More Tales from the 2009 WSOP

Now that the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) has come and gone, the world’s largest tournament will be paused for four months, resuming in November for its final table. In the meantime, those of us who had a chance to travel to Sin City for the 2009 festivities reflect on some of the notable events.

PokerPalooza

For the hubbub leading up to PokerPalooza, it was a pretty quiet affair. I expected the Rio’s convention center to be mobbed with rabid poker fans, each looking to get their hands on a new piece of software, the latest publication, or beers in PokerPalooza’s bar. Instead, the atmosphere was surprisingly subdued. Many of the booths required payment to take home a piece of memorabilia like a deck of cards or a t-shirt. Maybe it was a down economy this year, but PokerPalooza seemed more like a ghost town than the Wild West. Booths on-hand included Poker Controls, the Aussie Millions, Cardoza Publishing, and the Poker Players Alliance (PPA).

While I was camped out in PokerPalooza, 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion and PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer spoke to the crowd about the importance of writing, calling, and e-mailing Congressmen and Senators urging the legalization of online poker in the United States. Raymer had about 150 people gathered around him and was talking on a stage right next to the entrance to PokerPalooza. In the hallway of the Rio outside of the PokerPalooza entrance, Dream Team Poker had a massive floor-to-ceiling display touting its team poker concept. If you’re not familiar with it, teams of three players compete, with the two highest finishes added together. Much like golf, the team with the lowest score wins.

Poker

Last year at the WSOP, I played poker just once while I was in Las Vegas. This time around, I was able to play nearly every night for a few hours, which was quite a positive change. If there’s one thing I don’t do, it’s play poker for high stakes. Instead, I sit back and grind out low-stakes cash games, including $4/$8 Limit and $1/$2 No Limit. If you have never been to Las Vegas before, there are more poker rooms than McDonald’s. I enjoy the Bellagio poker room as well as the one at the Flamingo, which is located near the casino’s exit and is very cozy. The Bellagio has the Super Bowl of poker rooms and comes complete with Bobby’s Room. The high-stakes area literally sits in a glass case in the middle of the room reminiscent of the lion enclosure at MGM Grand.

The games are usually pretty soft no matter where you go. I saw an engaged woman and her father sitting side by side at a game at the Flamingo. I nearly spit Coors Light through my nose when she mucked a king-high straight not realizing that she had the best hand. Always fold your cards face up and let the dealer sort out who wins. One mistake can cost you dearly, especially in No Limit cash games.

Shows

It had been three years since I went to a Las Vegas show. It’s always a fun affair and something that everyone should have an opportunity to take in. There are a handful of last minute ticket outlets sprinkled throughout the Strip. While these places tout tickets for as much as half off, they can also be a bad beat for poker players. Make sure to review the regular ticket prices for each event before purchasing at a half price outfit. This year, I saw Jersey Boys at the Venetian, but tickets were significantly cheaper at the box office than at the half price store.

In 2006, I saw Penn and Teller at the Rio and Blue Man Group at the Venetian. Both were excellent, especially the latter, which is a very unique experience. Penn and Teller cover your basic range of magic, including the infamous Bullet Trick. Both theaters aren’t abnormally large and every seat in the house is a good one.

Remember, a trip to Las Vegas for the WSOP should include more than just poker. Take in the sights. We’ll see you there!