First B&M Trip - seeking opinions on East Bay rooms

KurtSF · #1 07-27-2006, 04:12 PM

I was thinking of taking my first real trip to a pokerroom this Friday. I've played a little live, but never a real session. I'm a winner online at the micro limits, and do well with loose oponents. I'm in the East Bay this week so I'm looking for recomendations for either the Oaks or the Palace.

The Oaks I know is bigger and will probably get a bunch of drunks, but it will also probably have more sharks. The Palace is probably a bunch of degererates who plop $40 on the table and lose it, but I'm happy to take it from them.

Any advice on which has more EV I'd love to hear. Thanks in advance.

nubs · #2 07-27-2006, 04:35 PM

Where in the East bay are you? You may want to consider the California Grand in pacheco if you just want to play 3-6. They also have a very good 6-12 game. If you want to play really low i think that The Oaks spreads the lowest limit game in the bay area, 1-2. The low limit games are going to be about the same everywhere so I would just play wherever is closest.

AKQJ10 · #3 07-27-2006, 05:29 PM

http://poker.wikia.com/wiki/Oaks#Game_Review
http://poker.wikia.com/wiki/Palace_C...ub#Game_Review

And plenty of links there to other nearby rooms

redsoxsalty · #4 07-27-2006, 06:22 PM

Kurt,

I'll be curious to hear how your trip goes, particularly the quality of the Stud and O8 players. I'm in Berkeley now, but due to not having a car, have only been playing online and in home games. I've played a solid amount of B&M in Vegas, so if I finally pick up a car this year, I'll probably start hitting up the Oaks pretty frequently.

gl.

stickdude · #5 07-27-2006, 06:26 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The Palace is probably a bunch of degererates who plop $40 on the table and lose it, but I'm happy to take it from them.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bingo. Had one guy yesterday make 4 trips to the ATM - bringing back $40 each time before he gave up. In my last two sessions at the Palace, I'm up $390 (at $3/$6). The $4/$8 table will actually get some decent players since that's the highest limit they spread, so just be aware of that if you decide to go there.

Cancer Merchant · #6 07-27-2006, 07:21 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Where in the East bay are you? You may want to consider the California Grand in pacheco if you just want to play 3-6. They also have a very good 6-12 game. If you want to play really low i think that The Oaks spreads the lowest limit game in the bay area, 1-2. The low limit games are going to be about the same everywhere so I would just play wherever is closest.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the Oaks' real low limits (1/2 and 2/4) hurt the quality of their 3/6 and 6/12 games. The Oaks 3/6 can get pretty tight at times, even on the weekends. At Casino San Pablo, where 3/6 is the lowest limit, the 3/6 is a 8+ to the flop fishfest where $100+ pots are not uncommon. My guess is the 1/2 and 2/4 Oaks games suck up the most degenerate gamblers that make the game so great, reducing the quality of the 3/6 and 6/12.

Warren Harding · #7 07-27-2006, 11:12 PM

Doesn't deserve a new thread, but I'm curious:

I went to a Bay Area cardroom with a backpack on and to my surprise I was barred from entry. I stepped outside, wrapped up all the contents with a rubberband, backpack folded up amid work papers and gym clothes, then walked in acceptably. What's with this? If it were a purse it would be fine, albeit non-heterosexual, and none of the contents were dangerous to anyone/thing. Why is it "standard" for casinos to bar packs? Vagrants? Cheats? WMD? FWIW, they, Casino San Pablo, have no coat check.

To the OP: Oaks is nice and will seat you with good (best?) speed. Never been to Palace. I recommend the cardroom which is closest, or check them all out.

nubs · #8 07-28-2006, 12:43 AM

I think you are right about the low limit Oaks game hurting their 6/12 game. I have played 6/12 at the Grand, the Oaks, Bay 101, and Garden city. The Oaks was definitely the worst game.

KurtSF · #9 07-28-2006, 11:22 AM

AKQJT - your pokerwiki post was what got me thining about where to go. I just wanted some finer detail than is on those pages. Thanks again.

Due to some non-poker life issues recently I'm playing on a miniscule bankroll. I don't want to play 1-2 or 2-4 because of the outrageous rake, and while I have enough for a buyin at 6-12 there's a possibility I might bust, so 3-6 and 4-8 are really the limits I'm targeting. I'm a little disuaded from the Oaks due to what nubs and Cancer said. I had put the California grand and San Pablo lower because of the blind structure (3-2-2 instead of 3-1) since my aim is to play against (hopefully drunk) weekend warriors, stay real tight and just collect the extra money thrown on the table. $4 an orbit instaed of $7 is tempting, but so is 8-to-the-flop no-foldem poker.

Great, now I've got 4 possibilities instead of 2. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

redsox, I live in SF and don't have a car either, but I'm house-sitting in Berkeley this week including use of a car, thus the impetus for the EB poker trip. I don't play 7S or O8. I'm still up in the air about where I'm going, but if you're onboard with my schedule I'd be open to giving you a lift. PM me if you're interested.

Thanks for the insight everyone. It was helpful and appreciated. I'll pick a spot and check back in afterward to let you know how it went.

RoundersRocks! · #10 07-29-2006, 07:22 AM

I too am considering my first bay area Poker Room visit. Does anyone know if there are any rooms that spread no-limit is the area and what the quality of those games are? Also, are their any days of the week that are especially better than others, aka, if I am looking for the loosest games should I just go friday and saturday nights?
thanks