Effects of the rake in low limit?

[hbgolfpro]

A good friend of mine plays regularly in $2-$4 and $3-$6 hold em games in a Los Angeles card room. There is only one blind in these games. My question is this....if the dealers are getting out around 25 to 30 hands per hour...with a drop of $4 per hand....that equals $100-$120 an hour off the table. Divided by 9 players....that comes out to $11-$13 an hour per player! If the expectation in a $3-$6 game is $6 an hour....how can the game be beaten with a charge of over $10 an hour to play? Am I missing something??? Is my math off??

[FletchJr.]

I like to think of it this way, are my opponents making 120 dollars worth of mistakes? sure you can never know the exact figure, but a lot of these games are actually beatable. they will just have "HUGE" swings because of the players will be making so many mistakes by drawing to outrageously bad longshot draws. But they do hit once in a while, this is why your swings will be much higher.

[T5off]

Well, yes, the rake is steep. However, if you play tight enough you won't be involved in, and win as many pots. Dividing the total rake by the number of players overestimates the loss for tight players, and underestimates it for loose players.

[sthief09]

The expectation for a good player at a LA B&M 3-6 table is a lot more than $6/hr. I've never even been to LA, let alone played there, but I've heard the games are very soft. I think 2-3 BB/hr without rake at a soft game is possible.

[hbgolfpro]

Thank you guys for your replies, but what I need to know is are my math figures correct or not? It simply seems very difficult to beat a game where the expectation is $6 per hr when the house is raking over $100 per hr off the table. Am I figuring this correctly or is my theory flawed?

[Vehn]

Heh. No, your math figures are correct. It is VERY difficult to beat a game like that. However, its usually balanced by the fact that your opponents are escaped mental patients.

[LivingLegend58]

I agree, it is very difficult sometimes with 3 house, 1 jackpot every hand. LA card rooms are terrible in house rake, makes the games a little harder to beat.

[Bob T.]

The $6 an hour figure is after rake. When you subtract the rake from that figure, it is like you are paying it twice.

Good luck,
play well,

Bob T.

[Dynasty]

[ QUOTE ]
It is VERY difficult to beat a game like that.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is EXTREMELY EASY to beat those 3-6 and 2-4 games in California.

While the rake may be high, you only pay it when you win a pot. So, you are not paying 1/9 of the rake. You are paying quite a bit less.

[LivingLegend58]

You have to beat the players and the house, makes it more difficult. It cost me over 100 to play for a pretty good session.

[Dynasty]

[ QUOTE ]
You have to beat the players and the house, makes it more difficult. It cost me over 100 to play for a pretty good session.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is not even slightly difficult. It is extremely easy. You should be able to beat the Commerce 3-6 game for $12/hr.