What is annoying is that they only open 25/50 and 100/200. So that people who want to move up can't play 50/100.

Does anybody have ideas for cheap acco in Macau during CNY? Hotels are way too expensive for somebody alone.

I'm ready to share a room or rent a spare room in an apartment. If you know a cheap place close to wynn, grand lisboa and starworld and have a phone number for them, please also send. My dates are pretty flexible in between 22/1 and 31/1. PM me or mail me at jude999@gmail.com.

btw, I'm French and live in Beijing, played in Macao twice last year with success, I have nothing to do over CNY and don't want to stay in Beijing. I think I also found cheap flights from BJ->Macau.

Most big hotels are all fully booked during CNY or they overcharge about 20% I think. Not sure about where the cheap hotels are at, but I think the Rio or Grand Emperor might have rooms available. They're like 10minutes away from Wynn and Starworld. You can find the numbers by searching online.

I'm gonna be there in about a week, probably staying @ Starworld. Do you think its a better idea to book online or once arrived (I heard that we can get good rates in some local tourism offices)?

Thanks. Actually, I will also be visiting family in HK, so I'll go back every other night to HK to see them and sleep. Who needs to sleep everyday anyway? You'll probably find me at the tables at Wynn and Grand Lisboa.

FishD - why is there only one washroom in Star World poker room?
Also, probably not going to happen, but I think you guys should consider allowing players who are waiting for games to get started, to play HU w/ a lower rake. Better than having them just coming and leaving, and if the room is empty, it's not like the dealers are doing anything more important.

Did you guys lower the rake? What did you lower it to? 5% of 100bb max?


I'm probably going to be in Macau for Chinese New Year ... can't really resist, heh.

My travel agent (Chinese agency in Beijing) told me that there is a minimum stay of 2 days in Macau, and max 14 days. Have you guys ever heard of minimum stay?

Since I know from recent experience that max stay for me (French passport) is 3 months, I am supposing min 2 days/ max 14 days applies to Chinese, but I want to make sure about min as my plan was to arrive in macau on 25th and go to HK on 26th.

Anybody knows?

LOL what? Minimum stay? No. Your travel agent is an idiot.

Also heads up that travel agents in China are out to F you over any way they possibly can. You're better off booking your stuff yourself. I've gone from China to Macau to Hong Kong and back again to Macau in the same 24 hours. This is not an issue (Canadian Passport here).

If I knew you I'd prop bet you that they (the travel agency) want you to stay in Macau longer because they get better commission on the hotel booking

No way they are trying to f me over, it's eLong, prob the largest (online) travel agency in China, and I just booked a flight, no hotels. Plus the flight is durt cheap compared to everything I payed on previous trips. So if I knew you, i'd take that prop bet I have a lot of experience dealing with Chinese travel agencies, I've been in China a fairly long time.

I think that the rules of min/max stay in macau apply to Chinese nationals only. I guess it's a way to limit chinese gamblers crossing the border every day to get their fix.

But thanks for the anwer, your example is exactly the one I was looking for.

It's quite odd that elong would give you bad advice regarding your max / min stay, considering if you're a customer of theirs they will know you're not a Chinese national just by looking at your account.

Anyhow, although I guess elong is technically a travel agency I don't really consider them as one, more of an online booking service - I thought you were dealing with some random local company.

Also my last visa says 30 days, but I'm not sure how it is for French. I believe that EU passport holders can stay for 6 months. Hope this helps.

Yeah, but I felt she was reading a paper or computer, she was just the english speaking girl they sent to call me to confirm my booking. She didn't know ****.

I kind of gave up on local agencies, last time I booked a flight to Zhuhai with one, they messed up and booked me on a flight to Changchun or something.

Each time I went to Macau last year I had 3 months.

Sorry for one washroom, that's just how the Casino made it. The poker room at the moment used to be a gift shop or something, so that's why there's only one washroom.

If players want to play heads-up, they are more than welcomed to. It will still be 5% rake, but that cap will be cut to half.

We've been consistently running two to three games everyday. Mostly 10/20 and 20/40, but the traffic has been getting better.

Don't forget everybody, HK $100K Guaranteed tournament with APT Manila Package added to the 1st place winner on Jan 17th at Starworld Poker Room!!!

Hi fishd. Can you give me some advice about booking a room @ starworld? Is it better to book online ( the rate is 11K HKD from 11 to 18 january ) or once arrived? Is there a poker rate?

The poker rate is HK $945/wkdys and $1200/wknds.
What I suggest is to book the hotel room yourself, and once you've put in 6hrs playing time in our room, we can give you the poker rate.

ok thanks. I am with a friend who plays poker as well (small stakes), if we play 3hours each can we get the rate? Or at least one person has to play 6hours total?
What about the currency? The tables are in HKD or MOP? Does the Starworld propose a good exchange rate (euros)

one person has to play at least 6hrs in a day

I am looking to book a room for January 17 and 18, but that Saturday is giving me grief. Wynn, Lisboa, Grand Emperor, all struck out.

Can anyone suggest other places to check close by to Wynn and Lisboa?

Other Central hotels I have seen listed on a travel site with rooms are: Metro Park, Royal, Golden Dragon. Thoughts?

FishD: Do we get a poker room if we take a Premier Suite?

No, sorry. Only for Deluxe and Executive.

not even a rebate? I will arrive tomorrow (saturday), do you think it will be full? Should we stay one night in HK and come sunday?

Weekends are always fully booked. You have to reserve 3-4 days in advance.

Is there any poker in the Venetian macau?maybe pokerpro table's?

They have a few Lightening Poker tables (similar to Poker Pro) but no-one plays them.

wynn has strangely screwed up poker in macau while seemingly increasing the player field to epic proportions...

every night wynn's 8 tables are 14-15 players deep on the waiting list and there are dozens of people hanging around. most players used to live in the west and are super absurd tight passive nits.

i come back 5 hours later and my name has moved 3 places

the thing is, although starwold is close to wynn, wynn cleverly put their poker room on the opposite side, so its a fairly long walk.

poker is like a community game in macau. most of the players are just terrible nits. they dont fire continuation bets but whoever has grinded up their 7 buy-in bankroll is a "pro" so they sit around with their friends on the tables for 14 hours straight drinking free milk tea and discussing "i no get aa long time now" - ah yeah its 20 hands an hour because you tank 4 minutes on a turn 3/4 bet.... also, there are a few Chinese players who are slightly better than the rest and play leader of the pack. they are essentially making money off the other players and sort of keeping them in line. the question i have is how can the wait list be 15 deep and nobody will start another game at starworld when starworld is just as nice of a room with very strong management. i guess nobody wants to miss an observed hand if they walk to wynn and the leader of the pack type players (this is for the bigger games) probably dont want other games going as they realize it will be money lost that they could have been in line to win, not that they are really winning very much as its seriously 20 hands an hour 9 handed and none of them could come close to beating a nl200 game online long term.

i had so many comical experiences playing but the best is the consistent 1/5th to 1/8th size bets when they have the nuts.

when they games go short handed, thats when you can make some money as its more hands and you can just run them over and force them into bad decisions. if the 100/200 ran 6 handed i could beat it for 200 usd an hour i think but 9 handed, man, its not worth breathing in cigerette fumes for.

oh yeah 25/50 is good fun though and any game with girls playing will be fun.

star world sadly will only let you buy-in for 5k on 20/40 instead of 8-10k.


does anyone know if its possible to bank wire money to macau starworld or wynn or anywhere and what stipulations there are, like do you have to play table games?