Should I play at M8trix or Bay 101?

going to be around SJ area next month and want to play a few days. Only going to be there around afternoon on weekdays so is there usually good amount of games running at that time and <30min wait? I'm playing just the lowest stake so that's 1/2/3 at M8trix or 1/2/2 at Bay 101.

Also can anyone explain the rake structure? Poker Atlas says M8trix has a $5 drop and $1 no-flop drop while Bay 101 has a staggered rake up to $5, which I'm not sure what that means. And I'm just curious how chopping works if that's allowed at all with 3 blinds and can you limp in on the button?

Thanks!

Does anyone have some suggestions on adjustments you'd make, going from 1-2/1-3 NL Vegas games, to the 1-2-3 at the M8trix?

While I probably have a small sample size, I feel like I'm struggling more in this game than I should. Thanks.

Why don't you post some hands in LLSNL?

I'll be playing this weekend, so I'll attempt to make notes of key hands and post them, thanks.

Don't post hands where you win or lose a lot of money. Post hands where you felt like there was a close choice and explain what you think are the pros and cons of each choice.

Does it have a bring-in? If not, it still plays bigger than Vegas 1/3. If it does have a bring-in it plays a LOT bigger than Vegas 1-3. More like Vegas 2/5 in terms of size of the game. Even if you buy in for $300 you'll be a little short-stacked (SPR-wise). Also I've noticed at times that 2-3-5 players like to slum it in 1-2-3 more than would be in Vegas. If they usually play in the deep stack games they will be much more aggro and bluffy than a typical Vegas 1-2 player would be.

It's 1-2-3, the dollar on the button. No bring-in, but you're right that it plays bigger than Vegas 1-3. (And maybe with way more people short stack.)

I played again last Saturday, but don't have any really good hands to report in LLSNL. I started out getting coolered with a full house against a higher full house. (Both had sets on the flop.). In for $600. Chipped back up, and then when I was at about $650 on the table, I ended up stacking a guy with ~$530 stack when I made a straight flush on the river against his full house. (My first at a casino, I believe.) . I left pretty soon after that, as I was already 8 hours in.

I had finished down in my last 4 sessions, so it felt good to book a win.

This was my first time playing in California, and how the room was run came off as quite different in my experience playing in Vegas, AC, and Philly.

Came in at around 2:30 PM on Friday and there were already 35 people on the list. It took 3-1/2 hours before I got seated at the 1/2/3 NL game. In addition one of the floor supervisors took my name of the list thinking I was someone else - luckily I noticed before sitting there even longer.

Plastic chips? WTF?

Games were among the softest I've ever seen.

Dealers were competent.

There were two empty tables with covers on them - why? It seemed as if more table games were being opened, and no poker tables were being opened. Really strange as there always seemed to be around 30 people waiting on the list.

No players card for comps for food.

No complimentary drinks.

Honestly it really wasn't a pleasant experience for me, however I do realize I've been spoiled by playing in Vegas.

Overall the general vibe I got from M8trix was that it really isn't a place that caters to poker players or even cares about the poker culture. It's the little things like not opening additional tables, or using plastic chips....these might seem like small issues to others, but it is precisely the small things that make a good card room.

^^^^^^
and that is why more people playing poker at Bay 101

Get there at 5 pm and the list will be 50+ on a Friday. There will also be no place to park.

Last longer, stay cleaner. I don't mind them.

They are allowed to open a specific number of tables in total by San Jose law. They make more money with "Asian games" (all non-poker games are called this, even blackjack) so they keep them open even if nobody is playing them instead of opening another poker table. Doesn't make sense but that's how the clowns that run that place roll.

Illegal in San Jose. Casinos are not allowed to "encourage gambling" by offering comps based on time spent at the table. The city thinks they are protecting the public, like with the "no gambling for over 20 hours" law.

Illegal in San Jose. Bay 101 gives free ice water, coffee, and tea.

The restaurant in Bay 101 has low prices, essentially subsidized to the point of zero profit. That gets around the law but still rewards the player somewhat. Probably why so many players eat at the table.

Poker is low priority to M8trix because Asian games make more money. It is cool they have the 10/25 game, they move a lot of chips around that in that game sometimes.

Bay 101 is friendlier towards poker, but they know where their bread is buttered too. First priority is Asian games, second is LHE because it moves fast, third is O8 because it moves so slow, and last is NLHE. They've told me their lowest profit game is 1/2/3 NL. They will often close a 1/2/3 table at 7pm on a Friday with 30 names on the list so that they can open another Asian game table.

the wait time is seriously 3+ hours on friday afternoon? Is it even going to be worth the trip down from SF (I'm traveling there in a month or so)?

How about very early morning (4-7 am), or sunday afternoon/nite, is it still tough to get seated then?

Thanks for the info, would have wasted a lot of time down here if wait is really that long.

I once saw a guy wait 5 hours to get a NL seat at Bay 101. I had gotten there early to put my name on the list and then went home for a couple hours. I went back and was talking to a guy I know when my name got called. He had been waiting an hour. Four hours later I racked up to go home and I saw him finally get a seat.

You can always call and ask how long the list is. They won't put your name on the list but they will tell you how long it is. Actually, they will take call-ins at the high limit board. It will be easier to get a seat at crazy hours but remember this is not a tourist spot - the people have lives to go home to and there may be only 1 or 2 tables open at oh dark thirty and the action slow.

One more question on wait times (I'm moving out to the area soon) - are there long waits during the week as well (i.e. on a typical Wednesday night)? If I arrived at 8pm, would it be an hour or two until I got chips?

Thanks for the help. Trying to avoid showing up and killing a night waiting in a casino.

It's hit and miss. 8 pm is kinda late anyway, things start winding down. Lists are shorter to non-existant.

Thank you. Sounds like the action is better on weekends, but avoiding those absurd waits might be worth it. Appreciate the thoughts.

The past few posts have been unreasonably pessimistic.

The waits are nowhere near as long as they're portrayed. If I show up at primetime (5-7 pm) on Mon-Thu, I expect to get a seat within 15-30 min. I've waited as long as an hour and I quit once when it became clear after 15 min that it would be over an hour (Bay 101 had a big tournament that day so the crowds were unusually large at M8trix).

My one data point for Friday peak time was 45 min, but I think I ran really good that night (I was 17th on the list when I signed in, and was expecting 1h+).

I've never actually played at M8trix on a Saturday so I can't compare.

If you're going to play recreationally, your schedule is probably going to depend more on work / traffic than where da donks at.

After 4 PM, you can also call in to put your name on the list.

Eggs,


What do you want to play?

Still no PLO to be had?

It's not really better on weekends. Different people show up, but more of them show up on weeknights. Remember, this is not a party town. People spend weekends with their families, not in the cardroom.

1-2-3 list is 73 deep, 2-3-5 is 70. Bay101 shutting down 10 tables and not opening as many low limit tables has apparently resulted in M8trix getting flooded. This sucks.

How often does the 10-25 run? Does it go on Fri-Sun? Is the buy-in capped or uncapped? Is there a 5-10 games that runs as well? Thanks in advance.

The 10/25 is prescheduled, 5/10 may be as well. If you put a gun to my head I would say M 5/10, WF 10/25 but you should be able to just call and ask.

Funny story: Someone on 2p2 said there was a regular 200/400 LHE game, I dropped by and inquired. It turns out that it was scheduled regularly but rarely went. The brush asked me if I wanted to put my name on the list, just in case.

"No, thanks," I replied. "1/2/3 NL, please."

She was amused.

Still that crowded?

That was an anomaly from Bay101 moving, I'm pretty sure. But I haven't been back again to check.