Texas Holdem on HAL

[Elliot R]

Do their ships have live games?

[Krazy Kruizers]

I remember seeing the "Live" game only on a couple of ships a few years ago -- don't remember which ships.

 

Most of the ships have the "computer" Texas Holdem.

[LADYLAYLA]

Do their ships have live games?

 

They have games - both cash and tournament, bu there is no dealer and no cards. The table has monitors for each player and the cards and bets are made through that mechanism. On the last 2 cruises we were on, the games were popular and with the machine could be held any time the casino was open

[FoxyTerrier]

They have games - both cash and tournament, bu there is no dealer and no cards.

 

LadyLayla - I thought that was the case until our most recent cruise to Bermuda where they had a live dealer. Cash games each evening and tournments during the day on sea days.

 

I'm not sure if the larger ships have the computer dealer and the smaller ships have the person dealer but I preferred the computer dealer.

[Randyk47]

Last couple of years and cruises it seems live Texas Hold'em has fallen out of favor. We had a table on the Maasdam this past March but not enough people were interested in playing so it stayed pushed into a corner and was never open. They had a sign up sheet for a tournament but that too never happened as only a few people signed up.

[Padraic]

I have seen "live" Texas Hold 'Em with a dealer on both the Prinsendam and the Amsterdam.

[slimknyzer]

There was a live table on Statendam last year. As mentioned, tournament in the daytime and live action at night.

[Candy]

On the Vista ships it's a PokerPro game. You can play anytime 3 players are sitting. Nothing like the action with a live dealer.

 

[andilynnwright]

When I Googled our cruise to see if any groups were booked I found it listed as a Poker Cruise on a Poker website. So I know on the December 3 Mexican Riviera on O'dam there will be live poker and tournaments and all that jazz.

 

You can Google Poker Cruises and there are actual cruises that specifically have the live poker. So it sounds like there will be a group of poker players on our cruise but the poker is open for anyone over 18 and they even offer lessons for beginners.

 

http://www.*****.com

[slimknyzer]

When I Googled our cruise to see if any groups were booked I found it listed as a Poker Cruise on a Poker website. So I know on the December 3 Mexican Riviera on O'dam there will be live poker and tournaments and all that jazz.

 

You can Google Poker Cruises and there are actual cruises that specifically have the live poker. So it sounds like there will be a group of poker players on our cruise but the poker is open for anyone over 18 and they even offer lessons for beginners.

 

http://www.*****.com

 

We were on a cardplayers poker cruise this past April on RCCL. We absolutely loved it! A couple of poker pro's were there along with cash games and tournaments. You have to book through them to be play. It is completely separate from the ship's casino poker table(s). If you are a poker player, we would definitely recommend checking with them. I had heard some arrangements might be possible for people who had already booked that may want to play but can't confirm that option.

[Himself]

I stay out of the Casinos and so I would not know.

[g-didi]

Would anyone know the rake structure for the live games?

[Elliot R]

Thanks to all. So here is the thing. I'll be on the Nieuw Amsterdam January 2, 2012. Some of the review sites describe the casino, but do not mention Live tables or Poker Pro. So, anyone who has played on the NA, or her sister the Eurodame, or the WD, which does the Carribbean, please chime in.

 

For your interest, I played a Poker Pro table on the Solstice last year. It sucked big time..... 10% rake up to $15.00, and since there was no dealer, there was no one to keep the rude players from fighting or taunting each other.

Thanks. Elliot

[g-didi]

wow! 10% with the cap at $15 is steep. I assume that was a $1-$2 game? 10% capped at $5 or $6 is ok - but at $15 you wont have much cash left on the table after a couple hours - probably one if its computerized, increasing the deal rate at least 50% I would imagine.

[Elliot R]

That was a $1-$2 game, and the rake was rolled out to the dime. They can set a Poker Pro table to do anything. But the big problem was the lack of discipline without a dealer.

[Candy]

From the Casino Manager:

• The rake on our PokerPro table is up to 15% no more than $6 on any pot size.
  
• There is no rake if only 3 players at the table.
  
• For tournaments we usually do $60 buy in with that house taking $10, with 2 winners:
  
• 1st take 70% from the pot
  
• 2nd take 30% from the pot.
  

Candy the Dice Thrower

[Elliot R]

Thanks Candy. Can't say I've ever played a 15% rake. How long do you sustain a game like that?

[Candy]

Thanks Candy. Can't say I've ever played a 15% rake. How long do you sustain a game like that?

I don't understand the question... 15% is high if all pots are $40 or less. You could have a $600 pot and the rake is still only $6, which is only 1%. If you run out of money, you can rebuy right from your seat by charging it to your room card.

 

[Elliot R]

Hi Candy. Here is why 15% is a problem.... Most pots clear $25 to $40 once they hit the river (which is less than half the time). $40 @ 15% yields $34 to the winner. Of course, a big portion of that pot was the winners bet, and if we can say it is 40% of the pot, for example, then the winner risked $24 to get $10 back. Now, you might righly say that the $2 above 10% is insignificant, but it drains the weaker players faster, and discourages them from coming back. Without a lot of players, there is no game to rake at all.

 

If the house is looking for a nice return, they get more play, and therefore more money if they think of accommodating players for a full week. High rakes discourage this.

[KirkNC]

The only time I have seen Texas Hold'em is a few tournaments on a cruise.

 

Kirk

[105educator]

Five of us were on this cruise, and your pictures evoke good memories of a wonderful cruise. Thanks for posting.

[Rockfan2]

We were on the Zaandam earlier this month and there was a $40 buy in tournament on sea days and a $1-$2 cash game in the evenings. |I believe the rake was only 4% on the cash game to a maximum of $5.

 

We had a bit of a problem the first couple of days as there was a couple that were doing major table talk. No one would play cash games with them as they sat next to each other and there was obvious collusion.

 

Tournament on day 3, all hell broke loose as player 3 (short stack) went all in and was called by wife (second stack) and husband (chip leader) called and chastsed wife that if she hadn't called he would have taken out the short stack and they would have finished 1 - 2. He ended up taking out both player 3 and wife but then the Manager stepped in and advised them that he had many complaints from other passengers and they would no longer be able to play together.

 

A lengthy discussion ensued and it ended up that wife split her 2nd place winnings with player 3 and they were allowed to play in the tourny and cash games but had to sit at opposite ends.

 

I sure miss my 2 o'clock poker game, 3 o'clock nap and 4 o'clock Happy Hour.

 

Rockfan2 :)

[tommy]

From the Casino Manager:

• The rake on our PokerPro table is up to 15% no more than $6 on any pot size.
  
• There is no rake if only 3 players at the table.
  
• For tournaments we usually do $60 buy in with that house taking $10, with 2 winners:
  
• 1st take 70% from the pot
  
• 2nd take 30% from the pot.
  

Candy the Dice Thrower

Absolutly correct,justgot off a ship and played every night.

[tommy]

On the past cruise I was on I felt there was signaling going on among a couple guys.Its hard to prove but I was very uncomfortable playing with them.In tournaments theres little you can do,but in cash games I just got out of game.Later in the cruise Iwas talking with a lady who had played the 1st 3 nights with us an she said she felt there was something going on also.