I'm an American poker player, with decent poker skills. I was fence sitting playing here based on some of the reviews I gathered from various sites and sources (that were quite dated). I was also fearful of the stiff EU competition...not knowing what kind of spanking was awaiting me from my European brethren.
The place opens at 12! So don't come early. I came around 11:15, and was bummed that I came early. I went to a nearby cafe' for a latte... chatted a bit with the locals. I overstayed maybe 30 minutes or so --- So i arrived at the Casino around 12:30.
As soon as you enter, there's a complimentary coat and bag checkin service to the right. This is compulsory. There was a bit of a swarm of people trying to get in. You are required to have a passport to get in, if you are out of the country.
I handed her my passport. They charged a 5 Euro cover. She put my information in their system and then I entered.
The poker tables were downstairs. They were doing a lottery draw for a poker tournament of 330 euro. I didn't come to play a tournament nor did I have the stamina.
I signed up for the cash game, I was the second on the list.. They only had 2 NL games available for signup. 5/5 with a max buyin for 1000 Euro, and a 5/10 (don't recall the max buyin for this). She said, the game would start by 2 pm. I was the first on the table. There are predominately three kinds of chips used: 5 Euro (gray), 10 Euro (blue) and 100 Euro (yellow).
I bought in for 500, and I wanted all blues. I am not fond of having 100 Euro chips. A smaller chip stack psychologically looks inferior and gives off a weaker image.
I'm not going to lie... I ran really good in two hours of play... netting about 700 surplus euro. I stopped playing around 4 PM, when I accumulated close to 1200 Euro.
You just need to play fundamentally sound poker. Pick your spots, and play with good strong hands. In preflop i mucked a few winners that would have put me over 2k euro easy, and also dodged a few bullets. The competition is varied... not full of sharks, but the table isn't fishy either. Within 15-25 minutes you'll get a good grasp of who to avoid in a showdown, and who you probably have beat.
I ran really well...but I played really well. Its not about having monster hands, its about converting them!
Three hands:
Preflop I had pocket 66's... I flopped a set... and by the river I had a boat. I wasn't going anywhere. I crushed my opponent for about 200 Euro early on.
Another prominent hand. I had QJ and turned a straight. River actually made the straight even more probable, with 4 cards on the board. Guy still calls my bet, and I get paid off with straight.
Last hand. There's a raise of 20 preflop and 3 callers., I have pocket 10's. I raise to 100. Two fold, but the guy firing the 20 bet calls. Flop: There are 3 cards to a straight on the board. 7-8-9. I have the 10's... So i'm sitting on open ended... I call his bet on the flop (i don't remember how much it was maybe 40/60)... It's affordable. turn card is 6. I have the straight, and I put the guy all-in (he probably has 200 behind him). Being somewhat pot committed, he calls me, and I win the pot.
But there was this older female on the table... straight up shark... in her late 30's early 40's with blonde hair. I was trying really hard to win some chips from her...but a monster never materialized when she had a hand and vice versa.
I had a good image on the table, so I took advantage of it and fired a 1-2 preflop bluffs as well. Again... bluffs are require almost a science of timing, image, and playing the board.
I left pretty happy. I didn't bother going the next day... wanted to leave amsterdam a winner!!!
Closing notes:
The rake is 5% of the pot, capped at 20 max. Blinds were 5/5. On average players bought in for 800 Euro. Preflop 15/20 raise was pretty standard...
I give this place 3 stars, because they don't have many if hardly any cash games running. Its like 1-3 tables tops... I think they do a 2/2...but I think its on weekdays only... Something about it not being ran at the time i was there.
Also the f**king cover!!! As if you aren't making enough money on robbing people... they charge you 5 Euro cover every time until you exceed like 15/20 visits and qualify for a membership card that entitles you to other perks.
I can't comment TOO much on the competition because two hours of play on a Saturday -- on a first visit -- doesn't put me in a strong position to accurately critique the skill level of the game played here.... My playing size sample is not nearly large enough!
But its poker.... in the end... what's flopped a winner, doesn't always end that way! read more