I'm with you 100% but I can't determine what time is best for you, or anyone else for that matter. Maybe if we could get 4 or 5 players here that would commit to a certain day and certain time each week for a month, then we could build the game around them. Once we establish the day and time, I'll be happy to do what I can to publicize it. If we can get those committed players that will play in a $10/$20 once a week at a certain time, I'd be happy to take care of their dinners and if it's Sun-Thurs, obviously they could get a room rate or free room depending on how long they play. Let's get it organized and do it.

Best,
Matt

Interesting article regarding Colorado poker.

http://vegasstripmap.org/2011/06/22/...-on-expansion/

Fortune Valley is sure to be one of these casinos "rebranding" themselves. Any ideas on the others?

I believe this has been posted already (or I've at least already seen this story). Read the story directly below the one you linked to. It mentions Big Jim's in Cripple Creek and Sasquatch(???) in Black Hawk.

I vote for Thursday but could do Sunday after 3PM too. I will be in Vegas till 7/08 and I would commit for at least 1 day per week even it is shorthanded. I would love to play Holdem/Omaha 8 mix. 10/20 with half kill sounds good for me.
PM me if the games goes

Hey Matt,

Was just checking out the web site and didn't see this listed yet. Will this tourney run this Saturday?

Thanks!

Yes, this Saturday starts our Saturday Deep Stack Tournament. Total of $100 buy-in and starts at Noon. 30 min limits and start with up to 20K in chips if you take the dealer add-on.

Best,
Matt

I like it. The only problem I see here is the "PM me if the game goes" part. How about we start trying to get a $10/$20 game next Sunday (July 10th) at 4pm. The way it will work is if everyone that wants to play shows up. I can't tell you how many people tell me, "call me if you get the game" or "how many people will you have for the game." It's going to take a small amount of inconvenience on everyone's part to get the game going...JUST SHOW UP. Sunday July 10th at 4pm and we'll spread it. If you play in it I'll give you a free buffet. C'mon in to the poker room and sit down for awhile...if the game doesn't go right away, have a free drink. Work with me guys.

Best,
Matt

matt,

will the structure in the 100 be the same as the 500?

can't u also keep the 500 going, and just drop the guarantee???

that was the best tourn/structure around, played past 4 wk$.

Can i get a game report on 30/60? Still 1-2 weeknights, 2-4 weekends? Looking forward to grinding it after a short break after WSOP.

Same structure, just the smaller buy in. It's not really the guarantee we were worried about, but just the small fields. We could have kept the weekly $500, but I can't really see the point with an average attendance of 12. We're going to look at maybe doing one a month, but we're going to try this $100 with the same structure right now and see how it goes. It's a very player-friendly structure for sure.

Best,
Matt

Cool, I'm glad you made it $100 on Saturday, I'll come play it this weekend and I'll try to bring a friend or two.

Sweet! Looking forward to seeing you here.

Best,
Matt

I'll be in Vegas on the 10th. When I get back, I'd definitely be up for doing it. Keep trying, you never know if we can get a game going at some point.

Hey guys, I'm going to be driving through CO at the end of July on a road trip.

I'm a bit confused on which is the best casino to play at... seems there are 5+ poker rooms all near each other?? (I'll play anything but prefer Omaha, O8, NL, or tourneys)

Does Ameristar really run a 5-10-100 spread limit game?! Max buy in $100? Or is that max bet? I would play this just for the laughs.

What's the best deal on a poker room rate?

I searched for all this stuff and failed, please help me out.

Thanks,
Adam

The game you're thinking of has $2 and $5 blinds, and the maximum bet is $100 with three (?) raises. It is spread limit, not NL. The buy-ins are unlimited afaik.

$100 is the max bet in Colorado for any game....so that's why all the spread limit games. The Isle has a $29 room rate Sun-Thurs if you play 2 hours and free room if you play 6 hours.

Best,
Matt

I'll be up there this weekend, Matt. The in-laws are in town and are dying to play slots, so I'll see you guys

I know it's a bummer for the rolled players, but I can't wait to come down tomorrow to play in a real tourney with a decent structure at Blackhawk. I was trying to figure out ways to get off work on Fridays early, but now I don't have to bother. Thanks Matt!

I played at the Isle tonight and just wanted to say you have done a great job Matt! The only thing it needed was more players, but i have a feeling that will come when more people realize they don't have to hear slot machines for hours at the lodge/amistar + 2/hour in comps. My only complaints were one of the dealers was SO slow and the whole isle straddle thing i don't really get.

Thanks for the kudos and we are dedicated to making this "The Player's Room" up here. Sorry about your experience with Dealer X, but we continue to work with all of our dealers and hope that this one's speed picks up for you over time. On the "Isle straddle" we just allow a Mississippi Stradle but allow the table to dictate how we do it. The standard way we do it is that the straddle can be from any position, but the action pre-flop always starts UTG. Players up here are used to having the action start after the straddle, so if the table wants it that way, we do it that way.

From a game standpoint, it really should start UTG and work just like a KILL pot. The person that straddles should always act last pre-flop. After all, isn't that what they're paying for by putting money in the pot blind. Regardless, in keeping with our pledge to be a player-friendly room, we let the table decide which way they want to do it. In a non-Mississippi straddle game, the only person that can straddle is UTG and the next player is the first to act...but in that case, that "next player" IS UTG. I think that's where the whole "person after the straddle acts first" started when the "M" straddle was first implemented up here. At any rate, we can do it either way that the table likes.

In wanting to increase our offerings for the players, we will be adding Dealer's Choice games and Cap NL games beginning Monday July 11th. In the DC games, you will be able to choose from Hold Em, Omaha, Pineapple, and Crazy Pineapple and will be able to choose any of them Hi-Only or Hi-Lo. We will spread these in $4/$8 Limit, $10/$20 Limit, and $2-$100 Spread Limit. The Cap NL game will be a $1-$1 Blind with a $5 min bet, a $100 Cap, and a $20 min buy in (no max)...so the cap per hand will be 100 big blinds. The Cap NL idea is pretty cool and Howard Lederer wrote this about the game:

Cap Game Strategy

"For the most part, Cap Games play just like other big-bet games. But there will be some key pots where you can use the cap to your advantage. You'll be able to take some shots at pots that you probably wouldn't take in deep-stack games.

In particular, Cap Games offer great semi-bluffing opportunities. For example, say that you're in a $1/$2 No-Limit Hold 'em Cap Game and a player opens for a $6 raise. You think he's weak and decide to re-raise to $20 with the 9c-Tc. The blinds fold and the raiser calls. The flop comes 2c-6c-Js. He checks to you and you decide to bet about the size of the pot - $40 - with your flush draw.

With this bet and the pre-flop action, you've reached the cap; you can't commit any more money to the pot. That makes this flop bet a pure semi-bluff. There's a good chance that you'll force a fold and, if you don't, you've still got about a 1 in 3 chance of hitting your flush on the next two cards. In a standard No-Limit game, however, this play could go very badly. You could be check-raised or called. If called, you could face a large bet on the turn after missing your flush. Either way, you might be forced to fold without having the opportunity to hit your hand.

Also in Cap Games, you can play some medium-strength hands more aggressively than you would in a traditional No-Limit game. For instance, you might be reluctant to commit 100 big blinds on a middle pocket pair, even if you felt your opponent was playing overcards and missed the flop. But in a Cap Game, you might play for the maximum on something like pocket 9s if you feel it is, in fact, the best hand.

In addition, there are more opportunities for slow-playing in Cap Games. Say that you hit a set of 5s when the flop comes 5d-7d-9c. You could be up against some sort of draw here and, in a standard No-Limit game, you'd probably want to bet so that you didn't risk letting a flush get there for free. But in a Cap Game, you might give the free card. The draw will probably play for the cap no matter what you do, and if an opponent had overcards and missed the flop, he'd only commit money if he connects with the board on the turn.

In general, you don't need to be so concerned about super-fine reads or making big laydowns in Cap Games. If you think there's a reasonable chance you're ahead, you can play for the cap without putting an excessive amount at risk."

Looking forward to seeing all of you up here soon!

Best,
Matt

How's the action up there so far this weekend?

Did the Saturday tourney go at the Isle? I decided to try the Gates noon tourney. 97 players.

No, only I and one other player showed up, so it didn't go.

Did you offer to flip him for the buyin?

Doh! I was originally going to try the Isle on Saturday, but switched to the Gates at the last minute. That place used to get on my nerves, but it has been growing on me lately. I still miss the Gilpin, sigh....