Harrahs New Orleans - Trip Report (Bitter) - With an Interesting Rule

[gadflier]

First visit, and only for the evening. 5-10 blinds NLH, $500 min buy in, no max. $6 per 1/2 hour time collection. I'm the only tourist; there have been 1-2 others, but they busted. Everyone very friendly with each other, though I don't think they're playing angles together. I'm down my first buy-in within a few hands, and then most of my second after a little while longer. More than double up on 10s vs. AK and I flop a set for good measure. But now it's been about 2 hours and I'm down $800, and have been intentionally nursing my $200 short stack for some time. I am NOT a good NLH player and this is a good chance for me to see how I do in this particular situation, which I am enjoying. I'm looking for my all-in moment and getting a handle on some of the tendencies. I have not been playing well and I know it, but I think they think so, too and I'm hoping for a nuts situation and practicing being patient, reading hands, etc. Now, a new player to the table, but again he is known to and by all, says, "how about we change to 10/25 blinds?" I am the only one to decline. They call the FM who says and I quote, "Our policy is one player can't stop a table from changing stakes." I immediately get up and leave to cash out. I ask the cage for a comp for my $8 in ATM fees ($4 2x). They say no. I ask for a manager, who arrives after literally 5-6 minutes. She says, "who's your host?" Let's recall which casino this is, where it is, etc. I gently explain my situation, she looks at me coldly (trust me on that) and says "Without a host there's nothing anyone can do for you." And walks away.

As for the rest of my report, I played 2 rounds of 3-6 limit and watched a little of 1-2 NLH and suggest that at least this evening a patient player could easily work a decent win rate.

As for my table, I thought the play was pretty respectable and players definitely (imo, of course) were making moves on pots, playing pretty much the equivalent of PLH on the turn and river, OR checking it down. Not a lot of showdowns. There is definitely some action at this one table, which I understand from conversation is a nightly occurrence.

Now to the floor ruling. This is a first for me, not having played every casino in the world, etc., but I sat down at a table, I paid $24 in fees, I paid my time and effort, and I believe changing the game mid-stream is patently unfair, in particular in NLH. They could have started another table at that limit and if everyone moved to it so be it, but to push me off my game after the buyins are committed (and, in my case, spent) I feel is not right. Now, mind you, because it was a ruling I made not a peep of complaint, I am a believer in the ruling rules. But I think it is a bad policy and combined with the pettiness of the who's your host I will not be back on principle. I do understand that they are looking out for their daily bread and butter and not me, but that doesn't make it right and I do think it's bad business in the long-run. I invite comments on the ruling in particular.