texas hold em

[kstro135]

Just off of the Constellation and wanted to inform people that Texas Hold em poker is now available in the Casino. It's an electronic table ran by Poker Pro that uses interactive monitors at each position. It's a neat concept that keeps the games flowing and you don't have to worry about improper betting. During the cruise that ran several tournaments and the blinds during non-tournament varied. I was told that the table was just brought into service on april 7.

[Andy]

Just off of the Constellation and wanted to inform people that Texas Hold em poker is now available in the Casino. It's an electronic table ran by Poker Pro that uses interactive monitors at each position. It's a neat concept that keeps the games flowing and you don't have to worry about improper betting. During the cruise that ran several tournaments and the blinds during non-tournament varied. I was told that the table was just brought into service on april 7.

 

Hi Kstro !

 

Interesting. I was on Century a few weeks ago, and they said it was coming soon. Any idea what they took out to fit the table in the casino ? Was a table game was removed, or slots ?

 

Thanks for the information.

[Desertbelle]

What was the rake?

[frchteaze]

Did you hear if it's already on the other ships or coming soon? I'll be on the Mercury at the end of May. :D

[cruisin'mama]

Hi, I will be on the Mercury in June and have 2 sons coming along that are 20 and 19. I was told that the age for the casinos on X is 18, but I also heard that on Alaska cruises there is an exception and the age is 21. Anyone know for sure or had any experiences in this?

[rjg41]

As I reported elsewhere they were trying hold'em for the first time on Summit on the Mar. 26 sailling to Hawaii. It was $5/$10 with a 10% with no limit on the rake. A rip off. A group of us met at the table, palyed 2 days and then formed our own game, of course with no rake. Played every sea day.

[kstro135]

The table limits were different. it began with $2/$4 games, i saw $5/$10 no limit, $2/$4 no limit. There was a sign that said blinds can be adjusted according to who is playing (if there is a consenus). One tournament was $25 entry, $120 to first place, $80 to second place. a $50 tourn with double the prizes was also offered.

[jukeboxy]

As I reported elsewhere they were trying hold'em for the first time on Summit on the Mar. 26 sailling to Hawaii. It was $5/$10 with a 10% with no limit on the rake. A rip off. A group of us met at the table, palyed 2 days and then formed our own game, of course with no rake. Played every sea day.

Some of us were not told of the private game. Hummmmmmmm I wonder if it was my personality.:mad:

[CGTNORMANDIE]

This has to be the only Texas Hold-em game where the house wins more than the players...LOL!!!

 

I just got a call from a friend of mine who is on the SUMMIT. He tells me his poker chips were confiscated when he boarded. X told him they will hold the chips for safekeeping and return the chips at the end of the cruise...LOL!!!

[Rence]

Just got off the Summit.

 

Texas Holdem was played every day noon to 5 on sea days in the Casino $5/$10 10% rake.

 

It got off to a slow start, a few people played an hour or so the first day by the second day the game was going the whole time. On the trip out there were frequenly empty seats at the table, on the return trip there was a wait list to get to the table and it was packed every day.

 

A lot of grumbling about the rake, but folks still played. One of the pit bosses explained that they need to earn a certain return per hour on each table game and in order to get that level of return they needed to charge a 10% rake. His opinion was that if folks refused to play at that rake, that they would probably stop offering it.

[Desertbelle]

It's not the 10% rake that's the problem, that's pretty standard. It's the $10 maximum. A normal Las Vegas card room would take a max of $4. You would have an extremely hard time coming out ahead playing limit holdem with them taking $10 of your pot every time. If you throw in a tip of a buck or two a hand for the dealer tip, that really adds up!

 

If they play 20 hands a hour, which is about normal, that's $200 of the table's money that the house is taking from the 7 people sitting at the table. A pretty hefty profit margin.

[SusieV]

That rake is ridiculous.

 

At my local casinos, it's 10% up to $5, and that adds up at low stakes limit! Heck, past $5-$10 they go to session fees so as not to discourage people from playing.

 

Poker players, hold out for a lower capped rake!

[Rence]

I should have taken notes, but the pit boss was saying that they felt that a table had to make $350 per hour or so to be worth having on the ship. Real estate is tight and they have to justify devoting the space for holdem.

 

What they were doing on the Summit was they had two three-card poker tables. They had a plain felt cover that went on one of the three-card poker tables and that was the table they used for holdem. During the afternoon the one table would be holdem, during the evening it went back to three-card poker which made more money for the casino.

 

Their table games are very profitable. The casino will win a certain percentage off of table games if the players play optimally. But I saw a ton of idiot play on the trip. I saw lots of men who would buy in for hundreds of dollars, play like fools and lose the money in a matter of minutes and then repeat the entire process over and over. The money was pouring in. The problem with holdem is that the house pretty much makes the same amount of money from idiots as it does from good players while on blackjack, three-card poker etc. they make a bit of money off of good players and make a ton off of the fools.

[thomasale]

It seems to me that last time I was at the Mirage they charge a 10% premium for chips ($1000 worth of chips cost $1100) they then take nothing at the tables? am I mistaken?

[Desertbelle]

I think people need to speak with their money and walk their money right out of that casino and set up your own games.

 

You don't need chips, you can play for cash, and if you want to play with chips there is a casino right there to purchase from. No rake is way way better than what they are doing. If this means they get rid of holdem, then so be it.....it's a rip off!

 

Maybe if they see people playing on their own they will understand that:

a) people love Texas Holdem

b) people hate huge rakes

c) people aren't afraid to make a stand and start games on their own

[SusieV]

I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be playing in a "home game" on a cruise ship. What's to stop your opponents from playing together or from using marked cards or any one of a million possible tricks?

 

I'd rather not play at all than take that risk. But an unlimited 10% rake is ridiculous. No casino does that.

[frchteaze]

Just out of curiousity...How is it that the big poker cruise every year is so profitable while X is claiming they need ridiculous rakes to make $ ? Doesn't make sense to me. Anyone know what the rake is on Princess?

[rjg41]

I should have taken notes, but the pit boss was saying that they felt that a table had to make $350 per hour or so to be worth having on the ship. Real estate is tight and they have to justify devoting the space for holdem.

 

What they were doing on the Summit was they had two three-card poker tables. They had a plain felt cover that went on one of the three-card poker tables and that was the table they used for holdem. During the afternoon the one table would be holdem, during the evening it went back to three-card poker which made more money for the casino.

 

Their table games are very profitable. The casino will win a certain percentage off of table games if the players play optimally. But I saw a ton of idiot play on the trip. I saw lots of men who would buy in for hundreds of dollars, play like fools and lose the money in a matter of minutes and then repeat the entire process over and over. The money was pouring in. The problem with holdem is that the house pretty much makes the same amount of money from idiots as it does from good players while on blackjack, three-card poker etc. they make a bit of money off of good players and make a ton off of the fools.

 

Considering that the table would have been closed from 12-5 anyway since they do not open that table during the day, the $350/hr., I assume it was Randell who told you that nonsence. They wouldn't have made a dime on that table without the hold'em.

 

As for the poker chip confiscation; would have pushed that one higher. Where is that written down as not allowed?