Am I just living a sheltered online poker life?

awarunn · #1 08-12-2005, 02:09 AM

It was my first time to the Trump casino in the Chicago area and I was going there to play the $200 max NL game. I got there and realized that the $200 max NL game is $2/$5. Isn't this an extremely short stack to sit down with at a $2/$5 NL table? I did it anyway since I was there and all excited to play some real live B&M poker. The next thing that I thought was odd was the way they took the "rake". Every 30 minutes everyone at the table had to pay $7 for 'time'. This means we are paying $14 an hour just to play at the table. This means that in order to make 1BB/hour you'd really have to be making 3BB/hour. Is this the 'norm' in the live casino scene or is this place just a bad place to play? On the positive side, the two tables I sat at were very soft.

So...where do all the chicago players play at?

phuc · #2 08-12-2005, 10:57 AM

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Isn't this an extremely short stack to sit down with at a $2/$5 NL table?

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Yes, it's a fairly short stack game in the beginning until you double up or win a few pots to get a decent sized stack, but if you can handle a few all-ins with the best hand, you will be very comfortable at the table with a decent stack against other people playing short, especially with the standard size of preflop raises at that game. Just be aware that with $200, if you call a preflop raise and hit the flop, you may be going all-in pretty quickly. I suggest reloading to $200 every time you fall below the max because then you have the best chance of getting a good stack size.

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The next thing that I thought was odd was the way they took the "rake". Every 30 minutes everyone at the table had to pay $7 for 'time'. This means we are paying $14 an hour just to play at the table. This means that in order to make 1BB/hour you'd really have to be making 3BB/hour. Is this the 'norm' in the live casino scene or is this place just a bad place to play?

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Yes, this is the 'norm' around here for NL games. I prefer it to the rake because in the end, the rake costs more to the all players, though it gives an advantage to players who play fewer pots.

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So...where do all the chicago players play at?

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We play at Trump or Resorts, the only places that spread NL games here...unless you want to travel farther away.

awarunn · #3 08-12-2005, 12:13 PM

Okay, thanks...
Should I alter my preflop raise when I first sit down since I am short stacked? Instead of the standard 3-5xBB should I keep it down towards 3x? Or should I just play normal and keep reloading when I fall too far below $200?

canis582 · #4 08-12-2005, 12:25 PM

2-5 $200 max is the structure at the Bellagio when I played. Most raises were $20-$30. $10 and $15 were seen as wuss bets, but that may be different for this one.

10-20Jerome · #5 08-12-2005, 01:03 PM

BS poker IMO. NL with a cap buyin? Its set up for very very bad players, the kind that also perfer BJ, craps, let it ride, etc. There is no real postflop play if they avg stack is say 150or200. I dont play alot of these games so I could be wrong. These games disgust me, when I play NL I perfer the no cap buy ins. Better game, just my opinion.

#6 08-12-2005, 02:59 PM

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BS poker IMO. NL with a cap buyin? Its set up for very very bad players, the kind that also perfer BJ, craps, let it ride, etc. There is no real postflop play if they avg stack is say 150or200. I dont play alot of these games so I could be wrong. These games disgust me, when I play NL I perfer the no cap buy ins. Better game, just my opinion.

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Well, I do believe that games with cap buy-ins are better. It's nice to sit at a table where most people have stacks near your size when you sit down. Trump also has a 400 min - 1000 max game and a 1500 min - no max game. These different "limits" are spread, I would think, to open games up to more people who don't necessarily have the cash or skill to sit there playing against people who can buy in right away for a couple grand if they want to.

runnerunner · #7 08-12-2005, 03:39 PM

So exactly why don't you want to play a game that is set up to accomodate to very very bad players? This game at the Trump is soft with a capital S. If I had $50 for every time I heard some donkey push with second pair and say "I was shortstacked, I had to go all in"......wait a second, I do have $50 for every time they said that!!

The game is set up to cater to WPT clowns who can go all in without risking a month's pay. The rake is brutal, but the game is as soft as it gets.

phuc · #8 08-12-2005, 05:06 PM

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Okay, thanks...
Should I alter my preflop raise when I first sit down since I am short stacked? Instead of the standard 3-5xBB should I keep it down towards 3x? Or should I just play normal and keep reloading when I fall too far below $200?

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Do not lower your preflop raise size. The fish at Trump will call large preflop raises with horrible hands. Just make sure you have a premium hand when you do raise with a short stack because you will likely go all-in. Raising small is asking to be cracked. I only do it to change my play up a bit and with Ace-suited or something like that in late position when there are lots of people in. Most of the fish don't realize that I'm just sweetening the pot in case I hit a nice draw. Good players will notice and re-raise you, but it's not too much of a worry.

awarunn · #9 08-12-2005, 12:40 PM

And another question...
This was seriously my first brick and mortar experience so...what's up with this seat change button? People were seriously getting pissed off about who get's it next and stuff. I'm guessing it gives you dibs on the next empty seat at the table? Do you get one if you voluntarily move or something? Why were people so passionate about it?

youtalkfunny · #10 08-13-2005, 07:58 AM

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...what's up with this seat change button? People were seriously getting pissed off about who get's it next and stuff...Why were people so passionate about it?

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Because people are idiots.

People are very territorial. "That's MY seat!!!"

Ever ask a poker player to move over 6 inches? He'll wiggle in his chair, PRETENDING to move, all the while not giving up one inch of territory.

You're new to B&M, but those of us who aren't have seen this countless times: The #8 seat sits empty for an hour. When someone finally approaches the table with chips, and is JUST about to sit his fanny in the chair, somebody in the game will pipe up, "I want that seat!" It sat empty for an HOUR. NO ONE WANTED IT, until somebody else showed interest in it. It's completely irrational, IMO.

Now mix in all the idiots who think their luck will change if they move to a different chair, and you can see why the Seat Change Button (dibs, as you say) is in such high demand.

(Personally, I like to sit at the end of the table. I like to be able to see all my opponents, and the curve of the table means more room for my fat ass. If I start next to or across from the dealer, I'll try to move to an end seat when available--but I'm not going to fight and scream irrationally about it.)