LA trip

[jim arre]

I am coming to LA to play 20-40 to 75-150 hold-em. I plan on staying 2 or 3 months. I need some help deciding whether to drive(from OHIO) or to fly out and rent a room or stay in a hotel or casino close to the big cardrooms. I've never been to La to play poker. I'm thinking of playing at the Commerce or the Bike, but I really don't know which cardroom in LA is better to play in. Driving out is brutal(I've driven out to Vegas a few times) but I'll do it if it's best. I have enough money for rent($1200 a month?). I'd love to hear from all 2+2ers on what I should do. I need a shove in one direction or another. Thanks to all. jim arre

[Ray Zee]

for that range of limits. plan on bringing about 30,000 for a bankroll. if you have much less fly out for a couple of weeks and get a feel for the action. it will be alot faster than you are used to for sure.

[snakehead]

didn't hear what you wanted on rgp, eh? well, $1200 in la doesn't get the same kind of place it does in ohio. the rooms at the commerce are $79 per night. the commerce plaza hotel, which is across the street and down a couple of blocks from the casino has monthly rates of around $900, but you are probably taking the worst of it at that. there might be furnished apartments in the commerce-downey area in your price range, but they would probably require a lease, and poker player doesn't look very good on a rental application.

it used to be you could get the wyndham through priceline for about $40 a night, but their prices have gone way up. if you don't mind driving, the bike has a deal with the hotel across the street from them for around $40, and it is in a decent area. it's an easy walk to the bike, and about a 10 minute drive to the commerce. hollywood park still puts players up at crystal park for around $35, but it is a 20 minute drive from there to any of the cardrooms.

I can't stand to be anywhere without a car, but I know lots of people who stay at the commerce for months on end and never drive anywhere. if you play in the top section they will arrange for their vans or limos to take you around town for free, but the drivers expect tips.

ray's bankroll recommendation is optomistic if you are going to play in the 80-160 games (they don't have 75). bring more money.

[mike l.]

if you have a decent car i recommend you drive from ohio because you NEED to have a car in LA area and you will save a ton of money by not renting a car. plus if you go broke you can sleep in your car.

the drive from ohio is not too bad. lots of flat highway driving at 100mph, shouldnt take more than 3 days max. plus you can stop in vegas on your way out here.

btw you better have many many thousands of dollars to withstand the variance in the 20-40 to 80-160 LA hold em games. but im assuming you already know that.

[snakehead]

...the variance in the 20-40 to 80-160 LA hold em games

you make that sound like it's a bad thing...

[mike l.]

"...the variance in the 20-40 to 80-160 LA hold em games you make that sound like it's a bad thing..."

no it's great, but only if you have plenty of dough and know what youre doing.

[mikelow]

Hope he doesn't get any tickets on the way.

[AmericanAirlines]

Hi SnakeHead,
You had said,

"but I know lots of people who stay at the commerce for months on end and never drive anywhere. if you play in the top section they will arrange for their vans or limos to take you around town for free, but the drivers expect tips."

Some questions come to mind.

Do those folks who stay all that time actually pay $79 a night?

Are they actually earning the money to do so from the games?
At what limit?

And the limit that "top section" starts at?

Does the "commerce plaza hotel" typically have space available at that $900 a month figure? Does it scale weekly, like two weeks for $450 or 6 weeks for $1350?

Was thinking about rounding up some of my buds and coming out to see the West Coast. Would love to check out the Commerce and play a bunch while I'm there. 'course I'll be the fish, even in the LL games. But it might be instructional. Been reading about these wild west coast games on and off for years. Guess I just gotta see it for myself.

Umm... curiosity *did* kill the cat, didn't it?

:-)

Sincerely,
AA

[snakehead]

Do those folks who stay all that time actually pay $79 a night?

yes. you can't any better deal at the crowne plaza @ commerce casino.

Are they actually earning the money to do so from the games? At what limit?

yes. 30-60 and up.

And the limit that "top section" starts at?

15-30, but I don't know if players at that level get all the favors that higher limit players do.

Does the "commerce plaza hotel" typically have space available at that $900 a month figure? Does it scale weekly, like two weeks for $450 or 6 weeks for $1350?

I don't have a clue. I wouldn't stay there on a bet. call them if you are interested.

[Tommy Angelo]

Having driven from Ohio to just about everywhere there's poker, I'd say drive. I'm with Snakehead, having a car is comfort critical.

You got a radio, right? Make the best of it. I recommend a north route through South Dakota, and Yellowstone, and down to Salt Lake and across to San Francisco and down. Give it an extra day.

Tommy

[jim arre]

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful suggestions and replies.
The one post that moved me mentally and emotionally was from Mike l. Thanks Mike, it was just what I needed to hear.
p.s. Tom Angelo, you said you've driven from Ohio to a few places. I'm from the Youngstown area. I''d be glad to hear about your experiences if you'd like to share them.
Well anyway, thanks again, gang.
jim arre