You could be right. But it's still a $7 max rake.. $5 for house. $1 BB.. $1 promo's

... And the dust starts to settle ... Yes, $4 'up front' in the 1/2 pots (well, any pot) is pretty bad. And they conveniently speak in 'code' when the Players ask for a rake reduction by correctly stating what the rake is but never mention that the promo is still in full force. 'Rake at $3' is actually $5 of $30. You can see that the day 1/2 games are settling down a bit and the PLO lists aren't quite as deep .. which slows them down from opening the table for fear of hurting the NL and the game thinning out too soon.

Without getting into very much detail I think that there is some hesitation or resistance from 'up stairs' already about this room, which is amazing considering that it really should've exceed expectations from a traffic perspective. They were, and probably still are, over-staffed and spending too much cash on Floors by having them handle tasks that could be handled by lower priced employees.

The Floor's shouldn't have to decide between taking care of the open tables and walk-ins ... and of course the difficultly hearing and lack of 'eyesight' acknowledgement between Floor and Dealer/Player has been a concern from Day 1. There should be a 'floor' Floor and a 'desk' Floor if they are going to operate that way. The slowed traffic has allowed for the Brushes to handle chip running tasks, but even they end up behind the counter where communication is weak.

I did hear conversation about working Dealers longer hours. This would handle attrition and also help Dealers travel by probably cutting a work day out of their schedule possibly. I've also heard talk of Dual Rates which could lead to a cut of a Floor at times, but also provide a Floor the opportunity to go on break without leaving the other Floor alone depending on how they work them. I don't really see how FK handles Dual Rates as a plus for that room but I may be misunderstanding the position as a 'Floor in waiting' as well.

Don't count on tournaments anytime 'soon'.

Sounds to me like a charity room or two needs to promote $5 max rake and start to reel back in the business. We are post-MSPT. FK cash games are way down still and they were 'way down' during the MSPT which was a surprise to me a bit but with WSOPc going on as well maybe not too much of a surprise.

Opening up a new room is going to have it's hiccups, but to have 'up stairs' already pumping the brakes will unnecessarily give the charity rooms an opportunity to pull back some of the Players earlier than 'snow flies', which was my next key timeline spot after MSPT past by.

I'm pretty comfortable (and pleased) with all the Floors so far, so don't view my preceived venting here as aimed at them. We as Players can only see what we see, and they are keeping things pretty tight lipped until they actually happen .. which in most cases is how it should be with guys like me looking for the nearest soap box!! GL

Speaking of WSOPc ... 'Internet' posted another Final Table in what is becoming a pretty darn good tournament run for him this year. This event also saw another Player 'dash' his way out of retirement and run fairly deep.

I assume a trip to Daytona is in order this week as there are only two more events left in the HPT season and the funds won this week (about $37K) will be used to chase POY on that tour. Once they clear Daytona the season finale is in Chicago the 'weekend' before Thanksgiving. Rather than the FT being on Monday as usual for the HPT they are having an extra Day 1 on a Sunday, which will push the FT to Tuesday. Should the run good continue then WMich will have a whole new meaning for 'Black Friday' in the poker community this year. POY honors are well worth chasing, especially with so many events in Chicago for HPT. GL

What's this tournament a GL doing? ST3 scared to play it

Ooops ... $340/100 Bounty on Sunday at 1100 AM, 20K chips with 20 min levels after first hour. Late reg in first hour only.

It's very rare for me to do weekend 'day' poker, and it certainly wont be this Sunday ... GL

Interesting. It's not a problem for me that they have tournaments at unusual times. I play online any time, day or night, if I like the structure. That said, a $340 buy-in is way out of my comfort zone. I hope that that's not typical.

Well I am glad to see that GL is finally getting in some tournament action. I wish they would have given a little more notice but I'm definitely going to be getting in on that. For this buy in amount I wish they would keep the levels at 30 minutes the whole time but 20k in starting chips is good and I love the late reg/re-entry is only 2 levels (I prefer that all tournaments be no or 1 re-entry max). I assume the buy in is so high to try and keep the numbers manageable given only 14 tables in the room. Sorry to see that Poker Clif and Answer won't be there but I appreciate them giving the rest of us a chance

On a totally unrelated topic does anyone else follow Nic Manion on twitter? That dude has gone totally off the rails. He is quickly becoming one of the most hated people in poker. If it weren't for Wil Kassouf I am pretty sure he'd be enemy #1 right now.

Yikes on the Manion stuff.

More from GLake ... Multiple High Hand Promos starting tomorrow (Friday) for NL and PLO. Weekday HH is for the overnight 'degens' and early birds but ... as promised ... they are starting to get their requests approved from Gaming.

1100 AM start is not that 'off' for a Sunday (FK 500 starts at 1000, MSPT Day 2 1100). They also bring 'day' staff in at 1000 so that time works well for that. Yes, the price point is a bit steep if they make this a weekly event but they have very willing to listen and cater (as much as they can) to Player feedback. GL

Not sure you can compare NM to WK. WK's issues are pretty much tied to the felt whereas this NM stuff is more personal and has very little to do with 'actual' poker.

For those who have played with NM at GLake you can barely get a sentence out of him so this Twitter banter is an even bigger surprise to some. Going back to 'normal' may never be possible after a big score. Can you imagine the intensity of what comes out of the woodwork if you take down the ME title?

During a lunch break over a month ago NM brought up many of the 'poker' details that have shown up on Twitter. Folding multiple AKs, not really wanting to be a tournament reg, not really wanting to be 'out there' on a national stage. He is not changing his tune from conversation to conversation. The only comment I made that seemed to maybe sink in was that if he wanted to take a shot at another major event that he should do it during this calendar year so that he could write off the entry if things didn't go well.

Watch this lottery stuff in SC, the whole town is all smiles right now but just watch if this family up and leaves without dumping some cash into the community somehow.

Yes, I bought my 'share' of Lotto tickets, but I can only imagine trying to survive the next 12-15 years keeping my girls even halfway grounded before they are mentally ready to step out on their own. GL

Structure sheet for the black chip bounty is available in Gun Lake poker room.

Whatever problems Nic has on Twitter are of his own making. Even the "sponsor" training site he wore at the FT (b/c one of the pros on that site is from Muskegon area), went online and said "He volunteered to wear it and we have no relationship with him at all".

If the dude ever wanted sponsorship or to be a prop at a room like GL, he's not acting like it online.

I'm going to be very curious to see how many people come out for this first tournament. Being that there's never really been a tournament buy in of this size such a short distance from GR before I'm wondering what the turnout will be. I know there's people from the area that have gone to FK and Hammond to play in the larger buy in tournaments but is there enough to make this tournament worthwhile? Maybe because it's the first one it will generate more interest. Anyone else on here planning to play?

I'm probably going to be floating in the casino and if I like the field size I will jump in..

51 to start. I was expecting much higher.

61 total entries ... almost exactly between my estimate (lower) and a Floor. Can't remember what time I looked at my phone later in the afternoon to see that it was HU. Paid over $3K to first. They had a little trouble getting the clock up on Bravo, but this is a hurdle and it was cleared. With so little time from approval to Sunday and so little advertising I think 60 entries was fair.

There was a shorthanded PLO table at Midnight when the new HH promo started, not sure if it survived through to 6 AM or not. Also runs from 8AM to 2PM. There are no tables running for either promo right now but who knows that it's going on? Very little fan fare for these events so far.

I-Jake almost made another HPT FT in Daytona yesterday, finishing in 10th, in his pursuit of HPT Player of the Year honors. The year end event is at AmeriStar in two weeks with the BI up at $2500 and an extra Day 1 on Sunday, pushing the FT to Tuesday. Hopefully he doesn't have to fire more than one bullet to get to Day 2. There was another Michigan cash in the Dayton event as well, MM. GL

62 total entrants. I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of numbers but that seemed a bit low for a first tournament. Next one is set for Nov. 28th. I'm curious if they are just going to run 1 per month for awhile until they get things figured out or what their plan is.

I thought the room was very nice. I think if they wanted to they could have actually arranged tables where they could fit in a few more if volume picked up. Most of the dealers were nice although one had no idea how the BB ante worked. There was a female dealer there that was a bit cranky, not sure what her deal was. The main floor guy seemed to have very basic knowledge of poker. He did a decent job but I could tell if things got complicated he would probably struggle to make a correct ruling.

That room is very nice where it is and I could see it holding huge potential but I just wonder how forward thinking the group is that they have running it now. I guess only time will tell.

GLake has 'a lot' of items working through Gaming right now. Approvals are at a snails pace. I still have the feeling that 'the whole' casino is not behind poker as of yet, which I'm sure doesn't help getting things rolling. What may appear as a 'long range' plan to us Players is also a point of anxiety to staff as well.

I've encouraged them to get their own FaceBook and Twitter going but that will take time since 'everything' needs to go through Marketing for approval. It's not a good thing when casino FB promotes the tournament and leaves off the Buy-In!! It's like chicken/egg stuff ... The poker staff wants to get things out there as fast as they are approved, but yet are hindered on promoting. Apparently it was a task just to have 'in room' access to the Bravo description updates at first.

It's almost like poker is a separate entity just leasing space, which could be why the Dealers get to keep their tips. But Dealers were also scrambling to get to an off-site employee meeting yesterday.

It's possible that the Bounty is a '4th Sunday' thing. I would be amazed if their applications to Gaming need to be that specific, but it's possible.

I agree that they could've squeezed a few more tables in there, but it wouldn't take much to modify the layout. LOTS of Players commenting on having their own space between tables ... unlike FKeepers where you almost have to share drink tables.

On a positive note, I saw (and confirmed) with a slot worker that the volume on the slot banks nearest the poker entrance will be lowered. Still would be better served with glassed in doors, but it's a start! GL

GLake news ...
1) HHand promos all week ... 11am-9pm for PLO, 9pm-11am for NL ($100)
2) Splash pots during Lions games ... when they score ...

3) Hot Seat give away during Sunday, Monday and Thursday night football games. $200 to a random seat at the end of each quarter.
4) November 9 ... Top 9 Players who are in the room by the hour will receive cash.

5) H/L PLO on Mondays ... hopefully
6) 2/5 NL on Mondays ... starting today .. hopefully
7) 5/10 PLO on Wed/Fri ... but a star attraction got banned (again) during play Sat morning.

No sure what's going on in the charity rooms as of late as the PLO as been my main vice. GLake has had PLO every day since opening ... except one I was told last night, it was probably a Tuesday/Wednesday. GL

Answer20 hasn't been seen at GLC in weeks.. did he go broke? Was he sitting in seat 1 today? Is he hiding from someone.. is this all a lie?

A20
How are cash games?
Planning next vacay....from the dark continent...
Looking to plan a road trip to gambooooolllll....
Please advise
gamboolman & Ms. gamboolgal...

A star attraction was banned again? Do tell...!! Was it Nic Manion? I could definitely see that...

1) GBM ... The standard answer to all 'vacation' inquires is to make sure you go to a place that you will enjoy outside the room first ... and then see if they have poker in the area. What stakes, how often and what games ... what time of year ... are you looking for? Plenty of vacation threads on this site to search, but in general if you are on a major east-west freeway/toll road in the northern portion of the USA you will find good poker ... I don't know 'anything' once you get west of the Mississippi River other than LV.

2) A20 is alive, was seen in two different Seat 1s and didn't even need to add-on in his latest session.

3) NM was never banned a first time, so by default he can't be on his second ban ... and he was seen last night in the room.

4) Both H/L PLO and the 2/5 games got started by 730 last night at GLake. When I looked at table count on Bravo later in the night it was 8 to 2 over Fkeepers. GL

Can confirm both 2-5 NL 1-2 PLO8 ran last night. NL broke about 20 min before I sent the last couple PLO8 players packing at 2am. PLO8 probably had the slowest week it's seen since starting last month, but that player pool seems committed, and a few players gave the game a try later in the night when seats were open.

2-5 seems like a good mix of Gun Lake and Firekeepers regulars plus some of the known fun players in the area. PLO High was still going strong at 2am with 4 names on the list.

5-10 PLO looks like it's now a twice-a-week venture. It survived before without certain VIP players, and it'll probably have to survive without some folks on a permanent basis in say, 45, 50 days? I played last Friday and game was pretty good. More players from Lansing area are making their way over right now.

The lack of promotional materials for the stuff the poker room is running is just comedy at this point. Outside of Bravo and Answer20 I would have no idea what's going on if I walked into the room. There's no signage anywhere. That's not a gaming commission problem, that's a casino management problem.

But the room is going strong. Regularly doubles or triples up FK when it comes to numbers no matter what time of the week. I can't believe that PLO has run as much as it has, but good news is that it's showing no signs of slowing down.

Yes .. and no, but mostly yes!

Gaming is slow to approve the promotions and then PRoom staff doesn't quite have the freedom in house to promote yet either due to 'structure'. There has to be a meeting and then GL marketing (lawyers) needs to approve everything right now.

Can you imagine starting a 'football' promo in late Nov/Dec? Well we almost experienced that already .. and would have if they had waited for printed flyers.

I've already suggested both Facebook and Twitter .. even for some cookie-cutter fill-in-the-blank messages (BBJ status - Game of the Day) .. but it's been a more surprising task than expected for PRoom staff so far. GL