No... 2/5/10 the straddle is optional. But it's assumed that everyone who sits will straddle. Every now and then some ****** won't want to straddle and fup the table dynamic. These people don't last long

I know one reg who doesn't straddle out of principal not because he doesn't like action but just because he doesn't like to feel obligated.

It's says "2/5/10 straddle" on the board. I don't know why anyone would sit in the game and not straddle.

meh, I don't agree with this post at all. Game is 2/5 with optional $10 straddle. People don't have to straddle if they don't want to, many people would prefer to play 2/5 to 5/10 and calling them '******s' is beyond ******ed. As an aside, I also prefer to play deeper as I think it helps my edge and bloating pots pre flop does the exact opposite

But more importantly, I hate the table dynamic of regs bullying non regs into a straddle they don't want to do and all it does is make the people at the table who we generally want to feel relaxed and in a fun mode, feel defensive and under attack. As a result, this new structure has driven a lot of the weaker players down to the 2/3, which is why quite a few of the players making a living in there now play 2/3 instead. We should be doing what we can to get the weaker players up in stakes IMO and not making them feel uncomfortable by forcing them to play bigger than they want and making them feel bad/under threat

I don't know who you are/whether we've played together, but it's exactly this attitude that destroyed the bigger holdem game in the room 3-4 years ago. A few of the reg pros persuaded the room to make the 5/10 game a compulsory 20 straddle and while it ran for a while, the game fizzled very quickly and the biggest holdem game became the 5/5

It's says "2/5/10 straddle" on the board... It doesn't say "optional" anywhere i can see but hey i haven't looked. I expect the straddle to be on when i sit.

From what I've seen non straddlers get 3 & 4bet exceptionally light. It's just what i have observed.

If a player turns up to the table knowing the other players have all agreed that the straddle is and they don't straddle thus messing up table dynamics that is 100% a ******ed move weather you agree or not. It doesn't bother me though I just adjust.

I agree with everything else you say though & I would also prefer 2/5.

I've just turned up this year & know nothing about the history of the room/games. I'm not rolled for 5/10 so i just take shots. Something between 2/3 & 5/10 would really suit me.

Straddle is definitely optional

I was initially happy with the new levels but had figured that the 5/10/20 would play more often and that the straddle wouldn't be so automatic but it hasn't turned out that way.

Having 2/3 (500) as the smallest game in the room really does make that game attractive, albeit getting stuck with a few 100 stacks makes me a little salty

Yes it is...

I find it amusing that dealers have recently been instructed not to stack up the pots in an effort to increase hands per hour but then at the end of most hands they have to get a count to take rake increasing the length of time spent on the hand.

Navigating short stacks drives me insane and is the main reason i take 5/10 shots. I don't hesitate to xfer tables if short stacks are present.

You could be talking about me

Isn't a straddle always optional? If it was mandatory, it would be listed on the board as 2/5/10 (just like PLO 1/3/5, which has 3 mandatory blinds) instead of "2/5/10 Straddle".

It's listed on the board as 2/5/OP10 if I recall correctly. Straddle is most definitely optional. I always straddle if everyone else is but not because I'm in some fear of being 3-bet or 4-bet light as I'm quite comfortable to play that game if someone wants to think I'm a mark. It just keeps the table comfortable. Jumping on a rec player for not straddling is stupid as inevitably the player will up and leave first chance, more often than not well before they bust out. Expert play is to keep recreational players at the table as long as possible not go on some ego trip that drives them away. The only way a straddle creates action is by making the game effectively shorter - it becomes a 5/10 game with 100bb rather than a 2/5 with 200bb. Stronger players will gain a greater edge by playing deeper but hey, why let facts get in the way of star reg wisdom?

It doesn't say optional on the board anymore, it says 2/5 straddle but it's still optional

So how ******ed is this...

I say to a dealer that has been there for 15 years;

"its ok if you pass the chips to me neatly stacked after you count them to take rake"

He responds by saying no he will get in trouble if he is caught on camera...

So the dealers have been instructed not to stack chips in an effort to increase hands per hour.
And also to knock the neat stack they counted to take rake over before they shovel it over to you.

All logic & reason has gone out the window in an effort to increase profits.

Anything they can do to increase hands is a good thing but I do find it annoying that they're doing this. Bigger issue for speed is just how f ing slow and inexperienced most of the dealers are.

Some of the new ones don't seem to be able to work out who has won a pot. Last week one guy out the winning hand into the much twice and gave another pot to the wrong player once in his 30 min chunk of time. I would be protecting my cards all the time now if I was in 1,2,9 and 10

Very much this. The hands per hour issue isn't due to dealers stacking chips. It's as if some of the new dealers have never played the game before, they have no clue about basic game mechanics. The experienced dealers can bang out some solid hands per hour regardless of chip stacking. It's a training issue and instead they're just trying to find a simple band aid solution.

I'd be all for the re-introduction of electronic tables. Pumping out mistake free 50+ hands per hour at 2/3 would be serious $.

Relieved you managed to understand my post with all that autocorrect fail.

The hand deal in Melb is so much faster too - those guys must get through 5 hands an hour more than even the decent dealers up here

I questioned Andrew the floor manager last week about the stacking thing and he couldn't have been more derisive. Instead of answering the question talking big picture he snorted about how players should be able to follow and count the pot size anyway. He's a dick anyway but symptomatic of the management's ability to really understand their issues. I really think they are trying to get better and are improving in many areas but they're not humble enough to evaluate themselves properly

You guys know who the fastest and by far best female dealer is there right? She is probably the best dealer they have full stop.

Some joker in management thought it would be a good idea to move her to a different game a little while back. Why would you take your number 1 money making machine and put her somewhere else?

The only reason she is back dealing pokers is because she tweaked a muscle reaching for chips at the other game.

There are some serious management issues going on at this place and obviously no room for constructive criticism because everyone is too scared to rock the boat and point out absolute nonsense like knocking over pots before shovelling to winners.

Basically a 100% increase. Ive never played an electronic table, What are the negatives?



Im thinking i should go on tour and check out the Melb action asap

I also don't understand how some of the truly horrible dealers that have been dealing for a while continue to have a job. There's one male dealer who I have seen fall asleep on the table, he also twice burned and dealt the next card before the action was complete on the previous street. There's a couple of female ones
who are incredibly slow dealing cards pre flop. Every card gets stuck on the felt and need to be pushed again (sometimes twice). How can you be this bad after dealing for years?

There's only one casino in the whole city. Is it that hard to find 40 decent dealers?

No negatives at all besides that a lot of the regs prefer human dealers for some stupid reason. There used to be a couple of electronic 1/2 tables a few years ago, no idea why they were scrapped.

Must admit that I would be scared about electronic tables, but then I'm OMC. have you got a link to how they work/video of one in action?

Any of you lot at the office right now?

Are you?

Yes

Nah had quite a few extra hours at work plus study so haven't been in about a month

Going to be in Sydney in a few weeks. What NLHE stakes are offered, what is the rake, and how do the games play?

Their website has all the answers