The Lodge, Limerick $$

DeLaBass

Hi guys, regardless of all the bad comments about it i decided to check it out tonight and it was to be only my second real tourney. Had a pretty good one even though i didnt see anything anyway decent for over an hour. The first table i waas on had some good players and no river rats or calling stations. 114 players altogether, the biggest crowd yet, first prize €2,000. I finished 5th with €350, slightly unlucky to go out. Final table blinds were 60,000 and that was all I had and I was next for the BB . Decided to call and go all in with my Ac7c. Flop came with a flush draw and I flopped a pair of sevens too. Then came another 7 (trips) followed by a Kh and a 6s, no flush. My trips beaten by full house 7-7-7-6-6, i was sickened! Who calls with 7-6? Good fun however...

Lafortezza

What was the buy-in?
What was the structure regarding rebuys and topups?
What were the blinds like?

NickyOD

The tourney in the lodge is pathetic. Might as well just tell everyone to draw straws and then pay up, rather than bother playing cards at all. The guy is looking to start another game in the Sallyport on Thursdays.

I'm hoping to start up my own tournies on Sundays, but with the summer coming up and other work commitments it most likely isn't going to happen. The sooner limerick gets a proper cardroom, the better.

Lafortezza

NickyOD wrote:

The tourney in the lodge is pathetic.

Why? I'm too lazy to search for relevant threads

Pokerevents

Who runs it? Is it weekly?Why is this tournament pathetic?
And why would your one not be, please give advise on what you would do , and exactly how would you run tournament.
When you get a chance Nicky.Thanks.

jem

If I may cut in for nicky.

Pokerevents wrote:

Who runs it? .

Cant think of his name works in bank in shannon.

Is it weekly? ] yes
Have a look at this tread. The blinds go up when they feel like it, the standard was very very poor,The maths don't add up, The whole lot doesnt go well

Pokerevents

Thank you jem

NickyOD

Pokerevents wrote:

Who runs it? Is it weekly?Why is this tournament pathetic?
And why would your one not be, please give advise on what you would do , and exactly how would you run tournament.
When you get a chance Nicky.Thanks.

His name is Michael Barry and he runs the AIB bank in Shannon town. He started off running 5 card draw classics in Shannon and around Clare. They were actually ok. They were very easy to do well in because if you really know how to play 5 card draw you can easily kick ass, (i.e. if its jacks or better to open then you should fold Queens if its been opened, but everone will play any pair, or 3 of a flush/straight). They were good because they were run on a Sunday so the blind structure was nice and slow and I've played in draw classics with up to 150 players and won a couple of them for decent money. I moved out of Shannon a few years back and haven't seen Michael since, until he started up in the Kilmurray last year.

The problem with this one is its midweek and in a bar so starting at 8 he has to finish up by around 12. So a 4 hour tournament with over 100 players and a break in the middle = crapshoot.

He has tables of only 6, instead of 9 or 10. (Hello Michael! this is not 5 card draw anymore!) The blind levels increase ridiculously. Something like 25/50, 50/100, 100/200, 200/400, 500/1000, 1000/2000. Not only that but you never know when the blinds will go up, it might be a half hour, it might be 5 minutes. In the one I played he was so stuck for time he increased the blinds once in the first hour during the rebuy period but then 4 times in the next hour after the break.

He knows little or nothing about detailed rules or etiquette. It's self deal and on one occasion at my table 3 player were in a hand. One guy made a bet on the turn on a flop that was something like Th 3h 4c As, but before the other 2 players could act the dealer turned over the river which 8h, letting them see it for free. Michael was called over and decided that the bet could be returned and the cards turned over, winner takes the pot, which was ridiculous because one guy had pocket 8s to make a set and take a good pot, but he would not have called the bet on the turn from the guy who had A-T. I think what should have happened is the river should have gone back in the deck and the deck reshuffled. I have also seen Michael deal the final table and forget to burn cards, and not actually recognise the best hand. I've seen him give a pot to a guy with A8 against A4 on a flop that was K-Q-J-T-x thinking the kicker was good. "HELLO! They both have a straight!" Obviously the guy has never even played the game himself.

Why would my tournaments not be pathetic? Well for one I wouldn't actually be running the tournament myself. My partner has 9 years experience as a croupier and a cardroom manager, and has dealt in major professional tournaments in England. I don't know anyone who knows more about cardrooms than he does. I would be more concerned with marketing, getting the venue and getting the people in. It would be very much small scale compared to pokerevents, self deal and money taken would be in the form of a reg fee only. With the Summer coming up though and with my own work commitments it's dificult to see me going ahead with it until the Autumn and by then there may already be a cardroom in Limerick, as I hear the casino (with no cardroom) is looking to move to a bigger venue. I keep hearing 2 months! 2 months! and then another 4 months go by and its the same story.

If pokerevents started up in Limerick they'd clean up. There are plenty of smaller towns around the country where poker is happeneing on a larger scale. Limerick players basically have to play online, or travel to get a decent game or else they are restricted to playing charity games or put up with BS like in the Kilmurray. I still wouldn't play the pokerevents tourneys (other than the supersats) in their current form because of the prizepool structure. I would definitely play the STTs though, as I'd be getting seriously good EV in those when compared to the bigger tournament.

Are you gona start up in Limerick Fintan?

Pokerevents

I have being asked by several local players to run tournaments in Limerick.
If I was to do it I would start sooner rather than later. I think first step would be venue. Where is kilmurray lodge, is it far from Limerick city?
Would people travel to the fitzpatrick in shannon do u think?

Jaden

NickyOD wrote:

I still wouldn't play the pokerevents tourneys (other than the supersats) in their current form because of the prizepool structure. I would definitely play the STTs though, as I'd be getting seriously good EV in those when compared to the bigger tournament.

This *can* be the case. However, almost every week I've played this has *not* been the case.

Maths can be provided for the numerically challenged.

Culchie

Sligo as well Fintan !

NickyOD

Pokerevents wrote:

I have being asked by several local players to run tournaments in Limerick.
If I was to do it I would start sooner rather than later. I think first step would be venue. Where is kilmurray lodge, is it far from Limerick city?
Would people travel to the fitzpatrick in shannon do u think?

Kilmurray is a small hotel on the castletroy side of limerick between UL and Annacotty. It's not a particularly nice place to be honest.

Fitzpatricks is the one by the airport right? Poker is pretty popular in shannon but I think you're most likely better off going with Limerick City. It's a bit of a trip for Limerick people to the airport if they want to have a drink. Taxi would be €20 at least and speaking from experience, getting home from Shannon is a real pain early in the morning. From the players I've seen, you're getting a hell of a lot of young people, so adding to their expenses would probably be a bad idea. I think Shannon people would feel much more comfortable travelling to Limerick (where the greater number of punters are anyway) than the other way round. They already do that anyway because there's no cinema, decent shpping centre, there isn't even a main street in Shannon town. Limerick city is defintely your best bet. In fact I've seen many Shannon players in my brief visit to the Kilmurray game.

Have you tried any of these hotels?

Jury's Inn (Dock Road)
Clarion Hotel (Steamboat Quay)
Southcourt Hotel (Raheen)
Castletroy Park Hotel

NickyOD

Jaden wrote:

Maths can be provided for the numerically challenged.

Hit me. How come?

podgeen

maybe fintan and nicky should join forces and run some tournaments in limerick together

BigDragon

Here's a good one about this game.....

Starting chips = 2000

Bring a new person to play Starting chips = 4000

Effing madness.

NickyOD

BigDragon wrote:

Here's a good one about this game.....

Starting chips = 2000

Bring a new person to play Starting chips = 4000

Effing madness.

Yeah you also get extra chips for being lucky enough to be the first to get Quads. total BS

DeLaBass

Jesus big mouth calm the phuck down. If u dont like it there then don't go, its as simple as that. You seriosuly seem to have some major ego problem. I found the michael barry guy and donal who was with him both professional on the night. At one stage in the night the game was paused and all of the entry fees, expenses, buy backs, top ups were announced for all to hear, how can someone possibly complain about that? Sure there were alot of fish at it but it's an amateur tournament. Seems like only the wsop could satisfy some people the way they rant on...

tap28

I found the michael barry guy and donal who was with him both professional on the night

I played there once about 3 weeks ago, got to the final table and came second. For my trouble I gladly took home €700. However, I found the whole event poorly run.
At one stage early on there was only five at my table with 2 tables of 9 both side and neither of the organisers did a thing about it until we kicked up a fuss.
As for the final table, it was a joke at one stage dealer let a shout to the other lad, slow table, 4 min to next raise it had been only 2/3 min from the last raise.
As Nicky pointed out the dealer did not actually recognise the best hand and it was as simple as my 2 pair were better than the other guys.

Saying all that I did met some sound people down there and because of them I had a laugh (of course the money did help to) but I won't be going again.

Davey Devil

DeLaBass wrote:

Jesus big mouth calm the phuck down. If u dont like it there then don't go, its as simple as that. You seriosuly seem to have some major ego problem. I found the michael barry guy and donal who was with him both professional on the night. At one stage in the night the game was paused and all of the entry fees, expenses, buy backs, top ups were announced for all to hear, how can someone possibly complain about that? Sure there were alot of fish at it but it's an amateur tournament. Seems like only the wsop could satisfy some people the way they rant on...

Calm the phuck down? Nothing in Nicky's post suggested he was talking anything but common sense. Sounds to me like you know little or nothing about the game. If you think it's ok to play in tournament that offers chip bonuses then that's your choice. I think anybody with even a limited knowledge of poker wouldn't go near that tournament.

NickyOD

DeLaBass wrote:

Jesus big mouth calm the phuck down. If u dont like it there then don't go, its as simple as that. You seriosuly seem to have some major ego problem. I found the michael barry guy and donal who was with him both professional on the night. At one stage in the night the game was paused and all of the entry fees, expenses, buy backs, top ups were announced for all to hear, how can someone possibly complain about that? Sure there were alot of fish at it but it's an amateur tournament. Seems like only the wsop could satisfy some people the way they rant on...

I DON'T GO! I went once and that was more than enough! If you think being opinionated is the same as being egotistical then you need to go back to school, and beleive me you couldn't be further from the truth. Michael might be a nice guy but his tournaments are an embarassing joke plain and simple. I might not play football in the premiership but I play by the same rules, and anyone who commits to running a poker tournament and taking people's money should atleast have the courtesy to learn the bloody rules before hand.

DeVore

And civility is still MANDATORY here. Complaining about a tournie is one thing, insulting a poster is another.

Culchie, I ran a game recently in Sligo for Paddy Powers that was very well received and we will be back there again. I know of at least one professionally run game in Limerick soon and will let you know the details when its confirmed.

DeV.

NickyOD

DeVore wrote:

I know of at least one professionally run game in Limerick soon and will let you know the details when its confirmed.

DeV.

Cool. Looking forward to it.

hblg

I decided some months ago to start up a “poker club” which is finally starting next Wednesday 27th April in the Davin Arms (near the Gaelic Grounds on the Ennis Road in Limerick)

There are certain things that I wanted to rectify from other tournaments that I have played in

1) Getting to the next level – I am sure you have all looked at Late night Poker, like me, and said that you could beat or at least would like to have a chance to play Simon “Aces” Trumper, the Pink Lady, Joe “the elegance” and so on.
I have secured spots on the European Poker Tour (EPT), the first one being in Dublin on the bank holiday weekend in October. The basic structure is as follows. For 20 weeks, I am going to collect €200 every week from the poker takings and put this into the master fund. This will give a grand total of €4000 at the end of twenty weeks. The regristration fee for the EPT tournament event is €1500. €500 will also be given for accommodation (as the person will be from the mid west region) €2000 in total. This will pay for two players.
So over the twenty weeks of running the tournament, the top 54, based on the points accumulated over those twenty weeks, will qualify for the master tournament in which the top 2 will get those 2 spots on the EPT event (which will be televised as well)
I have been in negotiations with our EPT partner for the last 8 weeks on this one.

2) Bringing new players – Personally I am unhappy with the fact that if a player brings new players with him, who have never played before, he/she gets 2000 worth of chips for each player that he/she brings. I was at a table about 2 months ago in Kilmurray Lodge where one guy sat down with 14,000 worth of chips after brining 6 new guys with him.

What I am proposing as an incentive for bringing new players (which is what we all want as it will increase the cash prizes) is that the registration fee is halved. i.e. if you bring someone to the tournament in the Davin Arms, after Week 2, both you and the person you brought will pay €10 each – so there is an incentive for you, the new player and me as tournament director while not be penalizing any others by offering extra chips. If you bring 5 new players, all 6 people will pay half the regristration fee each.

3) The chips themselves – Firstly one side if the chips will have the value of the chip printed on them. This is just for ease of use, especially for new players.
The other side of the chip will have a four digit code on them, to protect the players from any other player being able to bring in similar chips before the competition starts. When I was in the Poker Room in Jacksonville USA, 8/9 times I got talking to the security and tournament director and both recommended this.

4) New Players – New players need to be protected on their first night – I met a lot of players who didn’t even make it to the break because they didn’t fully know the game and lost €30/40 in an hour and thought this was not for them. They have not been seen since. (The 3 I know of anyway) They need to be shown how to play before they start and possibly be put at the same table for their night along with other new players. (if you have views on this please let me know)

5) Running a professional tournament – In a few weeks time the person organizing the Irish Based EPT tour events has offered to come down and help me run a tournament one night to show me how it is done. She has over 15 years experience of running casinos so I will gladly take her up on this.
Another thing which was said which I agree with is forewarning on the blinds being brought up. We will always give 5-10 minutes notification pre-warning players of the time the blinds will go up. As a poker player for many a year now, I understand the impact of raising the blinds at the right and wrong time.

6) Rulings – Another thing, which I agree with, is the importance of good rulings. We have decided the use the EPT version rulings, which will be available for every table. (These are the same rulings which the casinos and EPT use)

7) Approachable – I will always trying to take player’s views on board as you are the base of the game. This is why I read these websites as well to see if I am missing something that is influencing players.

All I can ask is that you come up to the Davin Arms next Wednesday, 27th April, starting 8:30, and see for yourselves, and by all means let me know of anything you think should be changed or anything that might pi$$ed you off.

There is a dedicated area well able to hold >150 players so spacing should not be an issue. I am going to limit the numbers to 100 for this event, with up to 9 players per table. Also there is plenty of car parking spaces and food at the break chicken nuggets, cocktail sausages and the likes)

careca

Welcome hbig. I live in Dublin so won't be able to make it to Limerick but just thought I'd mention a few things.

First of all, well done for trying to organise a properly run tournament with EPT rules.

Just a few things I wouldn't agree with. By all means introduce new players to the game and teach them beforehand, but you still have to do a proper draw for seating (ie you can't just let all new players sit at the one table). Selecting players for certain tables is unfair to everyone.

Also, don't just announce the blind increase 5/10 mins beforehand, have them sorted before the tournament starts. ie Blinds increase every twenty mins or half hour or 15 mins, whatever takes your fancy. Just let everyone know in advance.

And the other main thing, which you will be asked about is the prizefund. Ok you're taking 200 out each tournie for the EPT (good idea), but will all the rest of the money (less reg fee) be going to the prizefund or will it be capped. This is a big issue.

Best of luck with it.

Btw, you should try and advertise it in Tralee, as I know a lot of people down there are interested in hold em games but can't get one. Limerick might suit as its only an hour away.

Poloman

I have been told its a good laugh and I am going up Tuesday night. I agree 2000 chips is low and that new guests get their sponsor 2000 chips extra. I will go anyway and see the craic.

NickyOD

Welcome hblg. Great to see Limerick finally coming to life. I will be there next Wednesday for sure. The only problem I can see with the start time is you will have to finish up by 12:30 which for 150 players is a pretty tight tourmanent. You will most likely have to increase blinds every 15 minutes. If you can let the tournaments run a lot later then that would be great.

There is a players charter someone on this forum (I can't find it right now) that lists the minimum requirements for a well run tournamnet. If you find it it might be of some help to you.

Waylander

It does not list the minimum requirements, it lists a suggested or preferable tournament format.

Hitman Actual

NickyOD wrote:

There is a players charter someone on this forum (I can't find it right now) that lists the minimum requirements for a well run tournamnet. If you find it it might be of some help to you.

Maybe it's time to sticky that thread???

DeLaBass

NickyOD wrote:

I DON'T GO! I went once and that was more than enough! If you think being opinionated is the same as being egotistical then you need to go back to school, and beleive me you couldn't be further from the truth. Michael might be a nice guy but his tournaments are an embarassing joke plain and simple. I might not play football in the premiership but I play by the same rules, and anyone who commits to running a poker tournament and taking people's money should atleast have the courtesy to learn the bloody rules before hand.

Fair enough. My apologies if i offended you Nicky. Now let's all just shuffle up and deal...

NickyOD

DeLaBass wrote:

Fair enough. My apologies if i offended you Nicky. Now let's all just shuffle up and deal...

Not a bother. All forgotten about.

DeLaBass

cool