While Figuring Out the Future of The Blog (or Lack Therof)

So I've been thinking a lot lately about the future of Rob's Vegas & Poker Blog.  Honestly, for a few days there, I was 100% certain I was going to end it. Yeah, I was really sure I was just gonna shut this down.  

You see....I put a lot of effort into this blog, not to mention my heart and soul.....and lately it seems like the "rewards" I've been getting in return just haven't been enough to justify all that work.  That's kind of what my two previous two posts were about....but I guess I was way too subtle for anyone to pick up on it.

But....well, I'm not actually having a change of heart yet, but I've backed away from "definitely done" and gone to "thinking about it some more." .  I guess I need more time before I figure out if I want to pull the plug or keep going full blast.

In the meantime, here's my latest column for Ante Up.  You can find it on their website here

VENETIAN: The Deep Stack Extravaganza at the Venetian runs through Nov. 25 as every event, other than satellites, offers a guarantee, totaling $23M in prize pools.The $1,600 main event, with three starting flights, begins Nov. 16 and has a $500K guarantee.

Most noon events are no-limit hold’em with multiple starting days and buy-ins between $250-$1,100.Omaha and PLO events run throughout the series at 4 p.m. for $250.Single-day bounty and survivor tournaments, with $200-$300 buy-ins, are evenings at 7.

ARIA: Sean McCormack is the new director of poker, moving over from the Bellagio, where he had been operations manager.He worked at Bellagio for nine years as a dealer, floor supervisor and shift manager.He got his start in poker in Florida and then worked as a traveling dealer before settling in Vegas. He’s originally from Salem, Mass.

The Aria continues to offer one of the most popular regular tournaments in Vegas, twice daily at 1 and 7 p.m. The $125 event has 30-minute levels and players start with a 10K stack. The 1 p.m. regularly attracts 120-150 players and the evening version usually nears the 100 mark.Periodically, the Aria schedules high-roller tournaments, which cost $25K.But if you want a deal, you can register before the starting time (usually 2 p.m.), the house will waive the $1K rake.

Aria spreads a wide variety of cash games. NLHE and PLO games are always available, both $1-$3 and $2-$5 for each.Bigger games usually can be found and big mixed games are almost always available.The room offers $2 per hour in comps ($3 per hour between 5-10 a.m.).

HARRAH’S: Danny Mack is the new special-games manager at the mid-Strip property.In addition to running the poker room, he’s in charge of keno and the sportsbook. Mack got his start in poker in Tunica, Miss., then worked at Mirage and Bellagio before spending some time managing a poker room in Bozeman, Mont.In 2008, he returned to Vegas to work as a dealer and shift manager at Caesars Palace and the WSOP.

Harrah’s offers a $5K freeroll that even tourists can enjoy.Ten hours of live play the week before qualifies for the tournament on Sundays at 1 p.m. Players who put in 20 hours get $100 upfront when they register for the freeroll. The top 10 finishers get $400 and the next five get $200.

Five tournaments run daily.At 9 a.m. and noon, there’s a $55 event with a $500 guarantee.At 3 and 7 p.m., it’s a $75 event with a $1K guarantee.On Fridays and Saturdays, the 7 p.m. becomes a $100 bounty tournament with the same guarantee. The bounties are $25.

There are high-hand bonuses for quads, straight flushes and royals.The room recently switched from 10-handed to nine-handed games. Players can charge their electronic devices from the table.

GOLDEN NUGGET: The Golden Weekend $50K guarantee is Nov. 28 (11 a.m., $140). Players start with 15K chips and 30-minute levels as registration and re-entry is allowed for the first eight levels.

There are a host of other tournaments throughout the weekend. See the ad on Page 9 of our November issue for more information.

WYNN: The room is adding a couple of new tournaments to the schedule.On the first Wednesday of each month, a $300 seniors tournament will replace the daily noon event.Players 50 and older will start with 12,500 chips and play 30-minute levels. There’s also a $100 add-on at the end of registration (fourth level) for 5K chips.The tournament offers a $12,500 guarantee.This will be the only regularly scheduled event specifically targeting the seniors demographic. Seniors events during Wynn Classic events have been quite popular.

On Thursday nights, there’s a new $120 PLO tournament at 5 p.m. This replaces the 7 p.m. bounty tournament.Players start with 10K chips with 30-minute levels.There are unlimited $100 rebuys through the first four levels for 10K chips, available whenever the player’s stack is less than 5K.There’s no rake on rebuts.

Players can add 5K chips for $50 one time during the first four levels. Here, the Wynn is hoping to cater the regular PLO player who, until now, doesn’t have a regular tournament to play in this discipline.The affordable buy-in is meant to encourage new players to give PLO a try.The rake-free rebuys should provide larger prize pools for the small buy-in.

ALIANTE: The new poker room featuring electronic tables in North Las Vegas has added a few tournaments.In addition to the $30 daily at 1 p.m., it offers $40 tournaments on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. and Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 5.The tournament offers 20-minute levels and starts players with 5K chips.

MGM: Random seats are selected for cash drawings after every score during Sunday, Monday and Thursday night NFL games.Prizes vary between $100 and $500.

MONTE CARLO: Highest hand of the quarter receives cash during Sunday, Monday and Thursday night NFL games. The first quarter is worth $50, the second is $100, the third is $150 and the fourth quarter is $200.

EXCALIBUR: For Monday night NFL games, players earn one raffle ticket each hour on the hour beginning four hours before kickoff. Two tickets drawn at halftime are worth $50 each; one ticket is drawn at 9 p.m. for $50 and one ticket is drawn at 10 for $100.

Also, all active players in a cash games are eligible to have their seat drawn every time there’s a score. It’s $50 for a field goal, $100 for a touchdown and $200 for a safety.

BOULDER STATION: Players earn football squares for full houses in Omaha and NLHE.The squares are worth $50 each for the Sunday, Monday and Thursday night games.

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