I’m a frequent 1/2 and 2/5 NLHE player and have been for years. I have played in all the rooms in Miami-Dade and Broward except Dania.

The day before yesterday the Isle was running a special hhj promotion, $400/10 minutes, from 11:00 to 11:00 and the room was packed for most of the day.

I got there about 10:30 and my 1/2 table was opened shortly thereafter. I looked around the table to see how much money was on it at the beginning and estimated that the average stack size around the table was 150. That probably held true for the day.

As usual, there was rebuying throughout the session by some of the players.

Late in the afternoon I looked around the table and noticed everyone's stacks. Three other players who had started when the tables was opened were still there. I had almost 500 (I bought in for 200) but I only saw one other guy who was ahead about 50+. Earlier in the afternoon one guy quit and may have been up 200+.

I wondered where all the money had gone. I could not find it on the table and nobody had quit a big winner. I calculated that there was about $1,500 in the stacks around the table at the start. I also estimated that 25 hands were played per hr. I estimated that the jackpot drop probably was $40 per hr and the rake was around $87.50 (3.50 x 25). On each winning hand the dealer is usually tipped 1 to 5 dollars. I estimated that the tips probably total $30 per hour. Additionally chips used to pay/tip the waitresses. That has to be at least $5 per hr. So the amount of chips being taken off the table and out of play per hr is around $162.50

That sum is a lot of $s leaving the table.

So let me get this straight...they're giving out $400 every 10 minutes?!?!?

Did anyone on your table hit the $400? Im guessing not if the stack sizes were never growing.

The problem you're referring to is a common one for high raked 1/2 or 1/3 games. When you tack on a $2 jackpot rake, the stacks at the table are simply not deep enough to withstand that type of every hand punishment.

Also, the pockets of most 1/2 players aren't deep enough to keep the game afloat. Just think of how many times you've seen someone buy in for $100 on a 1/2 game. He literally has such a narrow edge for victory with a $5 rake and a $2 drop for a high hand. You put multiple players like that all on 1 table, and the game is going to suffer.

I'm not a big fan of this $2 jackpot drop that I keep hearing about in FL. Where Im at, 75% of the time the jackpot gets hit on some damn 3/6 limit game. Those of us who play 2/5 petitioned that our game not be included in the promotion and also not be raked for it.

That is pretty widely known among anyone that plays a fair amount, and why you see a lot of thinking players decline open seats on 1/2 while waiting for for 2/5+ games. Anyone that does the math knows that 1/2 is a losing game with $5+$2 rake unless there's someone rebuying at least once per down.

[QUOTE=Shiptacular;44082771]So let me get this straight...they're giving out $400 every 10 minutes?!?!?

Yes, $400 hhj every 10 minutes for12 hours. To qualify, had to have As full. No rollovers. The Isle has been running this hhj promotion about 2/3 times a month for awhile. When it does, the room is full and the waiting list is long.

Did anyone on your table hit the $400? Im guessing not if the stack sizes were never growing.

The hhj was hit twice at my table during the 8 hrs I played.
Early on I made the hhj board with As full of 8s hhj but it did not last the 10 minutes because another player at our table hit quad 4s which held and he received $400. This guy was an LAG player who played almost any pocket cards and usually raised when entering the pot. His problem was he did not play well after the flop. Say he played pK7 and flop was Kxx. He would bet or call all bets, including the river, and lose to someone with pKJ or trips. He originally bought in for 200. I saw he rebuy for 100 about 5/6 times.

Also, the pockets of most 1/2 players aren't deep enough to keep the game afloat. Just think of how many times you've seen someone buy in for $100 on a 1/2 game. He literally has such a narrow edge for victory with a $5 rake and a $2 drop for a high hand. You put multiple players like that all on 1 table, and the game is going to suffer.

One advantage of playing at the Isle, the SHRH, and to a lesser extent at Gulfstream is that the player are generally deeper stacked than the players in the other rooms. The buy in at the SHRH 1/2 is 100-300; at the Isle and Gulfstream you see very few buying in for less that 100. At some of the other rooms you will find 4 players buying in for 60. That is why table selection/change is so important.

I don't particularly like playing 1/2NL at Gulfstream because the max is only $200. If I'm going to play 1/2, I'd rather do it at Mardi Gras or Hialeah where the max is $300. (The Isle & HR are farther away from me.) But you're right about the shorties buying in for the minimum; in fact, that is one of the main reasons that I switched to playing 2/5 regularly.

Add Hialeah to that list. I was playing there yesterday and they had a few PLO tables going. In fact, my 2/5NL table broke because several of the players moved to play PLO.

This is the second time that has happened to me in the last few weeks; the previous occurrence was at Mardi Gras. It looks like I may have to learn how to play PLO, lol. It definitely seems to be getting more popular in SoFla.

No doubt about it, PLO is gaining popularity in south FL. There is even an occasional PLO game in Ft. Pierce.

The Isle has also been getting PLO for the last month, although that may have been driven by their tournament series among other things.

Not that there was much poker action there anyway, but it looks like the entire Dania Casino will be closing in October for at least a year.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/08/1...ces-plans.html

It seems to have died already at the Isle. Seems to happen there frequently. PLO games (2/5 mostly) will go for about a week during a big tournament series but will disappear until the next series.

I will be staying on Miami Beach for a few days in the middle of September. Sorry to ask a very general question, but what is the best poker room to play at. I'm not much of a beach person so I'll let the lady do that while I play. I'll have a car so transit does not matter but what room get's the most PLO action? Seems like Hard Rock Hollywood might be the winner looking at the Bravo action the last few days but they have a tournament series going on which may be juicing the numbers. What should I expect in the middle of September?

The Hard Rock is a bit of a drive from Miami Beach. Gulfstream and Mardi Gras are closer, but the PLO action is better during the evenings than the day time. If it is a weekday, make the drive to the Hard Rock, because there is a lot more going on there. On exception.. Wednesday evenings @ 6:30pm Gulfstream usually has a PLO tourney that brings in a bunch of players.

Magic City (which is not on Bravo) usually runs a pretty good PLO game & it may be the closest one to MB. Just a quick jump on the 836 west & you'll be there in about 20-30 minutes (depending on traffic)

Depends on where exactly he's staying. I live in Miami Beach and both Gulfstream & Mardi Gras are a little closer to me than Magic City. Hialeah & Jai Alai are actually the closest to me, but all five casinos are within 13 miles, so none of them are more than 20 minutes or so.

Thanks for the tips guys. I should have time to try two places on the first day and see which one I like better, and the extra drive does not bother me too much if it's only a few minutes further. Right now it looks like my first choice will be Hard Rock and my second choice is between Gulfstream and Mardi Gras. I'll keep checking Bravo and the threads for each of those rooms up until then.

I drove up to Pompano Beach over the weekend to test drive (and ultimately purchase) a car at a dealership up there. While in the area, I took the opportunity to check out the Isle since I had never been there and heard so many wonderful things about the poker room there. I'm not sure I'm ready to proclaim it the best room in SoFla based on just one visit, but one thing I really liked was the drink and food service was great. I was especially surprised and pleased to be served a draught Guinness for only $4.25, rather than receive the usual bottle or canned versions.

Try the Reuben sandwich.

Looking for a nice, clean room in Miami area.

Magic City keeps its room very clean -- even the bathrooms are kept very clean (at least the ladies' room is cleaned several times a night). It's well lit, and friendly. It's a separate room from the rest of the casino, so it's not filled with piped in music or gaming sounds. Floor does a good job of keeping things running well and eliminating problems before they escalate.

Jai Alai is a cesspool. Tables are dirty. Even the rolling tableside tables are broken down and crooked (not that it matters, they had some sort of break up with the restaurant, so there's no food available unless you order it from outside -- they will place pizza orders for you at the main service desk, but not from within the poker room). The last time I was there, players were dripping food on the tables (hello, fake maple syrup on a poker table is just wonderful, right?). The bathrooms are filthy (this is were the masses go who don't know how to flush or aim -- and the moronic contractors who built the stalls in the ladies rooms sized them so that you have to straddle the toilet to open or shut the door from the inside). The poker area is in the middle of the gaming floor -- and not only do you have the noise of the machines, they pipe in horrendous "music" at deafening sound levels through a horrible PA system that sounds like it was purchased at Kmart AND they have the volume up on all the big screen TVs.

Gulfstream is in a posh complex. The poker room is a bit darker than I like and located to one side of the lower lever slot machine area... so you get the bing bing bing of the machines on top of whatever else is coming over the PA system.

Hialeah is out of the way. It's the newest room. Table service is horrendous. Food is over-priced and not worth the price. If you like gambly games and don't mind if they allow the players to act without restraint, you might enjoy it. Some of the dealers aren't that professional (I've seen at least one playing elsewhere, and repeatedly openly showing cards to seatmates and friends during hands -- and discussing the hand during hands in spanish -- even though there is an English only during a hand rule in Florida). I haven't been there in awhile. Once was enough for me.

Mardi Gras is a few blocks from Gulfstream. It's a huge poker room. However, they have ten player tables -- and use the bridge-sized cards. It's a dark room. The crowd is largely older. A considerable amount of time is spent having to tell people what cards are on the board because they can't see them from the ends of the tables. Add to it that the felts are red -- so red chips are difficult to see. Their turbo poker 1/2 is a hoot.

Hmmm I don't go to Miccosukee... but I have been to the casino twice. It's basically a huge, awful ashtray. I heard that they no longer allow smoking in the poker room.

Hard Rock is clean. It's too dark for my liking. It's a separate room from the rest of the casino. I don't enjoy it much, so I don't bother to go often. Many people like it because it's 24/7.

The Isle is farther away -- it's clean, very nice, and has great food. They have frequent tournaments. If it was closer, I would be there more often. They close earlier than the Miami rooms (at 3 am weekdays), but they are open 24/7 on the weekends.

You put a lot of effort into your post, but I'm pretty sure that the person to whom you responded was looking for a nice, clean room to live in, not seeking recommendations for poker rooms.

LMAO.. well I suppose he could have said "room to rent" and I wouldnt have immediately thought he was a clean freak looking for a poker room.. :-)

Or he could have posted at craigslist instead of a poker forum.

Thanks for the thorough response, but yeah I was seeking a room for rent.

I look on there too, but a lot of people don't understand poker pros / 420.

Hey Southern Florida Community!

I am coming out for the remainder of November and I would love to find some $Five/$Ten+ NLHE around the area.

It has been a little over a year since my last visit and I remember that I liked the Isle, Gulfstream, and Hialeah park in addition to SHR. I would be surprised if my experiences from a year ago are very relevant.

What are the big days for poker at each venue and which casinos have the best high stakes games? My plan had been to play cash games on the weekends at SHR but I'd find it fun to mix it up.

What casinos allow for players banks or some way of storing my my $ so that I don't have to carry a fat wad in a town that I don't know?

Thanks in advance guys!

P.S. I will be staying near downtown Hollywood so if you're in the area send me a PM!

Hi all,

Just wondering if and when any of the following card rooms run games that are not LLHE or 1/2 - 2/5 NLHE:

Palm Beach Kennel Club
Isle
Hard Rock
"Seminole" Casinos (Coconut Creek, the original Hollywood)

Many years ago, I would be able to find $1/$3 7CS at the original Seminole Hollywood and a few OH8/PLO tables as well at just about any time (Saturday afternoons / evenings, for example). I'm just kind of tired of playing LHE/NLHE right now and it would be nice if I could find a Stud game that's not 9AM on Tuesday morning . It just seems that every card room in SFL only runs Hold 'Em now - but perhaps I am just going at the wrong times / wrong places.

Thanks!