So now my room impressions....

Very well run room, the floor is excellent, the dealers overall are pretty good. Many seem to still be getting comfortable in the dealer seat, but I have no complaints over that.

The $2 chips drove me nuts, but I think I'll get used to them. When I cashed out I found a couple red chips in my blue stacks, but can't complain about that either...lol.

The table seemed a bit tight - in fact I moved out of the 10 seat to a corner seat so I could have more room - and I am not a big person! The base of the chairs are too wide... every time the guy next to me got up my chair got pulled back as well - that got annoying after the first 20 times....

I have to take back my statement on the parking lot that I posted much earlier in this tread, after seeing it only in the daylight. The lot at night is not nearly as bad as I had anticipated it being. I found it well lit and felt safe. I honestly think it is better lit than the Borgata surface lot. I was actually parked in front of the main casino, and felt safe walking to my car from East, at 2 AM...this coming from a 5'2", 120-something pound woman.

Parx will definitely by my new "home away from home"! I cannot wait for them to start their tournaments...cuz then I will have absolutely NO reason to visit AC again!

I hear you...and I did change my game up to make it profitable. I guess my "complaint" is that I want to play POKER when I sit at a poker table, not Bingo. Yes, it can be profitable (sort of), but again it was luck over skill more than 80% percent of the time. There really is no strategy in 2-4, and I am looking to learn limit strategy...and I don't think that is going to happen at a 2-4-esque game. Yes, it was enjoyable, and yes I did make a small profit, but still was disappointed by the level of "poker" that was being played.

I'll check out the book you recommend!

Please do, it will hopefully change your mind on what constitutes skill and poker playing I think you have a misconception of what happens at various levels. At 15/30 last Saturday night, I raised after three limpers and we saw the flop seven way, this is good. This is what every limit player drools over. The open raise, get 3 bet, folded back to you, game is not what you are looking for, and you won't see it outside of very few live games and not starting till past 40/80 (from what I have seen).

7 way flops are the reason why people years ago gravitated to NL.7 players sitting around a table with drool bibs on.But to each his own.Good luck to KK 7 way.Ed Miller,Ken Warren.Lee Jones none of these can really prepare for a 7 way flop.

Wow buddy, you have NO comprehension how much rake comes off of a table vs time charge...

But keep on adding your insightful comments and complaints, always a thrill to see what the complaints of a micro live grinder is...

At 2/5 NL, the difference between a $5 rake and a $6 time charge is going to be pretty negligible for then average player. If either side really gets all hot and bothered about it, they are probably just trolling.

Ari:
Coming up from Delaware County to check out your room.
How many tables are in operation?
How many tables will be added in the near future?
Harrah's Chester has tables jammed in so tightly together, a player who wants to leave has to be surgically removed. Do you have adequate table spacing?
Finally, any tournaments on the horizon?
Thanks.
Jim

The difference in money off the table is in time vs. rake isn't big enough to bother me one way or the other.

My issue with rake is that it rewards nitty play, and punishes action. This is horrible. Let the nits pay for the privilege of sitting there and folding.

+10000000 agree.

Not too mention in larger games you will consistently have time pots...

Make the guy that wins the first big pot pay the time for the table is great.

I think the call in system is fine the way it is. If you think about it, your in essence " butting in line" already. Say there's 4 people on list. You call and get your name up. Every person that has physically come in 1 min after you called all the way up to the time you get there (could be from 2 to 10,20,30, who knows) has effectively been "line jumped". Not really a big deal because they don't know where you came from. For all they know , you've been there the whole time.

Instituting a system where you would be bumped to next up after missing your original call is just going to create more problems then it is worth IMHO. Say you come in after having missed your call. You get yourself 1st up on list when you arrive. You go back to the bar to sit and wait. 2 mins later your called for a seat that the 5 guys next to you have been waiting 45 mins at the bar for.

1) It's going to piss them off.
2) They now are going to find out about the call in system and biatch about that.
3) If this happens more often than not...there goes the call in system.

I like the callin system and would like it to continue. I just think that starting "1st up if you miss call" policy is a recipe for negative attention to a system that works just fine the way it is. Just get there when you say you are gonna be there. I understand one may run into problems while in transit ( pulled over , traffic jam, accidents, etc.), but maybe there can be a little adjustment made if this were the case. Just call back, explain the situation and maybe some other thing could be done.

I know I'd be pissed if some guy came and sat next to me at bar or stood next to me at front desk talking about " the traffic was crazy" or " there was an accident and I just got here" , then get seated right away after I have been waiting forever.

This is just my opinion people. Please don't beat me up too badly.

Also made my 1st trip to Parx yesterday. Played 4/8 O8 half kill for a few hours, all other games had ridiculous waitlists. Overall impressions of the room are mostly positive, it seems to be very well run, etc. I honestly can't say that I found the tables too small or uncomfortable. I also didn't notice the smoke coming from the bar, but I'm not really sensitive to that. My only gripe is that the lighting in the room is a little dark-ish. Probably a bit darker than the Trop room. Other than that, very positive experience.

Random observations;

I though the chairs were comfortable.
I didn't find the walk in the parking lot too intimidating.
Cocktail waitresses were slow, but easy on the eyes.
I loved the $2 chips, it made the half kills in Omaha 8 much easier.
Restrooms were right there, nice.
There were four people working in the chip cage (which is right there), nice.
The room seems to have A LOT of potential, you can see the expansion tables ready to go behind the partition.

Also, there were lists (some long) for games that didn't get spread because of lack of tables. These were 5/10 NLHE, 30/60 LHE, 8/16 & 15/30 O8, 4/8 stud & stud h/l, and 8/16 HOSE. If a few of these games can go on a semi-regular basis, I may never be going back to AC either.

I'm not going to argue with you guys. Some hands seem to take about 5 minutes, and I prefer the pot be raked because of it. Since it is negligible, leave it as rake. Recreational players dont like time charge. They dont like knowing they are being charged $5 every 10 hands/ every half hour to play.

Been reading this thread much?

I will agree with that. If you are playing where the dealers are slow, and people are agonizing over $30 dollar bets... then I would prefer rake.

Not too mention that yes recreational players are not going to be aware of the difference between rake/time... But would definitely be aware of why they are being charged $5 a half when they sit down.

But if your playing where you easily get 15-20 hands per down, and NEVER have multi way check downs to the riv, then time is infinitely better. And not that many recreational players sit at higher games. Though if we all moved to Macau and pooled our bankrolls (and probably also max out our credit lines) we could gambollll with all the asian businessmen.

whats the waits looking like for this sunday evening?

I opt out of time pots for the exact same reason. They discourage action (at least until the time pot is paid.)

Let the nits pay the same as the action players. That's the best thing for the game. Well, it's the best thing for MY game anyhow.

Don't really have time to read over 1700 posts.
Plus, I was pretty sure I addressed my question to Ari.

30 tables. Tournaments jan 1. Plenty of room will have up to 80 tables

24 Tables
45 tables (dec 20th), 60 (early next year), 100(speculative 2 years)
Plenty of space, at least 5 times more than HC.
Tournaments early next year.

As I noted before, I played regularly in a room where the call-in system let you stay on the board for 1 hour before your name became active, and I never heard of any issues or complaints. In my opinion, the current system is exploitable and wastes lots of time as they are calling and recalling players who aren't there yet.

Totally disagree. Miss your nae, move to bottom of list for reasons previouslt stated. Also, if this happens likely list is very short.

I vote for time in 2/5. Even at $6 per half hour. Induces action and keeps game moving quicker

Post reported. No need to get insulting.

At NL, most rooms get in 25-30 hands/hour, especially with shufflemaster machines. This has been widely discussed on this forum.

The people who are happy with it are nits. Time is much better for action. Having people sitting out so they can take a smoke, head to the bar, or just wander from the table will not happen as often if people pay time. Also, people will be more inclined to play more pots.

Count me in for time rather then rake.

BTW what is the time charge for 5/10 NL?

Just made my first appearance at Parx Poker Room.

I live 15 minutes away, but have been unable to get over there until yesterday at around 2:30pm. I believe 23/24 tables were occupied and had growing interest in 1/2 plo, 8/16 O8, 8/16 HLE, 15/30 NL, 4/8 Stud & SE and maybe more. I put my name on numerous lists and waited about a half hour for the first seat to open which was at a 4/8 HLE table. Play was as most would expect.. one or two old nits and the rest played like a pricey 1/2 limit ne2 cardfest. I definitely enjoyed the tables and characters and wound up passing up on the 1/2NL and 8/16HLE when my name was eventually called. I only stayed about 3 hours.

A few opinions of note:

Loved the room. Spacious and warm. A zillion TVs everywhere, but what is the point of showing movies and TV shows with no volume or at all? Please just put on sports or horses or something. It's not like there are FM modulators in the room that folks can tune into and listen. There were a few College Fball games showing, but i didn't notice any other sports or ESPN.

Restrooms were conveniently located. I read previously suggestions about enlarging the entrance and removing the door. Would be a very good move.

Cage was conveniently located, 3-4 staff and hardly a wait.

Room seemed to run pretty smoothly.

All the dealers I had or watched moved along quite well and were very personable.

Tables a tad on the small side but easily tolerable. Chair very comfortable.

Audio system definitely needs to be upgraded. I was sitting playing at the closest table to the cage and I missed my name called for 1/2NL. I'm an audio engineer and don't have hearing problems. The system is just deficient with all the chatter going on.

I'm an ex-smoker (twice removed) and I really do wish they just banned smoking altogether inside. They do have pretty good ventilation, but depending upon where you are seated, you will, unequivocally, smell smoke and be exposed to 2nd hand smoke. I had absolutely zero issue at my table which was the furthest from the bar, but I walked around the room quite a bit and halfway back towards the bar it is easily noticable. It may not bother folks but anyone who adamantly claims you can't smell it or there is no second hand smoke is just a hard head who has a poor sense of smell.

From what I heard from a few dealers/floor people they will open to 45 tables either Dec. 18th or 22nd, up to 61 in March of 2011 and eventually over 100. I'm really looking forward to opening tournament action at Parx but considering consistent long waiting lists and interest lists that never come to fruition, I don't see tourney action until the March expansion unless it's 10am weekday tournaments.

I really enjoyed my time there and look forward to spending plenty of time playing at Parx.

Well done Ari and crew.