It’s National Problem Gambling Awareness Week … (what’s it worth when the fun may or may not stop on the river?) And on this week’s show: large tournament crowds but lack of cash game space at the Wynn Classic … a semi-secret billionaire’s charity event at the Venetian … tales from Choice center life-coaching spreading across the felts … and speaking of the need for feelgood, Andrew goes on a downswing this week, and is still waiting for funds on Lock … while I try to win a $40 tournament at Luxor (WTF?) … and Dave breaks down pre-flop and post-flop contemplations of folding pocket kings. Ah yes, choices choices indeed … such is life at the 1-3 tables in Las Vegas, with NASCAR fixin’ to rumble through town:

Vegas Grinders 1.4
[audio: https://pokerati.com/podcast/VegasGrinders/VegasGrinders20130307.mp3]

Super Bowl Sunday is arguably one of the best days of the year for a Vegas grinder. In this town, the game is one big gamble, as evidenced by the pages and pages of prop bets offered exclusively on the NFL championship.

Super Bowl gamblers often spill into the poker rooms, and it’s hard to go wrong picking a place to play. But if you’re looking to pad your stack or you lost a bundle on your coin flip bet, there are a few places in town offering special promotions during the big game. (Kickoff is set for 3:30p PT.)

If you’re playing at Mirage, you’ll be hoping that there’s as much action on the felt as inside the Superdome. They’ll draw a seat number after just about every big play. An interception is worth $50, a fumble is worth $75, a play of 76 yards or more is worth $100. Field goals are worth $25-$100, depending on the distance and touchdowns are worth $100. There are also four pre-game drawings for the four hours before kickoff: $125, $100, $75 and $50.

Players at Excalibur earn can earn raffle tickets before and during the game. They’re paying $50 for field goals, $100 for touchdowns, and $400 for safeties, along with a drawing for $100 at the end of the first three quarters, and another for $200 at the end of the fourth quarter.

The Monte Carlo promo could end up costing you money if you play favorites. They’re giving away raffle tickets for full houses, and players must place their tickets in either a 49ers bin or a Ravens bin. When either team scores, they’ll pull a ticket for $50 for field goals, $100 for touchdowns and $200 for safeties.

The Luxor is giving out raffle tickets every hour for the first four hours before the game and every quarter during the game. Then there’s a drawing after each field goal for $25 and after each touchdown for $50.

At Mandalay Bay, they plan to give away $500 for the high hand of each quarter. The minimum qualifying hand is 10s full, and if no one hits, the prize jumps $250 more for the next quarter.

The oft-overlooked Circus Circus (because they rarely have much more than a 3/6 limit game) is offering $100 to the high hand every quarter, and $100 for the high hand of the hour from  8 p.m. to midnight.

Instead of cash, the Flamingo will splash pots with hats, T-shirts, hoodies, and polo shirts after each score and after each quarter.

Funny … I’m sitting on the little porch off my bedroom in Slight Southwest Vegas, facing the Rio actually … Luxor beam at about 1 o’clock. It’s a beautiful night — cool ’70s and still. I know it’s only Day 1, and guys like Pauly and Cali Jen’s roommate Aaron are still there, catching the end of opening day to see who’ll be fighting for the money tomorrow in the $10k Pot-Limit Hold’em World Championship of the Planet in the Empire. I’ll bet there are some names we recognize and some we don’t.

Anyhow — it’s so nice outside, and instead of chips clicking I hear crickets chirping, so I figured I’d catch up on emails (mine was down all day), comment on some blogs, etc. … and the guy two houses down just pulled into his driveway aggressively, and got out of the car talking on the phone. Apparently he’s a poker player, and just got back from some tournament: “I finished 2nd,” he’s saying, “yeah, I pushed with pocket 10s. He thought about it for a long time and at that point I was ready to race, but he called and had pocket jacks.”

He’s still outside talking … “No, I’m not trying to be gay but your feet are so cute in those … It’s so funny because … uh-huh … I enjoy it … I absolutely love that, and you wouldn’t have to worry … no … uh-huh … yeah, it’s so funny because I wasn’t even looking for it … Right, everybody’s different, and I got so fucking excited … I do everything I can for you … right, pocket jacks.”

UPDATE: “You’re so fucking hot. You’re an absolute knockout … no, totally sober … and you’re short, which I love.”

North Texas fireworks kingpin Ran Nelson brought his tight-aggressive Dallas game recently to the Mandalay Bay.

Though I haven’t been writing much about anything it, I have been hitting the tables here in Vegas. Have sampled a handful of rooms and action … spreading the lore of the Hammer and the Sang all along the way, of course, as I seek to replace the competitive camaraderie of the Batface home game perhaps with something akin to Jackie’s back in the (Dallas underground hey)day.

That came easier than usual this week, when TBR-bro-in-law Patrick came to town. He was staying at the Luxor, so we met up at Cathouse for a drink. (Cathouse is basically like the Lodge without the nipples, and Celeb-chef Kerry Simon in place of Jose Luis.) A couple Lagavulins later, we walked over to Mandalay Bay, where we took two seats together at a $2/$4 no-limit table. This was bigger stakes than either of us had been playing, but hey, we were feelin’ half-drinky good, and it seemed a better option than waiting, as the room was totally full and festive on a Thursday night. A familiar face was seated with us – Ran Nelson, a very good Dallas player whom I hadn’t seen since the days of Jackie’s – what a delight. He had a new cardmarker, a square block of acrylic with his little Stuey guy inside of it, surrounded by chips from the various important poker rooms to Ran, including WinStar in Oklahoma and the old Sixth Street in Dallas.

I was playing great – more-than-doubled up in about an hour by trapping a well-stacked opponent in classic Dan-style … but then was back to square 1 a few hands later when I got unlucky on the turn … and back to square 0 when I don’t remember what I did but I am pretty sure it was stupid, starting with playing the likes of [cards]qs 4s[/cards].

Mandalay Bay
$2/$4 NLH
Buy-in: $300
Cash out: $0
Food: starved
Drinks: $28
Net: -$328

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