Bellagio, $8/16 or $15/30?

[Amaki]

Curious if anyone has thoughts on which of these games is better. I've played both quite a bit and found the 8/16 to be much easier, mainly just battling tight, predictable regulars. The $15/30 seems to be populated with tricky, aggressive players. I've heard some say the $30/60 is actually a better game than the $15/30, but I'm afraid it's out of my bankroll range unless I make a big score (maybe the Friday at 5:00 tourney). Plan on playing both games over Thanksgiving weekend.

Thanks--------Amaki

[ecreamc]

I don't really like playing at the Bellagio, but they do have some very nice loose small games. It kills me to wait for 2 hours to get on a game though. For a similar size game as the 8/16, I prefer the pink game at Trop. The only problem is the pink game is not always running. Have you ever played the no-limit games at Bellagio? I haven't but I hear they are great. If you have played them, please let me know what you think.

[Amaki]

I have played the $200 buy-in NL game some, and it is pretty good if you're in the mood to sit for long periods of time waiting for cards (I'm not a big nl ring player). I've seen some huge stacks in that game ($2-$4k), so it can be entertaining to get in a game with the likes of those, especially if they go to battle. Those games are easy to find, they're the ones with loud, sporadic cheers and groans.
My one story from the game was playing at a table with James Woods last April (during Festa al Lago). This was about midnight on a Saturday, after drinks/dinner, so I'm a bit loose. Bought in for $200, down to $150 range. I have 88 in MP and raise to $15 pre-flop. All fold to JW who makes it $45. I call. Flop comes 9, 6, 5. I figure that didn't come close to hitting him and I bet out $40, he puts me all in for my other $75 ish, I call and flip my 88. He groans and flips 77. Turn 2, river Q, and I double up. He seemed like a real nice guy. Very gracious to obnoxious people on rail.
I've never experienced too long a wait there, but I stay there so there are other things to do if the list is way long.

[Chipr777]

I never quite understood that question. Wouldn't that depend on the players in the game? There are a couple games at the casino I work at that I wouldn't play with YOUR money, nevermind my own. $20-$40 tables with 2 madatory live stradles, drunks, people that fake being drunk, and more switching gears than a Nascar driver. That same game 3 hours later is a minnow pool I'd LOVE to play. A generalised question "which game is better", refering to limits, can't be an acurate description of a game. There are way to many factors to figure in. How long is the list for the larger game? Most of the players that would normaly be playing in the larger game may be in the smaller game waiting to be called on the list. Time of day? Time of year? (holidays, weekends, ect.) You get the point. Figure out a comfortable bankroll and establish a limit you want to play. Sit down and play the best poker you know how to play.

[doughhater]

Chipr--while i agree that no game can be accurately generalized, i can say with relative certainty that the 15 game at the Bell, on the whole, is a better game than the 8/16 game. Just like i can say that on the whole, the 20 game at the shoe is better than the 10 game. That doesn't mean you don't still have to pick your spots, but if you had to pick one game or the other to play for the rest of your life, i think that the 15 game would be the way to go.

[Chipr777]

For the most part I agree but I still say its a wise move to step up limits on holidays and weekends with all the tourists running around. Your much more likely to run into a novice on Labor Day than any given Tuesday at 4am.

[Chipr777]

As a general rule I also like games that have been going a long time. Players are getting tired and maybe had a little too much to drink. Way off topic for this thread though.

[Amaki]

Good points chippr and dough. I agree it is a "it depends" situation, and that there are a lot of factors to weigh. Thought there migt be some general insight that on those games that I'm not aware of. The great point you make Chipr is that it is a big holiday wknd, so games will tend to be juicy. Dough, any particulars why the 15 game is so much better than the 8? Not so tight perhaps?