I generally hate tournaments, but this year I wanted to play in a WSOP side event just once to say I've done it. (I've only played two big tournaments in my life, and I have one cash, so statistics says I'm probably some kind of tournament demigod.)

The only weekend I have free is that of the dread Colossus, a time during which I'm told all manner of bro will descend upon Vegas, clogging games, making a mess, and generally bro-ing things up.

The plan is to arrive Thursday night, fire Friday morning (and again perhaps Saturday morning if I don't hate the structure on the first go). I'll be without my wife for the first time ever, so if I'm tournament-busto I'll just play cash games Saturday and Sunday. I'll depart Monday unless I make Day 2.

1. Will I hate the Colossus itself? I know the structure sucks on Day 1, but I don't care that much since it's the only option I have.
2. My understanding is that getting seats in cash games is awful at night but isn't too bad if I start earlier in the day. Is that true? Since I'm by myself and coming from the eastern time zones, I don't mind playing somewhat early and being kind of perma-glued to the chair each day.
3. Is there something else about being in Vegas that weekend that I will hate that I haven't anticipated?

Call ahead to whatever room your playing. Lists are 40-50 deep by noon. But go fairly fast. It's a fun vibe but just based on the general vibe of your post, yes I expect you will hate your life.

Edit: Not in general, just that weekend.

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Thanks! Actually, 40-deep lists (that move) at noon and a fun vibe sounds really great. That's a perfect amount of wait time to get some day drinking and ill-advised sports bets rolling. The missus and I often traveled to Vegas during WSOP for exactly the vibe, but I was worried that the sheer size of the Colossus might make for too much extra annoyance.

The current plan is to sleep at Vdara, then walk to B for $2/$5 with the day shift, moving to $5/$10 in the evening when the games (presumably) get goofy enough for a scrub like me to have a fighting chance.

I came to play cash last year at the end of the Colossus through the Milly Maker. I didn't find lists to be nearly as long as I expected and the games were very good. I can't speak to the tournament, obviously, but the side games were amazing.

I say in general is a good guess.

Dude is going to be playing pokers in Vegas and is already talking about hating it

I'm getting the impression from these responses that the humor and hyperbole that I intended did not come through very well.

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Confirmed you will dred the whole colossus cluster fark.

But the 2-5 games go from soft to super soft during wsop

I got the humor. What day does the colossus start?

Thank you, sir or madam. Day 1 is Friday, Saturday, Sunday June 2-4. Day 2 and 3 are after that.

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Maybe long lists happen at Bellagio, I have no idea since I don't go there. That's a thing of the past in the smaller rooms since the WSOP added a bunch of cash tables.

Whether you hate Colossal or not depends on how lucky you are. You better have hands because you're getting called a lot in the early levels.

One definitely doesn't achieve tournament demigod status without learning the ancient art of flopping two pairs and sets. I learned it quickly, but I understand that not everyone is as adept.

Honestly, it's win-win: either go deep or play in some raucous cash game environment. Either way, I'm in Vegas.

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Grunch from title alone: A lot. I'm not only not playing the Colostomy again, I'm not going to Vegas during it and waiting for hours for a seat even at Planet Hollywood cash tables again.

Note that I only went during this Coloster**** the first time. It may have calmed down?

The poker rooms have handled it better since Year 1. They are expecting the influx of players now and the lists aren't as bad. You can always avoid the top 3-4 rooms and get in a game much faster at a smaller place which will have plenty of action as well.

The action makes up for the inconveniences.

I agree with your sentiments completely.

I too went the first year of the Colossuss and everythjng about the experience pissed me off so much that I haven't been back to the WSOP or vegas since.

Will call to pickup seat assignment after pre-paying took 3hrs of standing in line (I started at 11PM). Picking up payout after cashing in a daily deepstack took 1.5 hrs in line (at midnight). There were not enough waitstaff at the restaraunts in the RIO so we had to wait to be seated/eat, not enough waitresses on the casino floor to get water, hours long waits at the various poker rooms, and EVEN MORE (than usual) beligerent *******s who wander through the halls with their heads in their phones not paying attention where they are walking.

AND, to top it off, the hotel front desk staff treated me (registered under the WSOP rate) like I was a 2nd class citizen destined to trash the hotel. (Sadly this was a year where i had not reached diamond for my play yet - and boy can you tell the difference in service).

There were just far too many human beings crammed into one area.

Anyway, I probably wont return to the WSOP until I can afford to play the main event (bucket list and all). I guess maybe I'm just getting too old and crochety for it all. LOL. SO, these days, I just get my fix at the WSOP Circuit and WPT stops at the Choctaw Casino in Oklahoma.

It completely changed last year. When I went to Bally's and there was a short list, I asked the room manager what happened. He said they had talked to the guy in charge of the WSOP cash games, who then added a ton of tables to the WSOP cash area. I heard Bellagio and Aria had longer than usual lists, but nothing like the year before.

The guy that is in charge of WSOP cash games (last year and this year) is a former graveyard floor from Bally's. Very friendly, nice, and professional guy. I'm glad he got promoted to a position like he's in now and hope he really goes places.

w/e you do, do not play cash at rio during WSOP.
just awfull

Sounds reasonable. I can always walk across the street to PHo or Bally's and throw around my Diamond status, as long as they're running literally anything other than $1/$2 NLH (which during Colossus, I assume would be the case). I have Pearl at MGM, but I don't think anyone gaf? (I'm likely to earn Gold just as I'm leaving, which is sad.)

Pretty much exactly the sentence I was hoping to hear.

Excellent! Let others play in the Rio purgatory while I'm in the proper rooms.

This really depends what you are looking for. The cash games at the Rio are indeed awful in a lot of ways. But it's also true that they offer games you won't find in any other poker room, or at any other time of the year.

So if you want to play 2/5 NL, I would certainly avoid the Rio at all costs. If you want to play 75/150 O8, or six-card Omaha, or some goofy 20/40 mixed game, Rio might be a uniquely suitable destination.

Maybe I'm not aware of common vernacular, but I found colostomy and coloster**** brilliant.

$565 Colostomy III
‎Fri, Jun 2‎ - Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino‎

This tournament is in the bag

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it has been much better since year 1. year 1 was an absolute **** show everywhere. i played 5/10 at ballys if that tells you anything at all.

Hey OP I'm a fellow tournament hater. I was there during Colossus II last year playing cash -- the only time I've not enjoyed being in Vegas.

agreed..