Originally Posted by ZonaAlumn
Cliffnotes at bottom
THe state of Florida, as most of you know spreads up to 5-10 nl but is capped at a $100 buy in, odd I know, but thats the current law. The seminole tribe runs two Hard Rock casinos, one in Ft.lauderdale the other in Tampa, I guess you can consider these the flagship casinos of Florida. Though they still have to abide to the $100 cap rule for poker they are the only casinos in Fl to offer BJ and roulette. There are restaurants, boutique shops, concert venues, overall the Hardrocks represent a small watered down version of say the Trop in AC, which is not a bad thing.
Aside from the two hardrocks there are a plethora of small local poker rooms. These poker rooms are usually adjacent to a horse racing, harness racing or dog tracks. These local places may or may not have slot machines and clearly are lower scale than their Hard Rock counterparts. Not to sound snobby but the crowd at these places is what you would expect.
I usually play online but enjoy playing live about 10x per year. The bulk of my play has been in either AC or Vegas. Having just moved to Florida May was my first experience at one of these local casinos. Fifteen minutes away from me in Pompano is the Isle of Capri casino offering Harness racing, Slots, and poker. THe casino itself has been renovated and is actually pretty decent looking, though the crowd for the most part is made of few tourists and mostly local regulars who play poker (and prob the slots) 3-5x week.
I like playing live in Vegas and to AC because I enjoy the social aspect of the game. BSing with the guys next to me while playing meaningless stakes is not a bad way to kill a few hours. So when I go to a poker table Im the guy who will make small talk and laugh with good nature as a fish calls my allin and cracks my AA with J9ss. I know what Im getting myself into playing in these types of card games and Im fine with it.
So when I first tried the Isle of Capri in Pompano I went with the frame of mind that fun is more important than winning. With a 35% vig (rake+expected tip) in their stt's and mtt's , fun better be the priority.
My first experience was in May to play an MTT. The mtt filled up, 100 people, before I got there so I played a $125 stt. I see that 6 of the 10 players are making conversation before play starts, talking about "You see Bobby's big score the other night?" or "You playing the multi tomorrow?" etc...Clearly these were the local regulars who share a social/degen relationship with one another. And they are all friendly with the dealers and floor who refer to them by name. Nothing atypical here for a local place, again something I expect and fine with.
There was stuff that was borderline collusion like announcing their hands when in a pot. Softplaying, you know when to locals get into a pot together and they want to check it down, so they will continuously tap the table even before the community cards are revealed. There was one thing that I couldnt hold my tongue for. When were down to about 5 people and the blinds were high, a regular utg pushes his stack in and it gets folded to the BB. The BB another reg starts to deliberate, during this time utg starts saying "I have a good hand" over and over. As BB is still thinking, utg has both of his cards on the table infront of him and places one hand over each card. He then starts to lift his hands a few inches off the table with the cards stuck to his palms. Even from my seat on the other side of the table i could see he had A9.THe dealer is watching him do this but says nothing.
Frustrated I say, "Dealer you see what he's doing, you know that is not right"
Dealer doesnt say anything.
UTG says, "Im not doing anything wrong."
I say, "You know you are, youre clearly exposing your hole cards beacuse you dont want a call.Now dealer what are you going to do about it?"
Dealer finally says, "Tim you have to keep your cards covered."
BB finally calls with KK.
The next time I went was in early July. I learned from last time and got there early, brought and Ipod, and a little weed. Aftrer registering for the $150 mtt + a $10 add-on, so out of my $160,$40 is rake, I went back to the car and smoked up. Nicely toasted I went to the table saw the expected banter of the local regulars before the action started, and put on my headphones. So I sat there for 3 hours listening to the Grateful Dead and taking advantage of the incredibly passive play. At the bubble I was in top 10 in chips but it was push fold time so anything could happen. Chipleader, a local, was at my table along with 5 other regulars, one being a shortie immediately to chipleaders left. CL was playing maybe 60% of his hands, but for some reason found a fold 4x in 4 orbits in the SB to shorties BB. CL also folded for the last 5000 in a 30,000 pot to another regular. I didnt say anything and vowed I wouldnt come back. I finished in 7th and netted $500.
Because Im writing now, I obviously did return. Last night I played their $150 mtt. Same drill early registration, smoke it up, sit at table with bunch of regs, with the normal pre-tourney chat. I say hello to the guys around me, get grunts, and put on the headphones.
First hand I get 99 utg at 25-50, I raise it 250 (8000 starting stack) 3 other come along including utg+1. Flop is 742 rainbow, I bet out 600, utg+1 calls. TUrn is 5, I bet 1000 utg+1 calls. River is a 3, check, check. He turns over 55 for the set and the hand. I muck my cards.
He says, " Dealer I want to see those." Then turns to me, "I want to see what you were betting with."
I say, "Youre not supposed to be asking to see the card for that reason."
Dealer flips my 99 and says," He's allowed to see the cards at any time."
Again I explain, "That is not why the rule is there. Its to protect against collusion, what he is doing is a bit of an angleshoot."
Then the 2 regualrs on my right chime in. "Anybody can ask to see your acards at any time." says one.
"At the wsop in vegas they ask to see the cards, that s the rule", says the other.
Then the utg+1 guy says, "I can see your cards whenever I want. I wantred to see what you were betting with."
I realized I should try to put an end to this. I turn to the dealer and ask him to call the floor.
Dealer says, "Thats the rule, youre wrong."
I say, "Call the floor please."
Dealer, "Thats the rule, he's not going to say its different."
Starting to get aggrevated, "I want to speak to the floor."
Dealer, "You CANT speak to the floor."
"Your telling me I cant speak to the floor?"
Dealer hesitates then he looks at utg+1 and says, "Sorry ROb." Gives me a dirty look and finally yells, "Floor!"
Floor comes over and the dealer starts to talk, then utg+1 starts to talk.
I finally say, "I called the floor, you guys mind?"
They both quieted down and the floor came over to stand behind and between myself and utg+1.
I asked, "Are players allowed to ask to see hole cards to gain information?"
Floor says, "THe rule says the player has a right to see your hole cards if it goes to showdown."
I reply, "But are players allowed to ask to see the cards solely to gain information. Or is it to prevent colluding?"
Utg+1 starts to explain the hand, I cut him off and repeat to the floor.
"Is it a rule to prevent colluding or to gain information?"
Figuring out that it was the regular that asked to see the cards he repeats, " A person can ask to see cards at anytime after showdown."
"SO youre telling me, as the floor here, that a player has the right to ask to see my mucked cards to gain information whenever he like?"
He recanted a bit and said, "It is a "privilege" to see the cards."
With that the floor walked away. I was seen as the interloper who dared to disturb the status quo and the self made rules governing "their" game. I then realized who was I to interfere. I am basically a guest at someones home game, and if I dont like the rules or the company, I dont have to play. THis made it easier to digest how bad the floors ruling was. I mean he sees these guys everyday, and on some level he is expected to get their backs. Im sure these things go on in most local card rooms across the country. I for one will not be returning. Im sure they dont mind as the room is usually packed and my play is significantly better than most.
Cliffnotes
Isle of Capri in Pompano is infested with local regulars. Too much of you against the locals+dealers+floor mentality. I wont be back.