I'm sure y'all have had this conversation, but IMO (which includes a little bit of knowledge of both Portland/Oregon politics and the social gaming laws) the clubs should be very happy with the status quo and should be concerned that pushing for more gets them on both the public radar and the radar of those with money who might not want the clubs around (including Oregon lotto and the tribes). I know you've said in the past that the way the clubs run has been explicitly approved by the City, but it's still extremely tenuous legally.


Didn't find any, and my usual Saturday game wasn't running, so hit up Encore shootout on Saturday night. Great game when you're playing, very, very soft. Cashing out every 1hr45min is obviously annoying, along with the resulting institutionalized "going south," but what can you do? Nice way for tourney players to get some cash game time in, but I'll still prefer the straight cash games. Would be nice if those were more consistent, though. I'm sure there are some, but many that I know of are finding it hard to get games going.

Oh we are really happy with the way things are right now. Things are great for players and clubs alike. You and I agree that the political climate is not appropriate for anything more than we already have. In an ideal world, sure, we'd be able to operate like the casinos (and arguably provide a better product) but as it is nobody is going to try for more because it's just not viable. I'll just continue trying to educate my players on what is needed to make it possible.

Hey it was fun meeting you irl the other day. That was a good final table.

A few of us are going down to the coast event next month, it should be interesting. Not sure what the turnout and such will be like, but we'll be there for Day 1B of the first event, and then in the events on the next few days. Plus we'll be watching how they do things and looking for ways we can improve.

You know it's been moved a week later than previously announced? So it goes from the 9th to the 18th (I believe) rather than the 2nd through 11th as originally planned. Anyway should be a good time, a Pendleton-like experience, except cold and damp.

It was nice of them to change it after everyone had made plans and got times off of work.

I usually spend my entire time off the road (I get one day off for each week on) at Aces. Anybody else from here go there?

Yeah. The Aces $1-2 is a super donkfest and the $2-5 isn't much tougher IMO. I've been playing at ace of spades more as of late. Better atmosphere, juicy $1-2, soft tournament fields. Hit me up if u wanna crush!

I don't know. I am on his text list and just text him when I want to play. Every time I have played his game it has been a full table.

I think Rialto does start relatively early, but it was only .5-$1 last time I played. I am not really interested in playing lower than 1-2.

I'm thinking I'm gonna try Ace of Spades tomorrow night (Tuesday night, technically tonight)

Is their online schedule accurate? I'm not used to seeing a gap between noon and 7 pm. Are there multiple 1/2 tables going during the day, or at least in the evening? What are the min/max buyin? I like that Aces on Powell keeps the min at 50BB, and you can effectively buyin for 199BB. Or 199.5, really, if you sit in the small blind and open fold + max rebuy. How big are the tournament fields at Ace of Spades usually?

And how late does Ace of Spades usually run on random weeknights? I'm still up now so I'm sure I'd want to close it down.

They typically run shootouts all day- 1 table usually starting about 1 pm until late afternoon when it reaches 2 tables and usually goes strong till 2am when they close. Buy-in $80-$200. Lose a dollar and top up another $200 like aces. I'll head down there today about noon.
Jake

I haven't been there since last April...but back when I used to go there they didn't have any 1/2 going until 9 or 10 at night. The evening tournament generally had two tables, maybe three on a Friday. Definitely the smallest of the clubs I've been to in Portland.

Well I wound up getting there after eleven pm after several delays. I think Jake you must have gone home already. Bought in for 300 at the 1/2, got sloshed drunk, left with over 1200 after egregious tips and a final tip of 40 bucks not even for service but outside of each hand's tip for the dealer. Those guys are so awful at poker. And I threw away one hundred bucks on the five dollar holler at the end in side bets and at least 300 in dumb bluffs I knew were bad before I made them. Jesus I could have left with over 2000 if I stayed sane and non gamblor.

And even with that I still would have loved the place if I had gone busto. Thanks Jake, hope to see you tomorrow.

Thinking about attending a conference in May, downtown somewhere.

I prefer low-mid LHE (think 6/12-8/16). O8 also as long as its not cranky old folks.

What are the best options?

Thanks

30 minutes north of Portland at La Centre, Washington. Lots of LHE and some SS spread limit. I'm not sure if they run 08B- its been so long since I've been there... there's a few PLO8 and Big O tournaments in portland. Final Table runs PL Big O hi/lo cash games (shootouts) occasionally as well

Moving back to Portland in a couple weeks...Wondering which, if any, of the clubs consistently have a 1/2 shootout going during the early afternoon on weekdays. Also, what time does the Rialto game generally start? (assuming its still running)

Aces and ace of spades run$1-2 shootouts all day. Rialto game starts later at night.... check website and text the dealers for more info.

How were the cash games? What were they running?

I was pretty focused on the tournaments and didn't play any cash. There always seemed to be 2-3 (sometimes 4 or 5) tables going. When I left at 7 on Tue, there was a 1-3NL and 2-5NL running, as well as a third table. A friend complained that there wasn't any limit poker. I know they almost had a PLO8 game get going Monday night, but I think it fell apart.

Meanwhile I stopped at Spirit Mountain on the way home (Tue at 8) and they had one 8-handed 3-6 LHE game going and nothing else.

I'm beginning to think Oregon is just a poor state. Spirit Mountain is the biggest casino in the state I believe, and on a saturday evening at 8pm they had 4 1/3's and only 2 2/5. And only one of the 2/5 was even worth playing, but you could never get on it when the game was good because ALL the other players on the other 2/5 were on the waitlist for the good game. Jesus Christ. It reminds me of the stories about la limit pros fighting and back stabbing eachother to get a seat in "the game". Pathetic.

If anyone lives in Oregon and plays live poker for their monies plz tell me what i'm doing wrong, cuz i'd love to mix in some live poker instead of staring at my monitor all month. ty

Oregon is a lousy state for cash games, that is true. The Portland area is on fire tournament-wise, however. On any given Friday or Saturday night, there are at least 200-300 players in tournaments throughout Portland. Probably closer to 400, as I can account for 100-150 of them in just one tournament on those nights at my club.

Unfortunately the convenience and low rake of Portland clubs has damaged the poker at more traditional spots like Spirit Mountain or La Center. This is a shame for players who only do cash, but it's been an amazing boon for those of us who prefer tournaments.

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Yeah, poker clubs in oregon are a terrible idea. On paper it looks great, no rake, dealers work for tips only, there's a low over head for the poker club etc. The poker club makes a buck they wouldn't otherwise make, the players save a buck by no rake/ not having to drive. Dealers get the shaft tho imo, no wage, tips only, no insurance, pretty ****ty deal but i guess its ok for students.

Problem is, every unemployed poker enthusiast (and theres a lot them in oregon) with a little bit up start up money thinks it would be a great idea to open one up in their town. Every single notable town along the I5 has some sort of poker club, and that would be ok if Oregon had a bigger population, but it doesn't. What ends up happening is all these clubs in Portland, Dallas? Albany, Eugene, split up the player pool. That means most poker venues have pretty mediocre turnouts (barring some huge promotion/tournament) and the only reason they get by is cuz they leave their dealers out to dry by not paying them a wage or even calling them employees (they "volunteer" to deal or some bull**** like that). And cash games are the worst that suffer cuz of this.

Most clubs might have a max of 2-3 cash games going (which are propped up by nits/ dealers) and most players dont want to wait around/ play in that crap. It's a disaster.

Ok at The Final Table going to play 11:00 am tourney

Won ! Great game today @finaltable

Where are the no limit cash games?

ok I read through the thread, but there doesn't seem to be much of a consensus.

I'm looking to play 2/5-25/50 nl cash, which room(s) run higher 'shootout' cash games the most consistently?

Thanks.