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 The center of the Las Vegas strip is home to the center of the poker universe,
the Bellagio, where all the highest stakes action in town takes place. Most of
the players who visit Vegas are more than a little undercapitalized for most
of the games at the Bellagio, though, especially those who just play online as
a hobby. Such players need poker rooms that cater to their low-limit needs. A
quick trip across the street will find just such a room at the Flamingo.
Unlike some of the nearby low-limit competition, the Flamingo poker room has
been open for some time. Its 10 tables sit at the front of the southern end of
the casino, separated from the slots and pit area only by a railing. It's not
an ideal location for the room but things have definitely improved in the last
year since some tables were moved and a bank of nearby slot machines was moved
away. Smoking is not allowed inside the playing area. One downside to the room
is its distance from the bathroom - you have to walk past the hotel
registration desk to get to it, which is less than ideal when you've been
taking advantage of the poker room's free drinks. The tables have drink
holders and are nice but nothing too fancy. The chairs are comfortable enough
to play for a few hours at a time.
The room caters strictly to low-limit players. $2-4 limit hold'em is the
mainstay game of the Flamingo room, though $4-8 limit hold'em is also spread
when there are enough players. At least one table of no-limit hold'em with $1
and $2 blinds usually runs, and on some occasions you'll spot a game of $1-5
spread limit Stud. There is rarely a long wait for a seat, even during the
busiest times of day, so anyone mid-Strip looking for a game right away might
want to drop in and check out the games.
In addition to the cash games offered, the Flamingo holds tournaments most
days of the week. At 10 AM Monday through Friday, a $55 buy-in will get you
$1000 in tournament chips and 20 minute blind levels in a no-limit freezeout.
At 6 PM Monday through Thursday, as well as on Sundays, the same tournament
structure runs for the same buy-in. The tournaments fields are usually very
small, and only a handful of players make the money as a result. These
tourneys aren't quite as good a deal as those at the Sahara but also aren't as
far away for anyone staying on the southern end of the Strip.
The dealers at the Flamingo are pretty good for a small low-limit room. They
are much more competent than you'll find at some of the Flamingo's
competition, in addition to generally being easy-going and friendly. The
management staff is also attentive and friendly, doing their best to
accommodate players. They offer a high-hand jackpot that is split up among the
top 3 hands hit for every 24-hour period, which can be a nice little bonus if
you manage to hit a straight flush. The waitresses at the Flamingo range
anywhere from decent to very attentive, but on the whole they're one of the
better crews at the low-limit rooms in Vegas.
The games at the Flamingo poker room are usually pretty good, though they
attract a handful more players who know what they're doing than some of the
other low-limit rooms. A typical table lineup will have two or three players
with some skill, three or four tight-passive players, and two or three loose
players. The aggression level at some of the tables can actually get pretty
high from time to time, but more often than not you'll find yourself facing a
pretty passive lineup. Some of the only low-limit games I've played where
players will lay a hand down have been at the Flamingo. While your mileage may
vary, almost all the games I've ever seen at the Flamingo have been very
beatable.
If you're looking for low limits, good service, and a friendly staff when you
play poker, give the Flamingo a look the next time you're in Las Vegas.
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