Rama Report
I recommend a bus for groups of 3 or less, it's usually $5/person, reasonably comfortable w/ washroom, & is AC.
http://www.casinorama.com/groupsales_bus.aspx
Rama doesn't let you call ahead, & if you get called while eating, you're back at the bottom! FV lets you call ahead, & they try to accomodate if you say you're eating 1st. They say wait should be 30-60 mins (ended up being 30), not bad on a Friday night. If you miss your call at FV, wait is usually longer on a Friday night.
I ate at Legends because it's fast, & excellent prices for a casino. Food is avg. Typically, Rama food prices are better than FV, w/ mostly avg food at both. The washroom is too far from the poker room, you'll miss hands, FV washroom is closer to the poker room.
FV has bigger games, 2/5 is the biggest NL game at Rama. Both comp $0.50/hr, most people don't even know.
Rama NL games have typical buy-ins (20-100 BB), better for 'real' poker IMO than FV's NL low buy-ins on 1/2 & 2/5 (5/5 & up are better). 10%, $5 max rake, $2 min on flop. FV session fees take more $ overall.
Dealers were good, better on avg than FV. Big bills don't play, unlike at FV. If you add or rebuy, someone gets chips for you so the dealer doesn't stop & the game continues. FV should do this to get more hands/hr (since it's session fees).
Both games are generally LP on weekends, w/ a bit more fish at FV. FV has a lot more 5/5 tables, Rama typically only has 2 2/5 tables on weekends. You have a higher chance of being at a 2/5 table w/ a shark at Rama. Rama has more 1/2 tables.
http://www.casinorama.com/groupsales_bus.aspx
Rama doesn't let you call ahead, & if you get called while eating, you're back at the bottom! FV lets you call ahead, & they try to accomodate if you say you're eating 1st. They say wait should be 30-60 mins (ended up being 30), not bad on a Friday night. If you miss your call at FV, wait is usually longer on a Friday night.
I ate at Legends because it's fast, & excellent prices for a casino. Food is avg. Typically, Rama food prices are better than FV, w/ mostly avg food at both. The washroom is too far from the poker room, you'll miss hands, FV washroom is closer to the poker room.
FV has bigger games, 2/5 is the biggest NL game at Rama. Both comp $0.50/hr, most people don't even know.
Rama NL games have typical buy-ins (20-100 BB), better for 'real' poker IMO than FV's NL low buy-ins on 1/2 & 2/5 (5/5 & up are better). 10%, $5 max rake, $2 min on flop. FV session fees take more $ overall.
Dealers were good, better on avg than FV. Big bills don't play, unlike at FV. If you add or rebuy, someone gets chips for you so the dealer doesn't stop & the game continues. FV should do this to get more hands/hr (since it's session fees).
Both games are generally LP on weekends, w/ a bit more fish at FV. FV has a lot more 5/5 tables, Rama typically only has 2 2/5 tables on weekends. You have a higher chance of being at a 2/5 table w/ a shark at Rama. Rama has more 1/2 tables.
Comments
1. LAG raises to $25 from EP. I'm in the SB w/ 99 & call, BB calls (LP). Flop is 10 3 2 offsuit, I check, LP checks, LAG bets $50. Both fold. Thoughts?
2. I'm in the BB w/ 63 s, unraised. Flop A 5 4 (2 s, open-ended SF draw!). Checked to LAG who bets $20, TAG calls & I call. Turn is a A (pairs the board). LAG bets $40, TAG calls & I fold (put button on boat). River is a 2, would've had the nut straight. LAG bets $80, TAG raises all-in (+ $120). Button has 44 (boat!). On the turn, I was thinking TAG's flop call didn't seem like a set (he didn't raise despite flush draw & was keeping it cheap for anyone w/ a gutshot, scared of straight?), but I put him on a boat based on his physical actions.
3. TAG bets $20, LAG raises to $70, I have QQ! Stacks are deep so I could call to flop a set (If I think TAG isn't gonna repush) but I'm 100% sure TAG has AA or KK. Not worried about LAG as I didn't think he was very strong. I fold, TAG pushes & LAG calls. TAG has AA & LAG has JJ (bad!).
4. TAG bets $20, I call w/ 33 (put him on high PP, thought he might not get away from it) & LP calls. TAG bets $60 on flop of 8 3 2 (2 s), I raise to $150. LP folds, TAG calls. TAG checks turn (10, non-s), I go all-in ($300). TAG reluctantly folds QQ. Maybe I should've called flop, or not go all-in on the turn?
5. Limped pot (on button w/ QJ h), SB raises another $15 (too little!). TAG & I call. Flop is J 10 9 (top pr, open-ended). Checked around. Turn is a 5 h (flush draw for me!). TAG bets $50, I call & LP folds. River is a 6 h! TAG checks, I bet $150 (pot basically). TAG thinks about raising but just calls (9 8 flush). Should I have bet the flop?
Overall I was up $210, originally thought I was up $300 & happy but recounted later.
Where do you play? I hear at 'poker clubs' rake on 5/5 is often $15 max!
Can you recall what the stack sizes were?
It's hard to decide what to do without knowing what the stack sizes are.
As for the hands (only my 2 cents, with the limited info (stack sizes, etc) you provided:
1. LAG raises to $25 from EP. I'm in the SB w/ 99 & call, BB calls (LP). Flop is 10 3 2 offsuit, I check, LP checks, LAG bets $50. Both fold. Thoughts?
OK, but might as well just toss 'em pre-flop. If it's 1-2 (you didn't say what the blinds were) this is a gigantic raise. Even if it's 2-5, you haven't told us what the standard pre-flop raise is at your table, so...
2. I'm in the BB w/ 63 s, unraised. Flop A 5 4 (2 s, open-ended SF draw!). Checked to LAG who bets $20, TAG calls & I call. Turn is a A (pairs the board). LAG bets $40, TAG calls & I fold (put button on boat). River is a 2, would've had the nut straight. LAG bets $80, TAG raises all-in (+ $120). Button has 44 (boat!). On the turn, I was thinking TAG's flop call didn't seem like a set (he didn't raise despite flush draw & was keeping it cheap for anyone w/ a gutshot, scared of straight?), but I put him on a boat based on his physical actions.
OK. You are getting 3.5:1 on your draw, implied odds might be there since there's also a third player, but you made a good read on your opponent. Could have also raised the flop (since a LAG bet out) and gotten a better idea of what you were facing (set/overpair/whatever). Then when the TAG calls or raises you back, you know that he called the original bet with the goods. The more I think about it (which ain't too much!), you did the right thing.
3. TAG bets $20, LAG raises to $70, I have QQ! Stacks are deep so I could call to flop a set (If I think TAG isn't gonna repush) but I'm 100% sure TAG has AA or KK. Not worried about LAG as I didn't think he was very strong. I fold, TAG pushes & LAG calls. TAG has AA & LAG has JJ (bad!).
Great read based on previous action - you're a poker player!
4. TAG bets $20, I call w/ 33 (put him on high PP, thought he might not get away from it) & LP calls. TAG bets $60 on flop of 8 3 2 (2 s), I raise to $150. LP folds, TAG calls. TAG checks turn (10, non-s), I go all-in ($300). TAG reluctantly folds QQ. Maybe I should've called flop, or not go all-in on the turn?
I think you could have made more money here. You got what you wanted, hitting your set vs. an overpair (which you are 100% sure of based on previous action). Without giving specific advice, which would alternate from call the flop, bet less but not suspiciously low amt (120 say) on the turn, or a third option which I'm too lazy to think about and type out, you gave him no option other than folding.
5. Limped pot (on button w/ QJ h), SB raises another $15 (too little!). TAG & I call. Flop is J 10 9 (top pr, open-ended). Checked around. Turn is a 5 h (flush draw for me!). TAG bets $50, I call & LP folds. River is a 6 h! TAG checks, I bet $150 (pot basically). TAG thinks about raising but just calls (9 8 flush). Should I have bet the flop?
Hard to say. I would probably bet once SB checks. Is he checking an overpair on that board? Then you call a pot-sized bet with a draw, but not a particularly strong one. You could be WAY behind already, esp. if he bet with the Ah. I don't think I would be calling a large bet with your hand. If you bet the flop and get called, then you can plausably raise the TAG off of his hand on the turn.
Lots of ways to see this hand, that's what makes poker so much fun!
Cheers,
Matt
Thanks for the washroom tip.
1. It's 2/5 & $25 is a std raise. He's LAG so he could be betting anything, but he did raise from EP. The 10 high flop didn't look bad for 99 but I just couldn't put him on a hand. I was out of position, can I lead at the pot? My stack is $425 preflop.
4. If I made a bigger raise on the flop, would he be more likely to put me on a overpair to the flop? Did my flop raise seem like I wanted action? (2.5x, too little?). I was thinking the pot was already $360, $120 seems suspicious (also less than my flop raise) but any big amount is basically all-in. My stack is $470 preflop.
5. I played it passively on the flop, guess I was scared of KQ. I really didn't know how good my draw was, I have the top OESD (but KQ is possible) & QJ suited flush draw (but AX suited is possible). I put TAG on a flopped straight (checked rainbow flop, bet T) so I thought at least my flush draw was good (it was, but my read on his hand was wrong, I dominated both his draws).
Thanks for the help, more comments about these 3 hands from anyone is helpful. I want to play hands similar to these 3 better in the future, help!