McKracken,

Ruffneck says this: "I got into the games the same way I approach getting business in the real world. Walk up introduce myself, shake hands, and give a brief background."

And (yet again) you respond with this: "I don't kiss ass or act fake to curry favors with people. If you do, well, that's you."

You'll be more suited to playing online once that's a viable option again. I'd recommend just waiting for that. It's pretty apparent you don't do well with the basic social aspects of playing live. (AGAIN: Introducing yourself is ass-kissing??) Either that, or you're so bent out of shape that people disagree with you, you misrepresent and distort their arguments and turn it into an attack. And frankly, with the election only one month away, we've all had about enough of that.

It was indeed a good game, Xanadu. Looking forward to it becoming regular.

Interesting discussion on the private games. I think that perhaps part of the concern from people who are not in the game/can't get invited is that if there is only one 10/25 game going, it seems unfair for the people at that table to say this is a private game and you can't play. Fair point.

On the other hand, I can completely see the perspective of the people in the game if they set it up as a private game to start with. In that case it's not a 10/25 game that THR is putting on. It's a 10/25 private game that is using THR's facilities.

In my mind that's the big difference.

But I'd be interested in whether THR would let you organize a private 2/5 game. If yes, then they are being consistent and so be it. If not, then logically they shouldn't let people designate any game as "private" just as an excuse to give those players the "right" to exclude people who don't play the way that "they" want them to.

Another key reason that private games, especially in the higher stakes, became the only game of that stake, is because most places will let you change the rules a little. Some rules I have seen: mandatory straddle (not enforcable by FL regulations, keeps super-nits out of the game), 4 hour minimum at the table if you are winning (not enforcable by FL regulations, but helps keep the shot-taking hit-and-runners out), running it twice, three times, equity chops (not enforcable by FL regulations).

For obvious reasons, when you are playing with 10's of thousands of dollars it only makes sense to have it be a private game. Ultimately for the livelihood of the high-stakes games, the private games are the answer to almost all the problems of getting a game started as well as keeping it going.

Nah, the people that agree with you just don't see any point in the discussion.

And really, it would happen anyway, it just wouldn't be so obvious. The private games in Vegas just end up not in the poker rooms. Admittedly, it's a little easier for them to recruit when they're right in the room, but that's about the only real difference. And you might get a chance to play in the game anyway if you stick around until they're losing players.

Yes, they would.

This is actually the biggest reason these games will remain private. And restraddles.

have fun "not kissing ass" on the sidelines buddy

give action, be sociable, and you get to play with rich people that play high stakes poker for fun

complain relentlessly and refuse to adapt, there is a public 2/5 game that will be glad to cater to you folding every hand with your headphones on

It's hard not to read that as "be a big losing player, be sociable".

Not sure I understand all of these reasons. Instead of mandatory straddle, why not just play bigger blinds if it such a big concern?

Don't they allow running it twice/three etc at public games at Derby Lane? I do realize they don't allow that in public games at THR.

1) couple reasons: the straddle cannot be made mandatory, so if someone forgets, the game plays smaler for one hand which can be irritating. It is also a button straddle, and subsequent straddles around the table, completely different dynamic than just raising the stakes. Just because one room lets you do it, doesn't mean another will, and when you have to move the game to be closer to a specific player, having the same rules at each location is a benefit.

2) Again, some rooms allow it, some do not. The idea is to have a defined set of rules that cater to the players the pros want in the game. The only way to accomplish this is by making it an exclusively private, or semi-private game.

It also allows the table to come to a censensus on a ruling instead of having to deal with the horrible floor decisions at THR. I am not comfortable leaving a decision for a couple hundred dollars up to some of the idiots at this place, let alone a decision for more than they make in 6 months.

Does anyone know if the 10/20 hi-lo game looks like a go for tomorrow? I'd told G. that I was only a maybe, but it looks like I can make it for sure if the game goes. I know he's asked a lot of people about it, but I don't know if we'll get enough, and I would only go out there tomorrow to play that game.

I'm in. Haven't heard that it isn't a go. Starts 2pm.

I'll be there tonight around 9:30pm if the game is still going. Definitely interested in a change of pace game

I didn't think the game was particularly good at all. 4 rocks. I mean there were some bad limps, some on my part, but on the whole not much going on. I ended down 2 bets.
I also really don't like the 100 kill. The only way to get ahead, since pots are so small that chopping a massive pot is pretty rare, is to scoop, but when you scoop anything decent you have to put in 15 the next hand. Or be like the guy on my right who wins 3 kill pots in a row...
The guy to my left said it was a bad lineup, also confirmed it runs tuesday and friday.

Definitely wasn't as good today as it was on Tuesday as we had to play short much of the time. I also don't like the $100 kill - I think it should be $150 so it isn't as often. Tuesday should be better again.

10/20 limit Holdem is probably about the same size game as deep stack 1/3 NL. Split pot game is effectively smaller, though the pre split pots will be larger. It's cute that they put it in the high stakes area.

Bravo says there are only 5 games going right now....has it not been correct lately or is it really that slow on a Saturday morning?

Is there a push to get limit holdem going? There definitely needs to be. Every 2-5 game I sit at in the last month has been wretched.

For all the 5/10 guys has Eric lindgren played there recently? Reason I ask this is because I was playing with a guy today during the tourney and he claimed that was his buddy. Guy seemed pretty legit and I don't believe he was lying.

What I was suggesting is that they play 10/20 instead of 5/10 with mandatory straddle. Yes there are only two blinds, but almost same total amount of blinds ($30 vs $35). Or they could play 5/10/20 (which is the same as a mandatory straddle). I thought I have seen public 3-blind games are THR before, but not 100% sure.

I suspect they have other reasons why they want private games in that they want to play with people they know and like to socialize with instead of playing an illegal home game. It does not bother me, and I have no problems with the private games. Personally, it would be more interesting (and maybe more financially rewarding) to play with a lot of different players instead of the same ones every time, but to each their own.

Maybe I missed it but when does the Visa card prom end? The 25th or the 31st?

I think the 31st.

For being a Monday night im in probably the best 1/3 game ive seen in awhile. Too bad im getting destroyed.

They never do partial weeks on these promos.

uhhhh eric just moved from vegas to california