Summer of Tournaments – Day 27
This is my final stay at Sam’s Town for this trip, though I’ll be returning a couple of times to play in their poker tournaments and to take advantage of their multiple point and senior days. Sam’s Town, though 15 to 20 minutes from the Strip continues to be a favorite choice for me. They’ve improved their rooms (wish they offered coffee makers), and continues to have great promotions, inexpensive eating choices, and full pay video poker schedules. The atrium is a great place to relax in the early morning.
Sam’s Town (not actually in Henderson, but I still call it that)
After posting my report and checking out, I went down to the poker room to play in another $23 tournament (after all, it is this year’s theme). I called Martin in his room, who is leaving for Laughlin later today, to check out and come play the tournament as well. I enjoyed a breakfast at the sportsbook deli (two eggs, sausage/bacon, hash browns, and toast for $4.99 with discount). Martin joined me and we began playing at 10 AM. There were 50 people this morning hoping to make the final table. I managed 17th place and Martin soon was out at 12th, just short of the final table. This continues to be the cheapest poker tournament in town and a fun way to spend a couple of hours.
Today, the Orleans has a promotion where if you put 300 points on your card ($300 coin-in), you can swipe for a gift and a chance for free play from $5 to $500. Martin and I met up at the Oyster Bar for lunch as he wanted to try the clam chowder I had written about earlier. He chose the combination Manhattan/New England and said it was some of the best chowder he’s ever had. As we were eating, I was approached by Matt who was kind enough to say he’s been reading my reports since the very beginning (2001) on LVA. I’m always flattered when someone notices me from the blogs and am glad to meet. Matt was works for the MGM properties. He just happened to be picking up some lunch at the Orleans and saw me walk in but I wanted to talk to him more, so we exchanged numbers and will meet up later this week so we can compare notes on Caesars versus MGM properties.
Meeting Matt at the Oyster Bar at the Orleans
After lunch, Martin and I settled in at the nickel triple-play progressives to get our 300 points. Playing 9/7/5 Double Bonus (a good schedule for a nickel game) with a $2.4K dealt royal progressive, I went on a bit of a quad rush and reached the 300 point mark with a nice little $25 profit. Martin had a couple quads as well but lost $12 in the pursuit. We went to the promotions booth and got our neon colored plastic bowls, which came with a code with the cash amount. Surprise—we both won the lowest amount, $5. I played a $20 through the new Wonka machine (spinning wheels game—a good one) and said our goodbyes as he was off to Laughlin and I was off to Caesars to check in for a three day comp stay and slot tournament.
It was HOT today, 112 degrees, as I pulled into the south side Diamond valet entrance of Caesars. I was given a room in the Augustus Tower at the end of the hall—but this time it was a good one, right on the corner with a complete view of the Bellagio fountains and the south side of the Strip.
My room in the Augustus Tower of Caesars. It’s well kept up and still looks new
An excellent view from my room
I needed to go to the Rio where the tournament was going to be at beginning tomorrow and register. It just so happened that Mary and Ed (my grandkids’ aunt and grandfather) were staying there tonight and we decided to meet up and have dinner at the buffet together. I registered for the tourney and met them in the sportsbook. Ed studies and bets on the horses (just small bets, usually $2 a race) so I sat down with them and gave Ed a couple of bucks to bet along with his choice. We won a couple, lost a couple—all fun.
The Rio buffet, once the most popular buffet in Las Vegas (and the original offering national food stations, now copied everywhere) remains very good with plenty of choices, but I feel—like most buffets these days—a little overpriced. We used our reward points to pay for it and enjoyed a nice meal. I meant to get a picture but completely forgot.
I was going to call it a night, but decided I’d join them back at the Orleans, which offers a 2/4 poker game with only one blind. There was also a $300 high hand per hour promotion going on. While waiting for our table, they used their LVA coupon book coupons to get $10 in free play and a $10 table game match voucher. I showed them the one bank of machines that have 9/6 Bonus Deluxe. After just about fifteen hands, Mary hit quad 5s for a sweet $100 hit. We were finally given a table to play. I bought in for $60 and they each bought in for $100. They were there for the night; I was only going to win my buy in or double it and leave. After winning a couple pots, my flush was beaten by a higher one; and lost a couple of big pots to a guy who kept getting dealt pocket Aces. My buy-in was soon gone, and I said my goodbyes.
Before leaving, I went to the slot club booth and turned in my LVA coupons. I went to the roulette and placed the $10 match play on black and won for a nice $20 recoup. I used the free play on the new Batman penny game. It’s an interesting game, but it’s a loser.
I drove back to Caesars, left the car in valet and up to the room. I needed to get one picture of the view at night, but as you see, my camera doesn’t handle these all that well.
My view at night
More tomorrow
Totals:
Tournaments: 18 Cost: $290 Won: $2150 Balance: $1860
This is my final stay at Sam’s Town for this trip, though I’ll be returning a couple of times to play in their poker tournaments and to take advantage of their multiple point and senior days. Sam’s Town, though 15 to 20 minutes from the Strip continues to be a favorite choice for me. They’ve improved their rooms (wish they offered coffee makers), and continues to have great promotions, inexpensive eating choices, and full pay video poker schedules. The atrium is a great place to relax in the early morning.
Sam’s Town (not actually in Henderson, but I still call it that)
After posting my report and checking out, I went down to the poker room to play in another $23 tournament (after all, it is this year’s theme). I called Martin in his room, who is leaving for Laughlin later today, to check out and come play the tournament as well. I enjoyed a breakfast at the sportsbook deli (two eggs, sausage/bacon, hash browns, and toast for $4.99 with discount). Martin joined me and we began playing at 10 AM. There were 50 people this morning hoping to make the final table. I managed 17th place and Martin soon was out at 12th, just short of the final table. This continues to be the cheapest poker tournament in town and a fun way to spend a couple of hours.
Today, the Orleans has a promotion where if you put 300 points on your card ($300 coin-in), you can swipe for a gift and a chance for free play from $5 to $500. Martin and I met up at the Oyster Bar for lunch as he wanted to try the clam chowder I had written about earlier. He chose the combination Manhattan/New England and said it was some of the best chowder he’s ever had. As we were eating, I was approached by Matt who was kind enough to say he’s been reading my reports since the very beginning (2001) on LVA. I’m always flattered when someone notices me from the blogs and am glad to meet. Matt was works for the MGM properties. He just happened to be picking up some lunch at the Orleans and saw me walk in but I wanted to talk to him more, so we exchanged numbers and will meet up later this week so we can compare notes on Caesars versus MGM properties.
Meeting Matt at the Oyster Bar at the Orleans
After lunch, Martin and I settled in at the nickel triple-play progressives to get our 300 points. Playing 9/7/5 Double Bonus (a good schedule for a nickel game) with a $2.4K dealt royal progressive, I went on a bit of a quad rush and reached the 300 point mark with a nice little $25 profit. Martin had a couple quads as well but lost $12 in the pursuit. We went to the promotions booth and got our neon colored plastic bowls, which came with a code with the cash amount. Surprise—we both won the lowest amount, $5. I played a $20 through the new Wonka machine (spinning wheels game—a good one) and said our goodbyes as he was off to Laughlin and I was off to Caesars to check in for a three day comp stay and slot tournament.
It was HOT today, 112 degrees, as I pulled into the south side Diamond valet entrance of Caesars. I was given a room in the Augustus Tower at the end of the hall—but this time it was a good one, right on the corner with a complete view of the Bellagio fountains and the south side of the Strip.
My room in the Augustus Tower of Caesars. It’s well kept up and still looks new
An excellent view from my room
I needed to go to the Rio where the tournament was going to be at beginning tomorrow and register. It just so happened that Mary and Ed (my grandkids’ aunt and grandfather) were staying there tonight and we decided to meet up and have dinner at the buffet together. I registered for the tourney and met them in the sportsbook. Ed studies and bets on the horses (just small bets, usually $2 a race) so I sat down with them and gave Ed a couple of bucks to bet along with his choice. We won a couple, lost a couple—all fun.
The Rio buffet, once the most popular buffet in Las Vegas (and the original offering national food stations, now copied everywhere) remains very good with plenty of choices, but I feel—like most buffets these days—a little overpriced. We used our reward points to pay for it and enjoyed a nice meal. I meant to get a picture but completely forgot.
I was going to call it a night, but decided I’d join them back at the Orleans, which offers a 2/4 poker game with only one blind. There was also a $300 high hand per hour promotion going on. While waiting for our table, they used their LVA coupon book coupons to get $10 in free play and a $10 table game match voucher. I showed them the one bank of machines that have 9/6 Bonus Deluxe. After just about fifteen hands, Mary hit quad 5s for a sweet $100 hit. We were finally given a table to play. I bought in for $60 and they each bought in for $100. They were there for the night; I was only going to win my buy in or double it and leave. After winning a couple pots, my flush was beaten by a higher one; and lost a couple of big pots to a guy who kept getting dealt pocket Aces. My buy-in was soon gone, and I said my goodbyes.
Before leaving, I went to the slot club booth and turned in my LVA coupons. I went to the roulette and placed the $10 match play on black and won for a nice $20 recoup. I used the free play on the new Batman penny game. It’s an interesting game, but it’s a loser.
I drove back to Caesars, left the car in valet and up to the room. I needed to get one picture of the view at night, but as you see, my camera doesn’t handle these all that well.
My view at night
More tomorrow
Totals:
Tournaments: 18 Cost: $290 Won: $2150 Balance: $1860
