller(under $100) buy in tourneys at Cesars or Aladdin. If you hit, you will win $200-1000 or more and this can fund your run at a bigger game. Or play one of the sattellites at Wynn or Bellagio and try to get an entry into one of the bigger tournaments.

Either way it should be fun.