San Francisco, CA Bay Area

I think it's about time there's a thread for the bay area outside of SJ. Not everyone play at bay 101 (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/27/brick-mortar/bay-101-san-jose-ca-thread-678950/). This thread is for California Grand, Oaks, Palace, Livermore Casino, Lucky Buck, Bay 101, Garden City, Artichoke Joe's, and Lucky Chances. I know I'm missing a lot of the smaller cardrooms, but I think I named all the big ones. TR, BBV, ruling, etc all goes here. I'll start with a little bout me. Last year I was a reg at Oaks. I went so often people would occasionally ask, because of my age, whether I'm in school or not. This year I've been going to Garden City more often under a different board name. Despite the extra 40 minute drive, they got true no-limit and the 8/16 is a lot juicer than the 6/12 at Oaks. Nowadays whenever I decide to go to Oaks I get greeted by "hey long time no see" and "where've you been?" Makes me feel like a true degenerate 😃 btw, CaliGrand's daisy-chained force move tables suck balls. Spreadsheet of Cash Game Information Offered in each Card Room in the Bay Area (courtesy of Zak3nnay0) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?... (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AkZCSQ-HLGcAdE9WQUx1TGJEMFM2SGdwMVdmMDFlYUE)

The thing missing in Bay Area cardrooms is fun. I played in another state this weekend where there was the ability to run it twice even at low levels, bomb pots, laughing etc. Does management at local rooms just not care about catering to these types? Or is it a legal thing preventing these types of things?

by ChipsOmNom m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=58492792#post58492792)

The thing missing in Bay Area cardrooms is fun. I played in another state this weekend where there was the ability to run it twice even at low levels, bomb pots, laughing etc. Does management at local rooms just not care about catering to these types? Or is it a legal thing preventing these types of things?

No one neither agrees nor disagrees with this?

It was posted by you. Bayes' Theorem suggests that most people think that it's bullshit.

People slowing down the game to run it twice does not sound like fun, and it takes some of the gamble out of the game. Most fun tables are full of people who want to gamble, not to get a chop.

How's it going everyone. What venues have NLH 5-10 or bigger? Is it mostly just Bay 101? Does Bay 101 have one most every day? Thanks

by Timmy paper stacks m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=58753786#post58753786)

How's it going everyone. What venues have NLH 5-10 or bigger? Is it mostly just Bay 101? Does Bay 101 have one most every day? Thanks

There's a NLH 5-20 game ($5k max buyin) that starts at 11 AM on weekdays

First time at Bay 101 and played in the $250 Monday Mystery Bounty tournament. They had 92 players. Busted out 49th. I'm very impressed with the staff and how the tournament was run. Tomorrow is the $300 Christmas Eve Turbo starting at 9:15 A.M. It should have over 100 players and a nice size prize pool. You can follow all Bay 101 tournaments on Poker Atlas. They even do chip updates at the breaks.

Thinking of hitting up California Grand tomorrow for a new experience. I have a recollection of being told that you can match the biggest stack there on their NL tables. Can anyone confirm?

I’m coming to the bay in a few weeks (first time really). What’s the closest card room to downtown that will get a PLO game on a Sunday? Also, any Big O games anywhere in the bay on any day?

I don’t think there are many PLO games around the Bay Area. It’s probably best to just call around and ask: Bay 101, Lucky Chances, The Oaks Card Club, and California Grand are the main poker rooms in the Bay Area. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

by 2xanman m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=58870724#post58870724)

I’m coming to the bay in a few weeks (first time really). What’s the closest card room to downtown that will get a PLO game on a Sunday? Also, any Big O games anywhere in the bay on any day?

The closest and only PLO game is in Graton, about 1 hour north of SF

Latest rooms for Bay Area poker? I’ll be in town late December and staying in mill valley. Seems like Lucky Chances or the Oaks are closest. Small room maybe north too? NLHE, blinds up to $5 with ideal buy in $300-1200range. Not looking at $120 stacks with $2 blind but don’t need deep stack $1500+.

by droopy0021 m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=59113741#post59113741)

Latest rooms for Bay Area poker I'll be in town late December and staying in mill valley. Seems like Lucky Chances or the Oaks are closest. Small room maybe north too NLHE, blinds up to $5 with ideal buy in $300-1200range. Not looking at $120 stacks with $2 blind but don't need deep stack $1500+.

Oaks is probably best for you. They have a 1-2-3 (100-500 buyin). Usually plays with a winner Mississippi-style straddle to $6 but not everyone is compliant. They also have a 2-3-5 (200-1000 buyin) nearly always with a $10 winner straddle. Lucky Chances has 1-2-2 (100-400) $5 to limp and a 3-5 with an all but mandatory $10 UTG straddle. $400-$1500 buyin. Pete’s 551 has evening games not sure exactly what. It’s closest to Mill Valley. There’s also Graton. Not sure what they spread these days. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

May be going to SF soon and hoping someone knows the scoop on current LHE games, 15/30 and above. I know that Bay 101 has 30/60, and I read that Oaks no longer has any larger LHE games. Does CA Grand still have 15/30? Thought I heard that Artichoke Joe's may have 20/40 but that was awhile back. Also interested in O8 games 15/30 or higher, and any casinos in the general area I haven't mentioned. Thanks!

by haakee m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=59113875#post59113875)

Oaks is probably best for you. They have a 1-2-3 (100-500 buyin). Usually plays with a winner Mississippi-style straddle to $6 but not everyone is compliant. They also have a 2-3-5 (200-1000 buyin) nearly always with a $10 winner straddle.Lucky Chances has 1-2-2 (100-400) $5 to limp and a 3-5 with an all but mandatory $10 UTG straddle. $400-$1500 buyin.Pete’s 881 has evening ga... See full post

Long time no talk to, how's it going man? Still playing the NL at M8trix?

by Zak3nnay0 m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=26253804#post26253804)

I think it's about time there's a thread for the bay area outside of SJ. Not everyone play at bay 101 (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/27/brick-mortar/bay-101-san-jose-ca-thread-678950/). This thread is for California Grand, Oaks, Palace, Livermore Casino, Lucky Buck, Bay 101, Garden City, Artichoke Joe's, and Lucky Chances. I know I'm missing a lot of the smaller cardrooms, but I think I named all the big ones. TR, BBV, ruling, etc all goes here. I'll start wi... See full post

Nice idea — the Bay Area definitely needs its own thread outside of just Bay 101. Each room has its own vibe, and a lot of players bounce between them anyway. Oaks and Garden City both have solid action, and yeah, CaliGrand’s force-move setup can be rough. Thanks for dropping the spreadsheet link too — super helpful for anyone trying to compare rooms.Select 38 more words to run Humanizer.

What runs regularly at CA Grand these days and do they still have weird rules?

https://www.pokeratlas.com/poker-room/ca... (https://www.pokeratlas.com/poker-room/california-grand-pacheco)

by AlanBostick m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=59237719#post59237719)

https://www.pokeratlas.com/poker-room/ca... (https://www.pokeratlas.com/poker-room/california-grand-pacheco)

Thanks but a lot of the Poker Atlas data isn’t up to date

by ChipsOmNom m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=59237858#post59237858)

Thanks but a lot of the Poker Atlas data isn’t up to date

The phone number should be good.

Can anyone comment on the Graton remodel and what that did for poker?

Gonna be in the Bay Area in a couple weeks. Where can I play 5/T or bigger? I heard there’s a daily game at Bay101. If I understand it correctly the blinds are 2/3/5/20, is that right? I’m curious about the rake. Also how many tables usually run?

One singular table of 2/3/5/20 with $5k cap on weekdays. Multiple tables of the $5k cap game on weekends with frequent bigger games as well AFAIK. Time rake, comparable to 10/20 games in Vegas, I believe $11 or $12 per half.

Bay 101 usually has a whole bunch of 2/3/5 NL games going (up to 9 by 1pm). Very often, one of those games is a mandatory $10 utg straddle game, so basically a 10/10 NL. On weekdays, at 11am they start their 2/3/5/20 NL game, which means it is a 2/3/5 with a mandatory $20 utg straddle. It's called a deepstack, and I think the buy-in is $800-$3000. On Fridays and weekends, they often have an even bigger NL game. I'm not exactly sure, but it's something like 2/3/5/40 or 2/3/5/20/40. The $10 straddle game has a max drop of $7, but on Fridays it's $8. The bigger games collect time. Lucky Chances in Colma has 2/3/5 NL, and pretty much every time I have played there, that game has had a mandatory $10 kill. I think the max buy-in is $1500 or $2000. That game definitely plays bigger than the 2/3/5 at Bay 101. Lucky Chances has a dirty, run-down vibe, and very reg-heavy games. I think Bay 101 is a much nicer place to play. by GetPaidGetLaid m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=59379539#post59379539)

Gonna be in the Bay Area in a couple weeks. Where can I play 5/T or bigger? I heard there’s a daily game at Bay101. If I understand it correctly the blinds are 2/3/5/20, is that right? I’m curious about the rake. Also how many tables usually run?

To further add, to get a seat in a Bay101 San Jose game, you will need to first drive to San Jose which is way out of the way from SF in the South Bay, a gigantic time commitment with traffic, and also grease the floor due to massive waitlists and capped tables which is hilarious and kind of fun. For 2/3/5 $20 is fine for a weekday night and then you wait some not hours, for bigger games with whales, $100 to get a seat. Rake is awful $8 a hand everywhere, $2 pre flop if no flop, long term everyone loses to the rake. You can find slightly cheaper rake in Sac if thatÂ’s important to you. Lucky chances is just in south SF and likely your best bet to where you are staying as suggested, getting there is reasonable time wise, parking is nice. While reg heavy, there is definitely action and the room has great but overpriced food. You can call in to get on the list. The 2/3/5/10 will have multiple tables and late night stacks, 2kish to 4kish so probably in your range but a little small. Oaks in Emeryville/Berkeley also has 2/3/5, better action, but 1k buyin cap so plays smaller than LC. These are reasonable drive times from SF and where most play. The other option for a big game is Graton in Santa Rosa, about an hour north of SF, on a weekend night. If you call and ask they may have a large NL game like 10/25 with 10k - 30k type stacks or a big PLO game going to sign up for. Brad Owen often plays. Usually 1 or maybe 2 tables of something big. There are some whales here. You could stay at the hotel to avoid the driving. Let us know what you end up enjoying? If you are really serious about big games, with low rake, play in Texas and just enjoy your time out here sightseeing and enjoying the weather. Or fully commit and go whale hunting in San Jose on a weekend night and play really big.

Why is Artichoke Joe’s on Poker Atlas for active games and wait lists but none of the other rooms are? I thought I read there was a handshake agreement for none of the Bay Area rooms to do that.

Is PLO running frequently at Lucky Chance? How's the game play lately (stakes / frequency)

by Namaste1974 m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=59394151#post59394151)

Is PLO running frequently at Lucky Chance? How's the game play lately (stakes / frequency)

I haven’t seen it in a while

by Namaste1974 m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=59394151#post59394151)

Is PLO running frequently at Lucky Chance? How's the game play lately (stakes / frequency)

5-5-10 goes Friday afternoons usually Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

by ChipsOmNom m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=59391706#post59391706)

Why is Artichoke Joe’s on Poker Atlas for active games and wait lists but none of the other rooms are? I thought I read there was a handshake agreement for none of the Bay Area rooms to do that.

Anyone?