summer getaway to the 702: TR 5/31 - 6/4
it's my second Vegas trip of 2026. This one was unplanned, maybe even unnecessary. expected to wait until November, but
first time ever trying to charge my car and that has been a disaster. first place the units were "unavailable". next places were full as someone pulled in right before me and someone else found a better waiting spot. on to the third place and the first unit charger didn't match my port so that was confusing. finally figured it and am going now after driving all around the valley.
I gotta go play cards to feel smarter again. right now I feel like the youngest old man in the world
decided to give up and go to Sister's home in NWLV and work there. such a relief to have a reliable connection. bunch of screaming nephews nearby but hey that's family.
not sure what the plan is rest of day. may opt to return to Mandalay Bay for poker after dinner.
Did you try tethering your cell phone to your laptop? I heard that sometimes works.
woke up early again (6am). went with my computer to the business center but the Internet there was worse than the room. went back up, purchased the upgraded internet, still working like crap. called their support, tried all the troubleshooting, couldn't get on my VPN, eventually I just gave up. talked to the front desk to get the charge removed. had planned to eat on site but w
Sounds strange; when I stayed at Palms 2-3 years ago the internet was fast enough to where I could easily stream a soccer game on my laptop. Maybe you were just unlucky with the placement of your room, and that specific area having poor connection?
(at Bellagio last year I struggled hard with connecting to the wifi at certain spots in my room, completely fine as soon as I got downstairs obviously)
finally got back to Palms. was told the buffet wait was 30-60 minutes so I went back and took a shower. came back down and sat at a Hot Pots machine. put in way too much cash but finally hit a bonus that got some of it back.
checked back at the buffet and I was still 20+ minutes away. so.... I sat down at a MoMummy machine. took me about $160 before I even saw the mummy guy. and that was a hit for.... $24.
epic fail.
and immediately my name was called for dinner.
about 18 years ago I had lobster at a fancy hotel in Taiwan and it was literally the best food I ever had. I've been on the lookout for good lobster ever since.
the buffet had lobster, they definitely did. it was good, nothing special.
of the rest of the stuff, the mashed potatoes and beans (ordinary stuff) were really good. everything else was rather disappointing. was especially disappointed in the desserts, which I tried several and most were not worth having.
I ate a lot because that's what you are supposed to do at an expensive buffet. it was nice to have lots of lobster. but honestly I prefer the buffets at Bellagio and even Excalibur over Palms. glad I had dining credit to take $20 off the top. it was probably the most disappointing Vegas meal I've had.
so there's your review
When I’m at a buffet, I take it as a personal challenge to make sure they lose money on the deal.
Looks like you surely ate enough!
I wonder how the new weight loss drugs (GLP?) are affecting buffets, if at all. Discussed in other threads, apparently they hold appetite down.
Been on the Oz for ~3 years, as discussed in other threads. Wouldn't have been able to finish half of the first plate and none of the rest.
There is one of those AYCE seafood/Chinese/"sushi" (it's really not too bad)/etc buffets here that the in-laws like to go to. Lunch prices are only ~$20. Any more than that and I wouldn't bother to join them. Just not worth it. I see those Vegas buffet prices and nope right on out of there.
When I’m at a buffet, I take it as a personal challenge to make sure they lose money on the deal.
Looks like you surely ate enough!
there were a few more plates, although smaller.
due to my driving/charging shenanigans and then waiting to eat and eating, it was getting pretty late and with a super early flight I should have gone to bed.
what's the fun in that? after eating a big meal was not ready to sleep so I called ahead and drove to Mandalay Bay for a final poker session.
Session 4: Mandalay Bay 1/2
unfortunately I left my phone in the car so no pictures and just a few hand histories. but a few stories and notes from memory.
as I arrived they opened a new (2nd) game and sent me there but somehow they messed up and I got moved to the other table, seated to the right of a guy with like $1100 in stacks and to the left of German Johnny from Malta, which didn't feel like a great spot. I saw a few fishy guys at the other game so I asked the desk for a table change when available.
however, I got some hands. then big stacks left, I slid over to seat 3, and a donkey sat down in my old seat. don't mean to call him names, he was a very pleasant friendly guy easy to like and was fun to sit by, but he told me right away he was a filthy rich trader and buying in for $200 was like getting a cup of coffee. we'll call him Scott. he doesn't seem to have played much poker in the last ten years, commenting multiple times that "Mandalay Bay used to be a crazy busy room, I remember Phil Ivey playing here. now it feels dead." he never seen to get the hang of straddles (Johnny straddled in front of him every orbit) and putting in his blinds or calling/limping seemed to be a struggle.
Scott punted off his stack with a lot of bad passive play and rebought for the last $140 in his wallet and proceeded to punt most of that too.
yeah I got some hands. in the first hour I think I got four pocket pairs and caught my set three times. wasn't always automatic, one each on flop turn and river. got paid off each time. also made a few bluffs I'm proud of.
1 - a hand easy to recall: I opened with KK and got five calls. flop came AA8. one ace sucks but two is probably golden on a preflop nobody raised me. I bet like $30 and everybody folded so it was an easy $50. that's basically how it went early on. at my one hour mark I had doubled my stack to $600. Scott asks "wow, are you a poker pro?" floor asks if I want the seat change and I obviously decline.
Cisco convention still going. lots of Cisco attendees in the poker room (including Scott) and throughout the casino. easy to spot, many had bright blue or pink Cisco cowboy hats, Cisco shirts, and/or huge nametag laniard. there was a Cisco concert going at Allegiant Stadium (Maroon5 etc) on my way in that made a little bit of tricky driving, and on my way out there was a party going on in the casino (lots of people dancing wearing the big goofy hats).
2 - thought my luck was continuing. played a hand with T8hd, the flop came QJ7r. well that's interesting, come on 9, let's see a 9.
turn 9. second club on board. I made a chunky bet and got called.
let's see a red card: nope, river Qc. pretty bad card. I made another chunky bet and got called by a flush.
3 - I had pocket Queens, T94 flop. I make a sizeable bet. Scott (not in hand) says aloud "woah, what do you have, pocket kings?" Johnny calls.
turn is like a 5, Johnny bets small and I call.
river is another T. I bet like $50, Johnny makes a significant raise.
AT KT JT 55 and 44 all do this line. this can't be a bluff, can it? he knows I have a good hand. I fold, not wanting to make a big bad call when I am still up on my last night. ask to see his cards, he says "you want to see them?" and shows 4-2. well played Johnny.
he commented "I figured you have a big pair and without a ten you wouldn't call"
a player across the table in seat 8 (next to dealer), call him Hank. bald older black guy with a short gray beard. consistently made these $7 opens. huge VPIP. would always look hard at the board and then make small bets. got to showdown often, other guy would show like third pair and Hank would stare at his cards, stare at the board, I'm like "just lay them down" and he would muck. he got to showdown like ten times and never had anything. busted and rebought. got short again, there was some board like Q94J6. he bet, Johnny put him all in for like $70, he called, Johnny showed 8-4. Hank stared at his cards, we were all like "just lay down your cards and take the pot" but he couldn't even beat a 4. "oh tough break." and he bought back in.
4 - a little earlier, I peel back pocket Aces. I open and just Hank calls. think he has around $130.
flop is like AT3. he donk bets. what in the world?
turn is a second diamond, like a 6. he bets again!
looks like he has around $90 left and I say all-in for a near pot-size bet. but he folds. wait, what? you give everyone else your chips, why not me?
I didn't dare leave with Hank and Scott in the game. the four of us on this side were basically commenting to each other about Hank on every hand hoping we could get him next. Scott says "I don't think I've ever seen him show his cards" which is weird because he was in like 80% of hands. later he got all in and chopped with K4 and we were very eager to tell him "nice hand, good job." eventually he did beat Johnny in a hand and we were vocally congratulatory.
Scott was getting frustrated for being extremely card dead. he asked "what's the record for longest run of bad cards?"
5 - finally a hand where Scott open $7, I call with 98dd, a tough player in seat 5 3-bets to $21, Scott and I call.
flop is J95. don't remember action
turn is... 2 or something. Scott jams for $51. pretty sure I'm good and other guy doesn't have a J or over pair. I raise to isolate, and he does fold.
I'm up against A5.
ace on the river.
a couple players leave and Johnny also breaks for food, leaving us 5 handed. it's late but I have the button and don't want to leave and I'm fine with playing shorthanded against these guys. seat 5 goes to use restroom so game is halted, I decide to as well and Scott breaks after me. so we are stopped for like 10 minutes.
6 - relatively new guy on my left, wearing Cisco nametag, Cisco shirt and two blue Cisco cowboy hats stacked. I open with AKsc. he raises and I call. he makes a comment "oh are we chopping?" that sounds like something someone with AK would say.
flop Qs4d3d. he makes a chunky bet and I call.
turn is... 9 or something. another chunky bet. still think he has AK but with no red I'm playing for a chop or crushed against AQ/KQ. I fold.
so after the straight v flush, bluff off queens, ace on the river, and the AK, I'm back down a little. Johnny returns and the table fills up with some tougher players. Johnny goes all-in against Hank again with 3-3 (I had 3-2), and he spikes the case 3 on the flop and the board pairs on the turn. Hank rebuys.
I do get a bluff through with pocket 8s but seeing a whole bunch of 5-3, 7-4, Q2, J3, 9-5, 4-3 I can't do much. eventually it's getting close to midnight and I haven't even packed. I cash out for a small loss after an entertaining game.
so not quite the result I was looking for despite getting a bunch of pocket pairs and sets. if I left early I could have secured a +$ poker line for the trip but I had fun and I'm glad I stayed.
Tuesday overall was quite good, until my nightly pai gow, followed by computer troubles, car charging adventures, disappointing dinner, and losses at slots and poker. not enough to ruin my trip.
alarm went off around 4:30am and I grabbed my stuff to leave. hotel registration had only 1 clerk open and she was dealing with a couple drunk and scantily-clad black women who had all sorts of issues. I did want to confirm my charges and get a receipt, but after waiting like 10 minutes another employee came around and asked if I just needed to check out so he wrote my room number down and took my keys and I left in a hurry.
the Fantasy Tower (recently remodeled) rooms at Palms are very nice. other than the sink faucet handles being annoyingly reversed I loved the room. also appreciated the freeplay and random freepan. did not visit the pool. had a good dining experience at their cafe. but other than that my experience staying at Palms was one of my most disappointing Vegas hotel resort experiences. expected more for off-Strip. contrast that with the previous two nights at Fontainebleu which feels like months ago.
thankfully no issue at rental car return, there was a long line at airport security but the TSA-Pre line was graciously short and speedy. got to the gate around 5:30 for boarding at like 5:50.
one more funny experience: the gate attendant made her initial announcement, "we are ready to board, I don't want to yell so just line up whenever you want." true story.
finishing typing this up on the airplane after like 4 hours of sleep (a night after about 5 hours of sleep). probably work-worked less than I planned on so once I get home I'll probably need to get right to work without going back to bed. and there will be plenty of garden and yard crap to catch up on too.
my friend has been sending me updates about my doggie and sounds like she hasn't had a very good time so she'll definitely be happy to see me. and vice versa. thankful for good friends that were willing to watch my dog and offered a ride to and from the airport.
glad I could make this trip. really enjoyed playing poker again in Vegas. my sessions were limited but I was encouraged by my play and happy with nearly all my decisions. I didn't bust in any session, probably a low bar but may be the first trip I can say that.
didn't think I would even do another trip report and didn't expect to be very active on it but here I am. enjoyed writing it up and appreciate you following along.
my sister is very pregnant and Mrs Langdon and I may come out to Vegas for the baby blessing in September. after/other than that I'm not sure when I will return. would like to come back for hiking and to see a couple shows like Carrot Top (again) and Penn & Teller. there is actually a potential and unexpected job change for me later this year that, without getting into details, may be incompatible with gambling, so I could be on a longer poker break than expected. but those would be happy changes, and if it doesn't work out, I will continue to have my semi-regular visits to the desert. so win-win. life is good.
as I arrived they opened a new (2nd) game and sent me there but somehow they messed up and I got moved to the other table, seated to the right of a guy with like $1100 in stacks and to the left of German Johnny from Malta, which didn't feel like a great spot.5 - finally a hand where Scott open $7, I call with 98dd, a tough player in seat 5 3-bets to $21, Scott and I call. flop
1) Out of curiousity, what did the German guy look like, and how old was he? Strong chance I would know who this is, as I would assume he plays here in Malta as well.
2) Regarding this hand, I don't think you need to raise to isolate on the turn even if you think you are good. You are protected by the fact that people won't bluff into an empty sidepot, and it also gives you the chance to get away if preflop-raiser suddenly wakes up behind you.
1) Out of curiousity, what did the German guy look like, and how old was he? Strong chance I would know who this is, as I would assume he plays here in Malta as well.
kinda tall and skinny, short dark hair and beard and glasses. between age 30-45. said he's a professional vacationer but also said he works or worked in the gaming industry. thick German accent. think he said originally from Cologne. very likeable guy and obviously good at poker
I got a good deal that was specifically for electric.
that's alright though, I would now be comfortable getting an ev next time having figured it out.
kinda tall and skinny, short dark hair and beard and glasses. between age 30-45. said he's a professional vacationer but also said he works or worked in the gaming industry. thick German accent. think he said originally from Cologne. very likeable guy and obviously good at poker
Ok, that doesn't ring a bell tbh. Probably works in the iGaming industry yes, as that's the case for most foreigners who come to Malta (including me).
Thanks for the updates, Langdon.
Not to derail, but @BigWhale, did you hear about the fireworks factory explosion in Malta?
Thanks for the updates, Langdon.
Not to derail, but @BigWhale, did you hear about the fireworks factory explosion in Malta?
It’s a tiny island and a HUGE explosion. Pretty sure every person on Malta either heard it or saw the news. Hope they ban it forever.
Not to derail, but @BigWhale, did you hear about the fireworks factory explosion in Malta?
Yes, even though I live nowhwere close I was woken up 630am that day by things shaking in my room (door rattling etc.). I thought it was an earthquake at first, but read about the explotion when I got out of bed later that morning. And I have obviously seen the videos; crazy stuff.
alarm went off around 4:30am and I grabbed my stuff to leave. hotel registration had only 1 clerk open and she was dealing with a couple drunk and scantily-clad black women who had all sorts of issues. I did want to confirm my charges and get a receipt, but after waiting like 10 minutes another employee came around and asked if I just needed to check out so he wrote my room num
Is the room bill not available on the TV/online? I'm just curious as I know that Cosmo has had an issue ever since MGM, but otherwise I would checkout without talking to anyone unless I had an issue or wanted to get something comped. Otherwise, just leave your keys in the room and head out.
Thanks for the TR... I always enjoy reading them!
Is the room bill not available on the TV/online? I'm just curious as I know that Cosmo has had an issue ever since MGM, but otherwise I would checkout without talking to anyone unless I had an issue or wanted to get something comped. Otherwise, just leave your keys in the room and head out.
Thanks for the TR... I always enjoy reading them!
thanks! I wanted to verify some of my charges so I hoped to talk to a person this time. didn't even see a mobile check out or kiosk at Palms. usually I get a text or an email with my receipt but that still hasn't come. did get a survey email so I know they know I'm gone
the ladies in front of me were totally wasted. one was sitting on the floor and kept saying "my phone is dead so I can't do it". whatever her friend was trying to solve wasn't getting solved.
Sounds like a nice trip. Thanks for bringing us along! If I had a Sister in Vegas I would visit her monthly 😀
