Thats awesome to hear about the tier level bonus credits! Thank you.

I only realized in the last few days that the 5-10NL game doesn't collect a bad beat jackpot. I know on the first page of the thread the FAQ says its not collected in Omaha games, but doesn't refer to any difference on spreads for NL. Is this new or has it always been this way? I just don't recall and I know the drop boxes aren't covered. Not that you have to justify it, but why?

Also, a continued reminder to dealers to ask players sitting down the basic questions to the players questions. Such as the players that ask, "Is this 2-5?" The dealer should be asking, what table were you sent to? Yeah, players can lie, but most get caught up or end up feeling guilty or stall. Or simply asking if they were called for the table. I have DEFINITELY heard more dealers ask this lately, but still there are many that don't. So just continue to remind them.

Thank again for the tier credit bonuses! I think this explains why I suddenly had so many more points when I checked yesterday.

Mike:
Your concern for and approach to improving the line-jumping issue is all well and good, but it seems that you (as in MDL overall) are focusing more in the getting-jumping-players-out-of-seats component and not so much with the keeping-the-seats-filled part. In other words, you're treating the symptoms, not the disease.

As I pointed out Friday evening itt, seeing 10+ seats open and no names called AT ALL with a 70+ person list is confounding and arguably disrespectful to those waiting for a seat. As I also noted, you're ignoring 70 people for 15 minutes while focusing on filling the 4/8 table.

I'm pretty sure they are still 30 min on Tuesday's. The floor did announce that the Sunday tournament will be moving to 11am in December.

I seem to remember seeing itt that you are removed from the list if you don't check-in within 30 min after calling in. Can anyone confirm this?

I did not write that

Blind bet=bet in the dark

And since a straddle happens before cards are dealt, then yes it is a dark bet. Just as blinds are dark bets.

Difference between the two is a blind bet is a forced bet. Straddle is by choice.

No

Blind bets get priority once everyone else has acted. Dark bets do not

It reduces variability. Thus the person who is supposed to win, should win (or break even), not get rivered or sucked out on. Thus, a chopped pot. So your opponent is drawing to 2 outs and you have the nut flush draw and straight draw...you SHOULD win...but don't. Running it twice, will probably have you win it the second time and thus chop the pot.

Now you may not agree with that, but thats why it is done. I personally feel that the cards fall the way they will and as such, USUALLY will not run it twice. I do know some that prefer to either run ONCE or THREE times and I understand that logic. If the person should be the winner, at least they can win a little more than a chop, but still not felt the other player.

Finally, I just like watching it happen, because I think it adds to the HIGH stakes aspect of the game.

Also, in the higher stakes games, many players are not sufficiently rolled for the game (shocker), so it's in the poker room's best interest to reduce variance and keep players in the game longer. The alternative is to have the few players who win the big pots end up with all the chips and have to shut the table down. The player pool at the higher stakes isn't that deep.

Question/poll about rewards card bonuses:

I reached platinum tier before poker ever started. There's a platinum bonus once a month in random (?) amounts.
I got as high as $100 in free slot play but lately it's been $10-$15.

That $10-$15 coincided when I started playing poker but I think I'm still playing the regular casino games at the same lvl as before.

(edit: Platinum also got the free panni maker in oct w/o needing any play time. I just showed my card.)

for those that only play poker:
what kind of offers are you getting for your rewards card (and what tier lvl)?

Just curious...

Holding a gold card: So far 1x $5 free slot play since room opened up, two offers to win a panini maker if I play 3+ hours on a Saturday. That is it, and I was told twice by phone that playing poker does not earn points for the panini maker promotion. Though people did try to earn the voucher for it the first time around by playing poker and at least some were successful in obtaining it according to what has been posted on 2+2.

Also, really happy to hear we are getting the multiplier bonus now!!!

Question for anyone who has any experience using the bravo software: is it really not possible to change the style of lists to scroll thru the entire thing? A while ago I signed up with 180 people in front of me. The person up front told me it would be 1-2 hour wait. I showed up an hour later and they refused to tell me where I was on the list. I explained that it was completely unacceptable to expect people to stand around for hours with no idea where they are on the list. You'd think they want people to go gamble in the casino while waiting to play cards but the current system makes that hard since you never have any idea where you are on the list til you're in the top 20. I was told that Bravo software does not have an ability to change the display. I personally find this hard to believe given it could be made so much better soooo easily. The fact that the Hollywood interface showed more than 20 on the list also reduces my belief that I was told the truth.

Although I am becoming a bit fan of the room in general, the most annoying thing about MD Live to me is that there are a few easily identifiable things that leadership seems to have little interest in fixing, even though they would improve the player experience quite a bit and could be done at very little cost. I don't expect the Earth to be moved but there are a number of common sense improvements that could've been done very easily at this point.


1. Setup televisions with waiting lists vertically. Make font size smaller so you can display more names and lists simultaneously. SCROLL thru names. Once again, I find it completely unacceptable people above 20th are clueless where they are.

2. Put a big sign up indicating people can sign up using the kiosk beneath the stairs. There is zero reason there should be long lines to sign up at the counter when most people already have a card. Furthermore, the fact that people can't see where they are on thelist increases the line because it's our only method to get our status.

3. I don't know if there is some state rule about the rules being displayed in a poker room but I would be willing to bet it's not legally mandated that it's on the very center television (2nd floor). Multiple times, we've wanted to watch a sporting event on the 2nd floor that wasn't allowed because the "rules tv" wouldn't be changed. Put it on a smaller television or one that isn't the focal point of the room. Noone looks at it anyways.

4. Hang table number displays from the ceiling. I really have no clue why this wasn't done before the room was even opened. Last time I was there both a chiprunner and dealer asked what table we were on. If the people working there don't even know which table is which that should tell you something.

5. The entrance by the mall is absolutely awful. Setup a seperate line for people who have bags that need to be searched. Blows my mind that it sometimes takes 15-20 minutes to get into the damn casino.


On a side note, I noticed a big improvement in cocktail waitresses last time I went.

Platinum card holder gets a turkey and then some here.

http://www.marylandlivecasino.com/pr...day-giveaways/

I have notice over the weekend there were 8 table sitting empty between 11 am to 3 pm and did ask the floor why not open all tables and they told me they did hire a lot dealers but waiting for them to obtain licenses. The WL was deep in the 60+ for both 1/2, 2/5 and 20+ for the 2/2 PLO during this time period. You'd think dealers should all obtained their licenses by now. This is why I often arrive by 9 am to avoid the long wait.

As for the straddle, I always straddle when I play, however, I was told by a dealer I can't induce a player to straddle and I all said was are you going to straddle? I did not think I forced the guy to straddle but was just simply asking him if he's going to straddle. Dealer told me if I ask again he'd call the floor on me.

Also, why do I need to show my ID if I cash out more than 3k? It took 20 mins to cash out yesterday since they have to input all the info and counting all the bills. I did show them my player card which already have my info and they still need to input them again. Go figure.

Always use the main entrance and takes 2 mins to get in the casino.

More than likely this is the casino policy, aimed to keep the casino in compliance with banking laws, specifically the Bank Secrecy Act.

They are required to report all transactions of over $10k per day on a CTR. Since they are also required to monitor for structuring (having many smaller transactions that total 10k+), most casinos will report anything above a smaller threshhold. $3k is a typical threshhold for many casinos.

if over $10k/day, the casino must fill out an IRS(?) ctr (cash transaction report) for money laundrying.
the casino is keeping track of large cashouts incase it adds up to 10k. picture ID to prove who you are.

(edit: Dinesh beat me to it. )


the easy to obtain little nick knack gifts for platinum tier is a nice gesture.
but i prefer free slot play.

also, there's nothing good to exchange the points for yet.
waiting for Bobby's Burgers to accept rewards points.
update Mike?

I wish it was a better exchange rate than 600pts = $1 for slots.

It's hard to believe how many people come in here on a poker thread and make complaints that have NOTHING to do with Mike or the poker room. Comps for Bobby's, long wait times at the entrance, security not letting you take out a cup of coffee, etc. These have nothing to do with the poker room and everything to do with the casino. Take these up with MD Live.

On a side note, last time I was there I saw an overhead hanging sign on 1st floor for table 24, but literally no other signs. Is there a reason this table has an overhead sign exclusively? I figure it might be a table designated for high stakes game, but if the reason that there are no overhead signs is aesthetics it makes little sense to have one sign over a random table in the back.

If you go today, you'll see one over table 23 as well. We're test driving them to see which we like and which are operational acceptable.


Thanks



Mike

Mega beat just hit. Quad Q loses to straight flush. 4/8 Holdem table upstairs. They seem happy.

I read a little but couldn't find this...

Is there any poker room rate at a local casino? If not, best advice for reasonable hotel on weekdays?

Thanks.

It's always the damn micro-LHE games, never 1-2/2-5nl - mbn

Also, I forget his name but props to the dealer who asked me what table I was sent to before he let me sit last week--

If only it wasn't a pointless gesture at an empty 2-2PLO8 game that wasn't ever going to run because the list had been up for eight hours while thirty 1-2nl tables were opened

All of those issues impact the quality of the poker room. That's like saying that you can't review a restaurant in the inner harbor and complain about the lack of parking because the restaurant can't do anything about it.

If you want to keep it moderately classy, the Red Roof Inn in Laurel just off 295 (a few exits south of Live) is pretty affordable. If you don't mind a little grime and just want a place to crash, there's a Knights Inn in Odenton just outside of Ft. Meade that's cheaper still.

Depending on your definition of reasonable, the hotels within walking distance of the mall might be worth looking into as well.

Also, in the hype thread I believe Mike said they were going to try and work with some of the nearby ones about getting us rates. I could be wrong, but I remember that being discussed.

Yes please. Super Satellites as well I hope.