Yep, everyday/night - with more or less, the same cast of characters.

I had locked up a seat in the 8 game, but it never got any traction and so I just stayed in ours. Every time I went over to look, it was pretty tight (and short). Raise & take it or HU on/after the flop. Later in the evening, when I decided to leave, the 8 game was full and had a healthy list, too. Figures... they were splashing around.

You should be able to pull that much out of the O8 game, though. You had the perfect scenario... scoop a few big pots and pick up the crumbs with good high hands, while they fall over each other chasing the lows

I don't think this is quite right. It's true that if most pots are contested heads-up, then the game isn't very good. But if players are calling a raise preflop, but usually folding to a single flop bet, they aren't very good players, and can be easily exploited. I see this a lot among the old regulars in the Borgata 10/20 game. Good players will play tight-aggressive pre flop, but call down very light against aggressive opponents post-flop.

The Borg 10 game can be and often is, generally pretty horrible - for exactly what you said. I don't want to spend all night "exploiting" 1 or 2 or 3 weakies for a few bets.... that's too much like work. I'd rather drag monster pots in the loose-passive games. But, that's just my sweet-spot.

YMMV

It seems that the games at Parx fit well in my wheelhouse

I see what you are saying with Rake, but not with time pots. With rake taken out of every pot, then yes, you win more pots you pay more rake.

With a time pot its a bit more nuanced, the 2 times I played the 5-10 at parx time was paid with in the first 3-5 hands every single time, so the last 8-10 hands of the down had no rake at all. If you have a few super nits at the table they will be less likely to play those first 3-5 hands, but the problem isn't the time pot, its the fact that the game has too many super nits in it. I'll pay closer attention the next time I'm there, but the 2 times I've played 5-10 at parx I noticed zero decrease in action before the time was paid.

The big benefit of time pots of course is that you don't have the 3 minute break every dealer change while they collect time and make change since its an odd amount.

This is indeed super annoying. Would be super if 8/16 and 15/30 were $1 less to match the chip structure of the games ($4 and $5).

Or just do like the Venetian did in the Spring. Rake $2 in games $8/$16 and up and promote the hell out of it to get people in there. Though I can not complain, $5PHH is good.

Isn't $5 standard for 10/20?

In NJ. Not in PA.

I think 10/20 at Chester is $6PHH. I could be wrong. May head up tonight but I would hate to get stuck waiting forever for a game. Friday I called in for 4/8 and 8/16 LHE and 4/8 Omaha. Lady said "about an hour" I got there in 45 minutes and was off the 8/16 LHE list, Proceeded to wait another 1.5 hours for other two games and did not get on. Ah well, thats what happens when you play live I guess.

10/20 @Harrah's is definitely $5, as is 15/30 when it runs and sometimes even 20/40 depending on the floor.

Do you think that you win more or fewer big pots than the average player in your game? That simple question should dictate whether or not you participate in time pots.

Personally, I give a lot of action and win a lot of big pots. . . it's -EV for me to participate. The only upside to them for me is that at least I have a choice (I always elect to just pay time up front.)

In fact, some players play WAAAYYYYY fewer big pots than others, depending on style. Just having a higher preflop raise % means you're going to be involved in more frequent big pots. I bet that I play 3x as many time-pot eligible hands than some other regs at the Borg and Parx.

Don't reward the nits! Some of these guys sit in these games for days without ever paying a time pot. Count me out of that.

Also, the time collection is nowhere near three minutes per down. Stare at your watch for three full minutes. . . that's a very long time. When you're bored some time, time it over a night and take the average, but be sure to only record the time from when the dealer starts collection and starts dealing.

Now subtract time taken from the game when disputes over time pots and payment occasionally arise, as well as time that guys try to convince me to participate (hell no.)

Maybe it's not such a big deal in NLHE, but in the 15/30 game, where winning a 10-handed time pot costs $30, it seems correct to play like a super-nit. How many hands would you play if you knew the pot was going to be raked $30 if you won? It can often take 10 hands to complete 2 time pots, because no one wants to make a bet that will trigger it. However, I do like when other players participate in the time pot and I pay my own time....it make it much easier to steal blinds, which is hugely profitable at 15/30 or 20/40.

Here are some random notes from a recreational 2/5 player based on my 2 visits so far:

Overall it's a very nice room, very well run, and I'll be making many more trips. I love the fact that I don't hear the clanging of slot machines nearby. I also like that the room is not overly lit. Killing the music would be OK with me.

I have not played at any tables that were close to the bar, but I did make the mistake of walking to the bar in an attempt to get food. Bad mistake.

Food options are very limited. I usually plan on playing 8+ hours, but I do like to take a break to eat. The snack bar on the first floor isn't very good. More (smoke-free) options would be nice.

The chairs are very comfortable. I love the wheels and the adjustable seat height. The tables are too small for 10 players. Sitting next to a big guy is uncomfortable. Sitting between 2 big guys is unbearable.

Since you allow play from racked chips, please require that the racks be directly in front of the player, and not straddled on the rail between two players. The tables are small enough without players taking more than their fair share of real estate with their racks.

On both of my trips, the cage was well-staffed, with no wait at all. Nice.

The waitresses. Wow. If only I were younger, smarter, richer and better looking.

I look forward to my next visit. Keep up the good work.

$1-2$ No Limit Hold'em should be raked to only $4 max, just like EVERY casino in Atlantic City. Change that, Ari. Thank you.

How many times have you posted this bro?

1/2 rake is the bread and butter of a poker room. If they can charge (im guessing) $5 with no BBJP drop, your coming out ahead of other 1/2 in the area.

For the love of god stop asking for something that is NOT going to happen.

PGC takes more of the casino profit than AC does, hence the different rake structures.

Just go and grind, and quit obsessing over your $1 rake difference...

(Sorry for jumping on you twice on posts, but your self entitled ignorance on this is bothering me way more than it should...)

I would expect the rake to be the same if from NJ to PA if the taxes were the same. They aren't. If you don't like the rake, write your congressman.

A poker room is pure profit. $125 an hour is coming off the table. With 10 players at the the table that's $12.50 per hour per person. Throw in $2 an hour in tips per person and it's costing you $15 an hour to play 1-2NL at Parx. I have no idea why anyone would come to the defense of this joint. The owners and investors in this casino live in mansions, while you have an empty bank account, and live in a row home or crappy twin home in Ghettodelphia.

lol @ pure profit, I've seen numbers quoted around 25% IIRC

PARX can probably do better than this due to legal protections against competition (thank you harrisburg!), but they aren't going to magically make every dollar droped pure profit.

Can any of the 1/2 regs tell me when the tables seem to be the softest ?

I was thinking a weekday afternoon and it would also be easier to get a seat.

Thoughts ???

This is such a ROFLMAO post in so many ways... Your literally proving my point that your ignorance is only compounded by your... (ok will not finish, do not want to be temp banned)... ytidiputs... Ok couldnt resist...

Yes, the HORRIBLE investors whom have attained their DISGUSTING gaming licenses, and want to run a FOR PROFIT casino are absolutely AWFUL human beings...

Dude your going to a casino, and exactly how do you compute that a poker room is pure profit? I'm sure there is zero over head to run a poker room... Just be happy that Parx is even willing to run a decent card room, with its own dedicated space, instead of smooshed between several banks of smokey slots...

God do not ever move up in stakes , I think you would probably poop your pants, and stroke out when you see $300 in rake taken out of a private game... in ONE hand...

Thanks for bringing this up... I had meant to comment and suggest this sooner:

I would like to see a policy (like in every other room) where players are either required to take all of their chips out of a rack or that they need to maintain a "working stack" OUT OF THE RACK in front of themselves.

I was in a game on Sunday where 2 players were each playing out of a rack. This slows the game considerably.

Simple request that is good for the game!

this is idiotic. The only thing dumber than this post is that I have taken the time to read it AND reply to it. No one is forcing you to play at Parx

Since there are no expenses involved with running a poker room, or a casino - this is a reasonable argument. The bastards are bleeding us dry.

You might want to mention that to the 200+ people each night that line up to play here. I'm sure they'd all go away, once the secret is out of the bag.

What time has the 15 game normally started on Sundays?

I wouldn't call it scientific, but it's normally running by sometime between 12-2 according to my hazy memory.