Playground Poker Club (Kahnawake, QC)
Seeing as how my TR and several posts discussing Playground Poker in the Casino de Montreal thread was deleted, I figured we may as well start a new thread for Playground. For those who don't know, Playground is a new poker club that opened in Montreal. It's located on the Kahnawake reserve, meaning it is not limited by Quebec's gaming laws which in practice means they can serve food and alcoholic beverages on the tables and spread PLO.
Side note: For non-Canadians and Canadians who may need some refreshing of high school social studies, aboriginal reserves are self governing; they do not fall into the Canadian provincial or federal system. Which means if the governing body on the reserve allows PLO to be spread and alcohol to be drunk on the tables, any club on the reserve can spread PLO and serve alcohol on the tables without any legal repercussions from the provincial or federal government.
Now, off to the TR.
I was at Playground on their second day. Some dealers and servers told me missing opening day was a blessing in disguise as it was much more packed and much more hectic. I made the trip over to play in their freebuy ($0 to enter, $50 to rebuy) tournament and their $100 NLHE freeze out. We will come to my performances at the tournaments shortly.
Playground is very comfortable and enjoyable room to play in. They have huge adjustable swivel chairs for the players. The decor is modern and simple with almost a nightclub-ish vibe. It appeals to a younger crowd but at the same time, doesn't keep old school card players away. The dealers and floor men were all friendly, welcoming and accommodating. Before the tournament started, the dealers didn't mind - and rather enjoyed - chatting with players about the club, the house rules, the weather, etc. The cocktail waitresses are HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT. To avoid being a misogynist pig, let me just leave it at this: they are all 8.5 or above. Food wise, I hadn't eaten much from their menu but what I had, I really liked. They make a mean burger. A lot of fellow players agreed that the food is very good.
If you really wanted me to be nit picky, I suppose I could say some of the dealers could use a bit more experience and training. However, all the dealers that dealt with me (pun fully intended) were friendly and professional and they all tried their hardest. Hiring new and younger dealers is expected from a new club and they could only get better with time. Also, the wait time for food and drink was a bit long but then again, the club was packed.
The club also arranged for Mike McDonald (Timex), Eric Cajelias, and some other pros to make appearances during the opening weekend; they sat at 1/2 tables. They made an announcement over the PA system that anyone who bluffs out a pro on the river gets $500 prize. It's a shame I didn't have a chance to play with them as I was busy grinding away at the tourneys. For those who care to see how I performed, read on. For those who do not, feel free to post your own questions, comments, etc.
So, registered for the free buy tournament. Started off running pretty meh. Getting dealt a lot of unplayable or marginal hands. Atleast I wasn't getting dealt strong hands that turn into second best on the river. I managed to make it almost to the second break. By that point, my stack was around 10bb so I decided to bluff shove suited connectors/1 gappers in position. 34ss got called by AQ and AQ held so I'm out. Went and got some food, chilled out, watched some sports on TV, and rebooted for the second tournament, the $100 NLHE freeze out.
Again, started off running pretty meh. I did set over set somebody and hit a flush draw vs a short stacker but I did not see a single flop voluntarily until level 4. During the middle stages, I was perpetually short stacked. I would repeatedly bluff shove or double up then find myself back down to 10-15bb as the blinds doubled the next hand. However, my tight image paid off as I got away with a couple quick ones. I shipped KQ on the button, short stacked and BB tank folds AQ, shows it to me, and says he's convinced I had AA, KK, or AK. Phew, that was close. After continuous short stacking play, I find myself at the final table. Whoohoo! First hand of the FT and last hand before a break, I'm UTG and look down at 2 beautiful aces. With 10 BBs left, there can be nothing more beautiful, not even that really cute chick I was about to knock out. I decided to stop 'n go as there's a LAG and a couple short stackers to my left. I limped the AA, LAG raises, cute chick/short stacker shoves, I shove on top and the LAG folds AJ face up. The other short stacker flips over 88 and I hold. However, it turns out she covers me by 2K chips which was less than a small blind at the time. When it became 7 or 8 handed, there were discussions of a chop. I would consistently refuse to chop and it really pissed off the guy on my left. He kept pestering me to chop until I yelled at him.
Whirlwind of flying cards and chips later, we find ourselves 4 handed. It was a bloody grueling game. There were a couple levels where we just exchanged blinds and antes. Then one guy was knocked out and the 3 of us exchanged blinds and antes. Then I knocked out the third guy and find myself heads up with the guy who kept pestering me to chop. I think he was still pissed I wouldn't chop so he said he'd shove every hand and call all my shoves. I totally didn't mind as I shipped 88 against his K6 and hold (actually, door card was an 8). Boom $2250 (yeah that doesn't seem like much but I'm a student/micro stakes grinder. It meant a bit to me) and a bag of free schwag with Playground Poker logos on them like caps and pens and stuff.
I'd like to give a shout out to Brent. He's a cool guy in general and a competent and friendly floor man in particular.
Yep, that's about what I have to say about Playground. I'd urge any Montrealer who hasn't yet to make a trip over and any card playing tourists should give it a spin as well.
As expected the 2-5 is becoming a lot tougher to beat, many of the worst 2-5 players have migrated to 1-3.
On average the 2-5 will consist of 1-2 top regs, 5-6 nit regs, 1 fish. From my experience maybe 1 out of 6 tables is beatable with the new rake structure.
Good job playground
As expected the 2-5 is becoming a lot tougher to beat, many of the worst 2-5 players have migrated to 1-3.
On average the 2-5 will consist of 1-2 top regs, 5-6 nit regs, 1 fish. From my experience maybe 1 out of 6 tables is beatable with the new rake structure.
Good job playground
They are prob gonna slowly turn 1/2 into 1/3 like every other rat casino in canada. Playground cant even make the excuses other casinos can about property taxes etc since its on a reserve that is 90% open land.
Are you just being dramatic about 2/5 not being beatable though? Im seeing about the same number of 2/5 tables I always do.
They are prob gonna slowly turn 1/2 into 1/3 like every other rat casino in canada. Playground cant even make the excuses other casinos can about property taxes etc since its on a reserve that is 90% open land.
Are you just being dramatic about 2/5 not being beatable though? Im seeing about the same number of 2/5 tables I always do.
There’s a lot of tables running yes but most of them are nit infested. Its still beatable , you just have to table select hardcore, once in awhile you’ll end up on a decent table.
Really sucks to hear this.
I loved the old 2/5 at playground. The size was great for me, and the action was good.
I am going this weekend, first time since these new changes, so we'll see.
complain all we want this is still better then most american casinos
As expected the 2-5 is becoming a lot tougher to beat, many of the worst 2-5 players have migrated to 1-3.
On average the 2-5 will consist of 1-2 top regs, 5-6 nit regs, 1 fish. From my experience maybe 1 out of 6 tables is beatable with the new rake structure.
Good job playground
I recently made my first trip to playground in almost a year, and second ever. The above was exactly my experience, and as a 2/5 player, I was quite disappointed. The action at 2/5 is noticeably worse than last year, and the tables are much reggier.
I much preferred the old, brighter, larger room with its high ceilings. The new third floor room is quite dimly lit with low ceilings which isn't a great vibe. The menu has also gotten slightly worse, with the carrot cake and cheesecake gone from the desserts.
However, it is still a positive experience, especially when compared to southern ontario. But is evident that the recent changes are not player friendly, and definitely moving things in the wrong direction.
I found it comparatively quite disappointing. I had been planning to make trips out there relatively frequently, maybe monthly during the summer. However, when factoring the drive and hotel costs, I am not sure it is really worth it over the average 2/5 game in my local casino.
How are the PLO5 games there?
Unfortunate update of another greedy casino. I took another trip here. The 5% max rake at 2/5 and above that is now replaced by 10% has killed the 5/10 which went from running 16 hours a day 7 days a week to now almost never being ran. This makes the 2/5 even worse because some of those pros from 5/10 moved down. The 5/5 PLO 5 card barely runs now but I am not sure if thats also because of the rake or maybe just the time of the year or some action players stopped playing. When you walk from the parking lot it takes almost 10 minutes to get up to the poker room instead of being the first room you walk into like it was before. Playing in a cramped dark low ceiling room sucks ass.
Unfortunate update of another greedy casino. I took another trip here. The 5% max rake at 2/5 and above that is now replaced by 10% has killed the 5/10 which went from running 16 hours a day 7 days a week to now almost never being ran. This makes the 2/5 even worse because some of those pros from 5/10 moved down. The 5/5 PLO 5 card barely runs now but I am not sure if thats also because of the rake or maybe just the time of the year or some action players stopped playing. When you walk from the
I doubt the 5-10 or 5-5 plo died because of the rake change. Montreal isn’t a very rich city, with high inflation recs have less and less extra money to play around with, there’s only so many fish in this city that can afford to lose at these stakes on a regular basis.
Also with woodbine running 5-10+ for the past year we’ve lost most of our toronto crowd which doesnt help either.
Hopefully games will pick up in october after the summer break.
5/10 died pretty much right at the rake change. I dont play here a lot but I look at the table list multiple times a week and 5/10 was running pretty much every day for the half year I was paying attention. If people move permanently to Toronto for poker over Montreal those are probably the ones we dont want at PG anyway.
