Earlier today, I went to Casino Rama with family and noticed that they had some NL HE cash games going. I signed up for the waiting list for the 1-2 NL, which already had more than 10 players on it. A few minutes later, they open up a new table. Buy-in ranges were 40-200, same as you'd see in a regular online ring game.
I bought in for $60, allowing me to rebuy if I lost some, as I brought along $200. When I sat down, I noticed quite a few people buying in for $150-$200, and 3 short stacks (including me) with $60, $70 and $80.
What I like about their structure was, that there was rake and no sessional fee, giving me an opportunity to enter my pots with the max number of chips (assuming I employ a very tight image).
During the session, I was trying to establish a tight image and take advantage of the overly aggressive players and their bet sizes. In the game, players were either limping to see a cheap flop or raising anywhere between $10 and $20 preflop. Occasionally, you'd see a $7 standard raise and also crazy guys shoving preflop or raising to $40.
My $60 stack was cut down to $40 when I called a raise with AJ in position and peeled a T 6 2 flop, folding on the turn when another 6 came.
A few hands later, I pick up 3 3 and limped into a pot already with a few limpers.
The flop comes 3 7 9 with two clubs. Guy leads up for $15, and I shove. he calls and I double up to $80 (he didn't show his hand when i showed him my set).
I play very tight, as calling a $15 dollar raise would commit 20 percent of my stack.
I also noticed that one guy would raise a lot when he had position preflop, we'll call him A. There was this girl who was a calling station and was involved in about 50% of the hands. I was 2 positions to her left, so I was in an advantageous position. She called an 80 dollar all in shove with JQ off suite (she raised to 15 and BB shoved). She also limped with crap like 3 5 and J 2 off suite.
During the next few orbits, I got blinded down to $60 without ever picking up a premium hand. Afterwards, i picked up 99 from button or Cutoff (can't remember), but the pot was already raised to 10 with one or two callers, so I also called, and missed the flop.
I was down to $50, so i added $40 more, giving me a stack of $90.
A few hands later, I limped with J8 of diamonds in middle position, and the flop came J82 with two hearts. A guy leads out for $15 and the girl also called, forcing me to shove. I took down the pot and showed an 8 to give them some doubts. My stack was not at around $125.
The next hand, I pick up AA, the only premium hand I've picked up today (aside from 99), as I don't consider AQ a "premium" hand. The lady limped from UTG, so I raised to $13. The guy (A) calls and everyone else folds.
The flop comes:
J 4 5 (non-club).
The lady checks, and I bet out $27, both call.
The turn is the 7.
The lady checks, and I think for a few seconds and stare at person A. I shove for around $80, and both called without too much hesitation (wasn't a snap call, but pretty close).
I was pretty sick by two calls, as I thought someone must have had two pair or even 6 8, giving me 0 outs.
The river is the 7 and they both check it down.
Spoiler:
The guy shows a 4, as he later tells me he had a pair and an open ender, so I'm thinking he had 46.
I show my aces, and the lady shows K 7.
I lose the $370 pot and leave the room, knowing I had close to a 50% shot of almost 4X my buyins.
I felt like I played a very solid game and had very favourable playing conditions. Players were calling 80 dollar shoves with J K suited and other flawed players.
Anyone been to Casino Rama lately and have any stories to share?
I love new B&M players coming to post their first impressions after playing online.
People are raising to $10 or even $20 pre-flop. That's a standard raise live.
Don't buy in for $60 unless you are planning to just shove preflop, buy in for the whole $200, you will get much more play and when you have A's and can actually get some chips in the middle you stand to win more.
FWIW If I saw someone buy in for $60, I'd assume you were playing scared money and just pick you off every chance I could.
I was there 3. Right at the table by the entrance. Santa even dealt to me. I was there from 730-about 3am.
Hit a couple of runner runners (b.c action checked to me on the flop and ofcourse the turn gave me both straight and flush outs). Had KK and AA back to back, won both. ended down $140 for the night. Nothing too exciting.
Do you know the guy with the mustache? He went up $1100 and then donked it all back as per usual.
went to Rama for first time ever last night. Played 2/5 for 5 hours or so. Decent experience, would go back. I much prefer Fallsview, but it's ok at Rama.
Is it true that the Rama cash game players are pissed off that the BBJ collection is being put in the same box as the rake? I've been noticing Rama-only players playing in other casinos lately. The BBJ rules state
"The Bad Beat and the Reserve Jackpots are calculated as a percentage of the entire rake for the day"
but that percentage is not even stated, and could easily result in a lot more than 10% of the true BBJ pot going to the House.
The worst part of illegal clubs having a BB or High Hand jackpots is that you can't trust the jackpot amount since there is no way to see how much extra rake is being taken out by the House, so I'm surprised that Rama is using an unspecified and arbitrary percentage that the players don't trust.
Is it true that the Rama cash game players are pissed off that the BBJ collection is being put in the same box as the rake? I've been noticing Rama-only players playing in other casinos lately. The BBJ rules state
"The Bad Beat and the Reserve Jackpots are calculated as a percentage of the entire rake for the day"
but that percentage is not even stated, and could easily result in a lot more than 10% of the true BBJ pot going to the House.
The worst part of illegal clubs having a BB or High Hand jackpots is that you can't trust the jackpot amount since there is no way to see how much extra rake is being taken out by the House, so I'm surprised that Rama is using an unspecified and arbitrary percentage that the players don't trust.
Sounds ok to me as long as there is a regulating body overseeing it.