I don't believe that 1/3 is more nitty at all, in fact I would say the opposite. And you have a lot more choices of tables so if you find a nitty one just change tables... easy peasy..
I don't believe that 1/3 is more nitty at all, in fact I would say the opposite. And you have a lot more choices of tables so if you find a nitty one just change tables... easy peasy..
I tend to agree with you. This was information from a regular that I was trying to pass on.
I look forward to hearing his results and experience.
I got there around 2pm and had to wait less than 5 minutes until a new cash game table opened up. It's awesome that you can now officially buy chips at the poker desk and you no longer have to go to another floor for the cashier (poker desk even advertised it and asked me if I had already purchased chips).
There were 4 $1-$3 tables running already (while the $535 tournament was also running - more on that later*) and more opening up quickly as tourney players busted. It was literally comical how many people asked to be immediately moved away from my table and also moved to another seat at my table. As far as I could tell, the regs (I'm assuming regs because they referred to the casino workers by first name) sat down and immediately asked for a table change (maybe they knew something I didn't?). I don't know why but my table played musical chairs the whole time I was there.
My first big hand was kind of funny. I'm not sure what the guy was thinking but he didn't stay at the table long (he wasn't the only one I'd felt and see off). I'm in EP with KK and make my first preflop raise to $10. After a couple callers villain in SB 3bets to $30. I 4bet to $100 (Advice here? How much should I be raising?), two folds, and villain shoves for around $260. I call and he reluctantly turns over AQo which bricks out.
Next (slightly) big hand I'm in the CO with 99. Three limps and I just call. Next to act is the button - this nice guy is literally not in his seat for the majority of the time I'm there. At least three times the dealer had to ask somebody to post the session fee from his stack (he doesn't really factor into this hand too much, I'm just mentioning this because wtf was this guy doing? Who leaves a stack and pays multiple session fees?). This button guy raises to $20 (when he was in is seat he was uber aggressive and he did win a few nice pots in his defense) and BB and everyone else calls. Flop is AcKc9. Checks all around to me (this was the norm it seemed in general - there were a lot of preflop raises and a lot of checked around flops).
I bet like 90% pot and only BB calls - I felt bad for BB because he was the kind of guy that thought he knew how to play poker...but no. At least he looked the part with his hoodie, shades and earphone in one ear. Turn was a 4h and I bet around 50% pot after he checked. I know I'm way ahead but I don't like checking here to give him a free card. He mucked it.
My peak was around $750 but ended up cashing out for just over $650 ($350 in profit) after I lost a pot to this one crazy woman at the table. She was playing really aggressive with her kind of short stack forever (mainly because she was calling it off/shoving with nothing - she rebuyed (rebought?) at least twice before I left). I raised preflop in EP with KsJs and she was only caller in SB. Flop was K64 rainbow. I cbet and she called. Turn was 7 putting two hearts on the board (I didn't have a heart). I led out again and she shoved for $200-ish. She had done moves like this before - she was crazy. She had just shown a 6 high bluff maybe ten hands ago. I folded and she said she had two pair but IDK.
Overall, a little tight of a table but definitely still profitable. And there were a bunch of $1-$3 tables to choose from if you wanted. I will be sitting in the $2-$5 PLO at some point this summer. That should be fun!
*Tournament*
It seems to be doing well (only 48 runners for the $535 today). From what I heard the regs like it and it's constantly growing. I got a pic of the blinds structure. Similar to what others have said, I was told that the structure is still new and could change, but here's the breakdown for the blinds that they gave me (this is the same for both Tuesday and Sunday tournaments at this point - both 30 minute blinds and 7.5K starting stacks):
(BTW, should I have posted this in this thread? Comp, move it if I messed up.)
EDIT: This is a skill level 6 tournament with a patience factor of 12.36 in case anyone was wondering. Also, I forgot to mention that the guy at the counter told me that once the blinds structure was finalized they would be posting it on their website.
My first big hand was kind of funny. I'm not sure what the guy was thinking but he didn't stay at the table long (he wasn't the only one I'd felt and see off). I'm in EP with KK and make my first preflop raise to $10. After a couple callers villain in SB 3bets to $30. I 4bet to $100 (Advice here? How much should I be raising?), two folds, and villain shoves for around $260. I call and he reluctantly turns over AQo which bricks out.
I like your bet size, it's big enough to make the villian think, "I'm pot committed!"
[/QUOTE]
Great trip report thanks for posting.
If you're interested in carpooling down to Niagara or Brantford, give me an IM.
With Great Canadian Gaming killing poker at Great Blue Heron Casino, Casino Woodbine, etc., poker is being driven underground in Ontario. :redface: It was like a funeral on the final day of poker at GBH - as soon as each tournament table became empty, the poker table was noisily unscrewed, dismantled and carried away outside like a coffin, probably never to be seen again in a GCG-run casino, to make room for the baccarat tables ASAP! As Toronto Pimp and other members who have played there knows, GBH's (now former) poker TD/manager had the best regular tournaments in Ontario.
The guy that was the most recent poker tournament director did an amazing job.
:
Woodbine or Niagara should grab this guy before he goes to the states.
One of the clubs that forum alumni chaimruven and others had recommended to me before was smart enough to duplicate GBH's dates, structures, etc. There was originally a $330 tournament scheduled for July 4 at GBH, so this club started hosting the replacement tournaments yesterday.
We started with 14,000 chips (including dealer add-on) with blinds starting at 25/50, so our starting "M" or SPR (stack-to-pot ratio) is a deep 187. I don't like the recent trend of Playground switching to partypoker LIVE's shallow structures where there are already antes (button) in the very first hand, so even with the $5,300 buy-in, the starting M was only 50. :eek: I have analyzed the structures of the upcoming WSOP-C and they are surprisingly shallow (worst of all the other WSOP-C I have played, and most WSOP-C include a Seniors RING event) which means that those of you that can only afford one bullet for each event will be at a huge disadvantage against the pros and online grinders who can afford to pay for up to 14 flights such as in the Colossus (M = 50 only) or up to 14 $1,100 re-entries in the main event.
At the end of the first break, I had 17,600 chips. The catered lunch arrived soon after, so similar to GBH's free buffet voucher, we could eat as much Portuguese chicken, rice, potatoes, Tim Horton donuts, drinks, etc.
The players were generally easier to beat compared to Casino Niagara, which I can talk about more in the Niagara thread if anybody wants. At the final table, my winning hands were trying to steal with 86, Ace-rags, and A4 UTG.
I finally got my first premium hand of the tournament with
:ks:kd.
SB who also had a big stack 3-bet me and I opted to flat. On a flop of Jc-Tc-5, he bet over half the pot. I opted to jam, he insta-called with QQ and I became the big chipleader.
When we were at the bubble, the micro stack jokingly asked if the table still wanted an even chop. Just like at Niagara, the big stacks didn't want to light money on fire and declined to donate to the bubble.
When we got down to the final three, a $100,000 HendonMob Milestone member asked me to do ICM calculations. I told them that I prefer playing tournaments to the end but gave an amount better than ICM that I would accept a deal. They accepted their rounded-down amounts, and they said to give the leftover to the dealers.
While casino dealers are used to all the cashers "forgetting" to leave any tip despite no automatic 3% staff gratuities deduction in Ontario, the club dealers were disappointed that the tip to be split among them was not bigger. Having been a tournament dealer before and knowing the pain of not getting paid a single cent after dealing for many hours, I took money from my deal to give more to the dealers in front of the other cashers hoping they would do the same, but none of them did.
Here is what GBH's remaining 2018 schedule was, which may be duplicated by the club:
July 15 - $550
Aug. 1 - $330
Aug. 15 - Summer Classic, was $800
Sept. 5 - $330
Sept. 19 - $550
Oct. 3 - $330
Oct. 17 - $550
Nov. 7 - $330
Nov. 21 - $550
Dec. 5 - $330
Dec. 19 - King of the Cards
TLDR: It's great that the 24 nice tournaments/year at GBH have a replacement in west Toronto, with much less driving for me than Port Perry. They are more beatable than Niagara's shark-filled tournaments, including the $165. The tournaments are on the first and third Wednesdays 11 am of each month, so the next one is on July 18. You may PM me for the organizer's contact info if I know you.
That's a great write-up. I'd be interested to play depending on how far "west Toronto" we're talking about.
Dealers are always upset at tips. Did the dealer add-on not go to them or did they happen to forget about it? Also, these types of tourneys really help get their cash games going (where they really make their tips) so hopefully they're not too disgruntled.
Hey I was there for an afternoon killing time, just 3 weeks ago waiting for my brother to pick me up in the evening. Funny co-incidence.. He was picking me up as we went west to Brandon and north to Clear Lake.
Decent sized room now, its the first time I've been here since they moved it downstairs. The other one out here is still way nicer though - check out McPhillips next time you are out.
Pretty full poker room this afternoon... Got on a table about 3:45 and played until wife wanted to leave at about 9...
One of my better sessions, bought in for 300, down to about $260. and doubled up fairly early when I flopped a straight in the BB with 10,J on a 9,Q,K flop, I check, a bet of 15 into a pot of 18, 1 caller and I raise to 50 because 2 to a flush on board, rag on the turn, I bet 100, he calls, another rag on the river an I push the rest, just a little over a hundred, he calls and I flip over the nuts. He folds and says he had K,Q.
Had AA twice and only had action on 1 of them when a short stack who limped early shoved over my button raise to 16. Of course when you are running good they hold.
AK twice, both times in late position, first time mid position raises to 8, 1 caller and I call... OK, ok I know, should raise but it it's not even a pair. Flop AK2, initial raiser bets 20, I raise to 50, 1 caller, turn 6, checked to me, I bet a hundo, river 4, he checks, I flip out another hundo, he thinks and calls again. Easy game, he flips over his A6 for a worse 2 pair and then berates me for not raising AK... lol. Couple of rounds later, he raises to 10, I 3 bet to 30 with AK again, he calls saying well you must have better than AK this time. Flop 10,J,3. He checks, I bet 40 and he folds 9's face up. I show again saying you can't trust old guys.. Got a laugh out of that one.
All in all a good night as I cashed out $917. off my initial buy in... I don't think I lost a hand where I went past the flop. Several mid or small pairs but never tripped up once. Two black K's once which I 3 bet to 30 , 2 callers, A high 2 diamond flop, I get away when they both start a raising war. One flops a straight, the other a nut flush draw which never comes. Sometimes you're the bug and sometimes the windshield.. I much prefer the latter.
Comments
the great game
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Good luck. I was there last night playing 2/5 PLO. They had 16 tables of 1/3 running.
I was told the 2/5 is a better game with more action. The 1/3 Is on the nitty side. I hope you draw a good table.
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I tend to agree with you. This was information from a regular that I was trying to pass on.
I look forward to hearing his results and experience.
There were 4 $1-$3 tables running already (while the $535 tournament was also running - more on that later*) and more opening up quickly as tourney players busted. It was literally comical how many people asked to be immediately moved away from my table and also moved to another seat at my table. As far as I could tell, the regs (I'm assuming regs because they referred to the casino workers by first name) sat down and immediately asked for a table change (maybe they knew something I didn't?). I don't know why but my table played musical chairs the whole time I was there.
My first big hand was kind of funny. I'm not sure what the guy was thinking but he didn't stay at the table long (he wasn't the only one I'd felt and see off). I'm in EP with KK and make my first preflop raise to $10. After a couple callers villain in SB 3bets to $30. I 4bet to $100 (Advice here? How much should I be raising?), two folds, and villain shoves for around $260. I call and he reluctantly turns over AQo which bricks out.
Next (slightly) big hand I'm in the CO with 99. Three limps and I just call. Next to act is the button - this nice guy is literally not in his seat for the majority of the time I'm there. At least three times the dealer had to ask somebody to post the session fee from his stack (he doesn't really factor into this hand too much, I'm just mentioning this because wtf was this guy doing? Who leaves a stack and pays multiple session fees?). This button guy raises to $20 (when he was in is seat he was uber aggressive and he did win a few nice pots in his defense) and BB and everyone else calls. Flop is AcKc9. Checks all around to me (this was the norm it seemed in general - there were a lot of preflop raises and a lot of checked around flops).
I bet like 90% pot and only BB calls - I felt bad for BB because he was the kind of guy that thought he knew how to play poker...but no. At least he looked the part with his hoodie, shades and earphone in one ear. Turn was a 4h and I bet around 50% pot after he checked. I know I'm way ahead but I don't like checking here to give him a free card. He mucked it.
My peak was around $750 but ended up cashing out for just over $650 ($350 in profit) after I lost a pot to this one crazy woman at the table. She was playing really aggressive with her kind of short stack forever (mainly because she was calling it off/shoving with nothing - she rebuyed (rebought?) at least twice before I left). I raised preflop in EP with KsJs and she was only caller in SB. Flop was K64 rainbow. I cbet and she called. Turn was 7 putting two hearts on the board (I didn't have a heart). I led out again and she shoved for $200-ish. She had done moves like this before - she was crazy. She had just shown a 6 high bluff maybe ten hands ago. I folded and she said she had two pair but IDK.
Overall, a little tight of a table but definitely still profitable. And there were a bunch of $1-$3 tables to choose from if you wanted. I will be sitting in the $2-$5 PLO at some point this summer. That should be fun!
*Tournament*
It seems to be doing well (only 48 runners for the $535 today). From what I heard the regs like it and it's constantly growing. I got a pic of the blinds structure. Similar to what others have said, I was told that the structure is still new and could change, but here's the breakdown for the blinds that they gave me (this is the same for both Tuesday and Sunday tournaments at this point - both 30 minute blinds and 7.5K starting stacks):
1 - 50-100
2 - 75-150
3 - 75-150-25
4 - 100-200-25
5 - 150-300-50
6 - 200-400-50
7 - 250-500-75
8 - 300-600-75
9 - 400-800-100
10 - 500-1000-100
11 - 600-1200-200
12 - 800-1600-200
13 - 1000-2000-300
14 - 1200-2400-400
15 - 1500-3000-500
16 - 2000-4000-500
17 - 2500-5000-500
18 - 3000-6000-1000
(BTW, should I have posted this in this thread? Comp, move it if I messed up.)
EDIT: This is a skill level 6 tournament with a patience factor of 12.36 in case anyone was wondering. Also, I forgot to mention that the guy at the counter told me that once the blinds structure was finalized they would be posting it on their website.
I like your bet size, it's big enough to make the villian think, "I'm pot committed!"
[/QUOTE]
Great trip report thanks for posting.
If you're interested in carpooling down to Niagara or Brantford, give me an IM.
One of the clubs that forum alumni chaimruven and others had recommended to me before was smart enough to duplicate GBH's dates, structures, etc. There was originally a $330 tournament scheduled for July 4 at GBH, so this club started hosting the replacement tournaments yesterday.
We started with 14,000 chips (including dealer add-on) with blinds starting at 25/50, so our starting "M" or SPR (stack-to-pot ratio) is a deep 187. I don't like the recent trend of Playground switching to partypoker LIVE's shallow structures where there are already antes (button) in the very first hand, so even with the $5,300 buy-in, the starting M was only 50. :eek: I have analyzed the structures of the upcoming WSOP-C and they are surprisingly shallow (worst of all the other WSOP-C I have played, and most WSOP-C include a Seniors RING event) which means that those of you that can only afford one bullet for each event will be at a huge disadvantage against the pros and online grinders who can afford to pay for up to 14 flights such as in the Colossus (M = 50 only) or up to 14 $1,100 re-entries in the main event.
At the end of the first break, I had 17,600 chips. The catered lunch arrived soon after, so similar to GBH's free buffet voucher, we could eat as much Portuguese chicken, rice, potatoes, Tim Horton donuts, drinks, etc.
The players were generally easier to beat compared to Casino Niagara, which I can talk about more in the Niagara thread if anybody wants. At the final table, my winning hands were trying to steal with 86, Ace-rags, and A4 UTG.
I finally got my first premium hand of the tournament with
:ks:kd.
SB who also had a big stack 3-bet me and I opted to flat. On a flop of Jc-Tc-5, he bet over half the pot. I opted to jam, he insta-called with QQ and I became the big chipleader.
When we were at the bubble, the micro stack jokingly asked if the table still wanted an even chop. Just like at Niagara, the big stacks didn't want to light money on fire and declined to donate to the bubble.
When we got down to the final three, a $100,000 HendonMob Milestone member asked me to do ICM calculations. I told them that I prefer playing tournaments to the end but gave an amount better than ICM that I would accept a deal. They accepted their rounded-down amounts, and they said to give the leftover to the dealers.
While casino dealers are used to all the cashers "forgetting" to leave any tip despite no automatic 3% staff gratuities deduction in Ontario, the club dealers were disappointed that the tip to be split among them was not bigger. Having been a tournament dealer before and knowing the pain of not getting paid a single cent after dealing for many hours, I took money from my deal to give more to the dealers in front of the other cashers hoping they would do the same, but none of them did.
Here is what GBH's remaining 2018 schedule was, which may be duplicated by the club:
July 15 - $550
Aug. 1 - $330
Aug. 15 - Summer Classic, was $800
Sept. 5 - $330
Sept. 19 - $550
Oct. 3 - $330
Oct. 17 - $550
Nov. 7 - $330
Nov. 21 - $550
Dec. 5 - $330
Dec. 19 - King of the Cards
TLDR: It's great that the 24 nice tournaments/year at GBH have a replacement in west Toronto, with much less driving for me than Port Perry. They are more beatable than Niagara's shark-filled tournaments, including the $165. The tournaments are on the first and third Wednesdays 11 am of each month, so the next one is on July 18. You may PM me for the organizer's contact info if I know you.
Dealers are always upset at tips. Did the dealer add-on not go to them or did they happen to forget about it? Also, these types of tourneys really help get their cash games going (where they really make their tips) so hopefully they're not too disgruntled.
Ditto please
Thanks Blondefish
The format is the same as GBH and are they raking it the same?
the $5300 buy in was referring to the Playground's recent $5300 buyin tournament, where the starting stacks gave the players an M rating of 50
He was just stating that some places are starting with antes and too shallow a stack size and that THIS tournament was NOT following that trend.
Also the word is that the workers are close to a strike which would be the perfect excuse to shut it down and never reopen.
FU Winnipeg
FU pocket Kings.
you forgot
F.U. Trigs..
just have fun, Kings will cracked but it is more fun than being stuck behind a desk at work.
Decent sized room now, its the first time I've been here since they moved it downstairs. The other one out here is still way nicer though - check out McPhillips next time you are out.
One of my better sessions, bought in for 300, down to about $260. and doubled up fairly early when I flopped a straight in the BB with 10,J on a 9,Q,K flop, I check, a bet of 15 into a pot of 18, 1 caller and I raise to 50 because 2 to a flush on board, rag on the turn, I bet 100, he calls, another rag on the river an I push the rest, just a little over a hundred, he calls and I flip over the nuts. He folds and says he had K,Q.
Had AA twice and only had action on 1 of them when a short stack who limped early shoved over my button raise to 16. Of course when you are running good they hold.
AK twice, both times in late position, first time mid position raises to 8, 1 caller and I call... OK, ok I know, should raise but it it's not even a pair. Flop AK2, initial raiser bets 20, I raise to 50, 1 caller, turn 6, checked to me, I bet a hundo, river 4, he checks, I flip out another hundo, he thinks and calls again. Easy game, he flips over his A6 for a worse 2 pair and then berates me for not raising AK... lol. Couple of rounds later, he raises to 10, I 3 bet to 30 with AK again, he calls saying well you must have better than AK this time. Flop 10,J,3. He checks, I bet 40 and he folds 9's face up. I show again saying you can't trust old guys.. Got a laugh out of that one.
All in all a good night as I cashed out $917. off my initial buy in... I don't think I lost a hand where I went past the flop. Several mid or small pairs but never tripped up once. Two black K's once which I 3 bet to 30 , 2 callers, A high 2 diamond flop, I get away when they both start a raising war. One flops a straight, the other a nut flush draw which never comes. Sometimes you're the bug and sometimes the windshield.. I much prefer the latter.
Curious what's running daily as I'm considering making the trip up.