He is allowed to raise, but he goes last. The action that happened is like the BB thinking he was UTG and putting out an immediate raise in a flop game.

I've logged in the neighborhood of 150 hours of 2-3 spread, but have never ventured up to 3-5. For weekend play specifically, what sort of variation in skill level is there between these two games? I play 2-3 exclusively due to bankroll size, but I project to be moving up in the next couple of months.

3-5 is tougher during the week. But with spring training in town in the next month... I say move on up. Not much difference between 2/3 and 3/5 on the weekend. Table selection is key.

when he said he didnt want to raise the other player should have told the off duty dealer that is was okay. then if the dealer called the floor anyway and forced two parties to do what neither wanted then they can get the money back one dollar at a time from him.
and the current dealer should have told the other dealer to let it go. both are there for making a living from the players.

Dealers at TSC are quick to call floor when there is a player error.,but when they make mistake they go along with what ever the players deciede on. Do not call floor and admit another mistake. Players there know there are a few very bad , no very outrageous dealers working there. Players need to call floor every time one of those dealers make a mistake. Hopefully managment will get tired of it and dealer goes away.
Plus never tip a bad dealer. Tips are for good service. Bad dealer also includes ones that talks all the time. It is proven fact if you are engaged in conversation you are not paying attention to what is going on around you. They are not concerned about your money but they cry and talk about players who do not tip them and call them names .

Due to the hours that my career demands, I don't really have time to play on weekdays, although I wish I did. It does work out a bit in my favor in that sense that my availability is Friday/Saturday nights and Sunday during the day. I've found that games can benefit aggressive play on Sundays.

And my days off are on Mondays and Tuesdays.... so i pretty much stick to 2/3

Played the daily tourney yesterday and finally cashed instead of finishing 2-5 spots out of $$$$. Still think it's a waste of time for the most part but prolly softer than 2/3 during the day. Obviously it was like a 13-14 person chop where 2-3 people got 900-1100 and rest got $650 or something.

13-14 person chop? Seriously? The regs are not going to like me when I start playing. I never chop. Moved the the area about a month ago and plan on getting into the room soon to check things out. Will probably starting playing in a couple weeks.

When a bunch of regs have been making chops like that for so long, they tend to just team play you until you get knocked out, and then do their chop. The casino likes chops too, so don't be surprised if rulings start going against you.

Yes this is a pretty accurate depiction of what you will see. If you are going to grind them regularly you will need to find a nice happy medium between massaging the regfish and keeping them happily grinding (and losing) on a regular basis vs protecting your own edge/equity.

There were times that I was able to lock up much more equity than my 3bb stack was worth in a chop, and there were times that I was the one standing in the way of the chop. Generally turning down multi table chops is standard and easy, although doing it respectfully will go a long way rather than just being "the a-hole who says no way no how get the eff outta here I'm not ever chopping".

It will be the final table situations that you are going to have to decide between equity and the shallow structures or taking your late game edge as far as it will take you. Just understanding that fold equity is a tool you no longer have in your arsenal when you become the guy who won't chop. It is a fun challenge to walk this tightrope when the regfish and even some of the TDs are bouncing the rope under your feet making it even more difficult.

I understand your thought process in a vacuum, but when you become a regular in a live poker economy like in this room, it is important to stay balanced in the "what's best for you today" category and the "what's best for the economy of the room" category. (ie keeping fish happy so they continue to play and continue to make mistakes that we will benefit off greatly in the long run).

I am making the move to Las Vegas this month, so I won't be around anymore to massage and torment the regfish, but best of luck in your adventures in a great room!

Appreciate the insight. Respect is always given, I would never take the "*******" approach.

My decision to stop chopping (haven't chopped a tournament in over 5 years) was purely made to develop my short handed play in real live games. Once you get below 6 handed on a FT, the dynamic of the game changes drastically. Just so turns out that the rooms I played in back home, players ALWAYS chopped once they got to the final 5-6 players.

I truly understand what you're telling me and it makes a lot of sense to balance that out, but chopping 13-14 players deep is pretty ridiculous in my book.

I'll be as respectful and deferential as I can.

enjoy your move to Vegas! I'm 90% sure I'll be up there playing in the Colossus WSOP event along with some nightlies.

-Tilt

I will chop if I have a little stack and people insist just to reduce variance on my buy ins but I'm a Rec player. If I had a top 4 stack I would have to have a healthy offer to chop. Sometimes it's beneficial but it's definitely annoying when people talk chop once it's down to 2 tables. There should almost be a rule that it must be down to one table in order to chop???

at any point i will make a deal if its in my best interest and not if it isnt. only time i will make a not so good deal if its with some players i know well and its customary to just split equally. but if its real bad i wont consider it.

most want to split just to get in the money or because they dont play shorter handed well. they just got lucky and anted themselves into the money. those will get eaten alive short handed and as the blinds get excessive. i want to play with them as that is the purpose of getting in the tournament.
but i am getting to play higher stakes money wise with players that dont play high stakes. why quit when the stakes get higher.

Ray zee, def a good point...and these passive chop players will only call all ins with a pair or AK, AQ, AJ for most part so def can push around late unless they wake up with a big hand

The points I have on my card can I use them for any restaurant in the stick? Or just the poker room food?

What about alcohol at bars or rooms for a night?

You can use the points all over the casino for food for sure, and better yet you can convert the points to cash and then spend that as you like. Just go to the rewards club desk and ask them to convert to cash, then they give you a slip to take to the cage. Quick and painless and rakeback complete.

2 questions:

1) What is that scent they pump into the casino? My clothes and hair always smell like it after I leave and I have to shower and change when I get home.

2) When the dealers play in the games they wear their employee badges. Are they doing this because they are propping or just because they have to identify themselves as employees when they play in the games?

Only when they are on the clock. They are not propping, but they are still being paid their hourly. If they are needed to start a new game, they will be asked to get up and they go and start the new table.

Hmmm……..I've never noticed any scent but I also never noticed any scent at the Venetian even though many ppl claim it's so strong it makes them uncomfortable.

I notice the Venetian every time I'm there. I can't even remember ever noticing a scent at TSR...

I don't notice it when I'm there, but I notice it on my clothes when I get home. My wife does as well. Gila River poker room is worse with the scent.

My clothes smell like the walkway right outside the poker Arena.

Lol, isn't that called smoke?

The whole casino or at least the poker room smells like that. I think you get used to it when you're in the casino, which is why you only smell it right when it hits you at first.