As for pokerstars, I prefer SNG`s and tournaments to cash games. Believe me, you can still beat the bots and GTO guys in that format. Tournaments no longer exist in the casinos here. I`ve always found cash games a little boring, they call it grinding for a reason. Which is not to say that I haven`t played plenty of cash games in the casinos here, and in some of the private clubs before the casinos opened.

I`ve written enough posts in this thread about the things I think are factors in the downfall of the Vancouver Poker Scene. Leave it to say that we are a city of 2.5 million people without a viable poker scene. And that`s not because there are not plenty of guys that would go play. It`s because of how the rooms are run, and the angles management lets people get away with, and what they tolerate from the regs, and how that turns off the recreational players that put fresh money into the system and keep it growing in other towns.

Isn't live poker shrinking all over the place? [Not sure if this is true, but it is th impression I've gotten.] I went to Vegas recently and was told that a bunch of rooms have closed there recently. There appeared to be almost NO games other than NLH and PLO and they were infested with regs with backpacks watching movies while folding 85% of their hands pre-flop. The few tourists talked about how poker was declining in their cities as well, though the games outside of Vegas were much better.

I think the problem is that poker rooms just aren't that profitable for casinos relative to everything else casinos do.

I've played plenty and the only serious collusion(not just random soft play) I've seen is 2 guys checking it down vs a third all-in player who they happen to hate because he's an ultra-nit.

I don't know what angling he's talking about. Different rooms have different rules about what constitutes an angle.

Every so often I get to know a regular player who seems absolutely certain that there is lots cheating going on but I don't see it.

All rooms could be run way better imo.

This, "Unrestrained collusion, unabashed angle-shooting" just isn't the case at all but I've heard it's a good description of the Commerce.

Play all the time.. theres one couple at villa thst id assume collude based kn how they act but other than that no.

Collusion / angle / etc. post above is off base, in my experience. Will you be at reg infested tables? Of course; like you aren't anywhere else?

Dude just wants to get out and enjoy an evening of live poker and my guess is he'll experience that there. To avoid the wait list as much as possible just phone in beforehand (I believe within an hour?).

GcluelessparanoidnoobG

The games here are fine, the one dude above is just loco. Some regs have been passing money back and forth for over a decade, so naturally they reach a point where they'll check it down when HU. (Though the couple that grind 2/5 at Villa do indeed collude, and I won't sit in the game when they're together. She's a typical bad reg, but he's very good, and when they move seats to be next to each other, it's like he gets the button twice an orbit.)

You have 90 minutes from when you call to get there and check in, a least at Parq and GV. A taxi from Kits to Parq is about $15, or you pay to park there anyway.

Most places think live poker is hurting/dying, and the Seattle forum has the same general complaints as we do. Vegas poker scene is a shell of what it was 10 years ago.

Buena suerte, amigos.

Perhaps they think live poker is hurting/dying because it actually is? i.e. tables and rooms are closing and shrinking all over the place?

I've noticed even a couple of the underground games that were going on for years are dead... Hard to find decent home game

I agree, I was just saying that I hear the poker is dying lament everywhere I go.

I've been going to casinos for almost 30 years, poker has only recently been viable outside of a few large hubs. It came, it saw, it didn't conquer, and now it's likely fading.

Choosing Villa over Parq with your circumstances seems absurd. Unless you are dead set on playing specifically the 5/10nl game. Ignore the crazy guy that's obsessed with Parq having major collusion. I've played for years and played all over North America, it's just the normal stuff you see among local friends at any room anywhere.

Parq is a fancy new building downtown and lots of people go there for or as part of a night out. Villa's poker room is in what used to be the staff break room, and you aren't even allowed to order or even bring an alcoholic drink in there. Villa is right off the highway and surrounded by nothing of interest in walking distance. Locals have mixed opinions on where is better to play. A tourist should have an easy decision to go to Parq though if you only get the chance to do one.

Finally convinced wife to let me go to Parq, and indeed taxi was less than 15 cad, altho was pretty bummed when I found out Uber was already kicked out from the city .
So not sure how exactly but managed to dust 1.1k on a 1/2 (or was it 1/3?) game, one thing I didn´t like is they cap max buy in @ 400 cad, which is reasonable when tables start, but when u´re stuck and half the table have around 800 cad, it can be frustrating.

One very bad signal I saw was when I was already @ around -800 and a lady on her early 60s explaining to me why she correctly flatted my squeeze with her 55 to set mine me, and later on she folding 44 to my open raise cuz i just didn´t have enough for her to set mine me.
I don´t know on other parts of the world but in Mexico any person over 50 on the table have close to 0% chance of knowing that kind of info

I've heard it said many times that Vancouver is a tough town for poker.

I agree w every single thing in this post. There’s actually a second couple who play 5-10 but I highly doubt they collude mostly because they are filthy rich and he’s such an action junkie I doubt he could be bothered. But yeah all the complaints are overblown. The 1-3 game at GV at night is as good as any you’ll find on the west coast and the 1-2 PLO at Park is generally played about 1000BB deep to offset the ridiculous cost of parking and the high rake.

Nobody is paying for parking. Not more than once anyways.

Thanks for the report, it's always interesting to get an outsider's take on our game.

Bump

Anythin going on?

Don’t listen to anyone on this forum saying Live poker is Vancouver is dead. It’s far from dead. Great games all around.

hey Vancouver guys.
What about that casino in Langley?
“Cascades”
Any poker action there at all?

Good action but max 5 tables of 1/3

Thank you.
Do you mean the poker room only has 5
Tables?
1-3 is the only game?
No 2-5? No PLO?
Tournaments?

My info isnt perfect but ill ckear up what i said.

There are 5 total tables location surrounded by loud slots. Everytime ive been there is has only been 1/3 max 300 but ppl are super aggro amd always plays deep eventually. They used to have morning tourneys but i think they shrunk them (call them 5o ask) also heard a specific day dedicated to bigger games. Idk if they ever PLO

Any tournaments in the $200+ range worth checking out? I don’t see much listed on Poker Atlas.

Unless that's a weekday afternoon the games are truly dead if that type of player is playing like that. That's a sign that there is no new blood in the game. I guess that's similar to online poker.....

PLO in Parq is great. It is 1-2 game with average pot > $1000. Most of the people buy in for >$600 to rebuy in a few hands.

Tell me more