This.
(minus the word 'crappy')

That is very true. the $8max rake threw me off at first, because than more then sets off beer and snacks even if he buys craft.

So I realize this is off topic, but since I have never been to a casino, should I sit down at the $1/$2 NL with max buy-in or do a sit-n-go/tourney if they have that? Or does it really come down to my preference?

Typical 1/2 NL at a casino the buy in is $60-300. When I first started going Id get around $150-180-200 in chips. Right in the middle is where I wanted to be, which I thought was OK because if I got all my chips in (and lost) it wouldnt be that much but I still had enough to play some hands and make a good profit.

Lately Ive been sitting with $80-100 at 1/2 and ive been coming home with extra money every time. Ive sat with the minimum a few times and its still playable but your so short you cant play random hands you cant make crazy plays etc. Your pretty much all in on the flop or preflop.

Friday and Saturday are usually the best days to go since people go to drink and have a good time and dont mind loosing money while being social. Ill add that I have the most fun on these nights because during the week I find that lot of people are grumpy and too serious. Theres always a bigger crowd on the weekend too.

bigpeen

buying in short is something I never do usually, BUT do you think that your short BIs are giving you the dicipline to play more ABC TAG, which is the way you are supposed to usually play at the 1-2 1-3 no fold-em donkvilles that lots of these casino tables are!

I need to consider this a bit, thanks for the tip LOL

well ABC poker is what I always called it myself before I even knew that was an actual term for poker. This is because its just straight up very little bluffing. Only semi bluff on draws which usually works.

playing short is just soo limiting.

you sit at a table with your ABC strategy. with $60

You fold, fold, and fold, and fold, and fold. couple limpers, you have A5 in MP and decide to limp. flop is dead cant call. Wake up with 55 raise to $6 get 5 callers dead flop, checking out is your only move. call a raise with AK on button and nothing, guy bets 80% your stack.....fold. Sooner or later your $60 is now closer to $40 and you cant call anything preflop unless you have the nuts, in this case your just shoving anything better than 99 and AQ. someones going to isolate the pot and showdown comes.

When you have a nice starting stack, you can call raises and possibly make a lot of money. Short stacking gives you more fold equity instead of limping/calling your stack off for chances to win. You have to get it in and get it in big. Its like tournament style play.

as I said before calling a raise with AK on button. you can call but you have to know the other person is going to bet again. because your so short . So you might be better off shoving and taking the $10 or showing down AK vs A10. I just hate coin flips. sometimes id rather be sure I hit the flop instead of throwing my chips away.

Its interesting to see other people buying in short at 1-2 games. At my casino the max is 200. I like to sit down with 150-160. This helps to keep me from trying to push people around to early when I really should be filling out the table. Also it allows me to add on 100 if I get down to 80-100. I think this helps my play style alot.

Well I think there might be some real value in buying in a little short, but buying in for the min $60 in a $200 max 1-2 for example is something that I will avoid unless that's all my BR and if so I shouldn't be in the card room anyway lol!! Sorry OP we seem to be derailing a little.

Oh it is totally fine. I have never played at a casino, let alone much cash games, so it is nice to get different perspectives on the buy-in.

If i had to pick I would choose to sit down with somewhere between $100 and $150, just so I don't get in too much of a bind without the cash experience behind me while still leaving me at least 50BB to play around with.

The $1/$2 tables at the Majestic Star in Gary, IN have a max/min of $40/$100

I only added this to the thread because the OP lives near Chicago.

Sitting at that table with the max buy-in seems to be more profitable than any tourney you can play in the area. Unless you are great at crushing tourneys. I'm not that great.

Any cap? Unless everyone is raising/shoving, won't you be raking most hands?

Oh, I saw it now- ~25% of the buy-in as max rake? Ugh.

If you're there for entertainment, I don't know why you're playing NL. If you're there to make money.... at least an early lead is somewhat protected.