It began as a trip to the World Series of Poker-to play in the $1,500 HORSE event. It has turned into a multi-faceted poker journey filled with many poker sessions in more than forty poker rooms in Las Vegas, Laughlin, and Southern California. I've met many poker celebrities and had many interesting adventures. Let me give you a brief taste of the experience.
The Rio was rich with poker action and poker excitement. There were the WSOP tournaments that ranged from the $1,500 events to the $10,000 main event. There were cash games that included $50 - $100 limit 7-Stud/8, $25 - $50 blind pot-limit Omaha, and $300 - $600 limit hold'em And then there were the "famous" poker players that I bumped into: T.J. Cloutier, Mike Sexton, Lou Krieger, Doyle Brunson, David Sklansky, Humberto Brenes, Annie Duke, Phil Helmuth, Andy Bloch, Howard Lederer, Barry Greenstein, Lyle Berman, Bill Chen, Chris Ferguson, Tony Ma, Todd Brunson, Men Nguyen, Huck Seed, Johnny Chan, John Juanda, and Scotty Nguyen-to name a few. If you can't get a rush from seeing thousands of people, including these poker superstars, seated at hundreds of poker games then you need to get a new hobby or new profession.
But the WSOP was about more than the big action and the big names. There were also all those other players-the thousands of folks unknown in Las Vegas or anywhere but their home towns who came out for this one big event, each with their own interesting and often compelling stories. I met a retiree who had been bought-in by his wife as an anniversary gift because she was tired of hearing him whine about how he had never had time to play in the big one. I met a local who played at Binions and insisted the only difference between him and the guys who were on television was that they had money to start with and he had to earn it three times a week playing $80 tourneys at Binions. "I'm as good as any of 'em" he assured me. I saw him play. Maybe he was right.
I also met dozens of very young players-mostly guys but some women. Many came in groups-some by earning their way here with Pokerstars, Fulltilt, or other on-line satellites. Some were cocky, ultra-aggressive, sometimes obnoxious players in the side games I played in. Most were friendly, thoughtful, interesting, and glad to be a part of this amazing experience.
With the exception of my nine hours of unsuccessful tournament play, I actually played little at the Rio, using my time in Las Vegas to visit many of the other rooms. I avoided the most popular poker rooms for tourists like the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, the Venetian, the Mirage, the MGM, and the Wynn. I had enjoyed playing in them many times in the past, but wanted to branch out. Instead, I played in those rooms less well known. Some of them, like the Orleans, the Palms, Bally's, the Gold Coast, Excalibur, Imperial Palace, Planet Hollywood, Luxor, the Golden Nugget, and Binion's are known to tourists, though slightly off the well-beaten poker path.
The Poker Palace, the Cannery, Texas Station, Palace Station, Boulder Station, Fiesta, Arizona Charlie's, Speedway, Jokers Wild, and Club Fortune are rooms rarely seen by tourists. Each, in its way, has something to recommend it-whether it's the fascinating poker room manager who runs it-like at Poker Palace; the aggressive promotions-like at the Cannery; or the $599 a month paid to regular players at Jokers Wild. Las Vegas has a great mix of poker rooms, and I encourage any serious fan of the game to get out and experience them all.
I went on from Las Vegas to check out the poker scene in Laughlin, Palm Springs, and Los Angeles. In Part II of this series I'll tell you about my poker experiences there.
Ashley Adams is the author of Winning 7-Card Stud, and profitably plays 7-card stud all over the world, including England, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Hungary, Canada and the United States, but most frequently at Connecticut's Foxwoods Resort Casino. You can reach Ashley at asha34@aol.com
