[Strange]

Treasure Island (TI)
Location: 3300 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89109 Google Map
Games offered: Limit HE, NLHE, Omaha, Padookie, Stud, Mixed Games (HE,Omaha,Crazy Pineapple)
Number of tables: 8
Member Review by: Strange

This was my first visit to a casino outside the UK (which are VERY different), and my first B&M ring game. This was a small, unintimidating room that proved to be a great start for me.

Games/stakes available

2/4, 4/8, 5/10, 9/18 Limit HE, 1-3 NLHE etc Higher stakes available if there is sufficient interest

Decor and atmosphere

A small, friendly room that had only been open for 10 days when I got there. Located just off the main casino floor near the Mystere ticket booth. Everything was shiny and new, and very classy. 4 or 5 Flat Screen TVs on the walls with a a wait list screen above the door on the way in, and another above the cashier’s desk over to the left. No particular theme (no pirates), just a subdued, relaxing room. Very friendly players 99% of the time, unless someone was particularly drunk or annoyed by what they thought was a bad beat, but very comfortable, even for a noob like me.

I didn't have to wait for more than a couple of minutes when I played on a Friday at around 8pm, and only waited for maybe 5 minutes on a Saturday at about Midnight. The wait list never really got over 2 or 3 people, and no-one appeared to have to wait particularly long.

Entirely non-smoking.

Some pictures of the room courtesy of AllVegasPoker

Quality of opponents

Difficult for me to judge since I am new to the B&M scene. I played entirely 1-3 NL, buying in for $200. Once I'd settled in a bit, I didn't feel particularly out of my league, although I was one of the least aggressive players at the table. I'd guess at a mixed crowd of guests looking to try the game, and local sharks. Always at least 1 or 2 dealers or ex dealers playing when I was there. Generally pretty loose, with most opening bets being 5 or 6 times the BB, and even huge bets getting a call most of the time.

Chips

At the levels that I was playing I used only $1 and $5 chips, plus the odd $25 that sneaked in. Given the smooth inlays, I'd assume that they are house mould Paulsons.

The $1 chips were obviously suffering a little from colour transfer, which made them look as if they were entirely blue, but with white spots painted on. Just an odd effect, as they were completely conventionally made.

The $1 chips were, though, brand spanking new, so if you are looking for a couple of racks of chips and are happy to pay $1 a chip for them, its not a bad place to go.

Like the rest of the casino revamp, I don't think the chip design entirely works. I'd be happier if the inlays were a bit more piratey. Maybe that's just me. The asymmetric $25 chip still looks very odd to me.
Pictures from silver-state-treasures

Additional perks

Players club card (given on production of a photo id) gives you access to the comps system of $1 per hour played. Not much but the card was a nice souvenier for me. You can use the same card at the other MGM/Mirage casinos, and there are other benefits as well. Details here.

Very attractive waitresses were always around and once they got your order they tended to just bring another one along without being asked, which was great. I played there two nights, one a Saturday when there was no wait at all, and another that was a Friday, when I waited maybe 10 minutes. Very helpful staff, happy to explain anything that wasn’t obvious. Dealers were fine. A couple of minor mistakes, and some of them were obviously fairly new, but nothing that detracted from the flow.

They appear to run pretty much any game that you want if you can russle up enough interest, including SnGs. By the time I played there for the second time, all games at the level I was at were raked at 10% to a max of $4. I guess higher stakes would have higher max rakes.

Reviewers Comments

I’d be delighted to play in this room again. It had a great combination of being small and cosy enough not to scare me off, but also easy enough to get into without a huge line. I had a great time there, and I’d recommend it to anyone.

Note that when I was there the room was less than 2 weeks old, and things were changing pretty fast as the management team got to grips with running the room properly. Extra features like bigger tournaments will be on the plan and may be in place by now.