Brantford 5-10
I'm too lazy to do a trip report at the moment. In short, I had my biggest live winning session in my short poker career. $460 over a 7 hr session. I'm still in shock at how weak the play was. For anybody out there who plays the 5-10 is it ALWAYS this weak? It's not 2-5 7 to the flop weak, but 4-5 on average and cold-callers everywhere, and the most passive players ever... It makes 1-2 limit on Party look like a tough game. Life is good. 
Comments
live 5/10 games are generally very soft...4-5 to a flop soft...
Once I get up between $250-$300 I quit for the day. On Sunday we had about 7 of 10 players over the age of 55. I found the older guys to be very weak players. I was winning showdowns while they were chasing straights and flushes all day. I find that the play is definitely softer earlier in the day. I also have played sessions at night from midnight to 4am. The crowd tends to be younger and more aggressive.
I plan on playing again sometime again this week. I will probably be wearing a Famous Flesh Gordon's t-shirt (I like to advertise the bar I manage). If you see me please introduce yourself.
Dave
The Brantford 5-10 game.
Before they had 2-5.
It brings a tear to my eye.
"Memory. All alone in the moonlight...
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again "
ScottyZ
Damn. That's downright scary. Similarly would the 10-20 have been as weak as the 5-10 is now?
Maybe a little, but the most dramatic "softening" of the game is always going to occur in the lowest limit a casino offers. This is simply because complete beginners will almost always start off playing at the lowest possible stakes a casino offers.
Actaully, the introduction of 2-5 at Brantford is one of the reasons I moved up to 10-20. The 5-10 games mostly became a mixed bag anywhere from somewhat soft to somewhat tough1, wheras they had previously been consistently very soft. The skill differential between 5-10 and 10-20 shrank quite a bit, and IMO the house drop suddenly became an important factor, with the typical 5-10 house drop per hand being more than double that of the 10-20 (as measured in big bets).
ScottyZ
1Relative to other low-limit poker.
It sure is.
Yes, the play is certainly different. But IMO not different enough to be paying a 2-4 BB/100 hands house drop premium to sit 5-10 as compared to 10-20.
Even still, it's probably a pretty close decision.
$1,000
This is a reasonable buy-in. I'd usually buy-in for $500. I'd say that $300 (aka 30 big bets) is about the minimum I'd ever buy-in for at 5-10.
This reminds me of a similar occurance. My g/f brought something like $250 to a Brantford 2-5 table, and she told me latter that there were a lot of comments from the table that this was too much to buy-in for. I told her that her buy-in amount was fine, and something like, "You're one of the best players at the table, so who do you think knows better what you should buy-in for, you or your opponents?"
I've heard advice at the table ranging from "AK is only a drawing hand" to "The 14 reasons why I don't raise with AA pre-flop." Forget taking advice from your poker opponents with a grain of salt. You're going to need the whole salt mine.
ScottyZ
Hey Guys, this may be in the wrong section but it relates to your comment.
I just recently started playing B&M games, especially 2-5 at Brantford. I find people love to give their opinions on the "Bingo" aspect of the game, mostly I nod my head and note how they play for future pots.
For example, "if you raise with AA, KK, QQ etc.. from EP you are just building your pot and ppl with weak hands will call just because the pot is so big already, and then they get sucked out". I know you have to play your good hands aggressively, but does that idea sound stupid, true?
Thanks for your thoughts, great comments, im learning alot from you guys.
Funny and ironic. I generally would buy in for the same amount at 2-5 (and get the same comments not only from players, but from dealers, pit bosses, etc). IMO the variance is much higher at this game, and I reasoned that possibly buying in for 40BB (at 5-10) as opposed to my typical 50BB (at 2-5) might be reasonable since I would expect the variance of 5-10 to be somewhat lower.
For me, I don't want to have to reload. If you buyin for 20BB, and you lose one big pot, you're going to have to reload (is losing 5 BB in one pot that unreasonable?), so why not initially buyin for more? FWIW I think I ALWAYS buyin for 50BB online (since the funds are so readily available).
I hear you. I remember hearing so many justifications for weak play. "Why are you raising that hand, you know they'll call? (I can only assume they're talking AK)", "I won't raise aces because they get sucked out (awesome justification)", people passing up river value bets fearing the most irrational hands (runner runner flushes or straights heads up).
Yup that idea sounds extremely stupid. You get people to make weak calls preflop when you're in a strong position and that's bad? Just nod and smile. Of course you're not laughing with them, you're laughing at them...
After a few sessions I became disciplined enough to stick to a plan that has worked well for me.
I buy-in for $300 @ the $5-$10 tables. I never re-buy and have only busted out once. Too often I see guys buy-in for $100-$200 and bust out. They always run to the atm or reach into their pockets for another $100-$200. Usually they are pissed off and they chase cards and bust out even quicker the 2nd time. I always let out a tee-hee when they throw their cards in disgust, swear & leave the table red-faced.
I now leave the table once I am up $250-$300...lately I have been able to accomplish this in around 2.5 to 3hrs.
I think that it is very important to have a game plan b4 sitting down to play. It was hard at first but after about 6 sessions I now have no problem sticking to it. I believe that it has helped my game tremendously. I am hoping that I can grow my bankroll so that in another year I can move up to $10-$20.
I appreciate all the info and advice that the more experienced players are willing to offer in this forum. It has been invaluable.
Dave
1) Play solid poker.
2) Leave when I feel like it (usually I have a rough idea of how long my session is going to go for), but I give myself some wiggle room based on if I'm still having fun playing (ie. at a good table), and also based on how tired I feel.
OK, I generally plan on having a solid winning session when I go as well. Obviously winning 250-300 at 5-10 isn't unreasonable. Winning that every time you go in 2.5-3 hrs of course is though.
I had 9d10d
Flop was 5,7,8 rainbow
Turn 6...still no flush draw on board...I bet, everyone folded but one who guy...he called.
River 5...this was followed by reraise after reraise between myself and another player who had played very well and was getting great cards...
He flipped over 55 to give him quad 5's to win a $300 pot. I was stunned to say the least...I thought he either had a straight to the 9 or a possible pocket 7's or 8's for a boat...oh well...that's poker...I wasn't angry at the bad beat...just absolutely stunned seeing the the 3rd quad in one session.
Whats even funnier is that the slots/table players have the exact opposite line of thought.
That might be true of slot players but not table players (well not all anyways). Tho I always have a range. I will not lose more than $400 for example. I had one good run at a craps table where I made $1,800 in about 20 minutes. That to me says get the hell out of there with the money. The quicker I get up at those games the easier it is for me to leave.
Steve Wynn once did not want to include a poker room at one of his casino's. However, one of his colleagues advised him that the poker room will bring in people who may win at poker but they will also lose plenty at the other games.
I can't believe how many seniors play both the lotteries and the slots. All I see is old people paying back the gov't with their pension funds.