Vegas Poker Scene -- November 2018

Here's my latest column for Ante Up.  Once again, the individual column has not appeared on the Ante Up website yet.  In fact, they still haven't posted last month's column over there.  No idea what's going on.  Anyway, below is my column as it was submitted, when you pick up the mag in your local poker room (should be there now), it may be a bit different.

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The Green Valley Ranch Poker Room has revised its tournament schedule.  A new feature of the schedule is The Leaderboard.  Points are awarded for cashing in most of the tournaments.  The top 10 point earners from October 1 through December 31 will be awarded a share of $20K in prize money, with the top prize being $8K. Players will also be awarded "frequency points" for just entering (based on the amount of the buy-in).  Players who accumulate 250 or more frequency points will be able to participate in a $50 buy-in tournament in January that will have $20K in added prize money.  Additionally, players who flop quads or better in a tournament will get a voucher for a free buy-in for a tournament of equal value.

As for the schedule itself, it's not just hold'em.  A $120 PLO event takes place on Sundays at 5 p.m. On Tuesdays at noon there's a $60 Omaha 8/B tourney. And Fridays at 4 p.m. a $120 HORSE tournament is offered.

A $60 Ladies NLH event takes place Thursdays at 11:15 a.m.  Seniors get their chance Wednesdays at 11:15 a.m.  A "casino industry night" re-buy tournament is offered for anyone with a casino employee badge Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. Mondays and Fridays at 10:15 a.m., an $80 NLH tourney is offered. A $50 NLH tournament runs Saturdays at 10:15 a.m.  There's a $120 NLH offering Wednesdays at 6:15 p.m.  No Limit turbos take place at noon on Sundays and 6:15 p.m. Thursdays. An $80 bounty tournament is available Mondays at 6:15 p.m.  A $120 "Steep Stack" takes place Saturdays at 3 p.m.

The Steep Stack features a 25K starting stack.  Most of the other tournaments start at 10K in chips.  The levels for all tournaments are 20-minutes, except for the turbos, which are 15-minutes.

Among the room's promos is a "Good Beat Jackpot."  To qualify, Aces full of 10's or better must be beaten by quads or better.  Both cards must play. A unique feature is that the winner of the pot gets the biggest portion of the jackpot: 40%. The loser of the hand gets 20%.  The rest of the players at the table share the remaining 40%.  The jackpot fund starts at $5K and $500 is added every week until it hits.

VENETIAN: Sam Vizza of Chicago won the $1,100 MSPT event at Deep Stack Extravaganza III in September, taking home a prize of $52K.  California's Eyal Al Revah claimed $38K for second and Minnesota's Alex Winter received $36K for third. The event drew 315 players, resulting in a $307K prize pool, easily surpassing the $250K guarantee. 

Deepstack Showdown runs December 5-16.  An $1,100 DoubleStack tournament with two starting flights begins on December 7. The starting stack is 30K, the levels are 40-minutes and it has a $150K guarantee.  There's a $3,500 event beginning December 14.  It plays out over three days and has only one starting flight, but players can enter through the first two levels of day 2.  The starting stack is 40K, players get 60-minute levels and the guarantee is $500K. 

A $400 Seniors event runs December 6.  There's a $400 limit Omaha 8/B beginning December 7 and a $250 PLO8 event December 15.  The other afternoon NLH events are in the $400-$600 range.  The evening events are all $200 buy-ins.

WYNN: The daily tournaments all have increased their starting stacks to 15K.  Also, all of the tournaments feature the big blind ante. Guarantees have been added to all dailies. Monday through Thursday the $140 buy-in has a $5K guarantee.  The Friday and Sunday $200 buy-in has a $10K guarantee. Each of those offers 30-minute levels. The Saturday $230 buy-in has a $30K guarantee and 40-minute levels.  That one has unlimited $200 rebuys for 15K any time a player is at or below 10K in chips.  There is a single optional $100 add-on for 7,500 chips until the start of the seventh level. 

PLANET HOLLYWOOD: The WSOP circuit arrives here November 14-27. The first of two starting flights for the $1,700 main event runs November 24.  The tournament offers a $500K guarantee and one re-entry is allowed. 

November 15 is the kick-off date for a six-starting flight $400 event with a $200K guarantee.  This tournament offers unlimited re-entry. A $2,200 high roller event is on November 26.  A $250 Seniors event runs November 24. There's a $400 PLO event on November 20. 

MGM: The room has revised their daily tournaments.  At 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., the buy-in is now $100 and the starting stack is 25K.  The levels are 20-minutes and these tournaments now have the big blind ante.  The daytime tournament has a $2K guarantee and the evening version has a $1K guarantee. 

The 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. tournaments are $65 buy-ins for a 15K starting stack and 15-minute levels. This tournament has no antes.  They both have a $500 guarantee.

BELLAGIO: The WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic runs November 29 – December 15.  The $10,400 main event begins December 11 and runs five days.  There are three $25K high roller events, December 8, 10 and 14.  A $100K high roller runs December 15. Two $10K PLO events run December 5 and 6. Two $1K Seniors events run November 29 and December 4.  There are a few $1K and $1,500 events as well.

GOLDEN NUGGET:  Golden Weekend is November 23-25. The highlight is $200 buy-in event on Saturday, November 24 with 30-minute levels, a 15K starting stack and offering a  $100K guarantee. Friday and Sunday the 11 a.m. tournaments are $150 buy-ins with 15K starting stacks and 30-minute levels.  The guarantee is $10K on Friday and $15K on Sunday.  Each evening of the weekend offers a $110 buy-in event with 20-minute levels, 10K starting stacks and $5K guarantees.