Hard Rock Casino, Tampa FL

[xile]

I was thinking of trying out the Hard Rock. Really any place down in Florida sucks for poker. I played in the 400 person tourney at Derby Lane last week and took 21st.

I have played a couple of sngs at Derby Lane and Tampa bay down. Never cashed. I was thinking of trying some of the cash games. How much do you think I would need to bring? Would $100 bucks be enough for the 1/2 limit? Also is it possible to come ahead with the donks that play all the way down to the river making their hands/tipping the dealers?

[pismeyer]

I've bashed Hard Rock alot in the past on this board but, for some reason I've found I make "some" money playing on the continual no-foldem' Holdem' tables. You won't get rich by no means playing on these tables so, to answer your question:

"Would $100 bucks be enough for the 1/2 limit?" - Most definitely yes. Flopped sets are deadly and two pair takes down the pot alot. Play your position and premium hands strong but don't get shocked when your straight gets killed by the one outer on the river for the flush. Remember NO ONE FOLDS ON A $2 BET.

P

[flafishy]

Play a looser, more passive game than you're probably accustomed to. Don't be afraid to chase your draws and you should be fine. The only way not to win is if the poker gods continue to brick you. Raise only to sweeten the pot when the board does hit you. Don't put in a raise with the purpose of thinning the field because the field won't be thinned. It won't be uncommon to have seven people taking a flop with a capped pot. Don't be afraid to throw away your big pairs to any semblance of a coordinated flop if someone bets ahead of you.

[RydenStoompala]

The entire State of Florida (except Miami) sucks dead whales.

[xile]

Well I went to play cash games at the Hard Rock tonight. Ive only played at Derby lane before and I just played in their tourneys. I wasnt happy the moment I sat down at the table. It took me 1:40 mins to get in. Now i figured it would be a long wait because its saturday night. I called beforehand and the brush stand said the wait would probably not even be an hour. So I purchase $60 in chips, sit down and they ask how long I have been waiting. I told them over an 1 1/2 and they are all like your kidding this seat has been open forever. Didnt please me to well.

Well it took awhile before I played hand, then I finally got pocket 2's. I flop a set and theres like 6 of us in the pot. Turn comes and the board pairs so I have a full house. Ended up being about 4 people at the showdown. ( people wont fold for anything)Needless to say I took down a nice pot. Things were looking good from there, but nope. I played really tightly and just watched at the idiotic play in front of me. Finally when I would get A10,AJ,AK, nothing would hit on the flop, then if something did I would be beat by people playing any 2 hands just cause its a buck or 2 to stay in the hand.

Everyone at my table seemed to be new 2 to the game. 2 of them were definately new, and one admitted it was his first time playing hold-em. I think to win here you have to chase the straights and flushes, or just play any 2 cards and hope for 2 pair. I seen pocket AA's loose a lot.

I only wound up loosing 20 bucks, but I was dissapointed from how well I started out. Just thought I would share my experience here. I think Ill try the Derby lane Cash games before I give up on them here in Florida. I might just start playing the STT at the Hard Rock since the payout is A LOT better than derby lanes.

/End Rant

[ocalakid]

i play in the hard rock $1-$2 game a lot and almost always walk away with more than i came with. i.e., i buy in for $50 and leave with ~$150. of course that involves a LOT of patience and a LOT of time. and, yes, no one is folding: EVER! i recently started going on the sun cruz casino boat out of daytona since they offer $1-$2 NL, and the people are literally some of the worst players i've ever seen. i heard a rumor from the sun cruz dealer that the hard rock is getting mid-high limit and NL cash games. please tell me if this is true or not! 'cause that would be awesome.

[pismeyer]

[ QUOTE ]
i heard a rumor from the sun cruz dealer that the hard rock is getting mid-high limit and NL cash games. please tell me if this is true or not! 'cause that would be awesome.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not anytime soon.

With as much growth as Florida is expected to have in the next 5 years and the Lottery not kicking much of anything into the school systems, some rule changes must take place. I know in south Florida, real slot machines will be allowed (don't know the exact date). So why can't our Florida legislators realize they are missing a huge amount of revenue for the state from our local casinos/tracks? If you open up the gambling laws slightly, especially on table games, you would get an even larger draw to the casinos.

Sorry, slight off topic rant - again.

P

[candyman718]

I've played the $2 no foldem holdem 5 times in S.Florida. 3 times at racetraks, twice at Indian Casinos. I've won every time . Average is +$80. When you know 6 people are going to see the flop and you will get shown down every hand you just have to play differently.

[xile]

Dont think the hard rock will get those games as long as the laws are they way they are now. Kind of dumb of Florida. Oh well guess they dont want the extra money.

[ocalakid]

thanks p, and i agree with you. they need to ease up on the restrictions. however, as i understand it, the hard rock is not subject to the $2 max bet law since it is an indian casino (using the term loosely) and they are simply unwilling to change their stakes. on another thread about the hard rock it was suggested that they continue to spread only $1-$2 because:
1) they already make enough $ with the high rake % on the games they have.
2) they don't want to have fish bust out fast, which goes along with 1, since they're only interested in filling seats.
3) they want to fly under the radar and not risk legal/legislative action if they upped the stakes.
i don't know how much of this is true, if any. i haven't been able to dig info up on what the exact status of the hard rock is. any thoughts are welcome.