My first day in a B&M cardroom (commerce)

[baronzeus]

Just got back from a tip to LA. Hit up commerce.

Thoughts:

The atmosphere at commerce was really, really nice. All the workers were really nice and when they carded me they didn't act like they were suspicious. It was obviously my first time in a B&M and I felt stupid but they were really helpful.

Cardplay: The limits I played at were absurdly soft (50%+ players per flop) and the rake was huge. (What is the optimum low-mid stakes (up to 10-20) that pays the least percent rake?) I think I may have overtipped the dealer. I lost about 1BB over 100 hands tipping the dealer, plus about 4BB in rake from the hands I won.

My cards were pretty cold and I didn't get that many great flops so I was pretty tight, but it gave me a chance to be extra nice to people at the table. The people I was talking to really seemed to enjoy the company of someone who wasn't a cutthroat gambler (rofl) In the end, I won about 5 pots, 1 on the flop and 4 on the river, in the 2.5 hours I was there (about 100 hands)

HOTD (Hand of the day)

I have K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif on the BB. 2 limpers and SB calls and I check.

flop
6/images/graemlins/heart.gif 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

checked to me, I bet, UTG calls, Passive fish RAISES (wtf?), I 3bet, UTG folds, passive fish calls.

turn:

Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

I bet, Fish raises, I 3bet, fish calls.

river

BRIC

I bet, fish calls.

Turns over a straight (JTo). Fairly big pot and by far the biggest one I won.


Ended up 4.25BB in about 100 hands, so it was a decent day overall. I feel like losing 1BB in tip in 5 pots was kind of excessive (???) but other than that not too many mistakes on my part.




P.S.

What are the softest Bay Area casinos (near Palo Alto/San Jose)

[onegymrat]

Hi baronzeus,

You visited at a good time. The chairs at Commerce, previous to one week ago, were the worst things ever done to the human body. They ordered new ergonomical chairs for the entire low-limit side last week and the conditions have vastly improved.

The overall looseness of the players that you described seems typical of the games at Commerce. Yes, the rake is tremendous, but you will not find anything lower in So. Cal. What limit were you playing? Your tipping, though it is very heavy in the long run, is typical. A buck a pot sounds fine. And people wonder why so many stick to online play!

Nice hand for you with the flush. I actually think your opponent with JT played it well. Your draw was just a heck of a lot better. Glad you had a great time.

[Boris]

if you are intested in 15-30 and below then play at Artichoke Joe's. It has great games and a good atmosphere. Garden city has the best food. But the tables are too close together and the parking lot is kind of shady. Bay101 has the best selection of higher limit games.

[autobet]

In your area there is The Garden City, and Bay 101. Both should have good games at the lower limits. The Bay 101 will usually have a few more games to choose from and on average, better dealers (if you care about such things).

You can just tip $1 per hand for most pots. Don't tip for picking up the blinds or very small pots.