Online Play Vegas Poker

Road Games

Brother, it's hard enough to play poker in Las Vegas. I sure wouldn't want to learn poker in that town. By the time a pro feels comfortable enough to settle himself in Vegas, he should have already learned the ropes elsewhere.
Way back in the late sixties, I met up with a man named Carl. He was maybe seventy-five, but he still had his wits about him. Not a bad player, either. We were sitting at a sleepy cafe drinking coffee and trying to keep awake after an all-night session in El Paso. The talk was mostly about how hard the traveling was between poker games, although Carl rarely did the driving himself anymore. In fact, he'd got to winning so regular lately that he'd hired himself a full-time chauffeur.

Nevada Poker

Suddenly Carl changed the subject. "Doyle, ya been up to Vegas lately?" Well, sir, up until then I just never figured Las Vegas was a good idea. Those games around the Panhandle and down deeper into Texas were mighty sweet."What's in Vegas?" I wanted to know. Sure, I'd heard about the online poker games in Nevada, but there weren't too many there at the time. Besides, I never heard of anyone getting rich off those games in the sixties. "There are some fair games.
Pretty tough, but big enough to be worth your while if ya can hold a few hands. I'd never of recommended Vegas to you a year ago, but you're just now reaching' a level where you might up and take them for a bundle of cash. What I'm saying is you got to pay your dues on the road, and, Doyle, I think you've paid yours. Next time you feel the urge, take a trip that way and see what happens."

Texas Limit In Poker

Well, I kept Carl's advice in mind, but I didn't try Vegas out for some time. When I did, Carl's words turned out to be true. The competition was mighty tough up there. In fact, they got me broke a couple times. It took me a while to work it through my head that these guys were playing more serious than some of the boys down in Texas.
Sure, we had tough competition down South. In fact, the greatest no-limit players in the whole world sprouted there. But mixed in with the pros was plenty of easy money. Those soft spots were sadly missing from the Vegas tables. Maybe there were some players giving it away, but I sure didn't find them. Trouble was, years ago, there just wasn't very much poker room in Las Vegas. It hadn't caught on. At the top limits, there was mostly a bunch of hard rocks battling each other for the occasional weak player's bankroll.
A man could just about forget the smaller games. The rake was too high. Today things have changed, but I still figure Carl was right. You need to get that experience under your belt before tackling Vegas news. They're still plenty strong, even though you'll find some easy pickings, too. If you want to make a living, day in and day out, Vegas can be a land of poker promise. But I think a man should earn his way to Vegas, and those hot hold'em games in Texas are still the best training ground I know about.