I am going to move to Reno in the next couple months. I have a lot of questions. What is so bad or good about Reno. Ive heard a lot of mixed reviews.

Is there enough games for someone to play professionally without having to constantly find different games and casino to go to?

How much action do the 1/2 tables produce on giving day? Can you make 100-500 bucks a day realistically, 7 days a week.

How many people on here play professionally daily at the lower stakes?

Is a 8000$ bank roll enough to start at 1/2. Plus 6 months rent and bills paid already.

I have many more question,but I am going to start with these 4.

Why are you moving to Reno? I've never really liked the city, but there is definitely poker action 7 days a week. I would consider living in Tahoe, and driving into Reno as needed, but maybe I'm just biased.

As for the action, I think $8k is plenty if you are actually a winning player. I know multiple people that have achieved $30+/hr in low stakes live games in the area over meaningful samples. I would recommend the Peppermill for Reno and Harvey's during specific seasons if South Lake Tahoe is an option. I don't know a lot about the various 1/2 games, but the game at Grand Sierra always seemed sort of soft to me I guess. The Peppermill also runs 2/5 and
5/T if you ever want to play bigger.

Tahoe is very slow other than when the Circuit is in town. It's also a lot colder than Reno.

Thanks for your reply. Well, Reno is actually a perfect area for starting poker imo. Close to Tahoe, and all the Sacramento area Casino without having to pay a lot to live in those places.Reno has some decent condos for cheap. I think for me it would be easier to start in Reno vs Vegas. Then I can move to Vegas or travel if need be. I think it best to keep my living expense low as possible.

How do the locals act? How do the tournaments play? What about the best comps? I heard Atlantis has the best comps.

So, I'm guessing the popular time of the year to go play poker in a cold place like Tahoe is in the Summer time? or when they have the wsop?

(tough love coming)

How is it you're so clueless about the poker environment of a place that you have apparently decided to move to? Have you even been there and put in a decent amount of hours at poker, or are you going in blind? What is your winrate at 1/2NL and over how much time? Do YOU even think it's possible- mathematically or otherwise- to "realistically" make up to $500 a day at 1/2? Can you pay your bills on minimum wage pay? Why do you consider Sacramento part of the area when it's 100 miles plus away? Even Tahoe is a haul from Reno.

Looks like you answered your own questions.

Not upset about the "tough love" Poker players tend to think they have to set everyone straight all the time, because people ignorantly think being a "poker pro" is easy. I am grown man. Very grown. I know the lifestyle is going to be very tough.

I've had to drive 5 hours to get to casino where I live now. Driving an hour and 30 mins to Sacramento is nothing. if I need to find bigger more live games. I'm not trying to make 500$ a day playing 1/2. I'm not trying to make 500$ a week to start off. I'm cool with breaking even or making small profits in till I get acclimated with the regs. I've been playing poker for over 13 years. I learned my flaws worked on them. Came back, left the game, worked on them.So, playing 1/2 at Reno isn't a big deal.

Didace, Always good to hear from other people. My opinion isn't as informed as people that have lived there.

I don't think it is a good plan to try to make a living playing 1/2. And I don't think it is useful to spend a great deal of time mastering 1/2 before playing 2/5. Or 2/5 before playing 5/10.

Of course there is something to be said for practicing and getting better over time, but ultimately if you are good enough to make a living at 1/2, you are probably good enough to make a better living at higher stakes.

I would probably play some 1/2 just to get comfortable with the casino, the atmosphere, the rules, the dealers, the floors, etc., but then try to jump right into 2/5 with that $8000 roll you've got, but even then I'd be eyeing the bigger game and taking note of the players who play in both. That will give you a pretty high risk of ruin, but then again, you are moving out to Reno to be a poker player, so why not go for it? If it doesn't work out, you can always move back to where you came from or start looking for a job. Or better yet, start looking for a job right away, and play poker on the side!

And if I can give you one more piece of advice that you didn't ask for, it would be to consider that winning at poker is not about being the most technically proficient card player in the game. For most winners in most games I'm familiar with, it is about being able to hold your own against the better players in the game, while taking what you can from the whales. And there are generally not whales in 1/2 games.

Good luck.

^Thanks, I left some things out.I can get my bankroll up double,because I have investments I can cash out. I already have income available in Reno. The same that I have here. Plus, I have someone moving with me to hold their own. I am only starting at 1/2, because realistically I can take those hits without feeling pressure right away. You're right about the stakes. I'm not trying to go big or go home. I'm thinking of a long term plan. I can afford to live with what I have now for a year. I'm not looking for high swings. I've done that before. I want something slow and steady.

My wife and I are seriously considering retiring in Reno. We visit there two or three times a year and have always found something to do that did not involve the casinos.

My wife talks to all the dealers (table games, not poker) and they universally say that the like Reno very much. I realize that may not mean much but we haven't found a disgruntled dealer who pans the area as a place to live.

There is supposed to be a gang problem there. I can't speak to that. You will see a lot of street people and people do beg - especially on the strip.

I only play the VERY cheap daily tourneys at CAL NEVA so I can't say much about poker life except that I've never had any kind of issue with the people at the table. They seem to take the poker seriously - but recognize that it's just a $25 tourney and want to have fun playing.

My 20 cents (inflation - you know)

You just described every single city in America of any sizeable population.

Best thing about Reno is legalized hookers just outside of town off exit 23, then some more a little drive away in Carson City. But the bad part is the legal hookers charge outrageous prices that only suckers pay, in part because they must give 50% of each dollar they make to the brothel, and pay rent for their room each day. You win some, you lose some.

I've been to the Peppermill many times, I like it.

Reno is a horrible place to play professionally......

There is no way you'll make more than $20/hr for 50 hours a week.

Summer is ok with all the events but winter is real slow especially mid-week/mornings.

The money is just not there......lots of super tight retired types and short stacked tourists.

There's probably 6 tables of 1/2 in the entire city M-F 3pm-10pm. Then drops to 1-3 tables after those hours. Weekends it gets busier but most are short buy-ins of $60-100.

You can play 3/5, 20/40 limit or 5/10 if your lucky enough to get a seat as these games are hardly ever running and always full with the same faces.

Might as well just get a job if your in Reno and play part-time to supplement your income. Otherwise you will go broke....

I used to live in Reno the games there do kind of suck most of the time - Vegas is cheap to live in as well with like 100 times more and better games. Just my 2 cents

Thanks for everyone "2 cents" the feedback on Reno is necessary. A couple of things. Gangs are everyone for a city 200k in people and above. Not much I can do about that. Gangs in LA and Vegas.

The part about there only being 6 running tables in the whole city during Monday-Friday surely can't be true?! With Atlantis, Eldorado, and Peppermills I was told has the most action. You mean to tell me the "beautiful" card room in Peppermills only has like 3 tables running Monday-Friday? The other 2 so called big poker rooms with the other 3 other tables playing? Or something like that. With no other poker action at the rest of the Casinos? It can't be that dead. They would just end poker Monday-Friday and play on the weekend then.

I am on the fence about Vegas or Reno...So, if the cost of living is the same I will lean more towards Vegas. So, opinions will help. thanks

Yes! The whole city....
Peppermill is the best place to play...mainly because of their high hand/bonus hand payouts, more people coming and going so its easier to get a seat.
The normal is to have 2 tables of 1/2, 1 3/5, 1 3/6 limit and 1 Omaha

Alantis, Eldorado, Grand Sierra, Nugget.....all slow with 1 table of 1/2 and 1 table 3/6 limit. And expect to wait for a seat...
The other casinos don't even have a poker table...

Even if you are playing, the day shift is a joke, pretty sure everyone is losing due to the small pots and rake. Those guys are happy folding all day long....

Your way better off in Vegas, LA or even Bay Area....

People are telling you there is not much poker action in Reno. I suggest listening to them. I'm only an infrequent visitor but I have never seen a single 2/5 game going, and generally only see a smattering of 1/2 tables full of crusty old people. You'll find more tables going in a second-tier Vegas room than in all of Reno combined.

If cost of living was the reason you were leaning towards Reno, then Vegas is for you. I haven't really seen where you gave reasons for Reno over Vegas other than saying it would be easier for you.

I did a lot of research on Reno. Mostly people said you can find some action, but I do lean towards what you're saying. The numbers don't speak to action. Speaks more to grinding slowly for a small come up or a flat out loss. For Reno to have that many Casinos it doesn't scream poker town. You go to Vegas or Cali you can find a ton of action daily. I was having my doubts about Reno so called action. I thought it was just modest, now I'm thinking slow, dead action. I like modest, but slow I can't deal with.

I was going to go to Vegas and Reno this Christmas to see Reno for myself, but spending a couple of days won't tell me the truth about the year. That is why I am glad to hear opinions.

Its dealing with parking, traffic, tons of people, the high price increase of things when certain things are going on in town. The hot weather. Reno is cold compared to Vegas. Vegas is too flashy for me at times. I will deal with it if I can make good money. Its really all about the profit to me, so those things I mentioned up above don't really matter right now, because Reno isn't a slice of heaven either.

It isn't often that I agree with eco, but this is one of them. BTW, the traffic between Reno and Sac is terrible - basically always. It's probably more like a 2 hour drive, if not longer. In the winter, it's beyond terrible.

As for Tahoe, apparently I need to spell it out for you - there is almost no poker there. Certainly not worth the gas to drive there from Reno.

How have you not studied bravo? No need to bother people on a forum or travel. You can see just how much action is going on with a few clicks/swipes.

^ I never said I was planning on playing in Tahoe significantly. The only time was when they have the wsop events. Thanks to this forum I am getting a better picture of Reno. One that yelp, other poker reviews that are outdated don't tell you. At the end of the day I wasn't going to stay in Reno longer than a 6 month lease if the action was slow.

There is parking everywhere, mostly free, and valet for a small tip. There is no city like Vegas when it comes to parking.

Traffic is generally only an issue on the Strip, which is not an issue for you because you will learn which cross streets to take to get to where you're going. Only noobs sit in traffic.

People are your customers. Also they are pretty spread out.

You are not forced to go to the events, nor are you forced to pay those prices. Trust me, I've lived there You're not going to be living in the middle of the Strip.

^Great points. At the end of the day its Nevada or nothing for me. I don't want to go anywhere else to play poker. I don't live in a state that has poker. So, I have to move regardless if I want to play daily, weekly. That is why I have my mind made up on leaving for sure. Vegas is taking the lead over Reno now. Mainly because the money is greater there.