Canterbury Park Question

[asdf1234]

How are the 8/16, 15/30, and 30/60 games? Weekdays, weeknights, weekends?

[ScottyP431]

6-12 and 8-16 are basically the same game there. i seem to remember someone on here describing them as "free money" and i could not possibly agree more. Esp at night and on the weekends, particularly when the ponies start running.

15-30: During the day/wee hours of the morning this game kinda blows.. normally always a group of people out of say 15 who frequent it... at night/weekend however it becomes fantastic. A friend described it as the closest thing to commerce hes seen outside of LA, very fast, very lose. In the words of one of the more annoying regulars(though not as much the last few times ive been) its "unbelieeeeevvvable".

30-60: Only ever sat in this once, though a few people i know frequent it. From what ive seen this game is normally the same as 15-30, with players who posted a win in 15-30 moving up to try their luck. It normally only gets going when there are tons of people playing and when it is going it seems to suck some of the better players out of 15-30 making it a tougher game, but certainly beatable.

Basically nights/weekends id say 15-30 it up, otherwise id shoot for 6-12 or 8-16 in terms of easy game selection.

On a sidenote, omaha high low there may be the most boring game of all time, at any limit... always same 9 people... always super tight... very boring. however, if the high low stud game gets in i would recomend commiting murder to move up on the list if need be... fantastic game


I am absolutely terrible with names or i would try and give you some info on the people who frequent these games. Shockingly there is an older guy called "doc" who plays super tight... is it just me or is it a law that if you are going to have a card room you must have one of these characters?


Anyone other than me think the canterburry is a bit more uptight/anal than most cardrooms? i first started playing there and since have played in LA, boloxi, Michigan, AC, and while canterbury is probably nicer (clean chips that dont stick together, felt that doesnt look neon when a UV light is shined on it) i find the atmosphere to kind of suck ass (cant play with racks, cant sell chips to other players, no playovers etc). maybe its jsut me but since ive been other places when i go back i feel very uptight there

[whiskeytown]

hard to say...

I was in St. Louie once, and was surprised to find I couldn't buy food/drinks with chips...I had to go to the friggen cage for money for my stuff...pain in da ass

rack rule is just for the jackpots - they're scared of players hiding cards under there...don't ask me why

RB

[Andy B]

The $8/16 is actually significantly more aggressive than the $6/12 game. I think the extra chip makes people crazy. There are also a lot of $15/30 and $30/60 players who will play $8/16 while they're waiting, or when the jackpot is big, but won't play anything smaller. Since $8/16 is small to them, they tend to splash around more. The $6/12 players tend to be loose and passive, and those are the kinds of players I like to surround myself with. The yellow chip games are almost always very good, even during the day.

The $15/30 and $30/60 games are softer than they have any right to be. Even the weekday games are plenty beatable. Most of the better players gravitate towards the $30/60 game, which leaves the $15/30 game pretty soft most of the time. There are enough contributors in the $30/60 game that it's almost always good, and when it's not, the $15/30 game will be good.

I think Doc is 49. Is that old? Doesn't seem old to me. Anyway, if you think that Doc is "incredibly tight," either you haven't played with him enough, or you play too loose. Up front, or after it's been raised, he is appropriately tight. If he's first in from late position, he is anything but tight. And I don't think he's particularly tight post-flop.

I think Canterbury is a very nice place to play. The only other room I've played in is Foxwoods, and there are an awful lot of jerks there. Canterbury works very hard to provide a pleasant atmosphere for everyone, and I for one appreciate it. If you want to find things to complain about, there are certainly things you can complain about, although some of those have gotten better. The food is better than it used to be, if not as good as it should be. The newer waitresses are generally better than the ones they replaced (I can think of one notable exception whom I won't mention by name). Do you have some great need to play out of a rack? I sell chips to players all the time. You just can't have cash on the table. I think that's state law, and if it isn't, it is in line with the rack policy, where they don't want anything on the table that you could hide a card under. If you prefer playing in California, go right on ahead.

[ScottyP431]

"The $8/16 is actually significantly more aggressive than the $6/12 game. I think the extra chip makes people crazy."

This is most likely true, as are the other comments you made.

"I think Doc is 49. Is that old? Doesn't seem old to me"

ehh, i said "older" not old, and im 21 so yes, seems old to me

"if you think that Doc is "incredibly tight," either you haven't played with him enough, or you play too loose"

clearly you dont remember playing with me or you wouldnt have to ask if i play to loose.... but that is neither here nor there. the one time i played with teh good doctor it was such that he was the big blind when i was on the button and i think i successfully stole his blind every time it was folded to me (made even more remarkable given my aforementioned loose play) and didnt see him play (err, i guess not play, but showdown) anything other than the goods. but i could be wrong



I didnt mean to insult the canterburry, or apparently you personally as well. i think its pretty awesome, i never said it wasnt a nice place to play. I would prefer to play in california, but living in MN the commute is killer... What i was more trying to get at was what the atmosphere was like to give info to someone who had never been, and from my experience it is really uptight. Maybe here are some better examples than the racks dont play one

Situation 1: Drunken moron who is working hard to finance my college education and pay off the mortgage of everyone at the table with his generous donations accidentally drops a card on the floor while drunkinly flailing his arms.

Actual response of staff at the grand in MS: Dealer calls over floor person, winks, accuses man of cheating, man sees wink, good laugh had by all

Actual response of staff at CB: floor called(arrival of floor person took a while, during which play was halted), man reprimanded for dropping card and then a 2nd time for picking it up himself, game halted for some time, drunk poker philanthropist agitated, leaves shortly thereafter

Situation 2: player A, who granted is a total jackass but other than that personality flaw is creating a nice atmosphere of loose poor play, in his quest to tilt the whole table slow rolls a set on some poor slob with aces by showing him one deuce at a time. Player B throws cards and chips, becomes understandably irate and yells

Commerce: dealer and other players talk down player B (while shuffling for the next hand mind you) and seconds later a light hearted atmosphere returns to the game as a string of 10-15 straight hands of capped preflop action occurs

CB: Dealer, and other players, yell for floor. Game halted for minimum 20 minutes as a 3rd grade battle of he started it ensues, before both players get into independent fights with different floor people about "looks" that were apparently given

Apparently you were able to sell chips, i was told that you are not able to remove money from the game, and since cash doesnt play and id have to put the money in my pocket, it was not allowed.

i wrote and deleted some other examples but the jist of it is i think other rooms have a more relaxed, leisure esque atmosphere whereas at the canterburry there seems to be a more uptight mise-en scene. whether this is due to overly zealous enforcement of seemingly unnecessary rules or if that is just the atmosphere promoted by the players who are high profile regulars i dont know.


And yes, i DO have a great need to play out of a rack. I have the chip stacking skills of a retarded circus monkey

[Vehn]

Frankly you dont know what you're talking about. 15/30 is always a good game. 30/60 goes almost all the time, but often isnt a good game. Although I agree about the "uptightness" of the floor but its mostly just a few floorpeople who are like that.

[Andy B]

Uh, yeah, sorry, I don't remember playing with you. Even if you had come up and introduced yourself as ScottyP431, it probably wouldn't have stuck, since I don't remember any of your other posts, and I probably won't remember these next week. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

You've played with Doc once. I've played with him at least fifty, probably closer to a hundred times. You may cling to your opinion, and I shall cling to mine. And Doc usually doesn't show when he doesn't have to.

I feel strongly that drunken, boorish behavior is something that should be discouraged. Drunks may be heavy contributors, but they also slow the game down, which frequently has the effect of taking everyone else out of the gambling mood, and that isn't good for games. I really don't think that they add to your bottom line.

I sincerely doubt that any game was held up for "minimum 20 minutes" for any dispute, petty or otherwise. There are certainly some floor people who are better than others, but with the growth in business, it's getting harder and harder for them to find qualified people. Their floor staff is still much, much better than Foxwoods', and don't get me started on Foxwoods' dealers.

Capped pre-flop action is not something I seek out. I like nice, quiet, well-behaved opponents.

[ QUOTE ]
Apparently you were able to sell chips, i was told that you are not able to remove money from the game, and since cash doesnt play and id have to put the money in my pocket, it was not allowed.

[/ QUOTE ]

See, what you can do is sell the other guy the chips so that he can keep playing, and then you turn around and use that money to buy more chips, either from a chip runner or from the cage or penalty box. I often go the latter route, since I need the exercise. Anyway, this speeds up the game, and I like doing about anything I can to speed up the game.

One thing I forgot to comment on from your original post: yes, the $4/8 Omaha/8 game is usually terrible, probably one of the worst games in the country. Occasionally, though, a couple of loose players will come in, and it becomes playable, if perhaps not terribly exciting. The $20/40 Omaha/8 game on Tuesdays, though, is usually very good. The high-low split game has had periods where it's been very good, and periods where it's been almost as bad as the Omaha game. The problem right now is that by the time enough stud or stud/8 players show up, the room is full of blue chip hold'em games. The biggest complaint I have about Canterbury right now is that they don't have enough tables. Would that they would stop badgering the legislature for this "racino" thing and just ask them for another 10-15 tables. That or get rid of the back room.

I certainly wasn't offended by your post. I just found large portions of it somewhat misguided.

Don't they have any colleges in California?

[whiskeytown]

[ QUOTE ]
I feel strongly that drunken, boorish behavior is something that should be discouraged. Drunks may be heavy contributors, but they also slow the game down, which frequently has the effect of taking everyone else out of the gambling mood, and that isn't good for games. I really don't think that they add to your bottom line

[/ QUOTE ]

and Canterbury does that by holding you to two drinks an hr... (not to mention the drinks are measured to the ml. with that automeasurer) - if you want to get drunk - do NOT go to Canterbury - the rake on the drinks is worse then the one on the table /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[benfranklin]

How are the lower level games there? Players, rake, crowds, wait, etc. Do they hae $2/4, and/or $3/6? Are the lower limit games generally loose and passive? Thanks in advance for any help.

[asdf1234]

Yes, tons of 2/4 and 3/6, with several 4/8 games. Most of them are extremely loose passive, and even more so on the weekend and evenings. If you're going on the weekend, expect long boards if you go later in the day. The rake is $4 + $1 jackpot drop + whatever you want to toke the dealer.

[benfranklin]

Thanks for the quick response. Sounds like that overhead would be harder to beat than the players. How have you been doing there, and how does profit compare to similar games at Party or Stars, if you play online? Thanks again.

[banditbdl]

You basically just contrasted the state of MN with CA etc... I'd say the general attitude at Canterbury fits Minnesota just about perfectly. If you're a native Minnesotan if you just think about it for a little while this should be self-evident. If you're an import my only suggestion would be to get used to it.

[benfranklin]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd say the general attitude at Canterbury fits Minnesota just about perfectly.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you saying that Canterbury is Minnesota Nice?? Or are you referring to the politics of the People's Republic of Minnesota, the State Where Nothing Is Allowed?

[banditbdl]

I would just say the state's population while in many ways nicer than other areas can also be a little too uptight and by-the-book for my tastes and it sounds like your's as well. Canterbury seems to reflect these attitudes just about perfectly. I think its a bit of a tradeoff in general, you avoid having to deal with some boorish behavior at the tables which you might encounter in other cardrooms, but at the same time you can be left wondering why everybody can't just relax a little once in awhile.

[Cooling Heels]

I have two big complaints about Canterbury: not enough
tables and too many Hold Em games. They are limited by law
to the tables, so the wait is ridiculous on weekends, the
only time I can get out there.

Personally, I prefer online games, I find them much
more profitable.

Another cardroom is working through the legislature,
so help is on the way.

[Edge34]

Hey Heels,

You're right, 'Bury doesn't have enough tables, but that's the law for now, same as with the fact that they can't spread any NL or any limit higher than 30/60. However, I don't see the problem with all the Hold 'Em tables - that IS the game of choice for what seems like 90% of the poker population now, especially as a comparison of the lists for HE at any level and the Stud/8 and O/8 games don't even come close. What WOULD be nice is if they didn't run 15 tables of 2/4 and only 2 tables of 6/12 on the weekends. But of course, they have to keep the INSANE amount of low-rollers happy (thank you WPT). If the stud/8 list ever got to be 20 or 25 names long (let's not even talk about how long the HE list gets), then I'd agree that they should spread more of it.

Oh yeah, I also think those new shuffling machines are working pretty well, but I haven't gotten the chance to play on one of the tables that has them yet. I think its mostly 2/4 or 3/6, and that's probably thanks to the lower rake they take in from those compared to the higher limits. Anybody have any comments on those?

-Edge

[Cooling Heels]

What can I say, I'm an oldtimer. I would like to see
stud/8, draw, and straight stud. I hate Hold Em, I would rather play night Baseball than Hold Em.

Stopped in at the new poker room in Turtle Lake recently,
nothing but Hold Em, what a sad situation.

BTW, Morton spreads stud/8.

[asdf1234]

I do considerably better online, probably due to the faster pace and lower rake. Yeah, the rake can be tough to beat at less than 4/8, but the players are horrible, so that's a plus.

[bicyclekick]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Heels,

You're right, 'Bury doesn't have enough tables, but that's the law for now, same as with the fact that they can't spread any NL or any limit higher than 30/60. However, I don't see the problem with all the Hold 'Em tables - that IS the game of choice for what seems like 90% of the poker population now, especially as a comparison of the lists for HE at any level and the Stud/8 and O/8 games don't even come close. What WOULD be nice is if they didn't run 15 tables of 2/4 and only 2 tables of 6/12 on the weekends. But of course, they have to keep the INSANE amount of low-rollers happy (thank you WPT). If the stud/8 list ever got to be 20 or 25 names long (let's not even talk about how long the HE list gets), then I'd agree that they should spread more of it.

Oh yeah, I also think those new shuffling machines are working pretty well, but I haven't gotten the chance to play on one of the tables that has them yet. I think its mostly 2/4 or 3/6, and that's probably thanks to the lower rake they take in from those compared to the higher limits. Anybody have any comments on those?

-Edge

[/ QUOTE ]

I played at a 4/8 table while I was waiting for the 6/12 for about 20 minutes awhile bakc. Seemed to speed things up a noticable amount. The only thing I didn't like is i was in seat 3 and i had to fold my cards around/over the damn shuffler. What a horrible place to put it.

I do hope they get them on all tables, though.

[whiskeytown]

[ QUOTE ]
The only thing I didn't like is i was in seat 3 and i had to fold my cards around/over the damn shuffler. What a horrible place to put it.

I do hope they get them on all tables, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

they were added to 4 more tables yesterday...however, they look different...not sunk into the table but flush with it, so cards don't get stuck - they slide easier and stay out of the way

RB