[JJNJustin]

Motor City is rake hungry. $6+$1bb+$1tip on all the limit games, usually no reduction on 6 people or less, and they strive to keep open two short tables on the lower limits.

The time charge is kind of a good and bad thing. On the one hand, the casino is taking less per hour per table, on the other hand, the tables are always kept full and the tight player pays the same in rake as the loose player. One of the reasons a tight player can overcome the rake on a normal raked game is that he is only playing 10-15% of the hands, whereas some of the suckers are playing 80-100%. This overly loose strategy is not punished but rather favored on the NL games by the time charge but overall you will see the fish strive longer in these games, and the tight player struggling to beat the time charge. The dominating factor is whether the good tight player can find more hands to play profitably, and the loose player can avoid going bust after the flop with marginal holdings. I can certainly see why the NL game is thriving in Detroit, though. My prediction is if they move to a rake over a time charge like you are saying at MGM, the loose fishy players will be far too handicapped and will go back to limit.

The limit games are still running. In general the players on 3-6 and 5-10 are very weak passive. There are some very tight trapping type players on limited bankrolls but you learn their weakness quickly. Personally I dont feel anyone on 5-10 or 3-6 at MCC can consistantly get the better of me.

I havent played 10-20 much because they are mostly people with money to burn and if you arent comfortable with the stakes like they are, they can push you out of pots you would have won. I hate letting lesser players beat me up because they have tons of money.

Despite the high rake in Detroit, some of the play is so horrible, that a very good player can still win. I think even the $3-$6 is beatable. Not for much. You have to play multiway pots very well and have very good hand-reading skills. $5-10 all you have to do is keep betting and fold good but not great hands when you are raised or c/r'ed on the big streets. Otherwise, keep betting and avoid the tight trapping players. They are really so predictable and lacking in skill.

I have heard that the NL games are pretty easy to beat. I am not an expert in this area so I can not comment. You have to come down and play.

Greektown is a garbage dump. 80% of players smoke. The dealers struggle to get out 20 hands an hour.

I wish they would lower the rake in Detroit so that 2+2'ers would come in from out of town and play more often. I mean, really, do they really expect people from outside Detroit to come and stay in their new hotel for $199 and pay huge rakes for a vacation weekend in the crime capital of the country?

-J