Vegas Weekend

I took a quick trip to Vegas last weekend, but not quite long enough to actually enter any of the WSOP events. I drove there and back with Aaron, who couldn't get a whole lot of time off of work. Once again, I somehow managed to be surprised by how much better it is to play poker in Vegas. How is this even a contentious issue? From what I've seen, Las Vegas poker is unquestionably superior, but it seems that half of the articles I've read on the subject say that LA poker is just as good or better than Vegas. This is in line with anecdotal evidence I've gathered from other players. I just don't get it. Where are these people playing in LA? Every casino here in LA has a higher rake and also take $1 out for the frivolous "jackpots" that ruins the game whenever two aces flop (on the plus side, I suppose it attracts some simple-minded players who would not otherwise play). Moreover, the casinos are simply not as nice in LA, and the competition has been significantly tougher in my experience. Perhaps most significant is the fact that alcoholic drinks are free in Vegas, but not in LA. Aaron, Joe, and I took advantage of this Saturday night at the palms. I also did well playing the Mirage's SNG tournaments.

I think I'll take another trip to Vegas this month and try to play in one of the WSOP tournaments, against some advice I've read. I'm not sure yet if I'll stay with a friend or stay in a hotel for a few days. I probably still have a lot of comp points at a few of the casinos there.