Living in Cambodia and turning Pro
This is my story and if anyone wants advice on joining me then let me know.
I’m originally from the UK, London and have been playing poker for around 6 years to varying success but as it was to secondary work never really committed. Then the economic down turn happened I sold business (a night club) and I thought I’d take a couple of years out in a cheap foreign country.
I live on the Cambodian coast in a place called Sihanoukville, about four hours drive from the capital Phnom Peng. It’s a beautiful little spot with 5 beaches and with the Thai border 4 hours drive to the west and Vietnam about 5 hours to the east. It has a vibrant night life, with a number of clubs, beach bars and western and local restaurants (and 3 casinos). The sex trade is a lot less prevalent than Thailand and the place has a mixture of backpackers passing through, holiday makers from Phnom Peng and a large friendly expat community.
So why Cambodia.
• It’s cheap (half the price of Thailand), I stay in a 2 bedroom western style apartment, all mod cons, 24 hour security sea views $340 a month. A one bedroom bedsit in the same building is $120 a month. A meal out varies from $3.50 – about $7 for top end, beer is 50c-$1 a glass.
• Language isn’t a problem most Cambodians in the major cities speak English.
• Visas, unlike Thailand you can extend your visa indefinitely without leaving the country $250 a year.
• Internet, now is fine, i have ½ a mega bite which is $60 a month and a 3g card for back up should either the internet go down while playing or a power occurs. Power cuts do happen infrequently but all that’s needed is a back up battery or a laptop.
• It’s safe, like any major city anywhere in the world there is crime, just don’t wonder down dark streets at 4am you wouldn’t in New York!
• The people are lovely, not yet obliterated by western values or capitalism.
• The expat community is varied and very friendly to new comers.
• The currency is the Riel but the dollar is more widely used
• No tax
• Live poker is available in casinos and a few low homegames
• The weather is hot from October to June, June to September is the wet season which while still hot it rains to varying degrees.
I think Pro maybe a little strong, I play 3 hours a day mainly in the morning (+7 GMT) and last month 90 hours made me $900, mainly I play SnG. $900 is hefty amount here, waitress earn around $100 a month and western bar managers around $400 a month. In the UK i would have to earn $3000 a month and have a fraction of the life style. I normally finish with poker by 10am and this leaves me the rest of the day to visit the beach, take a boat ride to Island, ride my bike, watch movies, study poker, or just visit friends for a beer.
I have yet to find anyone else out here who is supporting their lifestyle from internet and poker and would either like to find someone who is or encourage someone to come and join and me. I’d be happy to help anyone thinking of making the move and it would be great to have someone to speak poker with, especially if they were at a more advanced level than me
It could be ideal for someone who can make $1-2000 a month but not enough for Pro and a decent western lifestyle, or someone who has to grind silly hours to make a western style wage.
So ask me anything about me, my poker or living in Cambodia
Iao
I'll be in town for APPT, would appreciate an update too. No more RK/PK? I suppose Red Fox still dead too? Ming Men on, what games/stakes? And Naga, that's it? Thanks
I'll be in town for APPT, would appreciate an update too. No more RK/PK? I suppose Red Fox still dead too? Ming Men on, what games/stakes? And Naga, that's it? Thanks
There was a split of sorts, some of the staff opened a new room in bkk last week. I think the game is fielding 5/5 Omaha now.
Most of the bongs have moved to the Ming Men game, currently it's 5/10 PLO (1k min buy, no max) at 2pm daily.
Naga also added another table, up to 11 tables running today. Will be interesting to see how APPT does since there are so many competing events with the triple event in Korea and Poker Dream. Might be big value in the Won tournament afterwards with a 600k gtd and big overlay last time too.
I haven't heard of any poker at Red Fox for quite some time now.
Feel free to PM here or on the Poker in Cambodia FB page if you have any questions.
I have a friend who has been overstaying a few months here,something like 4 or months. Where he should pay the fees in PP, immigration office outside of the airport right? Last question are they going to give him an exit visa valid for 7 days or does he need to exit same day he pays for his overstay?
I have a friend who has been overstaying a few months here,something like 4 or months. Where he should pay the fees in PP, immigration office outside of the airport right? Last question are they going to give him an exit visa valid for 7 days or does he need to exit same day he pays for his overstay?
I overstayed 6 months and paid at the airport before taking flight. Took like 3 mins an it was only 5$ a day , but like 8 years ago
EDIT: now it is 10$ a day
Hello,
I will be in Sihanoukville for three month soon. I would be grateful if someone could recommend good games to me for 1/3 and 2/5 at the moment.
It would be nice if I could play for ten hours straight.
Thanks to everyone involved in this thread.
Queenco 1/3. 2/5
Big Fish 1/3. 2/5
7Deuce (DV) 1/1. 1/2
Yaduoli 1/2 2/5?
I just arrived in Sihanoukville and went to all of those places. The one I liked the least is 7Deuce because of all the house players and collusion
Thank you very much for your information. 72 don't offer 1/3 , that's why is no option for me anyways.
How was the game at Blue bay and Queenco ?
I just arrived in Sihanoukville and went to all of those places. The one I liked the least is 7Deuce because of all the house players and collusion
Interesting
Just joined and posted on the same day.
Maybe, just maybe, you are running a game in Sihanoukville ????
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Danke42069
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The interwebs in general and this fred in particular are certainly not shy of imposters and scammers and whatnot. But also good info. As always take all info with a grain of salt, yes, esp when it comes from posters with little or no forum history. But there was a story about somebody with the most extensive history here where it all fell apart...
Someone that be afraid knew very well before being part of running the game at DV?
Recently learnt that the Naga poker offer is now 8 hours of play to get the free night.
I don't think it offers good value now. Games mostly suck and are filled with Euro and Japanese regs grinding the offer. You can get some profitable tables, but only about half the hours I played were on what I would consider to be reasonable tables. That is mostly weak regs with 1 or 2 fish making big mistakes. I'd say about 10% of the time the tables were 'good' compared to EU or US games. The rake is too high to justify sitting in tables full of nitty players; its not a game where you will be put in tough spots for sure, but its hard to get blood from a stone and if you do I doubt you'll be overcoming that rake hurdle.
Well, last year I was there for 9 days when the offer was 6 hours and 18 days when it was 8 hours. Playing 8 hours when the games were dry was definitely a task and something I wouldn't do again. When games aren't great and rake relatively high, the flexibility of changing your schedule to late nights/early morning is almost essential, which I found more difficult to do, playing 8 hours. It's also tougher to take a break and make up the lost hours another day. Not taking a break if you're running bad/tired/tilted/lacking focus is far from ideal.
Well, last year I was there for 9 days when the offer was 6 hours and 18 days when it was 8 hours. Playing 8 hours when the games were dry was definitely a task and something I wouldn't do again. When games aren't great and rake relatively high, the flexibility of changing your schedule to late nights/early morning is almost essential, which I found more difficult to do, playing 8 hours. It's also tougher to take a break and make up the lost hours another day. Not taking a break if you're runnin
Completely agree. I stayed there under the 6 hour offer and would regularly show up, play an hour or two and decide there wasn't much action in the room so leave and go do other stuff. Its a lot harder to do this when you are under time pressure of 8 hours. Especially so when games aren't necessarily 24/7 and will regularly stop from 6am to 12pm (ish). Good hotel rooms can be found in PP for $20 a night and think this is probably a better option now for the flexibility.
Interesting to see your results for 2024. Thanks for sharing. Out of interest, where is 'home'? Have you thought about doing a poker trip to the US? I'm based in Asia but will likely be spending the summer in the USA for a longer poker trip. Even gave serious thought to doing a 2 - 3 week trip given the state of games in Asia.
Happy new year all. The above is the exact reason I never took a poker room rate anywhere, that's just BS. For starters casino hotels are almost always overpriced compared to the competition, you pay for the convenience, the room rate just brings it back to about level. But then you give up all your freedom. Even if it's just 5h/day, which is usually the best they will do, do you really want to do that, every day, no weekend and whatnot? F that.
As you can read somewhere above I actually just spent two weeks in PP in November. Sorry, no report, all good, but I played embarrassingly little poker, basically two APPT events and nothing else. Also didn't visit one single girly bar even though I was staying close by. So not much to report on. I was at Pontoon and Oscars and some other degen stuff, same same.
Poker room rate: Saves a few bucks and convenience
Freedom: Priceless
Happy new year all. The above is the exact reason I never took a poker room rate anywhere, that's just BS. For starters casino hotels are almost always overpriced compared to the competition, you pay for the convenience, the room rate just brings it back to about level. But then you give up all your freedom. Even if it's just 5h/day, which is usually the best they will do, do you really want to do that, every day, no weekend and whatnot? F that.
As you can read somewhere above I actually just spe
Especially because you can get a relatively cheap room within walking distance to Naga at Bridge Club or ibis budget hotel. My friend who started on the room deal ended up switching over to the bridge and much preferred it.
Next month is going to be interesting with WPTs extra long event. Seems a lot of old friends and new faces will be in town.
Currently we are running 5/10 Omaha everyday at 2pm still and 1/3 Omaha occasionally in the evening. We expect a second afternoon table of 10/25 Omaha during the event. Games have been pretty good with most of the old riverking bongs player consistently. Unfortunately, we haven't ran much holdem the last month or so.
Completely agree. I stayed there under the 6 hour offer and would regularly show up, play an hour or two and decide there wasn't much action in the room so leave and go do other stuff. Its a lot harder to do this when you are under time pressure of 8 hours. Especially so when games aren't necessarily 24/7 and will regularly stop from 6am to 12pm (ish). Good hotel rooms can be found in PP for $20 a night and think this is probably a better option now for the flexibility.
I've arrived at the same conclusion if I ever return to PP (I actually enjoyed the place, irrespective of my results).
Interesting to see your results for 2024. Thanks for sharing. Out of interest, where is 'home'? Have you thought about doing a poker trip to the US? I'm based in Asia but will likely be spending the summer in the USA for a longer poker trip. Even gave serious thought to doing a 2 - 3 week trip given the state of games in Asia.
Yes, have considered a USA trip, which I've done a few times before (a while ago now). I'm based in Melbourne, where I grew up. There's a poker room 15 mins away but the rake is 10% with a $25 cap for a 2/5 game. I haven't played cash in Melbourne since the cap was raised from $15 to $25 in late 2023, so can't tell you whether one can make above minimum wage, but remain sceptical. Given my location, Asia is a better option than the USA, particularly as the accommodation is more affordable, not to the mention the airfare. As much as I enjoyed the games in Manila, I'd prefer to play in Melbourne or the USA.
Looks like the other poker club closed down so the JB club with big 5/10 game or Nagaworld only.
Any poker kampot?
Will there be any 5-card PLO cash games during the WPT at NagaWorld or will it pretty much only be 4-card PLO?
I see there are two 5-card PLO events on the schedule so I would hope at least those days will also have some 5-card PLO cash.
I'm thinking about heading over to PP from BKK for a week or 2, but it kinda hinges on how much 5-card I'd be able to play.
