I will be in phoenix this week and want to know of best place for 5-10 he game? Might be a dumb question but there are no places to play out here in nc,
Answer 1:
Check pokerpages.com, cardplayer.com, gocee.com/poker all these have card room listings. Personally, I have only played at Casino Arizona, Indian Bend and found the experience very enjoyable. You won’t be hurting for games. There are several other card rooms, Fort McDowell, Gila River, Harrah’s(I think they have a room)all within what I will describe as the general metro area.

Answer 2:

I don’t know of a 5-10 game. There are 4-8 games with a full kill. Sometimes you’ll find a 6-12 at Casino Arizona.
Answer 3:
Hold em is exactly what is played here in Phx. These players seem to hold them cards a lot longer than most. Casino Arizona has 3/6, 4/8 and 10/20 holdem. Gila River has 3/6, 4/8 and 6/12 holdem.

I’m leaving for Vegas on Saturday, and would like to play poker…and not lose my trip money. I play HE regularly around here (iowa) but would like to play casino poker while I’m out there. Since I’m new to the Casino game, I could like to stay away from high limit/rock garden games. Is there any place that spread low limit… and doesn’t attract the locals? I heard the El Cortez spreads a $1-3 game ’round the clock. Is this true? I also heard the Flamingo’s room is a touristy hangout also. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Answer 1:
El Cortez is very smoky ,dingy, and can be a rock garden (even at 1-3 limit) Keep this in mind if you decide to play there. My experience has been that no matter where you play in Las Vegas, you can’t guarantee how many locals will be at your table. A good rule of thumb is to play primarily on the strip.
Answer 2:
Luxor just next door, but get there by 10-10:30 to sign up. I was just there last weekend and was only able to play the noon tourney on Monday, got there at 11:00 on the button and the last guy had JUST signed up. I was in Vegas last weekend too. The best $20 I spent the entire time was on the noon tournament at the Luxor. (Actually $22 to get an extra $50 in tournament chips.) I’m just sorry that I didn’t make it a point to get to it every day. I also liked the Luxor in general. The 1-4-8-8 game wa a lot of fun, and not too rocky. If you play the low limits, be ready to play no fold em hold em. I actually liked the action better at the 10-20 at the Mirage. I tried to find a 5-10 but couldn’t.

Answer 3:
But big rake and jack ploy rake too. Forget it and go to Bellagio, mirage, or binions unless you don’t mind giving 3 or 4 bb per hour to the casinos. And if the play is tight-I mean really tight (which thank God it seldom is) forget these too.

I was playing 6/12 HE when the following situation occurred: Sitting in seat #9 (BB) with 6 callers plus me, no raise. I looked down and saw AQ off suit. I did not raise.
Flop: Q9c3 rainbow
I checked. 3 more checks. Seat #4 (a competent player) bet. 2 callers, then I raised. 1 player called the double bet. The other players called my raise. 4 players plus me to see the turn. Turn: Ac I checked. Seat #4 bet again. 1 caller. Then seat #8 raises. I was planning to check raise again, but at this point, I’m not sure what to do. I can call, trying to get more bets in the pot or make it 3 bets. Comments? Advice?
Answer 1:
Well, based on the information provided, I’d put seat #8 or A3 or A9. This being the case — I’d three bet it.
Answer 2:
You are almost certainly the best here, with no flush or straight out there, and no raise other than your own on the flop. I can’t see you being beaten at this point. You got to raise. I can see someone drawing out on you with a runner-runner flush though, and if so my sympathies on the bad beat.
Answer 3:
You should re-raise. The only way anyone has you beat is if they were slow playing a set on the flop or the remote possibility they were check calling with AA to this point. From the action you described it sounds like you probably have the best hand. So first let’s look at it assuming you have the best hand… If a player is holding a TJ (~4.8:1 dog) or a club draw (4.1:1 dog) they are probably not going anywhere. They will most likely call regardless if it’s 1, 2, or 3 bets for them to call. Even if a player has to call 3 bets cold he’s getting better than 5:1 on a call. Even though these hands have the correct odds to draw, re-raising is the best option because not only do you currently have the best hand, there is also a (slim) chance they will fold a draw that could beat you… which would be a good thing. A tie with another AQ is possible but unlikely. Even if AQ is out there it’s not going anywhere. Inferior 2 pair has 2 outs against your hand with the exception of 93 having 4. They may call or fold for 2 or 3 bets. Re-raise and let them decide, you have them beat and they are drawing slim. Given the board and action, you will almost always lose pairs and gut shot draws with a re-raise here. If they call 2 or 3 bets they are taking the worst of it. Trying to keep these hands tagging along by cold calling the turn raise should not be a major consideration with 5 players and the current action. Bottom line is that with the straight & backdoor club draw on the board and 5 way action… if you feel you have the best hand you should re-raise. Let’s look at the possibility you’re beat: If you are behind to AA or QQ then you’re obviously in trouble. The most likely sets are 3′s or 9′s. If you knew for certain you were against a set you’d fold on the turn. You don’t know that, so you should re-raise and on the chance that you are wrong you still have 4 outs (except against an AA or QQ). If you thought there was a good chance the #8 seat (SB) had a set then I’d say just call… otherwise, re-raise.

I’m coming to L. A. soon and I wondered how the games are going at the new Hustler Casino? I know they opened strong but wondered how they are doing now.

It’s located on the corner of Pornography Ave and Smut Peddler Way.

Answer 2:

That’s nothing.  His daughter has accused him of molesting her when she was a kid. Would you lie about that when you stood to inherit millions? I know many poker players think porn is just free speech, but child-molestation is a criminal perversion and Flynt calls himself “The Pervert.”  Of course, there couldn’t possibly be any connection between porn and child-molestation.   Think about that next time you are going to play poker in his club.

Answer 3:

Without (hopefully) starting yet another “who owns the Hustler” thread, it is NOT Mr. Flynt’s club.  He built the building and is the landlord, but he has no official affiliation with the casino (he can’t get licensed) and as far as any of us who play there are concerned, he’s just another customer.

Need some tactical advice on playing Anaconda (or ‘pass the garbage’) - anybody play this variation who can offer some advice? Or perhaps point me to a web site?  Someone has introduced this variation into my regular Thursday night game and I’m losing a lot of money playing it!

If you’re playing hi-low and 54 is the perfect, never go in with less than a boat or a 6 low after the pass. If there’s much pre pass betting never go in with less than two pair, trips (keep a medium kicker not an Ace) and only try to pull one for a low, but never bet on getting a 5 or 6.

Answer 2:

Definitely be prepared to fold a lot…I only play low if i have low nuts, or a very close proximity. As for high, its anyone’s guess what it’s going to be. This is where knowing your competitors come in handy. The one thing I always try and do, though, is constantly screw the person who is after me. I give him high cards, then low cards, then high cards again (or vice versa). This way you know at least he’s screwed, and if he gets screwed hopefully it will affect the whole table.

Answer 3:

Draw to a lot of flushes.

-Expect to miss them all

-passing 3 of one suit lessens the odds of giving up a flush believe it or not.

-a *lot* of hands go to flushes so consider you high card very carefully.

-Anytime you opponent gives you pretty cards is as good as having high cards showing, since the prick will more than likely advertise the fact for you.

-straights are worthless can be tough because if an opponent gives you a pair then he has very good cards and your boat may be no good.

-Put a lot more emphasis on what you hold than what you give up-you have no idea what he wants.

-I saw AAAA lose once

-since one hand may go to two pair, and the next to a straight-flush: consider your relative position and use it!

-You must learn to fold.

-ONLY bluff heads up!

-bluff a lot heads up.

-Take all of this advice and bend it to fit your opponents.

We had a bit of a dispute in a home game last night about this situation.  Game is 5-stud, high/low, no qualifiers.  One player has  two aces showing; one has two sixes showing.  Our house rule has always been that in this situation the aces can be played as “13′s” for high and as “1′s” for low, thus the aces could scoop.  The victim was a newer player in the game and insisted that it was an oddball rule.  The rest of us see it as clear-cut.  What do you think?

Answer 1:

Unless you’re playing seven duece rules, an ace is always a potential scoop card or a potential scoop pair in 5 card stud hi/lo and 5 card draw hi/lo. Because of that scoop potential, which still exists even if it pairs, Ace is a critical card in those games and you pretty much just shouldn’t play without one.

Answer 2:

It’s not that odd ball of a game. Sklanksy talks about it in TOP with replace on the end. Aces usually go both ways in hi-lo games. That said, it is a strange enough concept (particularly to those who haven’t play hi-lo before) so that you should inform a newcomer about it, because you can surely see why he might be ticked off. If you’re playing a “low card in the hold wild” game, it’s also nice to let the guy know if aces can be used for low.

Answer 3:

In home games, the rules can be whatever you decide them to be. Just make sure all new players are made aware of all your rules. (When new situations come up, we usually let the dealer decide what to do during the hand and then vote for future reference when the hand is over.) In my game you can’t go both with only five cards. (You have to win both if you go both.)