I liked downtown. There is something more honest about it. Comparing it to the strip is like comparing a Mars bar to a box of Belgian truffles. You just know what you are getting with a Mars bar. I walk into Binions and it takes only the smallest amount of imagination to understand how this used to be the home of poker.
Luciano my taxi driver told me a lovely story of a guy that he regularly drives for, who comes down for the WSOP every year to play in one of the minor events. For the first twelve years he never made day two. In the thirteenth and fourteenth years he made day two but had to head home as he didn’t think he would qualify for day two.. Anyway this year he actually played day two. Luciano said that the guy couldn’t have been happier.
I got to the cardroom just in time to play the 2pm sat for the $1000 main event. This room is filled with grinders. It is a relative cornucopia of MDD’s. The standard of play was higher than anything I had seen so far at either the Rio or the Venetian. Actually that is not necessarily fair. They just play the game differently. This was an old school, old school event where people could fold to a reraise.
Got close enough to taste a ticket and then made a big error with A9 having hit two pair on the flop. I think it may have been my first serious error at the table and needless to say I did not get lucky and crack the other guys set. I should have realised that my two pair were no good as the dust flew off his chips as they went into the middle.
Ho hum.
I walk up and down and Fremont Street. It is great. I really like it. Pick up a bit of nosh for my room at a price that is not hotel rate. I walk a little ways off from Fremont Street. It is not great I am afraid. It is the other end of the great gamblers dream and should not be forgotten on this trip.
My journey back to the Venetian is conducted in the company of Eduardo the first F1 racing driver from Cuba. He has been in Vegas for seventeen years and he is just crazy. Needless to say he offers to get me girls for this evening. Kind gesture but no thanks Eduardo.
Back at the Venetian I play the $120 that Blatch goes on to split (well done him). George and Raj are there as is Yoyo. Nice people all. One should absolutely not underestimate how creative or bad or different the play is in this tourney. You could take the Tuesday night at Luton and lower it a few notches and you still couldn’t play as badly as the German on my right who ended up with thirty thousand chips in the first 45 minutes and busted out an hour later.
Anyway same old same old for me. Went in ahead came out behind. Decide to sort out my buy in for what I thought was $330 buy in deepstack only to be told it was a $550. Ouch as I only had $300 in lammers. Have to play a one table sit n go and try and win more. Just missed a table that had George, Raj and Julian on. Bugger that would have been great fun to play.
So I sit down at the next one to start and just chat to the players as they arrive about America and England and poker and life. We laugh a lot. They mistake me for placid Brit. From the first hand there is no doubt in my mind that there are at least three fish on the table who are a little out of their depth. Lovely lovely people all but they are bringing their home game strategy to Vegas. Just got to dodge the guy on my right who is called Archie. Get the strong feeling he has got ability.
A couple of hours later and I am three way with over half the chips on the table. I let the other two get busy until I find a hand and that as they say was that. I sit here in my room with enough lammers for the $550. Caesars will just have to wait until Thursday. Am I bored of the poker yet?
Not a chance. Have I eaten in Binions......oh yes I have
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