Poker tourists face distractions they don’t have in their regular card game.
Poker players debate whether visitors to casino destinations like Las Vegas are better than they used to be. Poker tourists might have greater skill than in previous generations, but they still face pitfalls on their Vegas Strip poker holiday.
It is almost certain poker tourists are more skillful than they were in yesteryear. One of the reasons poker players who did not live near Las Vegas or Atlantic City did not have the skill was a lack of opportunity. They simply could not practice as much.
These days, most Americans live within 100 miles of a casino. Thanks to tribal casinos and the commercial casino profileration which has happened in the past 20 to 25 years, US poker players get more chances to practice in real poker rooms.
Even those who do not live close to a legal poker room have online gambling. With a desktop computer in the comfort of your home or a smartphone anywhere around town, you can play online or mobile poker against real competition. Card players hone their skills before they get to Las Vegas.
That does not mean the average poker tourist has better results than prior generations of visitors. Here are 7 reasons poker tourists might have bad results when playing cards on the Las Vegas Strip (or other casino destination).
1. Poker Tourism Habits
Most poker tourists are either vacationers or convention goers. In either case, it’s a holiday from your normal life. You probably drink more alcohol than you normally would. You get less sleep than normal.
As they say here in Texas, you want to go-and-blow (which is not what it means on Urban Dictionary). In short, you want to have a rip-roaring good time and blow some money on fun.
A trip to Las Vegas is often about excess: excessive drinking, excessive partying, and long poker binges. You’re going to be fatigued and maybe impaired, which might not be what your normal poker session is like.
2. Different Bankroll Management
Players on vacation might treat their bankroll different than they normally would. Your bankroll management could be off in a couple of ways. One, you might lose half or 3/4ths of the bankroll and suddenly become a much more timid player. Sure, you could go to the ATM machine to get a rebuy, but you promised the wife you wouldn’t do that.
Two, you might have in your head the stake you’ll be okay with losing. That might make you play more aggressively, because you already have it in your head as a sunk cost. This is especially true in the second half or last day of your trip.
Try not to adjust your money management based on these expectations. Play the poker style you normally play.
3. Casino Comps
Players love free stuff. Poker tourists really love free stuff, because they (likely) are paying for an expensive vacation for a family of four or more. Using casino comps to get free rooms is enticing, because you want to cut costs.
That makes sense, except it doesn’t. Free hotel rooms are going to be offered during the week, when the poker regulars are going to dominate the tables. Unless you’re a high rollers, you’ll be getting comped for $75 to $150 rooms — maybe two such rooms if you bring the kids along. That translates to $150 to $300 a night.
If it means you’re playing tougher competition, you can lose more than that simply on the level of competition alone. That might be an extra $50 pot every hour for a three-hour poker session. You know your skill level, so try to guage the hidden costs of weekday comps.
4. Table Games and Slots Row
It’s tempting to try out other gambling opportunities while in Las Vegas. Maybe you want to try out real Vegas craps. Maybe you’ve always wanted to play a bit of baccarat alongside the hardcore Asian-American bettors. Maybe you want to spend some money on the MegaBucks or Wheel of Fortune progressive slots from IGT.
These are traps for the skilled poker player. You’re choosing to play games that you normally wouldn’t play on a lark. They are flashy. They look fun. It’s a trap and I wouldn’t do it, if I were a dedicated card player.
5. Becoming an Action Junkie
The biggest trap you’ll face is a need for action. Let’s say you’re a tight poker player normally when you play in the local tribal casino’s poker room or you play in your favorite online card room.
You get to a Las Vegas Strip poker room and start folding hands. Several dozen hands come your way and you’ve gotten no luck so far. Eventually, even with the best poker tourists, you’re going to want to see some action. It’s Las Vegas, for Pete’s sake.
Avoid the articifical need for action, if at all possible. Play the game the way you know it should be played. You’ll have better stories to tell your friends back home.
6. Limited Game Selection
Obviously, Las Vegas is going to have more poker tables than you normally would have at your disposal. In a practical sense, though, that isn’t the case. If you have family with you, you’re going to be limited by the nearby casinos — and the poker rooms you know about.
Worse, you are limited by the tight schedule you’re on. If you walk into the card room on a weekday and see a table full of grinders, you are not likely to walk away. Many regulars might see a table of grinders they know and decide to come back tomorrow. You don’t have that luxury, because your trip is limited.
You’re going to sit down at that card table and start playing.
7. Other Vegas Distractions
Many card players go to Las Vegas as part of a family vacation. If so, then the gambler faces other distractions that might derail their attempts to play optimal poker.
For instance, your spouse is certain to want you to go to multiple Las Vegas Strip shows. One of the Cirque du Soleil shows is likely on the docket, while a magic show or musical performance is also likely.
If you have kids, then you’ll be going to the High Roller Ferris Wheel at the LINQ. Hopefully, your kids will visit the Level Up gaming attraction at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. If you’re expected to be part of the family fun, you’ll be rushed to finish the poker sessions and you’ll probably be rushed to see some card action.
Poker Distractions at Casino Destinations
These are just a few of the distractions you’ll face while visiting the Las Vegas Strip. Be cautious and have fun. A game of poker is a game of poker, wherever you are. Rememeber the tried-and-true poker aphorism: if you don’t know whom the worst player at the table is, then it’s you.
