Poker and Location

Okay, so I've thought about this before in the past but after seeing a video of Kathy Liebert on YouTube and when asked where she preferred to play and why, she stated that she loved playing at the Borgata as opposed to playing in Las Vegas poker rooms, due to the skill level of the players, since there are so many professional poker players that live in Las Vegas.

So I question, does location make a difference in the skill level? Be it, from city to city or even down to one poker room from the next.

I ask because the poker room that I play at is filled with a bunch of sharks! They're very talented at what they do, and most of them have been playing their entire lives. The typical table for me, will be filled with at least five 50-60+ men that are eager for competition, and are somewhat intimidating at first. And it's not just the men! The women that play there, although very limited, are also very skilled and aren't afraid to call your bluff. I'll be moving to a bigger city later this year, and I'm wondering if the level of play there will be somewhat less intimidating. I just have a feeling that there will be more gamblers and tourist just waiting to give their chips away. And although I don't regret playing with the "big boys", as it's given me a lot of experience, I would much rather be playing with opponents that are at my skill level or even, dare I say, weaker?

So what are your views on poker and location? Does it make a difference?

I would think that tourist areas such as Vegas will have the weaker players at the small limits, and all the proven players playing much bigger games. I am from NJ and the Borgata is an incredible poker room, 85 tables, hardly ever a wait and the 2/5 game in Atlantic City is just insanely aggressive, but beatable. These players have no idea what they are doing other than they want to gamble. I watched a guy call a 4 or 5 bet for $500 preflop with KQ. I wish I could afford to play the 2/5 there, but since I can't my money would be scared money and I would get eaten up by these guys.

It seems like your main live game is full of locals and not too many tourists come through the area, so you're going to be playing the same people all the time. I don't think you want to play poker with those that are weaker than you. You're goal should be to keep playing with the better players and improve your game until you are the shark in that game. Playing with players weaker than you doesn't help you improve your game because the same old plays will always work and you don't learn anything new.

Wait...what?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't most poker players looking to turn a profit? Of course you want to play the weaker players. Why on earth if you had the choice between a table full of fish, and a table full of sharks choose the one that you know you are out-matched on? If it were me, I'd be looking for the soft games to exploit, and do my analysis/study on my own time to get better.

I agree with that, you want to win money, it's easier against weaker players. But I also want to play with the best. It should be a goal for everyone to do everything to your best ability, why take the easy road? If you're playing for a living, this could be different because you need that money. But you're never going to successfully move up levels and get better if all you do is beat on weaker players. Phil Ivey is a perfect example of this. He would beat on the lower limit games all week to have enough money to play in the bigger games with the better players and he kept losing, but he wanted to get better so he kept playing and losing. He could've just played the small games and won money, but he was determined to get better and he did by learning from the guys who were beating him, and where is he today? Best player in the world. Money shouldn't be the only reason to play this game.

+1

Play against bad players and train/study with good players.

Someone's been reading on CC. Couldnt have said it better imo

Practical methods work better than just studying a theory. Just like the saying goes "Those who can't do, teach." Anyone can learn a theory, not everyone can or is willing to put it into practice. You gotta break out of your comfort zone to get better at anything, and forcing yourself into a situation where you aren't the best, you're forcing yourself to get better or lose, so you have to put it into practice, you have no choice.

I both agree and disagree with JQ.
Agree you want to play the weaker players as they are gonna play an ace to the end or chase the draws to many times.

Disagree I like playing players that when I throw out a value bet on the river with nothing they will fold a pair. I tend to have much more success in tournaments against better players than weaker players same with cash games when I do make a profit in a cash game its because I was playing with good players.

You know, you have a good point here, and I can actually see where Herbish is coming from also. It would be somewhat of an advantage to know that you are going up against better players, sit back and watch the action, and make an image for yourself. Novices aren't going to be paying attention to the finer details.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the term "value bet" means you have something and you want someone to call you with a worse hand. "Value bet with nothing" is a contradiction. If you have nothing, it's a bluff. If you have something, it's a value bet. Did you mean to say "a bluff value bet"?

In any case, you've basically described the players you like to play against as Nits, not necessarily "good" players. A good player could make a good read on you and call your river bluff with a pair. A "nit" doesn't have the talent or guts to do that.

Dunno about this. If you are playing "better players", that usually means they can beat you and take your money. So to avoid losing your shirt, you have to either tighten up to nittyness or avoid them altogether. I don't think you can learn much doing either.

I think the best way to learn from the play of better players is to sweat them (live or online) or watch a video of them playing a whole session. It's tough to learn from them while playing against them when you don't know what they have most of the time.

I usually like to play with players of the same skill level as myself. If they are too good i will obviously get out-played, and if they suck too bad, they will make poor decisions and it will work out for them.

NOTHING IS MORE FRUSTRATING THEN WHEN SOME DONK CALLS A 3 OR 4 BET ALL IN WITH SOMETHING STUPID AND THEY GET REWARDED FOR IT. NEVER FAILS THAT BETWEEN AA, QQ, AND 64 OFF, THE FLOP WILL GIVE EM QUAD SIXES OR SOMETHING DUMB.

Oh, er...sorry. Just venting.

I understand the frustration at a given point in time, but don't you understand that this is exactly what you want to happen??? Give me the guy who'll call AIPF with 64o any day. Over time you will always, and I do mean ALWAYS profit over them, if you have any real poker skills.

I can never understand people complaining about bad players. Yeah, it stings when you get the money in good and lose to a runner runner. Especially if it happens 3-4 times in a row like to me this weekend when I stacked off with hands like KK and top set against 56s and Q6s who proceed to runner-runner their straight and flush. But I let the emotion pass and remind myself that these are the people I profit the most from. Try sitting down with a table full of 50NL or 100NL regs and see how you like it. Ever think there's a very good reason why the regs go out of their way to avoid other regs and sit with the fish?

Obviously plays at FullTilt.

oops, sorry, also venting........

At the local riverboat's around me, Southern Indiana, it's actually critical that you play during the evening hours. I find the better players and tougher games to be going in the mornings, usually during the week. The weekends, especially nights, are the prime time to make hay IMO.

I swallow my pride and prey on the weekend players, some of them don't know the difference between a set and a fullhouse. Look for a table that's cheery with a few of the players drinking.

I find the same to be true at my local Indian casino. Mornings and weekdays/nights are filled with regs, who not only play regularly, but who play with each other enough to know their game. Weekends are the best time to go, since you have a ton of the "weekend" player types. Of course, you have to be ready for some giant suck-outs, but if you're patient, and don't let that get the best of you (i.e. tilt), you can usually come out ahead.

The answer to your question is Yes. Atlantic City has 3 real Poker Rooms amongst the chain of casinos therefore reducing the amount of live Professionals by which play. Now compare the number of players in A.C. to Vegas, the player ratio will increase dramatically as will the level of skilled players.

I do understand where you are coming from lol. I just posted this after getting ramrodded over and over again by a few donks.

I LOVE DONKEYS!!!

I can say my personal experience playing in Las Vegas at any limit their is allways 2 or more ultra aggressive players allways !! Some are not good and some are very good but the point is they are ultra aggressive..

In my personal experience in Southern california where I live , their is more solid degenerates that live at the poker tables .. very tough tables.

I went to visit my girl friends parents in washington state and played a deep stack tourney and it was so soft and everyone was laughing and having a great time .. I never had so much fun in my life playing poker

So to answer your question about different locations have different skill levels I say yes from my experience .. I know all the older members here got caught up with the other part of your post so i thought I would answer this part

I am comfortable playing at an aggressive table so in vegas i allways know what limit I will be playing and at which casino and I bring more than the correct bankroll required. It's so much fun playing in vegas . Image google the hardrock poker lounge and you'll see what i mean

Take care ,

~Tony

[quote=Herbish1;1529913]I would think that tourist areas such as Vegas will have the weaker players at the small limits, and all the proven players playing much bigger games.

This is definately true. Vegas is by far the easiest place to win. I once played a guy there who probably never played poker before. The play is extreamely weak because people are in vegas to try and get lucky. Vegas is where i had the most success

My experience is weekday, daytime in AC is the best time to find dead money. Basically because its easier to weed it out. Lesser players. there's always dead money. Weekdays brings retired rich people down on bus trips that are there just to have fun. Plus rated gamblers(slot idiots) get free weekday rooms and might try thier hand at some poker.

Def looking for the weak money. Even the big sharks supplement there bankroll every now and then by swimming with the fish. Also, the borgata is my favorite place to play. Never played in Vegas so can't really compare, but I love play playing at the Borgata.

If you are intimidated in some locations there is a difference. You need to make it no difference.

Other then that...
Sometimes the games are easy in the morning sometimes at night.
Some cities are easier then others.
Different places and times have different playing styles and difficulty.
Comfort, lodging and food change, it can effect the way you feel and play.

Some games are tough and should be avoided.

Never be intimidated though. Actually I should say, be imtimidated and keep playing till it's gone. If it never leaves, at least have it so it always gets better.

I live in Los Angeles which has the best of both worlds. We have the Commerce Casino and the Bike Casino. 2 great poker rooms. Then we can drive for 4.5 hours and be in Las Vegas. Then we have the Weather lol. So for location LA is the best. Also Los Angeles has a great home game scene. I've been to several home games and they are always ran very proffessional. That might be an answer to your Favorite casino being filled with sharks. You could hit a few home games. Or maybe start a game yourself.