Turning Stone 100-max NL

JKetzer · #1 03-22-2005, 05:20 PM

Those of you who are regulars at the Stone -

What's this game like? I'm headed up for Friday and I'm thinking of giving it a shot; I've heard it's pretty soft. Never played a live NL cash game before, though.

lil_o · #2 03-22-2005, 05:38 PM

The blind structure is $1-$2. If you go beyond stealing the blinds the house rakes you $3 per pot.

The action is fabulous. People will raise preflop to $15 with hands like K-Js. Lotta college kids with Ipods who think they are "Johnny Toughguy" at the poker table.

There is a handful of good players, but they are generally very easy to spot.

Good luck.

dtbog · #3 03-22-2005, 06:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Lotta college kids with Ipods who think they are "Johnny Toughguy" at the poker table.

[/ QUOTE ]

C'mon, don't leave me out. I don't have an iPod.

Seriously, yeah... it's a good game. Be prepared for some very high open-raises... people opening for $15-25 pf on top of a $2 blind.

My strategy is to try to build a stack. Though the max buy-in is $100, I'd prefer to have to buy in three times and end up with a $300 stack on the table. There's a LOT more flexibility in that game when you pick up a stack of chips.

MarkSummers · #4 03-22-2005, 06:44 PM

is the play 200 NL game the same there? and is the blind structure 2 and 4?

also, are those the only NL cash games they offer?

thanks.

dtbog · #5 03-22-2005, 07:29 PM

[ QUOTE ]
is the play 200 NL game the same there? and is the blind structure 2 and 4?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's actually 2/5 blinds 200 max, which is 40BB and forces even more action. If you're there for a decent amount of time, you'll either have a big stack or you'll be reaching for the wallet a few times. 2/5 NL can become a very good deep-stacked game as the night goes on... I've seen some 2500+ stacks.

-DB

PokerFink · #6 03-22-2005, 07:36 PM

The 2/5 is MUCH better than the 1/2. If you have the bankroll for it, I highly suggest playing the 2/5. The 2/5 is a godsend, an chip-spewing orgy. As dtbog said, the 40BB buy-in forces insane action, and many of the players are terrible.

My Post on the 1/2NL

Check that out for a very detailed description of the 1/2NL.

PokerFink · #7 03-22-2005, 08:53 PM

I'm back from dinner, so I'm going to elaborate on what I said a bit.

Turning Stone spreads three no limit games:

1. 100NL: 1-2 blinds, $3 drop on pots > 10

This game runs 24/7. On weekdays, only one table will survive the night, maybe two on weekends. Weekend evenings there will be 4 or 5 tables of this running, and the list can get VERY long Friday night (2+ hours). During the day the wait is not very bad.

The action is VERY hit or miss. Other posters seem to find the action better than I think it is. If people have been busting out and there is money on the table, it can be great. The opening raises can be 12-15 and multi-way raised pots are common. However, at other times the tables get very shortstacked and the rake takes over. Many college students. See the link above for more info.

2. 200NL: 2-5 blinds, $5 per half hour

This game generally does not survive the night during the week, maybe on weekends. One table running, usually starts up in the afternoon at some point if it dies during the night. The wait is generally not bad.

The action here is JUICY. I'm talking mega chip-spewing orgy at times. Preflop raises are more standard than the 100NL (15-25), but there are regulars here with money to burn and no poker skill whatsoever. People go to the felt with TP, no kicker. Others get married to mid pocket pairs if there is only one over card. Busting is MUCH more common in this game, so there is much more money on the table. Lots of bluffing. I'm talking obvious, bad bluffing. Play is significantly looser on all streets than the 100NL, and people are much more willing to get all-in. My friends have had phenominal results in this game, and I did well my first (and only) session. Can't wait to play it again. I'm curious if MBD plays this game... you out there MBD?

3. No Max: 5-10 blinds, 20 bring in, $300 min buy in, $8 per half hour (I think). This only runs on fridays. Average stack is generally 2-3K.

One table friday night. Played this once, didn't go well. Lets not go there.

So to sum this up, as I said before, if you have the bankroll hit up the 200NL.

MarkSummers · #8 03-22-2005, 09:29 PM

2/5 sounds great but the $200 buyin isn't enough to start with.

onehandfold · #9 03-22-2005, 09:57 PM

[ QUOTE ]

The action is fabulous. People will raise preflop to $15 with hands like K-Js. Lotta college kids with Ipods...

[/ QUOTE ]

Whats wrong with kids with ipods at the table?! The action can be VERY slow when you dont pick up cards for hours...

JKetzer · #10 03-22-2005, 10:06 PM

Hmm. Losing a few buyins at 100-max: annoying. At 200-max: now it's getting painful. I wasn't planning to take more than $300 with me anyway.

The 3/6 limit is always there too, of course. Takes a lot longer to drop the whole buy-in. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] But that game was awfully weak-tight the last time I was there. (Is the 5/10 any fishier? I don't know why it would be, but maybe.)