Bay Area cardrooms

[jmark]

I'm looking for some low limit B&M games in the SF bay area. At the casinos I've played at the lowest limits I've seen is 3/6 with 2/3 blinds and the $2 time payment on the button which makes it at least $7 and pretty much $9 each time you go around the table. It seems like this really hurts you when you want to play tightly. Does anyone know of a casino that has something lower, say 2/4 or at least a rake instead of the money on the button?
Thanks

[Garland]

Hi jmark,

I play at Lucky Chances, but visited Artichoke Joe's and Bay 101. With lower limit, you're pretty much stuck to $3 on the button (if you found $2, that's pretty good). I think it's standard in California to take in $3 on the button for limits of $10/$20 or lower. At Artichoke Joe's they actually have a nice $15/$30 game which is also $3 on the button. Needless to say, I like playing the higher limits because the rake is the same whether I play low or high (mostly $9/$18 at Lucky Chances right now). You're right, it's to a tight player's advantage to have a rake...but unfortunately we live in California. At least the tradeoff for me is the lack of smoke in the atmosphere!

Hope this helps,

Garland

[jmark]

Thanks Garland I figured that was it but thought I'd ask. I got my girlfriend addicted to poker, but 3/6 is a little too much for her right now. You're right about the smoke though. Whenever I go to a Las Vegas poker room it makes me glad to live in CA.

[chaos]

The Oaks in Emmeryville across the bay spreads sone $2/4 games. Also they charge time instead of raking the pot or collecting off the button and that is usualy less expensive for the players. I don't know off hand what the collection fee is in the $2/4 games.

[Analyst]

Both Bay101 and Garden City regularly spread 2/4 games, but I believe that there's a $3 button-rake. This rake is live at 3/6, 6/12, etc. but I don't know the logistics at 2/4.

The 3/6 game, with blinds of 1/3, is a much better deal as a result.

[SossMan]

[ QUOTE ]
With lower limit, you're pretty much stuck to $3 on the button (if you found $2, that's pretty good). I think it's standard in California to take in $3 on the button for limits of $10/$20 or lower.

[/ QUOTE ]

Garland,
This is strictly a NorCal custom. Actually, not even all northern California cardrooms have the button rake (Palace in Hayward, Sonoma Joe's in Petaluma, Livermore Casino all have standard 1 chip 3 chip blinds w/ rake from the big blind of 3 or 4 bucks).
In central and southern California, it's also the standard format. I don't know what the deal is w/ Bay101,Garden City, AJs, and LC. Those are the only places that I've seen the 3 blind system w/ the rake on the button.

[M2d]

this is from memory, but I think it's correct. all charges are per half hour:

15/30: $6
6/12: $5
3/6: $4
2/4: $3
1/2: $2