Vegas and Cash Games

For anything other than No-limit, Vegas is a hit-or-miss town for cash games most of the year. Even then, the games can be slim pickings in some months as regulars beat up on each other.

For limit holdem, you can play 2-4 and 4-8 just about anywhere there's a casino, but anything above that and you'll have to head to the Bellagio or the Wynn. Both always have several 15-30 games running, while the former has several 30-60s. Interestingly enough, I've noticed a lot of the people I used to see sitting in the 50-100 and 100-200 games are now frequenting the 30-60.

I'm a bit out of touch with the lowest stakes around town, but the only regular stud game that I know running is the 20-40 at the Bellagio. This is a game frequented by a handful of cranky people who bitch at you no matter what the result is on 7th street. If they bet and you fold they'll bitch at you for not calling against their two pair or if they bet and you raise you'll hear bitching for the next three hours about how you outdrew their rolled up tens. A sick part of me enjoys doing a hit-and-run in this game while I'm waiting for no-limit. At least it gives them something to bitch about when you're gone.

Vegas can be death for an O8 player. It's either 4-8 at a locals casino or the 30-60 at the Bellagio. From what I understand even that game is not running as frequently. A 4-8 player can occasionally get a mixed game going at Caesar's Palace, if you're willing to drum up the business. The smallest mix otherwise will be the 40-80 or 50-100 at the Bellagio, and a few of the games can be tough on newcomers. It's not a standard HORSE rotation, and even the familiar games will have a twist on them like 2-7 Razz where the A is a high card. The mix has changed over the years; when I first played, it was O8, 2-7 Triple Draw, and High-Low regular. Now it seems to have gravitated to 2-7 Razz, Badugi, 08, and 2-7 Triple Draw. I won't even bother with the nosebleed report, because they mix it up all the time.

Other than summertime, PLO is rarely spread unless you're in Bobby's Room. For a while last fall a 25-50 half/half game was going but that's hit or miss. If you like PLO, don't even bother going anywhere except the RIO. Although I did see a 2-5 at the Venetian, the Rio is home to the crazy action at all limits. There's even a 2-5 and 5-10 PLO8 that's been running.

There's no question that the WSOP is the time to play cash games in Vegas. Every night the Rio spreads every game you could ask for (although you have to deal with an annoying environment and inexperienced personnel at times). You'll find five 5-10NL and 10-20NL games running at the Bellagio as well as a handful of 25-50NLs. The Venetian has regularly been getting five 5-10NL games going as well; the benefit to playing there is the games are in the back section and the buyin isn't capped.

Personally, if I'm going to play a cash game, it's going to be at the Bellagio. It's the only place where I know a game is always going and if you play 10-20NL or higher you can be relatively comfortable (the 2-5 and 5-10 are much too crowded, however).