What tables are running now? Tks

2 2/5 no list
1 5/5 3 on list

What?

Just 3 tables going at 4:30pm on a Saturday? That's not right.

any interest in 8-16 instead of 10-20? It's a great game, and maybe less intimidating for those that want to move up. Been out in LA for a week playing it almost daily at Commerce. I know Parx is having success with the 8-16 too.

I'll ask about starting a list the next time I am there. I'm sure there will be some kind of Christmas day poker for me, just not sure where yet.

The 5/10 o8 game last night, as well as the 6/12 LHE. There were interest lists for the 10-20 but it was not called while I was there.

I must say I really like the expansion. They were using the new tables and keeping the older ones near the smoking section empty which was great.

Played for about 4 hours on Friday night and was very happy with how things look, and operated.

Upon checking in at the podium (in my case) a floor person ushered me to where the expansion started and handed me off to a floating floor person, who then walked me to my table. I ended up at table 21, which is the 2nd table from the bar, on the left side (when looking at the bar), and sat down to a 6 person table. Quickly the table filled up, which means the floor is really able to utilize Bravo and get people into games fast. Straight ahead were TVs, the one facing the poker room had the wait and interest lists. I updated http://twitter.com/pasandspoker a few times when I got there, then when things would change.

It's worth noting, there is an EXIT gate all the way out in that expansion, making it a bit easier to go to bar or the Bathroom in the Marketplace or by St. James Gate.

The new tables feel smaller because there is less felt, but I'm OK with that as the extra padding and cup holders are a welcome addition. Furthermore, some of the shorter dealers don't have to ask players to push their chips in, they seem to be able to reach them without a problem. I sat in the 4 seat and will testify that the lack of a foot railing makes the tables that much more comfy.

Had my name on the 6/12lhe list the whole time I was there but it didn't get off. What kind of amazes me, and this could be partly due to the holiday season or because it was a Friday night, was everyone who has been in this forum asking for both higher limits and Omaha didn't really get anything going. When I was leaving the 4/8 h/l game had just started with 9 people and the 2/5NLO game only had 3-4 people on the Interest list. Likewise, I heard the 5/5NL game was juicy, but the 5/10 game couldn't get started.

When I left, 20 of the 23 tables were running and waits were minimal, mostly for 3/6LHE or the 5/5 game. The floor opened up somewhere between 6-8 1/2NL games while I was there, as the crowds started to come in after work, filling the expansion first then the original tables. I don't think anyone on a 1/2NL list waited more than 10 minutes ever.

I'm curious to see how things will be on a weeknight, how populated it will be and what games will run. Lots here in this thread seem interested in games other than 1/2, but will ya'll actually show up?

I think the Sands had a rep for being "overcrowded" on weekends. Once it is known that there are more tables, less waiting and a variety of games - some of those new games will get played. Also, Dec and Jan are the slowest months for casinos in general.

FYI, the "old" tables will be getting the cupholder railings very soon also. Just wanted to get the new ones in first. Don't know yet if they will be removing the foot rails on the old tables or not.

Hey Mike Panic,

How many times have you been there since it's opening? Do you prefer mostly LHE or NL? What's the earlier times you've gotten there and how many tables were running? I've read through some posts suggesting around 9 am there is maybe (1) 1/2NL running and by 11 am there might be (10) 1/2NL's running and maybe a 2/5?

Thanks in advance.

Interesting hand, floor ruling came up today I thought I'd share. 1-2 NLHE, I opened raising $8 to $10. Next to act says 'raise' and places three reds ($15) in the pot. Then came the disagreement among the players whether she had to bet $16, $18, or $20 total. I said I raised $8, so she needs to raise another $8 on top to $18, but the dealer seemed just as clueless.

Not wanting to make a big deal out of it and try to move things forward, I suggested we just call the floor and do whatever they say. Floor comes, I say, "Blind is two, I raise to ten, what's her (next to act's) minimum raise?" Floor says, "To $16." I said, "Okay" and played on with the hand.

Is this normal that I can raise $8 and someone can reraise $6 behind me? Normal for poker at all? Normal for this poker room? Just a fluke ruling? Can the third person then reraise $4 more?

I just don't get it. Otherwise, had a great night, love the room, and will definitely be back.

No, this is not normal. A raise in no limit must be at least the amount of the bet or raise. If your raise was $8 more, the next person to reraise had to make it at least $8 more than your bet. Sounds like a fluke, someone wasn't paying attention.

I've been there a few times.. I've only played NL because up until the expansion, the only limit game was 3/6 and I'd rather watch grass grow. If the 6/12 game goes off when I'm there, I'll play it.

I never play weekdays and on weekends when I do get there, it's usually not until the early afternoon when I get there. Since the expansion I've only played last Friday night, so I'm not too sure of what the weekdays / nights are like thus far. If you don't see the game you want, have the floor start an interest list for you, they have the tables now to faciliate everything that they're allowed to deal (example: PLO won't be happening).

Unrelated, I saw a billboard on 22E just east of the 309 ramps promoting the poker room expansion.

This sounds like it wasn't explained well to the floor, as I re-read it twice to make sure I understood it. It sounds like, from what I can tell, the floor heard you say, I raised 8, not I raised it by 8 to make it 10 to go. If they did indeed understand what you were telling them, it sounds like you were telling them you raised to 8, thus making the effective raise $6, which is probably why they thought the re-raiser only had to make it $16 total.

When you made the original raise, how did you announce it?

• Raise to 10
• Make it 10 to go
• $8 on top
• 2 plus 8 more (verbal string bet style)
• Other?

If you said 8 anywhere in your verbal raise, it's probably what confused your re-raiser / floor. Announce the total bet to avoid confusion - and hopefully you won the hand.

I'm guessing you threw two red chips out

Kinda off topic.......

Anyone ever play with an older (early to mid 40's) asian guy? He's usually playing the 2/5 and occasionally the 1/2. Really good, aggro type player. Always pretty deep stacked. Wondering was he a regular at one of the AC casinos?

You've just described 10 regular guys at Sands!! Be more specific!

Sry,lol.

Wears a hat/cap. Usually listening to music (possibly an ipod shuffle).
5'6-5'8 if I had to guess.
Pretty friendly/talkative guy at the table.

Does he bet on horses?

lol, dont know if he gambles on horses.

Btw- I think he's chinese and he does not wear glasses. Doubt that helps much.

There's a guy I see there all the time that kind of fits your description, but I don't recall him wearing a cap or ipod... Has a buzz hair cut and a few friends around the room?

If we're talking about the same guy, he was a regular at the Taj.

tl;dr - are they running the 6/12 every day or just on the weekend?

I've never played live LHE, I know this question may be super ******ed in asking, but what kinds of swings can you expect in a 3/6, 6/12 types of live games? I realize your style has everything to do with it, but maybe it's better if I ask what are the upper and lower ranges for big wins and losses in say maybe a 4-5 hour session? I saw that No Limit Omaha was offered this past Friday. How does this mean they're not allowed to deal PLO since theoretically speaking, NLO has uncapped pots to begin with? Doesn't make sense to me.

Mike, would you agree that the roads leading up to the Sands are some of the worst in the state (ok maybe a little too harsh since PA in general has really bad roads compared to other states)? Coming from 378, portions of south side Bethlehem make you feel like you're on a safari, whereas coming off of I-78 from the east, make you feel like you're hitting a pot hole every hundred feet. I realize the Sands may have nothing to do with the infrastructure of south side Beth. but am I the only one who thinks that with such a huge influx of people visiting locally and out of state, that the city could've done some better preparations? The casino itself is nice, but it feels like you're driving through a **** hole of the remains of the Steel company to get there.. Obviously, the land was there for the taking with the tearing down of old Steel property, but it may be decades before South side is a place the average person wouldn't mind spending a night to walk around in during the warmer months of the year. Although I guess downtown Bethlehem is just across the Lehigh, and is a much nicer area to do some shopping/eating, etc.

From what I heard, they CHOSE to do NLO instead of PLO... it's not that they are not allowed to spread it. It speeds up the game and really not that much different

NLO sounds like such a sick game though, I can see people winning/losing 2x as fast compared to a typical NLHE game. I would think if it was more of a capped style of game, that the casino would be better off by being able to create "smaller" big pots with PLO compared to NLO where you will get massive pots so fast that the rake could only take a small fraction of it every once in awhile.

But rammy, by what you're saying, if they are "not allowed to not spread it", that means they are indeed to actually host PLO games then if there's interest and they wouldn't have to apply for any certifications or anything of that sort with the gaming board?

I played poker when I turned 21, first casino table I played was Borgata 6/12LHE and had a great time, but don't remember how much I won or lost. I took a few years off poker and just recently got back in it, haven't played limit of any sort so I can't say for sure.

Yes, either way pretty much sucks, but they are working on 3rd Street in South Bethlehem - I just wish they'd fix the roads coming off 78. Gotta remember, this part of town has been blue-collar and lower income housing, and a college town for decades, money is just now flowing into it and they are trying to keep up. By summer I'd expect to see LARGE crowds walking around for First Friday and with luck, they will stretch further down 3rd and 4th streets beyond where they usually do.

Played for a bit tonight, first time there since Friday and the BBJ was up nearly $15k, so it seems the more tables are really helping to drive that up.

Had my name on a 6/12LHE game the whole time I was there, no one else seemed interested. Nothing else other than the normal games were going, but there was a steady wait and lots of players wanting in on the 3/6LHE game, which I really don't understand but to each their own.