I was wondering what you guys thought of the poker games there. Also, do they charge an hourly rate for sitting? One of my buds told me that they were going to start but I never got any confirmation if they went through with that or not.

One terriffic place for poker, even though it has three disadvatages......

1. $5 max rake with $1 jackpot
2. No comps
3. $100 cap buy-in

Still, and I'm not joking, this is still one of the very best overall rooms east of the Mississippi........

They usually have no less than 35 tables operating and the money flows freely. If one can count to one backwards from twenty, they are a 94% favorite to win on any given day.

Everyone should have the oppurtunity to check out this venue once in their lifetime, a totally unique experience. Heck, some may never leave.

GL

-FH-

Thank you for your well thought out insight I appreciate it. Others who have played there please feel free to add anything to this.

Pretty much everything that Fishhead said. Games are super soft. $100 max buy in is gay but whatever. Play tight and build a stack than just play normal and people will hurricane money in the pot with anything. Couple good regs but you should spot them in the first few orbits. No comps at all. No discount on poker hotel rates.

Either way, I will be there tonite to smash some donkeys up

It sucks they have NO COMPS.

Relevant thread a few of us Florida grinders have posted on in the last few days:

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...70#post5198970

Enjoy Tampa. It's generally a better and more lively city outside the summer time, but still plenty to do (Channelside area, International Plaza, Hyde Park/South Tampa, beaches).

Once again thank you all for your input, I just have one last question. There isn't a hourly fee you have to pay to sit is there?

Don't forget Mons Venus and the other fabulous places that make Tampa the strip-club capital of the country.

No, the venues that once had that scratched that over a year ago.

The rake is 10% with a $5 max.........$1 is also taken for the jackpot.

At the Hard Rock, if there is no flop, they still take a rake. This is not the case at Tampa Greyhound.

Btw, Blackjack is coming to Tampa Hard Rock in november. I know I have been hearing different dates for like the past 9 months but this person I trust. The had a test for the existing dealers that wanted to deal Blackjack and they were all told it will be coming in November.

Play was horrible like usual last nite. Everybody limping some pretty hideous hands. I had to go somewhere so I lost a buyin and bounced. I wanted to stay because the table was horrendous like usual. An old tight reg cashed out 600 and when he left the table was pretty soft. I raised 15 pf with AQ diamonds. got called UTG with Q6 of spades the other 5 or so limpers folded. Flop is 6 4 2 rainbow. I c-bet 25. He called. Turn is 9 of diamonds giving me the nut draw. I thought about peeling a free one but my read was he was really weak. I fired 40. He took about 60 seconds and called. River is king of hearts. I insta shoved and he sat for a minute and said I have to call. Put in his last 30 or so and flipped over Q6 for a pair of sixes. I said nice hand and he said I knew you didn't hit that flop, i thought u had AK. Umm ok, there is a king out there. He said yeah but i had to pay you off. I just laughed inside my head. He proceeded to lose his 200 in front of him in about 25 minutes. Big surpirse. I will be going again wednesday with some buyins and hopefully won't get called and have to leave. Take care

LOL so did this hand spawn your choice of 2p2 names?

I've also been to the Hardrock... played 1/2 NL and one of their $100 SNG's....
both extremely soft. Took down the $100 sng.. but it plays like a online turbo so not a whole lot of play.

At 1/2 NL... had an interesting 3-way AIPF in my first orbit ever at the hardrock...

Black dude w/ Gold Grill and all gangsta'd out opens for $20 UTG, tourist in MP flats... Button flats... I've got AK in the BB.. w/ $98 behind.. I shove.
Gangsta hems and haws a bit... calls, tourist calls... btn folds

Their hands? Gangsta QJ, Tourist KJ....

Faded the Q and J and trippled up within 3 hands of sitting down. The play got worse as the night went on.. ended up cashing out $500 on the night, + the $420 or so for the SNG win.

I think I know the gangsta dude you are referring to. I lost a pretty sweet 4 way all in against him about a month ago when he cold called my shove and someones call with 9 5 of hearts preflop. I love that place!!! Although there is a few of the types you described, and all play equally as bad so it might be someone different.

hahaha I can't wait to go and play!

When do you all go to play? Is it better to play during the day (during one of their tournies) or wait til night time?

Is this place that much better than Derby Lane?

I'm staying in St. Pete in late September/early October, and Derby Lane will be a ten-minute drive for me. Is the Rock worth the extra drive and traffic frustration through Tampa?

yes hard rock is that much better. games in afternoon are not bad and sometimes very good. obviously even better at night.

I heard NOV. 13th. just over 100 tables, majority BJ.

I play at the HR Tampa 5-10 times a month . Its worth it since I drive over an hour to get there. Like described , the play is extremely soft with many loose-passive and hyper aggressive guys hemorrhaging money.

My advice is to play TAG for awhile until you build up a decent stack then use your post flop skill to win even more. I stay away from the SnGs but thats just because Im a cash only player, I hear they are extremely easy.

The best time IMO is after 2 AM Friday and Saturday since all the drunk fish are playing around that time. Good luck

Absolutely play at night. People are drunk and usually very tired. Weekends even more so than weekdays. Stacks can get deep at night.

I agree about playing there at night , I play there 3 times a week in the 5-10 game and the play there is pretty much the worst in the country ! No lie, I have played at every major poker room acroos the country from the commerce to borgota and this is absolutely the weakest around. People are so bad there that I even tell them at the table that they are being written about themselves online on how bad they really are, and the remarks I get from the donks at the DONKROCK is: oh well I like to gamble !!!! Beware though it isnt that easy to make money there because of the 100$ buyin rule u will take the worst beats you can think of there because when you have A-A or K-K and the board is Q-J-4 and the donks at the donk rock have 4-6 os they always think you have A-K and will call u down with bottom pair and crack your ****tt!!! And there comment is as always I thought you had A-K !!!