If you're playing every day you're not that recreational

Never had much trouble with the staff there but definitely heard of issues. Still, find it worth it when there are certain regular villains you can always get a stack in against.

I had a day job and supplemented my income via poker. Yeah, ok, semi pro...

ETA: I had personal issues which which were compounded just by being around those guys so much. I had days where I'd bank a few hundred in profit and STILL come home feeling like crap. Money really ISN'T everything, unfortunately in my case... ;(

Les Croupiers obv

Is it really that good?

It's good for regulars...

Yeah I've been grinding there for a while now, along with the Gala Cardiff cash games when they're decent.. Usually they're decent on Fridays.

Ah, yeh I've only played the Croups games a couple of times (during the Oneway events) but they seem to be fairly action-packed. Only real problem with them is they're not positioned well to try and attract people from the table games.

Have been playing down at the Gala now for a few months after moving to Bristol.

Impressions are a little mixed but generally Im happy.

Positives

1. I have a small bankroll that I am trying to build, and the 50NL and 100NL games are good for this as are the tourneys.

2. The tourneys are quite soft, especially at later stages if you have a half decent stack but there are a few scattered good players.

Example
Later in tourney, blinds quite high like 300/600 and I have stack of around 20k. Villian on BTN had about 19K

Had KQ in something like MP1.

I raise to 1500 and BTN calls. Flop K 7 4.

I bet 3,500 BTN calls.

Turn Q

I bet 8k, BTN calls.

River 2

I shove and villian calls his last few thousand and turns over A 10.


3. There are some terrible players. I played with one lady who checked the nuts back on the river because random villian had 'obv missed draw and so would'nt call'. I was staggered especially as a few people round the table seemed to nod their heads in agreement when I enquired why she had not bet. (I was not educating fish, just had to ask her)

4. The cash games are soft but you need a half decent bankroll as they are full of calling stations, drawing at all sorts of insane outs.

5. The chicken and bacon club sandwich is decent!

Negatives

1. The dealers at the cash tables are not all confident quick dealers. They have a tough job as Bristolians like a drink but poor decisions are made. Even when the manager is called to settle a dispute, accurate information is not always passed to the manager and I dont believe the correct decisions are always made.

2. Dealing can be a little slow at times and the game can also be slow (Cash) because they are occasional new players sitting down, drunk people and distracted people. I got horrifically slow rolled by some complete amateur who had no idea what he was doing. That was annoying.

3. The rake is 10% capped at £6.

4. They make smokers get the lift downstairs after 10:30pm. This means they are away from the table for around 10 minutes and if you have 4-5 smokers on your table it is very annoying to lose over half the table while trying to play cash.

haha so true

The 50/50 games are amazing, not sure if it is beatable with rake but there is always a maniac to stack. Anyone know the general skill level of the higher stake tables?

Also what's with the poker table situated by the bank area, is that the FT from earlier tournaments or something?

Bank area, you mean on the gambling floor? That's always there, it's the first one to open and the best one to sit at late at night to pick up punters.

Yeah on the gambling floor. OK thanks, I'll bear that in mind. Are you a reg there? I was going to go tonight but decided to watch the PCA instead.

Also do you have any info on the tournaments, (apart from the schedule on their site), like the quality of play, average length and number of runners? Thanks.

Also hi, I don't think there are many poker players in Bristol.

Not a reg, hate live poker. Play every now and then tho. Think there are a few poker players in Bristol, not 100% sure tho.

Average length depends, number of runners depends. They keep changing the schedule so it's hard to say. Think the Friday £30 F/O normally gets 80-90 runners, is a giant crapshoot and lasts til like 3am. Not sure on any others tho

I think it's about time I made my way down again...

Eh, the tournament schedule has been fairly fixed for a while. Quality is lolbad, length is 6-8 hours and they get 40-60 non-prime, 80+ prime time (Fri/Sat)

Fair while being since like just before UKIPT? IDK I've been here like 3+ years now and it's changed a bunch of times over that

Ha you jerk on the plus side it has also been getting progressively better.

Anyone out there beating the 1/1 and the obscene rake long term ? I've been running way above expectation (only played 10 sessions) but is the 10% rake beatable ? Or am I just running super hot ?

I'm really hoping the rake is beatable as i love playing in it. You get some real characters ! And for the most part everyone is super nice. Although you do bump into some real ego driven strategy talkers which becomes annoying and time taken over some seemingly very easy decisions can drive me nuts (I'm working on trying not to get frustrated by this. The other night I found myself muttering obscenities under my breath which was not healthy for me or my game lol)

Anyhow if your beating the 1/1 game long term I'd be glad to hear its possible. Thanks Ben.

To quote a famous sage "ain't nobody got time for that ****"

I have no idea if it's beatable, the standard in there is godawful as you'll know so probably?

Hey matt are you a reg ?

They have implemented a main game - feeder table deal there. Wadda you think about that ? Im always looking at that dam feeder table and thinking "I wanna be over there" grass is always greener I guess.

Not really, I play the tournaments so am on first-name terms with most of that lot. I didn't know they were now doing the main/feeder thing - it seems a bit odd given they usually have enough interest later in the evening to run 4 or 5 tables.

Have they phased out 50p/50p completely? Haven't seen it running the last few times.

Yeah seems like most everyone hates the feeder system. Ive yet to hear one person say anything good about it. I wonder who everyone should talk too to get it changed ?

50p/50p is officially extinct. I think its a good thing cus the 50/50 has to be near impossible to beat the rake. But I have noticed more short stacks than when it was around. The nice thing is all the worst players are in the 1/1 now.

My hot run has gone into overdrive I dont wanna post my hourly cus it will look like a brag but its through the roof !!!

The game was ok tonight (sunday). But it was populated mainly with regs ond only 3 of them are huge spots. I just hope I can beat the rake over the long term cus I really love being there.

I'm a little wary about calling it unpopular because Gala regs will complain about anything, and this sort of pales in comparison to "proper" problems (rake increases etc). I guess you'd talk to the cardroom manager in the first instance though.

Bump anyone still play?

Yeah, from time to time. The tournament schedule is much better now, although there was recently a rake hike which kinda sucks.