Vegas Poker Scene -- February 2019

Here's my latest column for Ante Up.  Well, it's the version I submitted for publication.  The actual print version is probably slightly different.  They are upgrading their website and don't want to post new columns as it will delay the upgrade.  Once the new website is online, all my columns and future columns will appear there.  

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The Orleans has revised its popular tournament schedule. In cases where they have increased the buy-ins for an existing tournament, all the increased buy-in amount goes to the prize pool.  All of their no limit hold'em tournaments now feature the big blind ante format.  Tournaments run twice a day, at 12:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. 

A $100 NLH Super Stack tournament runs Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, as well as Monday evening.  It offers a 25K starting stack and 15-minute levels. Monday afternoon and Thursday evening a $100 Omaha 8/B tourney is offered, with a 12,500 starting stack and 20-minute levels. Wednesday afternoon it's a $100 Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament with 12,500 starting chips and 20-minute levels. A $100 PLO tournament runs Tuesday evenings with 12,500 starting stack and 20-minute levels. 

Wednesday evening is the night for mixed-game enthusiasts, as a $125 8-Game mix event is offered. Players start with 15K chips and play 20-minute levels.

A $150 Bounty NLH with $50 bounties runs Saturday evenings, The starting stack is 15K and the levels are 20-minutes for the first four levels and 30-minutes thereafter.

Sunday evenings a $125 HORSE tournament runs with a 15K starting stack and 20-minute levels. 

And one of the most popular regular tournaments in town, the $130 Friday night NLH tournament now has a $15K guaranteed prize pool.  Players play 30-minute levels and start with 15K chips.

To go along with the new schedule, the Orleans will be giving away two tournament entries a week.  Players receive an entry into the drawing for every tournament they buy into.  Winners can play any regular tournament they choose.

WYNN:  In early December, Roi Sasson took home the $75K first place price in the $600 main event at the Wynn Signature Series.  Sebastien Grax earned $48K for second and Sam Renshaw received $33K for third.  The $600 event drew nearly 800 players over three starting flights, resulting in a $407K prize pool, easily surpassing the $250K guarantee.

VENETIAN:  The DeepStack Showdown's $3,500 main event in December saw Jon Turner, of Las Vegas, take down the $201K first place prize after making a deal with runner-up Joe Kuether from Wisconsin, who received $198K. New Jersey's Ryan Hohner claimed $110K for third place.  Over 340 players entered, creating a $1M prize pool, doubling the $500K guarantee.

BELLAGIO: The $10,400 WPT Five-Diamond tournament set a record for entrants for a WPT $10K event. Over 1,000 players created a huge prize pool of $9.7M.  Dylan Linde from Idaho claimed the $1.6M first place prize, while Serbia's Milos Skrbic left with $1M for second.  New York's Andrew Lichtenberger grabbed $800K for third. 

STATIONS CASINOS: Qualifying is under way for a huge, $300K freeroll to be played in April.  Players need 120 hours of combined live play at the five poker rooms in the chain: Red Rock, Green Valley Ranch, Santa Fe Station, Boulder Station and Palace Station.  Double qualifying hours can be earned daily from midnight to 4 a.m and 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.  On Mondays and Wednesdays additional double hours run from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Players have until March 31 to get their hours in.

The first place prize is $50K and all players who qualify will receive $120 when they enter.

Of course, all the Stations rooms have room-specific promotions to further entice you to play.

GREEN VALLEY RANCH:  Quads or better mystery envelopes.  Players getting quads or better pick and envelope out of a drum with a prize worth between $25-$1K.  Prizes double, up to a $400 maximum, between 7am to 11am.  Golden Goals: After a televised goal by the Vegas Knights hockey team, a drawing for a random $100 winner is held. Quad floppers: Flop quads on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and win $500.

The regularly running cash games include $1-$2 NLH and $2-$4 limit hold'em with a half-kill.  Bigger games are often spread, including a $5-$10 NLH.  Mixed games frequently run on the weekends.

BOULDER STATION:  The home for the wildly popular $4-$8 Omaha High game with a half-kill has gone all-in on the Vegas Golden Knights, installing the team logo on all the poker layouts.  Every time the local team scores a goal, two drawings for $100 are held, one for Omaha and one for hold'em.  On the last Friday of the month, a drawing is held for two tickets to a Golden Knights game at T-Mobile arena.  Players earn drawing tickets whenever a goal is scored.  The room has added 11 brand new 55" flat screen TV's, which probably show other sporting events in addition the Knights' games.

Hold'em players are eligible for the three high hands of the day between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., worth $99 each.  There is a progressive Omaha bad beat jackpot which figures to increase quite a bit faster with the increased play by players trying to qualify for the freeroll.

SANTA FE STATION:  Progressive high hands every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to midnight, starting at $50 and progressing $50 every hour it's not hit.  Wednesdays at 6:15 p.m. a drawing is held giving away $100 to 10 players.  Quad floppers for $500 are offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

RED ROCK:  During Golden Knights games, $100 is awarded in a random drawing for every goal the Knights score.  Quad floppers for $500 run Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Royal flushes are worth $250.  Friday night high hands from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., the highest hand each hour gets $200, second highest gets $100.

PALACE STATION: Quad floppers for $500 run every Monday, Tuesday and Saturday.  High hand of the hour for $99 runs every hour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There is a $5K single table bad beat jackpot.  Royal flushes pay $250.  Double comps ($2/hour) for all no limit play.  The main game here is $2-4 limit.