Hey man. Why don't you let us know what you're looking for and we can help. I live near Canada Water and it's a really cool place to live but VERY quiet in terms of the social scene, i.e. You have to go somewhere to entertain yourself. However it's really nice and doesn't feel like you're living in the centre of London. Plus you can get a river-front flat with balcony, gym and swimming pool for like £1400 per month for 2 beds. Pretty decent.

If you're looking for something more hustle and bustle, then pretty much just take advice above and live closer to the centre.

Another really cool place to live is Shad Thames / Butler's Wharf. It's right next to Tower Bridge and there are lots of bars and restaurants within a couple of minutes walk. The cost is a lot higher here though. Probably like £2k per month for 2 beds or more on the river front.

Hope that helps. Let me know if u want more advice.

Is anybody playing today?

I posted this already in the other London Thread but just to get more responses.

Hey guys i need some more advices.
My last London visit is like 10 years ago.
Now I am seriously considering to move to London (I am full time grinder)
I am planing a 4 days trip to visit London and visit a lot of Flats.
Now I need to know where is the best place to life.
I want to spent max 2k Pound, I am looking for a 2 bedrooms (one of the rooms gona be my office) and a Living room. The Area should be save and should have a few restaurants, bars, a 24/7 gym would also be nice.
I did some research an found that Isle of Dogs (Canary wharf etc) and Islington are nice places to live. But someone said I should avoid Isle of Dogs, so I need some more voices and pro cons etc.
Also would be nice to hear some advices about some Estate Agencys and how to play the Agents

£2,000 a week or month in rent?

Where are you planning on playing?

How are you travelling once here, tube, bus, taxi own car?

Presuming you want central London to be close to the major cardrooms then most of the areas listed at this link should fit your requirements - http://www.net-lettings.co.uk/london...ts-areas1.aspx. 2k p/m is about the right figure for a decent 2 bedroom.

Personally I wouldn't go for Docklands as has already been mentioned there isn't much social life in that area or south of the river but that's just me being snobbish

Anyone know what the rake is at the International? What is it capped at?

How about off Essex Road, Islington, N1? It's a really nice buzzy area, lots of restaurants and delicatessans, not rough at all, and there are some great modern apartment developments around there.

It's very close to the International, and not too far to central London either.

5% capped at £10

I wouldn't advise playing the 1/1 if you enjoy beating games in the long run

The International also have a 'cash race' going on at the moment where an additional £1 of rake is taken for every pot over £20.

I agree with joejoe1337

That is a significant rake. Problem is I am not rolled to play any higher. Are there other places with a lower cap on the rake? I think the Empire is the same (although their smallest limit is 1/2).

The Vic have now reduced their rake of the £1/2 to 5% capped at £10 to bring it inline with all the other main London cardrooms, including The Empire. The £1/1 is 10% (!) capped at £5.

In central London I don't think you are going to find anything lower.

Is there really a need for a 'roll' when playing 1/1 or 1/2?

You are never going to run worse than dropping maybe 3 buyins max due to coolers/suckouts. You gotta be doing something super wrong to drop 4+ buyins at 1/2 in London (especially the Empire) and not make a profit.

You must have been exposed to some extremely good variance to think this. I can't begin to describe just how wrong you are.

There is an advertisement in the back inside cover of the February Bluff Europe magazine by London Clubs International which says the Golden Nugget has cash games from 2pm till 4am daily with a 5% rake capped at £5 with a minimum blinds of £1 £1. It says the same about the Sportsman except the times are 6pm to 4am on Thursdays and Fridays and 2pm to 4am on a Saturday. I’ve not played there only at the Empire and Vic, so I’m just telling what it says in the advertisement.

I'm going to be in London next week and looking for PLO games...please let me know if you know where the action is!

Dont bother with the Empire they mostly only have Holdem. You could go to the Vic or maybe The International.

It's festival time at the international; next friday night is a £200+20 plonkament, and throughout the week there will be very, very good £1/2 PLO games, with a high likelihood of > £10k on the table and it running 24 hours all next week.

Cool...thanks! See you there.

I played at the Vic while passing thru London for one round of hands in a 1/2 NL game when I saw the dealer take 15 pounds (3 red 5 pound chips) out of the pot. I was shocked! I asked what the rake was and none of the players seem to know so I asked the dealer and she said it was 5% up to 15 pounds.

The highway robbery over there makes the $3 rake plus $2 jackpot drop look like heaven.

I cashed in.

The cap has now been changed to 10 pounds.

I played at the Vic for about 5 minutes in a 1/2 NL holdem game and then saw the dealer take 15 pounds in rake from a 300 pound pot. I left immediately. What a joke.

Unfortunately outside of Vegas these charges are standard. The dealers are not on minimum wage, the taxes are high and central London costs are high.

Exactly this, and if you still can't beat the 1/2 at this rake you are doing something very very wrong.

No and no

Unless the games are playing deep and you're a very good postflop player and reader of the game, you are not going to be able to beat a 5% rake capped at £15 in the long run.

The two games where I believe £1/2 is juiciest - international and empire - both have caps of £10.

lolz re beating the vic. I guess it has changed. Last time I played there it was pot limit and neil c bought into the 1 1 ( 1 /3 ?) for around 3k. Bout 5 years ago. Gnarly table that night to say the least. Im sure most have moved to the high tables. Paid 10 quid rent for 30 minutes too.