Quote:
Originally Posted by StarberryBSD
Cliff: It is somewhat tougher, b/c you need to like poker a lot to play there.
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Here is my initial review after about 20 hours of play last weekend. I played almost exclusively the $5-5 and the initial review will focus on that.
Background: I live in OC and go to LV about 3 weekends every 2 months to play the 2-5, mostly at MGM and occasionally at Aria. I have been looking for a deeper stack 2-5 game than what's offered in LA for those non-LV weekends, and was told about the 5-5 game at Ocean's.
Pros:
-Deep stack: $1,500 max buy in for the 5-5
-Food is free for the 5-5 and above tables!
-Poker room is right by the door, don't need to make walk across massive casino floor!
-Table tops are relatively new
-Players were friendly. Even got a couple 2+2ers who said hi to me!
Cons:
-Looks like a company cafeteria that happens to have poker.
-No for reals, the ceilings are literally what you see in offices. The white squares with like holes.
-http://tworags.com/files/o11ramp.jpgKeepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=400 &width=600
-Smells like Chinese food
-Not the best neighborhood. ie) Super ghetto "Quality Inn" across from the casino etc.
Where to Stay
-I played over the weekend, and stayed at hotel in Carlsbad by the outlet instead
-It's a much better area than where the casino is located and only a 5 to 10 min drive
-Of course, many restaurants / shopping available near / at the outlet
The Game / Players
-The Analogy: You telling me that you love to bang hot chicks like Scarlet Johanson or Megan Fox or Adrian Lima doesn't mean you like sex. Everyone loves to ban a 10. However, if you are willing to slum it and bang a 2, then I know you REALLY like sex.
-The Analogy 2: Everyone can watch World Cup or Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, that's high level soccer, easy to love. If you are intensely watching random MLS pre-season game on a Thursday night, then I know you really love soccer.
-The point is that, poker is easy to love when you are at the comfort of a nice room like the Aria or MGM. High ceilings, nice decor, hot girls walking by... going to a nice restaurant when you wrap-up for the night etc.... that's easy to love.
-Remember, gambling is legal in many other states in the US.... what LV is selling is not actually gambling... but an VIP experience for partying..... The guy who lost 10 grand playing craps knows he is going to the money eventually...but he is getting treated like a king while he is doing it.
-Poker is much harder to love when you are at Ocean's, in a room that is much more spartan, and not nearly as much other entertainment is available after you are done.
-So what happens? You need to like poker a lot more to go and play at Ocean's. The people who make the trek down there are much more serious about poker. I am not telling you the table is filled with pros, but I am telling you even the recreational players (Rec for short) at the table take it more seriously than the average Rec.
-Let's put it this way, there isn't the drunk dude who is in town for a bachelor party dumping off 3G before heading out to Saphire.
-Making money is not impossible, just a little harder. Be pre-pared to be 3-bet more often, so you need to be ready to 4-bet. Know that it will be much more difficult to extract money out of the other players when you have a monster.
The 10-20 game effect
-There is also a regular 10-20 game going, and at the table there were usually players waiting for the game to start or for a seat to open-up. Needless to say, this often means another tough opponent at the table.
Conclusion:
-Would return to play if I am not able to get out to LV
-However, I really do have to ask myself, how much do I like poker for me to return?
Cheers,
S
With all due respect, Starberry, IMO It's kind of irrelevant to compare Oceans to Vegas. Your choices in the area range from the Commerce to Pechanga to Palomar and other Southern Cal Casinos. How does Oceans compare in that group. That drives the decision where to go when you leave the house to spend a day in the casino.
Given that group I believe Ocean's is best overall for 2-3 thru 10-20 NLHE, and probably other games as well.
