The poker room at the MGM Grand is a late addition to the Vegas poker room scene. Opening in the Spring of 2005 the Grand offers 22 tables.

The poker room is just a stone’s throw from the strip. Great for the foot-bound, but if you’re driving, be forewarned. If you valet, you’ll be ok. Park yourself, and wear your walking shoes. The poker room is about a ½ mile (each way) from the garage. Save yourself some time a park across the street at the Trop (or even NY NY).

The room at MGM is the most visually appealing in all of Vegas. It’s located between Studio 54 and the sports book. Adjacent is the Centrifuge Bar. The bar is round, giving the poker room a really cool hour-glass shape. The cashier cage is centrally located. 10 plasmas are smartly placed throughout the room assuring a good view from almost any seat. Also, if you enjoy playing in higher stakes game, there is a room upstairs all by itself. That table offers a great view of the sports book (as well as allowing you to look down upon all the low limit peons).

MGM Poker Limits - Stakes

The MGM offers 1/2, 2/5, (and occasionally) 5/10 no limit hold’em. Buy-ins are 100-200, 200-500, and 500 minimum, respectively. They also offer 2/4, 3/6, and 4/8 (occasionally with a ½ kill). I’ve never seen them spread any stud. From time to time a 4/8 omaha high/lo will break out. They’ve started some afternoon tourneys as well. Check with the floor for details.

The room is by far the most high tech in town. The list is computerised, as is the relaying of open seats. Dealers simply notify the floor of open seats using a panel at each table. You will never have to endure a dealer shouting “2 on 15” at the top of her lungs every two minutes until the floorman acknowledges her. This system ensures that those waiting are seated efficiently and that games are kept as full as possible. Furthermore, the MGM is the only room in town that has a beeper system available for those who aern’t keen on just hanging around the poker room waiting for your name to come up. Roam, gamble, eye the hookers, do whatever, they’ll beep you when your seat is ready.

Be sure to sign up for a poker room players card. The comp system in the room is totally computerised. Every hour you play, you get a buck. Just be sure that every time you sit down at a new table you have your card swiped. Most dealers are pretty good about asking new players at a table if they have a card. You only need to get it swiped when you sit at a new table, not when you switch seats at a table.

The tables at the MGM are some of the nicest in town. They have that hard marble strip along the outside edge. This provides a great base for stacking chips really high (lots of fun if you’ve never tried it—though the MGM chips are some of the poorer stacking chips in town). The only downside is that you have to check your hole cards a little further out from the edge of the table.

The room is set up California style in that it is very food friendly. The deli is only about 30 feet away. The cocktail waitresses will bring you a menu. Tables in the room are plentiful and the sandwiches are pretty good. Bananas are only a buck (including tax); a far cry from the $1.75 robbery at the Mirage.

MGM Grand Poker - Drawbacks and Summary

There are a few downers to the room. The cocktail waitresses are generally quick to cut customers off. Not only that, but on one occasion I tried to order a drink for my buddy who was cut off and was informed that if I give the drink to him we’d both be ejected. Pretty fascist if you ask me. The Centrifuge bar plays loud music every 30 minutes on the ½ hour. The same songs get annoying after a few hours. On the other hand, between the bar and the proximity to Studio 54, there can be some pretty good eye candy along the outside of the room.

If you find yourself on the south end of the strip, the room at the MGM is definitely worth a gander. There’s always a game going at most all their limits and on the weekend the place is really hopping.