Is the game beatable?

[callmedonnie]

So I live in Colorado and am mostly an online small stakes limit player, thus I am used to a good rake. I was thinking about hitting up some of the local casinos and called about their rakes. I once played a 2/4 table for an hour, and saw 6 people on average in every pot preflop. The rake is customarily 10% up to $5, with two going to bad beat jackpot. One place happens to have a cap at $4, which is the cheapest. They spread 2/5, with 1/2 blinds and a bet anywhere from 2-5 on every street, usually w/ capping at six bets. Are these games beatable?

Also, would a 4/8 game with a $4 rake be beatable? Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks.

[KenProspero]

Yes and Yes

[MarkL444]

that 1/2 blind game where you vary your bet should be very beatable. like by a lot

These rakes are pretty much standard sized rakes similar to the style in AC.

Yes to both.

[betgo]

You are asking if a game where 6 people see the flop is beatable? Hard to make a living that way though.

[A_K]

Yes.

Make sure that you alter your starting hands to take into account the likely multi-way action in the spread limit game. The value of top pair hands goes down, while the value straight/flush draw hands goes up.

[steamboatin]

How good are you? Sounds like a smart alec question but it has more to do with how much better you are than the other players. Unless the rake is just completely insane.

[callmedonnie]

I am a fairly solid small stakes player who is a winner a 2/4 and currently winning but working on his game at 3/6. I was told by someone that beat a $5 rake wasn't possible at a 2/4. The one time I played I voluntarily committed to the pot three times, all with suited connectors. The only hand I won was when I flop a boat and river quads w/ Q7o in my big blind 6 handed. I took down a 20 bet pot.

I thought it was beatable, I am inclined to stick w/ 2/4 because I am used to the structure but it is a $5 rake, as opposed to the 2/5 that is offered at $4 rake. However, I know the 2/4 to be good whereas I have never played at the other casino.

Thanks for the help everyone.

[W. Deranged]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes.

Make sure that you alter your starting hands to take into account the likely multi-way action in the spread limit game. The value of top pair hands goes down, while the value straight/flush draw hands goes up.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is not precisely correct.

The strategy in spread limit games is to push dominating hands very hard pre-flop. The reason is that there are in fact decreased implied odds in spread limit; if you raise $5 pre-flop, then your opponents are putting in $5 now with the prospect only of winning $5 bets on later streets, not double ($10) bets in a standard limit structure.

The fact about straights and flushes is just a standard fact of loose/passive low limit hold'em. The spread limit factor actually means you should slightly decrease your interest in these hands.