poker rooms near Chicago? |
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Posted Tue Jul 13, 2004 10:33 am GMT by honestbleeps
Can anyone reply with info on poker rooms in the Chicago area (a couple hour drive isn't the end of the world, so it doesn't have to be super close)? I know that Trump has one, but who else does, and how do you like them?
Does anyone have any lower limit games like $1-2 or $2-4, or is $5-10 going to be pretty much the minimum?
Finally, do any poker rooms in / near Chicago have NL tourneys?
Thanks for any info...
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Posted Tue Jul 13, 2004 3:01 pm GMT by Dave B
Harrahs has poker 5/10 min. Mindgame is the chicago expert-search for his posting and you will get lots of info. I think Trump has 3/6.
BTW-you can take a bus from 3 different hotels off Mich Ave for almost They run every hour (charge is $11 less a $10 credit when you get there)
Posted Wed Jul 14, 2004 6:47 pm GMT by mindgame
Hi,
Yep, in this forum, Chicago is my turf.
There are two Indiana casinos about 45 minutes from the loop that offer hold'em and other live poker games. If you're down town take the Ryan south, get on the Skyway and it will slide you right onto the Indiana Toll Road (the signs will also say I90). Then take Cline Avenue (912) North.
There is also poker further west in Aurora (Illinois) or Joliet, I'm not sure which one. The Illinois site isn't well regarded, although I don't play there. I understand that they charge for parking, for one thing, which is abominable, but maybe it's closer to you. If so, look for their website.
On the Indiana games:
Harrah's spreads 5/10, 10/20, and 20/40 hold'em every day of the week. Even mid-week the games are usually filled til 3 or 4 am. Waits are horrible on week-ends (but nowhere near as bad as the Ameristar in St. Louis, where I just went and got a hotel room to wait in)--about 2 hours. Weekday it's 5 to 40 minutes. The rake at Harrah's is 10% with a 5 dollar cap.
Trump spreads the same games, but also has a 3/6. Avoid that game. But if you play 5/10, Trump is the place, because the really awful players are in the 3/6 game--they're in 5/10 at Harrahs. (Two or three fish is nice, but a table full of them is maddening and expensive.)
Trump also has a lower rake (5%) with the same cap. Makes a difference at 5/10 or 10/20 games when they tighten up.
Comps at Harrah's: 50 cents/hour. At Trump: $1/hour.
Ambience: another point for Trump....nicer room.
Question? Why on earth do I prefer Harrah's?????
Posted Fri Jul 16, 2004 3:09 pm GMT by honestbleeps
Thanks for the reply, Mindgame.
I play boatloads of hold 'em online - $1-2 limit and NL sit 'n gos, mostly. I also play twice a week in home games, so I think I have a decent, but not great, amount of live game experience. I have been to vegas (though I didn't play any poker), so I am familiar with casino etiquette, etc...
Two big questions:
Is there even such thing as a $1-2 or $2-4 live game anywhere within reasonable drive - even a kinda dumpy place? I understand it'll be full of loose monkey beginners, but I'm not sure I have the bankroll to play $5-10 yet.
How much do you recommend someone sit down with? I know for 'the long term', one should have 300-400 big bets in their bankroll - but what about just for a night of fun and feeling it out? Is it totally unreasonable to show up with $200 and expect to play any 5-10? (I sit with $40 or so at a 1-2 table online and the swings may take me down to the bottom but I often claw my way back up and end up ahead, so I figure 5x the stakes, 5x the money?)
I know what I'm doing as far as playing the game, but I've never experienced the swings of a live casino game before, so, sorry if these are totally lame and over-asked questions...
Posted Mon Jul 19, 2004 9:15 am GMT by Dave B
MN and Wisc have some lower limit games-if you dont mind a 3-6 hour drive.
Posted Mon Jul 19, 2004 11:16 am GMT by mindgame
Only lower limits are those Dave mentioned, and St. Louis. (3-6).
Sit down at 5/10 with $250. If you get down to $180, just pay your blinds until you have a top 10 hand (group 1 or 2). Then play it hard and see if you can play after the flop. If you miss, go home.
Posted Mon Jul 19, 2004 11:56 am GMT by pathomps
Mindgame,
Would you say stay away from $3/6 all togethor at Trump? If so, why? I play some 5/10 and the play is much better, but I don't like playing that game with $300 or less, so I'm thinking of dropping back down to $3/6 cause I don't have the bankroll for it.
Posted Mon Jul 19, 2004 1:47 pm GMT by mindgame
Well, my suspicion is that you are a little out of your comfort zone in a casino right now. You are thinking that, because of that, you should play lower stakes. I'm thinking that you should just play a tight, aggressive game. The 3/6 game at Trump can be absolutely nuts. Riduculous calls and raises (which is very nice), but way too many people who will just call your raises with anything and then stay right to the end against all reasonable expectations. These kind of people cost good players a lot of money. Nobody can make you more money than a clueless idiot, but five of them at the same table can be a major pain.
At 5/10 you will find that you get better players. They give a tight, aggressive players more respect. Many of them are paying attention. They are predictable and beatable--if you play tight and aggressive, patient poker. There will be enough poor players at the table to make sure the pots are of a nice size. Identify the best two players against you. Look for reasons to avoid them. Play any of the lesser hands that are worth seeing the flop with against everyone else. Unless your cards are totally horrible you will do okay. Just remember not to bluff poor players and never try to bluff more than one person (semi-bluffs are different--you can have fun with those as long as you don't overdo it).
I'm trying to make your trip worthwhile and I think that you will do well on $300 playing this way on the 5/10. On the 3/6 you could go through all that money in 2 and a half hours even playing well if it gets nuts. But try 3/6 playing tight if you like. If it's not too wild you will do fine. If you get frustrated though, leave when you still have $200 to take to the 5/10 game. My opinion, though, is that you should have at least $500 for this trip.
Good luck.
Posted Thu Jul 22, 2004 2:22 pm GMT by CHERYL IN PEORIA
8)
I play at the Isle of Capri in Bettendorf, Iowa. They offer 3-6 every day. I drive over there every other weekend, it appears to be about 170 miles from Chicago.
I have found it to be a very friendly environment. The level of play is a cut above what you find at this level in Las Vegas. Many of the players are regulars that take the game seriously. There are always a few fish at this level however, it's where you learn.
There is usually a 6-12 started about 6:00pm on Friday and Saturday night if there are enough interested players. I really enjoy this level of play as a serious beginner( playing/studying the game in earnest since March).
http://www.isleofcapricasino.com/DMSview.php?showM=toc&cat=Articles&mcat=Bettendorf
Good Luck!
Cheryl :D
Posted Fri Jul 23, 2004 5:36 pm GMT by SnakeOiler
Aurora has the Hollywood Casino. Plays $4-$8 during the week and $5-$10 on the weekend. Also runs a $10-$20 game.
Not a bad place. Has its regulars, but gets fish also. Usually a fairly decent wait though, usually an hour or 2. Hard not to lose at blackjack, slots, or carribean stud while you wait.
One of the dealers said they are going to have tournys there come August, but I will believe it when I see it.
One bad thing is if you don't have a preferred players card, costs $5 to get in and $2's to park in the garage. Thank ILLinois gambling taxes for that
Posted Thu Jul 29, 2004 5:34 pm GMT by snoogins47
http://www.rockfordcharitablegames.com
If you want live, fishy poker, with low stakes... this place is a blast.
The standard spreads are $1-$3 and $2-$5 spread limit HE, $5-$10 fixed, and every once and a while some Omaha Hi/Lo gets spread.
It moves around, as it's a charity thing... big winners can't cash out in pure money, have to take gold or somesuch, I don't even know... rake is pretty sizeable... (10% with a $5 cap is pretty brutal at $1-$3)
But if you're looking for low stakes, live action, in the Illinois area, it's hard to beat. They have single table tournaments that go off probably on average every hour or so. Fun times./url
Posted Fri Jul 30, 2004 11:06 am GMT by honestbleeps
I actually went to one of those RFC things... the cashout structure, because it's charity, is terrible though. You can only cash out for $250 more than you bought in for.
For someone playing MY stakes - that's fine. But if you enter their $150 buy in NL multitable tourney, my understanding is that if you "win" $1000 or whatever, you can only cash out for $400 ($150+$250). Is that correct?
I didn't get to play $1-3 because the wait was too long. However, I played a $30sng tourney - big mistake even though I ended up winning.
You start with $500 in chips - 4 blacks, 4 greens. Blinds start at 25-25 and go to 25-50 then double up from there. You pay $30 and don't even sit down with enough chips to actually do any betting/raising. Basically if within the first couple rounds of the button you don't hit something, you're out.
I'm told the $60 and greater sngs start with $1000 in chips, but the blinds start at 25-50, so.. I dunno...
I will probably go back to give $1-3 limit a shot, but I won't do another sit 'n go there. I won because I got lucky enough to hit a few hands on what basically amounted to all-ins from my short stack, or close to it from my medium stack. I never had the opportunity to raise someone's bet, to bluff, or to do anything resembling actual poker playing.
Posted Wed Aug 04, 2004 8:31 am GMT by Keikai
What Trump are you guys talking about? Is there one in the chicago area I don't know of?
Posted Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:03 am GMT by mindgame
Gary Indiana (very, very western edge) is home to the Trump Casino boat. They spread live poker games 24/7. Take I94 to Cline Ave. (912) North and follow the signs. From downtown Chicago take the Skyway to the Indiana Toll Road and exit Cline North.
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