+1. I’ve always seen it as a rudeness to everybody else at the table, slowing the game down for 9 other people just to be saved from the terror of... (checks notes)... waiting patiently in the cashier line for a few minutes.

+1 to the Mississippi straddle being terrible for NL games. I don’t have much to add to the points that Havax and Rod already made. I’m currently playing in the 10/25 game and the Mississippi straddle has slowed the game down tremendously both in terms of pace of play and level of action. Usually we get under the gun straddles going for the whole table which is great for the game. Today, because the button takes precedence, we are unable to do rounds of under the gun straddles due to one player insisting on straddling the button.
I strongly dislike the Mississippi straddle for no limit holdem and think you are messing with a good structure that previously produced a lot of action and that the players overwhelmingly supported. I don’t understand the reason for the change. When the room was first opening there was a pretty large outcry from players about not wanting a Mississippi straddle for NL games, Johnny and management did a good job of listening to the players and decided to only allow under the gun straddles in No Limit games. Now all of a sudden, out of the blue you are drastically changing a great game. Please reconsider the Mississippi straddle for NL games.

Based on my few times at 5/T, it at least sounds like a nice silver lining that the MS straddle is screwing up the “round of straddle” strong arming. But I will also say that in general I think MS straddle is dumb, and if someone to my right started doing it, id just leave or move down to 2/5.

However, Id also encourage the 5/T+ players to give it a chance, Johnny has been right about stuff people thought they disliked in the past.

Or the guy that shows up to a 1-3 table with his backpack full of black chips. Like dude you aren’t impressing anyone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

+1

I'm in the 5T and TQ games @MGM and I feel that there are some really elegant features to the MS. While it's arguable that it promotes less action than in a mutually-agreed UTG straddle scenario, it removes the peer pressure for everyone to agree to such a structure. If someone doesn't want to straddle their button, they don't have to, but the rest of the table doesn't lose anything because of their forbearance like they would in an UTG straddle agreement scenario. In fact, the UTG straddle agreement can still be utilized under the rule change if there is mutual agreement. While the MS will reduce pace of play for a week or so, once the players become familiar with it, the pace will go back to normal, as it has in Harrahs NOLA, Shoe Baltimore and countless other rooms that have this rule, and it increases the size of the game. The SPR at TQ hasn't been compromised in my experience, as it's uncapped and many players find themselves with much larger stacks than they were used to under the old structure.
In the end, hold em is a simple game. Once you get to the 5T+ level, most of the pool is quite experienced, and players often start to get bored and test the boundaries with the 7-2 game, SB progressive kitty, antes, bomb pots, rocks and other devices that force thinking and adjustments so that players can't just memorize near-optimal plays and make them over and over again while watching NetFlix. The MS is one such device, and while we all have our favorites (I keep a large rubber band in my pocket and try to get consensus on a rock whenever possible) I believe almost any such device that expands the rules of the game is a worthy addition.

+1. The obvious issue with a button straddle is that the straddler is -ev and therefore it is profitable to defect. That straddle encourages nittery.

The MS is, I would think, pos-ev, and there is thus an incentive for everyone to do it. It definitely changes the nature of the game, but it’s not clear to me that the change is necessarily bad; it’s just different.

I play the 5 10 only occasionally, so my dog in this fight is only a tiny poodle.

I visited for the first time since the move last Wednesday. By and large a massive improvement, and the view from the smoking terrace was incredible.

The dealers were terrific, the temperature was fine (I think this was the first day it had been fixed to folks' satisfaction, based on when I was there). I got there early enough that sitting through waitlists wasn't a big deal.

I consider us exceptionally fortunate to have JG and his team running the place. The room is a gorgeous setup.

To make it still better, though...

- Is a coffee station in the works? I attribute my session loss that day to undercaffeination. Yes, that's the ticket.

- +1 to what everyone said about the bathrooms. Perfectly fine at 10:45 on a slow-ish Weds morning, but I can't imagine what they'd be at 9 PM on a Friday.

- Is it possible to get a speaker out on the smoking terrace so folks who are out there don't miss podium calls?

- It may have been scheduling, staff avail, not sure, but it was hard (30+min wait) to get so much as a bottle of water. More than one person at my table went scavenging for them.

Thanks again. The new room itself is magnificent, and as always I appreciate your engagement on this forum, JG.

Main issue being overlooked:

The MS isn't allowed at 2/5 NL (good thing) where you can play 200bb poker. The UTG straddle is pretty rare at 2/5 so tons of pots are 200bbs effective.

The 5/T, since the MS started, has been on in about 50-100% of pots depending on who is at the table. This means MGM is essentially only offering 200bb 1k cap 2/5 NL or 100bb 5/T/25 2.5k cap MS 5/T with no in between.

A vast majority of the pool would like the option to play 250bb 5/T NL and that game/option is completely gone now with the introduction of the MS. 250 bb poker is radically different than 100bb poker (hey you regs supporting the MS just know your edge gets reduced the shorter the bbs deep the game is). Please survey the player pool and you'll see most do not like it and do not want it.

How does the SPR-reduction argument apply to a MS but not to the UTG straddle that all the regs have whipped into permanence since day 1 at 5T? (myself included)

You can easily refuse the UTG straddle round and it happens constantly. You cannot prevent someone from MS straddling every hand. If someone wants to voluntarily straddle UTG they're not gaining any advantage (in fact a disadvantage). If someone voluntarily straddles in late position they're gaining an advantage. The peer pressure of the round of straddles argument is not a strong one. Deal with it.

i don’t care which comes first, the push of the pot or the move to the center of the table, as long as the cards are made easily visible to all

I honestly think they need to remove the railings on the lower level, or if not that, space them out more. It is very difficult and annoying to sit in those corners because there is barely any room to squeeze in. Also, the cocktail waitresses avoid going to those corners because they know how difficult it is to just make their way over there to take an order.

Hate to agree with Havax lol but I completely agree. I'm but one very part time 5-T player but I wont play with the MS straddle. It made me play much nittier - and I didnt sense that I was the only one - and I just didnt like it. Didnt like what it did to the action and didnt like the different style. Hey, I tried it, didnt like it, its definitely not for me. But my initial swag would say that @ 80% of players dont like it.

The MS straddle will be kept in place until further notice. We will revisit at the end of August and see where we stand.

For the record, comments will be accepted when for consideration?

::buys popcorn::


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

September 1. I have said before that selection bias exists here on 2+2. Let’s see how the game (s) go over the next 6 weeks....

I agree because some people need a lot more room than other people. Some people are larger in size, and other people use wheelchairs.

Honestly its not worth even talking about the MS straddle again, JG made it clear when the original room first opened where he stands on this. I think last time it lasted a week or two but clearly he wants to try pushing it through again.

If you like it, play in the games. If you dont, dont. JG will either keep it or he wont.

Think those are @ all the options here.

I've been reading the straddle discussion with interest and I always thought a Mississippi Straddle was synonymous with a button straddle, but I guess I've got that wrong. What exactly is a Mississippi Straddle?

Is there anything that can be done?

I thought a MS straddle was from any position, but that someone straddling from the button takes precedence over other positions. But I may be confused too, so would someone who knows the technically correct definition please post?

See Jordan's quoted post above yours.

The Mississippi straddle is the ability to straddle from any position except the blinds. The button has precedent, then the CO, then the HJ, and so forth.

I appreciate Johnny is keeping an open mind about changing it back. I'm just unsure what the criteria that we're waiting to see between now and September 1st. Will it be a periodic spot check with the players in the game how they like it? Or will it be a simple analysis if the 5/T is running any more or less often than it was before? I think the MS is also bad for the health of the game long-term as people bust their rolls much quicker. That's the last thing I'll say about it.

the missisipi straddle is a ****ing disgrace and ruins the game period. It effectively makes it a 3 blind game and forces people to play higher stakes than they want to. Normal straddling does the same but is very negative ev for the person who does it which makes it a fair compromise however straddling from the button cutoff etc has none of these issues for the straddler. As well as this it slows down the action, leads to preflop mistakes as people often forget who acts first etc and makes people play tighter. Overall the missisipi straddle is an abomination and although some might enjoy it such as the one who started this mess the alias jake maloney if this is allowed to continue it will destroy the games. Shame on you Jake maloney