That can't be real. Wouldn't they just fall asleep? I've known people to hit 120+ hrs. Then again they're probably healthier than poker degens just leather assing for a few buyins.

Hope they made them sign a waiver. Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Did the gift shop move? I didn't see it when I visited last weekend. It had been a while.

I believe they got rid of it entirely and put that bar in its place.

Big promotion day this Friday, I believe. Always brings out an...advantageous crowd.

Not really poker related but what's with all the 6/5 black jack and automatic shufflers? I haven't been since the parking garage incident but wife made me take her mom and dad to the buffet last week and was shocked by the offerings. They don't even have double deck blackjack in high limit anymore!

Are people so degen that they don't care? I don't even fault hollywood if people are willing to play these crappy games, I'd probably spread them too.

Hollywood Poker Open starts today.

Nov. 30-Dec. 2 $150K guarantee.

Dec. 7-9 $250K guarantee.

My personal fav. Dec. 3 $15K guarantee---$100 buy-in NL with unlimited $60 re-buys

Why do they include the dealer add-on without telling you or asking you if you want to do it? Admittedly I haven't played poker tournaments at more than 5-6 venues but this is the only place that ever pulls this crap.

Almost everywhere I've entered a tournament will 'sneak' the Dealer add-on in there when you walk up to the window. The assumption is that 99.7% of Players are taking it anyway since it's usually an absurdly good price for the chips you get. The only time I really expect to get asked about it is when I enter a 'daily' where the add-on is much closer in $$ to the entry fee.

We don't need to dominate this thread with that exact topic as it can be searched for and found in other threads. I agree that the add-on is not showing up in promotional media as much as it used to ... can't imagine that it was really that much of a deterrent to some Players considering an entry. GL

I wasn’t trying to derail, you actually make a point for me. You’d be foolish and greedy not to do it, I just think it is dishonest not to ask and reflects poorly on the institution running the tournament. Makes you wonder what else they are being sneaky about. Happy to leave it at this but I know some of the floor team posts in here sometimes (Dan maybe?) and I’d be very interested in their justification.

I don't think it's dishonest to say "200 bucks" at the window when you're buying in when almost every place you can possibly see any information about the tournament says "$200 Buy-In ($165 Entry + $25 Admin + Optional $10 Add-on)". If you don't want to do the add on, tell them.


As I was typing this, I pulled up their Bravo and although my memory could easily be wrong, I believe this is the first time I've seen them list chip counts for tournaments without saying "after $10 dealer add on" like it does for all their daily tournaments. It may have been an oversight this time, but I still think the feeling you have about being wronged in some way might be a bit outdated. I don't know where all these other venues are that you're playing at, but I haven't played anywhere that had the cashier specifically ask me if I wanted to do the optional add on when buying in. Pretty sure everywhere makes the assumption at this point.

I don't feel wronged in that I wouldn't do it if it is +EV, I feel wronged that there is no option and it isn't clearly stated. It's obviously a principle thing, others may disagree. But there's also a strategy element. Other players may not make the +EV play so it affects gameplay. Further, it makes it more difficult to calculate possible overlay or more likely what payouts will be until they are posted. This information is important for some decisions such as rebuys, add-ons and deciding how to navigate the structure.

To be completely honest, I've played in more casinos than I'd care to admit in my life but I have played less than 20 tourneys in the past couple years. Further, the only places in Ohio that I've played in Ohio have been card clubs and Hollywood Columbus. The card clubs always let you know and give you an option, it is in their business model afterall. But I've played tourneys in Vegas, Florida and Michigan in recent memory and they all let you have the option, can confirm Vegas and Florida both as recently as September. Sad if the midwest is leading the charge on more anti-player changes in the poker world.

Does "past couple years" mean the last 10 or like, the last two? I've never bought into a tournament without having the breakdown of the fees being readily available. You still have the option to not do the dealer add-on if you don't want to do it. I guess I just don't share your concern as I don't think it's that hard to either ask or look at a poster.

Couple generally is accepted to mean two. Don’t know if you’re being a smart ass but my grandson (he’s 5) asked me to explain the difference between “a few” and “a couple” last week driving to a basketball game so kind of funny to me that you asked.

You don’t have the option if you don’t know it’s an option. If everyone has your attitude, no option will be standard. I don’t play for a living or even to supplement my income, but less transparency is not how you attract new money.

Yes couple=2, few is 3 to 5/6 and 'a lot' is 7+ in my book ... and you still have to explain this to any age group 'a lot'!!

There is a fine line between transparency and keeping things simple that 'business' try to walk. What's more attractive?

A) $100 tournament with $10K first place* ... sign up here ...

B) $75 PP(610 min entries x 22%) + $20 fee + $5 DAO ... sign up here ...

What? You mean you're taking 25% of the money off the top AND I need 609 other people to show up? Eh .. maybe next time.

This is a classic case of asking for forgiveness and not permission. Or telling (forcing/trying) to get your kids to eat a new food before you tell them what it is. If you fully explain yourself up front lots of folks would never partake in something they may end up liking ... and no one would buy a used car!! GL

I see your perspective, I disagree but I understand your point (I think).

As far as I understand them, casinos are a weird business in that they are highly regulated entities that rip people off and the people know or should know they are being ripped off.

Poker is a weird subset of gaming in that the players are competing against each other and the house makes its money from taking a bit off the too from the game itself. I hope the majority of folks aren’t deluded enough into thinkinf it is more than an expensive hobby but at the same time I don’t think too many come with the intention of losing.

It’s clear the player pool and the house are going to have opposing interests but at times the pool has interests in common. I think wanting the highest level of transparency, low rake, high quality service and fair games are the obvious areas where we should all be in agreement. This falls into that the high transparency, low rake, fair game categories for me.

Hey, Columbus! What can we do to get a more thriving PLO community in CMH? Cinci and Cleveland have PLO going around the clock. Is there something we can do to increase the player base?

PLO exploded in WMich when a new casino opened up to the point that they've only had one day since Sept 10th where they didn't run a game for at least 4 hours. In lieu of my normally long posts I'll try to keep it simple ...

1) Keep table stakes low (1-2 w 5 bring, $100-500) .. The rival casino had a 1-3-5 PLO game 2-3 times a week, but it was match the stack. At the new casino whenever they opened a 2-5 w 5 bring, $300-1500 the table would fizzle out BOTH LISTS unless Fri/Sat.

2) Try to introduce Players to PLO via RxR tables. The new casino action has actually 'gone back' to RxR since the NL BBJ is over $200K right now and the PLO BBJ is only $5k. This can also be influence by any HH promos that might be running.

3) Regs keep control of yourselves!! The biggest action/player pool killers I've seen in PLO is when regs/whales just want to 3-4 bet PF and are all-in looking for HU RIT opportunities on the Flop. Let the newbies see some Flops and actually experience the game. GL

Thanks for the input. The game is typically pretty small ($2/$2 100-500bi). We have no BBJ, so rxr seems like no help. Agree about the regs, but it's a double edged sword. The big stacks and big pots attract some players, and scare other players.

The RxR does two things for you ...
... it keeps Players 'in touch' with NL, which is also a good orbit to take advantage of the PLO Players when their more willing to fold and get back to PLO sooner.
... it slows down the game a little, which helps some players recover a bit while there thinking about a PLO hand and 'why' a certain strategy was used.

You can have big stacks and still play more 'civil' PF ... if it appears to be 'high' stakes bingo then they will walk away. Anything to more control the bankroll swings that PLO will most certainly cause.

I see there is a 'lunch' game running right now with 2 on the list so that's not bad.

No BBJ? interesting ... Some day I will walk in down there, just no business or reason to travel through has come up. GL

Am I missing something or is there less 2/5 than normal? Every time through the week I get the itch do play it doesn't seem like there's a game going on Bravo. Are the players out of town or something? I know stuff goes in waves sometimes.

Many players are definitely trending toward the 2/2 PLO game. They don't seem to run concurrently through the week.

I think 2/5 NLHE definitely goes on weekends and some evenings, but there's more and more PLO in lieu of bigger HE games.

I kind of noticed this, I liked the 2/2 game a year ago but not so much as some of the guys who play professionally or portray themselves that way have migrated to the game. I don’t mind losing but the atmosphere isn’t fun when there’s strat talk at the table and folks don’t practice accepted hygiene conventions!

I dont find this to be the case at all. I have more fun and hear more laughter at that game than any 1/2 game (and it's the 2/5 games that are wanna be pro infested). We are playing right now as I type this at 1pm, and we are having a great time, win or lose.

Everyone ready for the Heartland Poker Tour? Think it will have a huge turnout or just so so?

I see limit game mentioned online, do they ever play 3-6 or 4-8 on Friday/Saturday evenings...if so, is it hit or miss or pretty much guaranteed. Thanks

What’s the rake for 1-2NL and limit games?