MGM, not so Grand (anymore)

 

The MGM poker room

Once upon a long ago, the MGM was not only the biggest casino hotel on the strip, but one of the most attractive - including their huge glass enclosures with live Lions, including the famous 'Leo' from the MGM studios movie lead-in. Their poker room too, used to be one of the leading venues, but no more.

For reasons best known to themselves, they have not moved with the times and paid $2 per hour in 'comps' for players unlike most of the casinos - including fellow M-Life venues The Aria and The Bellagio. As such, I'd heard it is largely shunned by the local pros and grinders and the games consist mainly of tourists. Based on my experience today I'd say that is true. Like most other venues now they are doing one hand of double-board bomp-pot Omaha at the start of every 30 minute dealer rotation. They rake as much, if not more than other poker rooms (probably another reason the regs don't like it), but they offer lots of promotions such as high hand jackpots (similar to the Venetian, albeit every 60 mins) and bonus prizes for hands like quads and straight flushes.

The game I experienced was pretty soft, but reasonable fun with some good characters. There wasn't that much to report really - I lost two moderately big pots - one where my flopped flush draw came in on the turn, after I bet on the button and was called by the other two players who say the flop. The turn however paired the board, but it was checked to me again and my bet again had two callers. The river was a 4th spade, and the first caller led out for $50 and the second folded. I had the Q-high flush, and I made the reluctant call, hoping he hadn't slow-played a flopped set or somehow ended up on the river with a K or A-high flush. He hadn't, but sadly for me his baby flush on the turn hit his only out and he picked up the pot and a $600 prize for a straight flush.
The other saw me raise some limpers from the button with A9s, seeing the flop with 2 callers. It came Ace-rag-rag and I got one caller to my bet. The turn was another 9, so I checked behind, hoping to induce a bluff on a blank river. I got the blank river but the 'bluff' was bigger than expected at $55. It wasn't a nice position, but trip aces was hard to fold there and I called only to be shown A3 for a flopped two pair and a full-house on the turn.

I managed to pick up two bomb-pots to recover and finish the day slightly ahead.

Wanted Rating: 0/5 stars
Cars Stolen: 0
Prostitute Encounters: 0
Poker winnings: $20

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