Scotty O, what's going on in your avatar? Is it a guy mucking a winner after waving it around forever, but never putting it on the table?

I thought everyone knew the famous Jack Ury WSOP hand.

“You’re in trouble”

What he said!

Old Grandpa Ury coolered and slow rolled some young whipper snapper.

I had no idea there were poker rooms in New Hampshire, stumbled on the one on South Willow in Manchester while doing a U-Turn. I knew going in it was a 10% rake up to $5, didn't know about the additional $2 for a high hand jackpot. A buddy and I went for 5 hours on Saturday afternoon/evening. Pretty terrible players, but with that rake I assume I can't beat it longterm.

I thought the dealers were solid, better than I expected, and they were all very personable. Food looked OK. Drink service was very slow. I had a good time, was able to watch some of the NCAA tourney. I'll go back.

Not sure I'd want to leave late at night with a lot of cash.

I'd venture that 1/2 is "unbeatable" given the rake and the fact that the high hand promos will draw enough players with $60-$100 stacks really playing jackpot poker. A quality poker player will adapt but given the limited amount of money in the actual game its hard to maximize hourly and when you factor in how much a winning player is actually making 1/2 isn't worth playing at all.

I'd venture based off my past 2/4 time up there its worth it in those games because more money is on the table and there is already a built in player base to compete with that exists outside of the jackpot world that is created.

I also have found that the atmosphere not as enjoyable overall when I reflect on my table experience and jackpots. Too much of the table conversation is cliche remarks made again and again. So is the life at 1/2. That doesn't mean one can't beat or even enjoy the play. Plenty of solid people to enjoy and interact with but I'm of the opinion that while this helps the business I'd rather spend my time in some other environments if I'm not going to play 2/4. Its at least worth my time $ wise there.

The 1/2 game in NH is like printing money. Either I'm running like a god, or it's the best it's ever been. I see no reason to play 2/4 in NH because why should I risk more to have a similar hourly.


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I agree with this. I don’t play much 2-4 in NH anymore because some of those games actually have some pretty good players. Not worth it, when 1-2 has 5-6 players more than ready to just give you their money.




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I'd bet it's beatable for other people at that rake, just not necessarily for me.

At 1-2, which places are you seeing a lot 60-100 buck stacks? I’ve played a lot at Cheers, Chasers, Hampton Falls, and BBCC and I don’t typically see this. Maybe I’m just getting in better games though.


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I agree with you and should amend. I'm not seeing a majority of 60-100 stacks. I just see an uptick when the high hands have been running. I have no interest in those players showing up and playing. Sometimes its players just not reloading and letting the stacks bleed etc etc.

Again, big picture I'm not sure the jackpot is the biggest factor. Rake is just way too high for 1/2 to be worth playing. Someone I think did some math above and its just way too much money coming off the table not going back to the player pool.

Bottomline for me, it comes down to what my hourly could be plus how much I'm enjoying myself. Probably best not to play 1/2 and just 2/4. And playing 2/4 obviously will require a bit more study off the table to beat which I don't have the time to do. So for a player like me, its most likely no more 1/2 unless I can occassionally make the trip to Twin River where I deem the rake to be acceptable.

Once in a while I find myself at a table with too many short stacks and not enough action, but that is not the norm at all.

Easy enough to table change.

are you arriving at noon? or getting/seeing the PM crowd?

noon time crowd after 2+ hours of rakes, several short stacks who refuse to reload and only bought in $100 to start is typical

7-8pm different crowd

I usually play Friday nights and/or weekends and I find the 1-2 games can get pretty deep.


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I never get when people say “you can’t beat the rake”. People who say that are losing players with no other excuse.

Unless I’m just getting in really good games, I’m playing at tables the last few months with players more than happy to stack off with top pair and mediocre kicker for 100-150 big blinds.


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Look at it this way. 9 people sit down at 1/2 with $200 each. 9 hours later that entire $1,800 is in the till. Good, lucky....whatever, that's a tough rake to make a living against.

Now add in how terrible people play short stacks without topping off, and how tilt affects reloads, and how action changes because the casino isn't open 24/ (and players act like its the last 10 hands they'll ever see), and there is certainly enough bad play to exploit while playing against that rake.

Who said anything about making a living?

Even disregarding reloads, top-ups, and busted seats opening for new players to come in with new stacks the math is a bit fuzzy here. 30 hands/hour is ideal but not frequently achieved (especially if in a tank-heavy game). Even at the ideal 30 hands per hour, every single hand would have to be max raked at $5+2 to reach $1800 in 9 hours. Realistically, the rake is probably 50% to 75% of that, unless one is playing at the splashiest, juiciest 1-2 ever.

Of course, that is still a large chunk of the available stacks to go away in 9 hours but then again, it is rare for a table to go 9 hours with the same players seated. I hardly ever see more than 3 players stay at the same table for that amount of time, myself included as my sessions tend to be 5 hours or less.

Definitely agree the quality of play is more influential than the rake when it comes to profitability.

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But which room has the best chairs?

You have a valid point if in a 9 hour table life nobody rebuys and no new players fill empty seats. Most 1/2 games that I have played at Chasers and BBCC have had more than enough rebuys and new players buying in. The way other people play has no long term effect on whether or not one can “beat the rake”.

you can most definitely be making money at still consider the games unbeatable. Sure I can generate an hourly but over any long term sample I'd contend this rake is hurting my bottom line. ANd like Lattimer said that bottom line isn't really relevant to anyone in the 1/2 game as you are playing more for fun.

I'm just not having as much fun getting $7 raked from every pot. I'm not having fun all the time in a room when the high hand atmosphere takes over. Thats a personal preference for sure and I'm clearly in the minority. We are all speaking pretty vaguely and are all allowed to have diverse opinions as no one is gonna do a proper study on the actually affect the rake has on these specific games. But for someone who is a semi-casual winning player I do consider these games unbeatable and rather unenjoyable.

I'll choose to take my game online, and to twin river, and mtts, and PLO.

We agree to disagree. NH poker is the softest live action I've seen in a very long time, never mind the craziness that happens just prior to closing time.

I'm gonna have to finally check some of these rooms out 1 of these days.

I agree. Some of the dealers at the new Salem rooms who have dealt in several places around the country have also echoed what you’ve said.


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