LA Poker

[jdoe]

Going to the commerce casion in a few weeks. What should I expect to see? LIMITS? BAD BEADS? RAKES? ODD RULES?

[Gabe]

The Commerce has virtually all limits, except maybe 10/20. I'm most familiar with the middle limits. They have 9/18, 15/30, 20/40, 30/60, 40/80 holdem. There are usually several tables of each. There is a $14/hr collection in the 15/30, $16/hr in the 20/40, $18/hr in the 30/60. All games 9/18 and below have a bad beat jackpot. These games now I believe are raked. I think the 9/18 takes $5 out of the pot, with a dollar of this going to the jackpot. Twice per day, in these lower limit games, there is a $100,000 super jackpot. I think the super jackpot lasts 2 or 3 hours. Quads must be beaten. They have stud, stud hi lo, Omaha hi lo, pineapple, Mexican stud, etc. I think you will be surprised at how many games there are.

[nanoking]

I went to Commerce for the first time yesterday. I played baby limits, $1/2, $2/4, and $3/6. They take $2.50 out of every pot mandatory at 1/2, $3 at 2/4, and $4(?) at 3/6. Worst players ever in the history of poker. To balance this however, the high rake led to 3 hands where there was NO POT AT THE FLOP! What are you supposed to do then!?!

Since I don't play higher than $4/8 and the game closer to home had less rake and no jackpot, and because I'd wasted so much time I didn't check out the other LA rooms. Where should a player who wants to play below $6/12 Holdem live go? Is the idea of grinding out a bankroll and moving up slowly in limits a myth?

I hate jackpot drops. Everytime there's a close but no cigar jackpot hand everybody goes running to watch. I guess that's why I got the feeling everyone else was playing a different poker game than me.

[nanoking]

oh and I forgot to mention how the baby games used "modified" rules that were "socially" enforced:

1. No preflop raising allowed (or else you'll get yelled at by the guy with the white power tattoos and/or break the game)

2. Always check top pair no matter how small, no matter what kicker (otherwise you're playing too obviously and the veterans will tell you how you obviously have that powerful jack and that by betting you are just pushing people out who could pay you off, nevermind the paradox with rule 3.)

3. Generalized version of rule 2. Alway check always. Never bet. The dealer at one point starting telling a player to turn her cards over on the river because she wasn't betting the winning hand. The dealer had caught her trying to fold the best hand. Who knows how many times she did prior. Also if you are first to act and want to bet, good luck, the whole table will check it around before you can get to your chips (and then the white power dude will be really ticked off if you assert your right to bet).

4. Specific example of Rule 1. No raising from the big blind. The dealer won't even ask option so this one's not a problem to stick to. Aces? 6 limpers? Sorry, no big blind raising.

[andyfox]

"there was NO POT AT THE FLOP! What are you supposed to do then!?!"

Drastically cut down on your ante stealing attempts.

[jdoe]

heh.

I will be out there for the NAMM show next week. It looks like that is the place to play. I have heard rumors about "california poker" I heard that every pre-flop is capped. Is there any truth to this? I plan on playing 10-20 but if its gunna be a shoot out ill play 4-8.

jdoe