The game was excellent when CP first opened up. I get only get

out there once, sometimes twice a month due to lousy traffic

conditions and a heavy work schedule.


The problem with the game now is that is very sporatic. More

often than not, the game is not going. When it is going, a long

list may exist, and the list may not move. You will never see

2 tables going. And the game is not always good; you may find a

player makeup such that everyone frequently folds to the bring-in.

But when the right player makeup is found....


What I look for are at the table are high only stud players who

can't get a 3/6 or 4/8 seat because the games aren't going or they

have a long list. These guys way overplay high hands. Some of these

guys have deep pockets or drop $300 or $400 at stud/8.


The $5.50 rake including a jackpot tax is a killer; most players bust out

and go home. Tight play is the only way to reduce these costs. Tipping

is at your discretion, and I see no reason to tip on a small split

pot that shows minimal gain because of the $5.50 taken out. Always

keep "pumpkin" chips in your stack for tips, let the off duty dealers

tip $2 or $3 on a split pot.


You are right about the game being slow with $2 chips and a 50 cent ante.

If I ran the place, a $100 or $200 buyin would get $10 in pumpkin chips

from the chip runner, then the remainder in $2 chips.


Your third and 4th street strategy are crucial in this game. I play mainly

low hands on third, dumping most high hands except for trips or a pair

of aces. High hands will occasionally take a big sweeper, but they

often lose to a low that backs into a flush, straight or aces up. It stinks

to bet a hand down, then get raised on the river by a low draw that turns

into a sweeper. In a tight game high only hands are valuable, but in the

game you described they are dangerous. Be very wary of an ace out there if

you choose to start a high only hand. What you really want on third street

are low hands with sweeper potential: 3 small cards to a straight, 3 small

cards of the same suit, 3 small cards including an ace. Let the other guys

draw to an 8 low, you can dump those starting hands. A boring way to play

though if the game is slow. But you are right, loose play is severely

punished. Guys starting with 8 lows, pair of tens, KQ3, etc. will lose

their buyin quickly.


On 4th dump your low hand when you draw a brick.


Good luck fellow CP player....