I think all of the other LA cardrooms are nicer than Commerce. If you just want to experience the largest cardroom go to Commerce; if you want a nice experience, go anywhere else.

I'd highly recommend the Ameristar in Blackhawk Colorado, as an alternative. A little bit of a commute, but the staff and players are really nice.

Played 8/16. The amount of degenerate punting going on in that game is honestly unbelievable.

Cali trip recap:

Went to the Bike first, couldn’t get seated into 8/16 quick enough, so left. Wasn’t impressed with the low limit room anyways.

Next went to Commerce, and I loved it. Bustling, tons of action, played 8/16 +$145

Couple of nights later I went to Hollywood Park. Played 8/16 for a bit, but the lists were dying and it kept getting short and tightening up. Switched over to 15/30 with a kill to 20/40, which is WAY higher than I’ve ever played and had a blast. Really liked that structure. +$180 for the night.

I live in a limit poker desert, so it was really nice to get to play my preferred game at a variety of places. Will def return.

Commerce is my favorite room. It’s just dirty and fun. Yeah it’s not the nicest, but we’re there to play poker.

What do you like about it more than any other LA rooms? Other than they may have more games of what you like to play, I can't imagine what it could be.

Bike was nicer before, but the new ownership moved all the Cal-games (table games) to the main floor where the poker room used to be, so it’s not as inviting. Also the players at Bike are just annoying.

I like HG but it’s pretty far from my house. I used to play there a fair bit. Hustler is ok but their chips and felt are disgusting.

Commerce also now has an awesome food menu (no comps though) and the players there are super action. Also the floors are much better than they used to be now with keeping the players respectful and they pretty much don’t tolerate abuse ever since the pandemic.

Maybe I’m just a creature of habit but I always felt like more degenerate gamblers come to commerce so the games are consistently good action.

I didn’t like the low limit room at the Bike, was kinda gross/random. Idk what could be nicer about other rooms than Commerce was. The floor staff were helpful to a first timer like me, tons of games, tons of action. The only “wildness” I witnessed was coming from the O8 table about seat changes or people trying to jump the line from the must move or something. Standard O8 reg tomfoolery.

The 15/30 with a 1/4 kill at HP was a MUCH better game than I was expecting. Really a bump to my confidence level.

Bike is great if you want to play 20/40 and lets you put your name on the board online. I agree that the low limit room is cramped and dingy and I wouldn't go to Bike to play much else. Hustler used to be my default card room when I lived in DTLA, and I suppose it's not really any further from me than Bike or Commerce, but it just feels farther away now. I haven't played at Commerce since 2017 but might give it another try if folks think it's improved.

Oh yea, that reminds me: commerce plays without a kill and most of the other casinos have a kill. personally, I don’t like the kill at all at 20/40, so I prefer it off. It’s why I started playing at commerce in the first place (I used to exclusively play at bike)

Update: the high limit area at the Bike is now under construction and the 20/40 game is shoved in a dingy back area with no TV and no board. Still a great game, but definitely don't go for the ambiance.

Also, good luck to everyone playing the 1500 today. I know I need it!

what rooms are the best in the bay area for 8/16, 15/30, and 20/40?

bay101 has 8/16 but the rake is absurd esp with no BBJ

cal grand has 15/30 but has a stupid button blind struct and you end up paying $35 per round in blinds assuming you rarely fold sb. also is the highest LHE game in the room which is never good for obv reasons

Artichoke Joe's had two tables of 20/40 running on a Tuesday the last time I was in the Bay Area and the game was pretty good. The biggest game at Bay 101 when I went in April was 8/16, which is obviously not good because it used to run 40/80 and 80/160 regularly. I'm pretty sure the 15/30 and 30/60 games at Oaks don't run anymore.

So nobody raises pre???

Only limit hold'em at the Oaks is 6-12. It's a good game, and one can definitely beat the rake -- but when 1 big bet/hour is less than minimum wage, and the dealers are pulling more than you are even before tips are considered, it can lead you to question your life choices.

Sadly, absurd rake is the nature of poker in California.

Long time no post but quick WSOP trip report which might be of interest to the forum.

Played the $300 HORSE at Golden Nugget and the $1,500 HORSE at the WSOP. Both were fairly soft and if you have any experience with the non LHE games I think they would be good spots. My experience is really just some low stakes online and occasional live mixed games.

Seems like the worst game for most players was Stud/8 (by a lot) and the worst game for me was Razz. If I go back I need to really learn ranges for defending the bring in.

Had Norman Chad on my right for most of Day 1 at the WSOP and happy to report he is great for the game and a pleasure to play with.

I have no idea about other rooms, but frequently 8/16 is the SMALLEST game at Bay101 now (occasionally they run one table of 4/8). There will be 1-2 tables of 20/40 half kill running most of the time (essentially morning -> night).

8/16 with a $7 drop is pretty terrible indeed.

If anyone knows 14GTiger, he may be interested in the ~$500 freeroll he qualified for on swc. Game is July 26. He is 1/47 qualified previous event winners. Hes not receiving private messages. Ty.

I’m talking with some people who played them, it sounds like all the Mix events except for the 10k were in incredibly soft.

Does Bay101 still get LHE games bigger than 20/40? If so, what stakes and when do they normally go?

Gonna be in Chicago starting July 31 until the 3rd. Where can I get to play the min bet poker if I don’t have a car?

There’s no more min bet in public casinos. Pm me there’s a chance I can get you into a game on the 31st underground. 20-40 kill but plays big

Anybody who remembers me still here? I haven't played poker since February and could count on my fingers the number of times I'd played in the year before that, but I still have "fond memories" of posting on this forum and all the great help I got from people.

I believe that the 8 years I spent as a poker player tangibly improved other areas of my life. Learning to avoid results-oriented thinking, learning that you can make the right decision and get the wrong result, learning to control what you can control and not sweat over what you can't, budgeting, planning, risk, emotional control, how so many competitions in life simply come down to who wants it more - that's just what I can think of.

I'm now a professional magician if you can believe that - Look me up on Instagram at TheMetalMagicianDMC - that's me, and there are links to my Facebook and YouTube.

Not sure what made me pop in here today, I think I miss the trolls on the BBV forum LOL. I remember seeing some fun threads in the Las Vegas Lifestyle forum too. A former coworker/friend of mine and her husband moved to Vegas about a year and a half ago and are constantly posting pictures of their exploits on Facebook - not gonna lie, makes me jealous LOL.

Anyway, how's everybody doing?

DTXCF

bump

"chop it up!"

dude - nice post - and cool tricks!

agree that there's a lot of ways that poker and life overlap.

glad you're doing well!