2009 World Series of Poker preview – Las Vegas cash games

Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail

As the poker world continues to gear up for the 2009 World Series of Poker, there are some other things to consider other than which tournament will get your hard earned money. There is a separate group of players out there, the cash game grinders, who see the nearly two month series as their prime fishing season.

Dead money floods the streets as the amateurs come to town for their shot at fame and glory, they also take their shot at cash games around town that are most likely way above their bankroll. There are some pros who skip the series all together just for a chance to pick off these tiny fish in the big pond.

But I’m sure you know better than to get caught up in that mayhem, you are a level-headed player who stays within their bankroll and takes building it up seriously. In that case, where should you look for the juicy cash games that are being spread around town. “Tropical” Steve brings us a guest post with a few suggestions in town, downtown, and out of town.

Cash Game Action in WSOP Season
By Steve Horton

So you’re in town for one or more World Series of Poker events, but you don’t want to spend ALL your time at the Rio. Understandable – it’s a big Vegas, and that Rio floor carpet pattern can make you dizzy after awhile. But you still want to play poker the entire time you’re there, whether to wallow in the sorrow of busting out, or try different environments of players, or different restaurants. Or perhaps you’re staying pretty far from the Rio and want someplace a little closer to home base.

We all know that nearly every card room in Vegas runs tournaments frequently. What you might not know is that cash game action is also in full force during the summer. I spoke to the managers of three card rooms in different parts of the city to find out what games they offer, and how they’re changing things around this summer.

“O’Sheas is home to the only poker tables located right on the Las Vegas Strip – we have 3 tables right up in front of the casino, with all the fun of the strip less than 10 feet away,” says Barry Fishman, lead poker supervisor at O’Sheas. “One of the only places in town you can play poker, and take in all the scenery of the strip at the same time.”

“We offer the following games around the clock: 1-5 spread limit Hold’em, with a single $1 blind, 1-2 no-limit Hold’em, with a $50 minimum, $200 maximum buy-in,” Fishman says. “Beginning in May, we will also be offering a 2-4 NL game, with a buy-in range from $100 to $300.”

There will also be a lot of cash game action in downtown Vegas. Just don’t have too many shots before staring at the Fremont Street Experience.

John Colville, director of poker operations at Golden Nugget Las Vegas, mentions that their Grand Poker Series this summer will lead to a good mix of cash game play. “Because of the good variety of poker in our tournament schedule, we will also have variety in our cash games, including HORSE, No-Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha, Omaha-8, 2-7 Triple Draw, Dealer’s Choice mixed games, 7-Card Stud – pretty much anything anybody wants to play, we will spread.”

“Also the current poker room is under expansion and will be finished by May 20th, and that will be jamming as usual,” he says.

How about up I-15 a little, away from the crush of tourists? “Our normal games include $2-4, $3-6 and $4-8 Hold’em,” says Robert Peckinpaugh, poker room manager at Cannery Casino Hotel, about a 12 minute drive north from the Rio. “Occasionally, we spread a $1-2 No Limit game. As we are located some distance from the Rio, we don’t receive much WSOP traffic; that’s not to say we never have any.”

There you have it. A selection of cash games from the Strip, downtown and in North Las Vegas. There are dozens of other options out there for any level from $2-4 limit to $1-2 no limit on up with hundreds of fish and sharks to choose from. It couldn’t be a better opportunity to play some epic cash game poker.

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