I am moving to the bay area shortly, and I was wondering if anyone has experience playing in the Bay 101 cardroom. I prefer to play no limit cash games, but it seems that Bay 101 doesn't offer any NL, just a spread limit game, with 2/3/5 blinds, and a $200 max bet. Can anyone that has played at Bay 101 comment on this game? Does it play like a no limit game? Are there any cardrooms in the bay area that do offer a true no limit game?

They just started offering that game as a spread limit. City of San Jose does not allow no limit. There is a small bar/card room in Livermore that offers 4/8 omaha, he, and dealers choice but smae rules as San Jose in regards to no limit.

There is a dump in Antioch called Kelly's card room that plays a prety big 2-5 no limit game but it is a shady place and I will not play there. There is also some card rooms up by richmond and pacheco but I am not sure what they offer.

It is a bit of a drive but the Jackson Rancheria, in Jackson has some good NL HE games now that they have expanded their card room. It is about 2 hours from San Jose.

At least Reno is close

My regular game is very similar to that. 3/5 spread limit, $150 max bet. It definitely does not play like no limit. I seldom push draws for instance. Making monster hands likes sets are pretty much the way to go, as its very hard for someone to get off tptk on the river when they have $150 invested already and you max raise them for another $150. Conversly, I play tptk very slowly. If I bet the flop and get called by someone with position on me, I almost always check the turn and look to see a showdown as cheaply as possible. Player dependant obviously, but thats pretty standard.

Mark

Garden City has a similar spread limit game as well, if you need more places to play. From my understanding, the SL game plays a lot like a NL game.

The 'no nl' rule applies to all of their tournaments as well except for the Shooting Star. Lucky Chances in Colma used to offer NL but that was made illegal as well.

Garden City was the one I was trying to think of.

And the Shooting star is a spread limit, they get around a loophole by saying they spread is the big blind -- how much is on the table.

Yeah I was trying to remember how that worked, because I don't recall the 2k event being spread limit last year (or at least having to be aware of any sort of limit).

Are you playing any of the Bay 101 Open events this week?

My regular home game was going to Have a satelite into the main event but a lot of us were not going to be around to play. I am the president of my Chamber of Commerce and I have to host a black tie event this Sat. which would have been right in the middle of the Tourney. So unfortunately no.

How about you?

I was _supposed_ to play both, but the 1k event was down to like 10 seats left yesterday and I didn't get a chance to get down there. The 2k event has like 48 so I'm not really worried about that one capping (200) before I get down there to register, but I'll be pretty irritated if the 1k sells out.

They capped the 2k event prior to the Shooting Stars last year though as well, but then ended up letting alternates in, so who knows.

Unless you are a high rolller, the $200 max bet nearly plays like a 200NL game. 200NL is a fairly decent sized game, if you're properly rolled. What part of the bay area? San Jose?

I just came in 6th in the Player Points 100K freeroll and got a full rack of seats and the cash so I will be there. We should meet up as I've only been here about a year and I could use a good home game. I've played at Garden City (better starter spread game and I've killed it more than the others), Lucky Chances (Plays huge but Colma is a drive), Artichoke Joes (A huge NL 2000 min buy in there 3 times a week but no SL or reg lower limit NL action) and Bay 101. The only no-cap true no limit game is at the Palace in hayward that just avoided getitng shut down on a legal technicality (owner was retiring and wanted to pass it to her family, but laws on the books say they could not keep it open if the quit or sold) however it can be a bit of a pit, but looks better after a recent remodel. Watch you *** in Hayward though.

Bay 101 has the nicest facility (currently remodeling -- AGAIN) and has the best tournament series however they are all in the morning and the Saturday "big tournament" with a typical 10K+ top prise starts at eight-FN-15 in the morning. Grrr. The SL big game 2-3-5 is a killer for a grinder. The extra blind on the button, the huge rake and general wacked out play have made it real hard for me to kill the game if I'm not getting hit in the head with the deck. My best cash game days happen at the Lucky Chances and Garden City. LC plays the biggest.

Any other questions or did I wander back and forth on your subject?

Again, PM me and we can meet up at the 101 Open or for the weekend tournaments.

I've played at Garden City and Bay 101, but I seem to like City a lot more. Dunno why, but I seem to win more there.

I play 3/6 limit He with all the psycho's at Bay 101... its fun to play with all the different personalities, but most of the time those who play terribly get paid off and it can be frustrating at times. I don't know anything about the spread limit games though because I never venture to that side of the room (and don't have enough money) lol.

If they turn on the 100 3-100 SLHE you should try it. You'll blow either just as much or win a lot more than at the 3-6 table. Trouble is, they don't spread it too often for obvious reasons.

lol fyi im assuming the card room in livermore is the one at granada bowl. that place is a little sketch i have never played there (next summer finally) but i grew up in ltown and know i wouldnt feel comfortable walking in/out of there with a lot of cash.

Garden City is the place for you to go. The popular $3-100, $100 buy-in game is good and pretty much plays like no limit.
The low stakes $2-4 and $3-6 at Bay101 and Garden City are as loose as it gets. Luck helps in these games. $6-12 and up play tighter.

Lots-o-fish though.

I heard the one in Livermore just started a NL game...don't know for sure.

I've never had to wait long at Garden City to get a chair, sometimes the list at the 101 is as long as Reggie Kays rap sheet and moves as slow as KL after a huge meal.

Yeah, which is a pain in the *** if you want a cash game after the tournament. I find myself "bouncing" up in limits until I get called to the seat I really wanted. Generally, I hate those people. That is the only knock on the Bay 101. Food is great, people are OK, location is good and safe, but it can get crowded and they rake hard.

GC used to be all gangsta they tell me, but I've played in worse.

Worst thing about the Bay Area:
NO EVENING TOURNAMENTS!! The damn rooms are limited in size so even if they wanted to they can't bring in more dealer/tables and run a tournament. Therefore, since the ring games make more $$ during peak hours, you either have to play hooky from work or pony up the big bucks on the weekends.

Feel free to prove me wrong on that one.

Feel free to prove me wrong on that one.

Couldn't do it if I wanted to...you are correct.

The Palace in Hayward has a 50+10 game at noon on Saturdays, but, you almost have to register by Wednesday to get in. It's only 4 tables, winner gets around $1,500.

One more thing about the 101...do NOT fool around in there. My nephew is a San Jose cop, and he says they have cameras on every square inch of that property, including the parking lot...and monitor them. The cops actually use 101 footage for training purposes.

I know, they all have security, but, sometimes they use them more after the fact and are not pro-active with it.

dont waste your time going up to jackson so play the NL there. In sacramento region we have a NL game in folsom called folsom lake bowl, its 100NL. for a great place to play and be willing to travel go to dueces wild in auburn which spreads the best NL in this area in my opinion which is a 200 NL game. they play much bigger there too if thats underneath you. check it out, if i was br'ed to play that game every week i would.


Peace

They must not monitor the dudes smoking weed outside the front on the benches lol.

The Palace Club in Hayward is definately the place to play no-limit. $100 minimum buy-in no max. Stacks range from as low as $200 -$300 up to $3000 - $4000 thousand depending on who is in the game. Lots of rich fish, but be prepared to defend your hands. Plus they have small 10 AM tourneys weekdays before the no limit game fires up at noon. Make sure to call ahead to get on the list for no-limit as it is a very popular game right now. They will spread a second game if they have players on hand.

I played at the Folsom bowl like 10 years ago when they only had a 2-4 game. I grew up 10 minutes from there. We used to sneak in all the card rooms at like 15 years old, it was great. Check out the Black Sheep in Cameron Park, it is loose with a bunch of old drunks that play. 1-2 NL with 1-2k on the table, a good night you can win 500-800 easy.

The Lucky Buck in Livermore isn't sketchy at all, and the limits are not high enough to worry about walking out with too much $$$.

Also I have a frind that goes to Jackson quite often and he says it is much better in the past month or so.