Seattle Area Poker

I've been playing online at Paradise Poker since late June. This is also when I started playing poker at all, other than some very small stakes fun games with friends back in the college days. I've been doing well online and moving up through the limits while building my bank roll. I've been holding my own in 3-6 on Paradise and building my bank roll for the jump to 5-10.


This weekend I decided to try playing in a live card room for the first time. Friday night I went to Tulalip and played in the 4-8. I held my own and came out $100 up after 2.5 hours. I noticed everyone was fairly tight and really passive. Tonight (Saturday) I went to Muckleshoot and found they have a much larger poker room. I spent 3 hours playing there, first on the 3-6 then I moved to the 4-8. I ended up breaking almost dead even for the session (up $3). Again, most everyone was fairly tight and passive, though this group was a tad more aggressive.


Everything I've read says most small stakes games like 3-6 and 4-8 are loose with quite a few callers. This hasn't been my experience so far. It could be the time of day. Friday I was out late doing other things and didn't go to the casino until 2:00 in the morning. I figured that since it was so late that was probably the reason why it was so tight. Saturday I went a bit earlier, showed up at Muckleshoot between 11:00 and 12:00 and I figured a fair number of people would be intoxicated if they had been drinking and hopefully fairly loose. This wasn't what I found though.


So, I know my sample size is very small so far, but I have a few questions:

1. Are small stakes games in the Seattle area always this tight?

2. What are the better places to play in the Seattle area?

3. This may be the most important, what are the best times to play?


Also, at both Tulalip and Muckleshoot they have Bad Beat Jackpots which everyone seemed quite obsessed with. I will grant you that they are large, and sure I'd like to win one, but I found it quite distracting to play as people were more obsessed with the Jackpots than the poker game itself. Are there card rooms around here without jackpots?


Thanks for any info.

One comment,


Northwest Holdem players are amongst the best anywhere.

I have so far (at lower limits) found a more passive type of player in vegas than around here.

BetTheDraw,


I'm sure I am going to open up a huge can of worms here, but I have to get this off my chest.


Why is it that no matter where I play poker, 'locals' from that area always seem to think that 'they' are the best players anywhere? ( I of course am speaking in general terms )


When I play in Arizona, they think they are the best.


When I play in Connecticut, a good portion of them think CT players are the best.


I go to play in Vegas, They of course ( think they )are the best.


When are these people going to realize that there are good and bad players in every casino/cardroom and in every state.. and that no one portion of the country houses 'the best'.


People would be surprised as to how much I hear this kind of talk.


Sincerly,


FedUp

I'll throw in my two cents here. I live in the Seattle area and have found the general level of play to be poor (really crappy). I don't get out to play live much, and I haven't played in the casino's, but the play on PP is usually much tougher than my live experience, and I am playing two limits lower than when i play live. PP players seem to be much tighter and more aggressive. Try some of the non-casino cardrooms around here. Kenmore Lanes or Jimmy Jack's are rumored to have very beatable games, the latter on weekday afternoons. Keep playing tough and don't forget to check raise. As far as the jackpot thing goes, at least you know that your chances of hitting are dismal. Let the other guy focus on that, you take his money now!

I havn't played Muckleshoot for a few months. In the past it seemed the players were quite loose. I have played a lot at the Emerald Queen ( which no longer has Poker as of today) and I am shocked how bad the 4-8 players are. I was there on Friday and 5 or 6 players would call my UTG raise even though I was the tightest player on the table. Now that EQ is closed I am sure those bad players will move to Muckleshoot. I also play a lot at Little Creek which is close to Olympia and most pots seem to be 6 or 7 handed.


In my experience of the 4 states I have played the most poker the following is my ratings from loosest to tightest:


1) California 2) Washington 3) Connecticut 4) Las Vegas 5) Paradise


Ken Poklitar

Vegan,


I also live in Seattle so can help a bit:


1. No, but often; especially at Muckleshoot, IMO. I returned there after avoiding it for a few months and the 4-8 game I played in Thursday night was like the freaking WSOP. I think I chopped the blinds 3 times in a row at one stretch. Now, my buddy nearby said that his game was really wild, so take what I say with a grain of salt. It has been my experience that Muckleshoot has tighter games than elsewhere around here. When I play there I get the feeling everyone thinks they are good and are trying to play well and show that they know what they are doing. That often translates into a tight game. Of course, a couple people trying to gamble it up a bit can change things in a hurry, as my friend's experience seems to demonstrate. Still, I think the quality of play is higher at Muckleshoot than elsewhere.


2. I prefer Diamond L'ils in Renton over anywhere else. It is smaller than Muckleshoot but they have a regular cadre of donaters there plus some "drop in" players that usually play much too fishy. (One regular told me recently she couldn't believe I folded 5s6s pre-flop, despite the fact that someone had raised before me--I told her my hand because the flop would've given me a straight flush. She said "i guess you are one of the tight ones".) The games there can tighten up too, which can be bad because they have fewer tables so its harder to change. Still, I feel like there are more gamblers at L'ils and the atmosphere is more funloving. That usually translates into more loose games. I also prefer L'ils because they have 6-12 and 8-16 pretty often if I feel like giving that a shot.


I avoid the Hideaway and Kenmore Lanes because they are too small, but I have been to each a couple times and they were filled with bad players. I was new myself at the time and didn't like the swings so I was uncomfortable but if you want somewhere where people will play anything and chase too much you might be happy there. I hated going up to either and finding one 4-8 game with a list and sitting for 2 hours without playing. Calling first might help you avoid that situation.


3. Like anywhere, weekend nights are the most busy and seem to have the loosest games. 2AM is a hard time to show up because the room is often filled with people stuck who are playing too conservatively or those just passing time and not gambling too much. Earlier in the night is better to catch those out for a night of poker who will probably lose soon and go home. I would try to get somewhere by 7 or 8 and see what happens. I play some afternoons when not working but the games can be pretty tight then.


There are no cardrooms here without a jackpot.


Send me an email if you have any questions. I also play some small blind, small buy-in no limit Hold 'Em home game on occasion. Email me for details.


KJS

Thanks for the info.

I actually went to Kenmore Sunday evening about 8:30. There was only one table going out of 3 that they had in their small room. I got on a list and was told they would start another table if a couple more people showed up (there were several on the list already).

The game started up about 9:00 or shortly after and it was much more in line with what I was expecting in a low limit game. I can hold my own in a tight game just fine, but I like the looser games as they can be more profitable.

I bought in for a $100 rack and cashed out about two hours later just shy of 2 racks.

I'll be going back to Kenmore. Though I can believe that they probably get crowded during more popular times so I'll try calling ahead. Three tables isn't a whole lot.


I may email you once I've tried a few more places. Maybe I can get the low down on some of the better tournaments around town.


Thanks again.

I think you're right.

Thanks.

Emerald Queen had poker a few weeks ago. Was pretty slow.

Have they closed again