Merrion Monday night (for a change!)

DeVore

Found myself in town Monday night (regretting I had sold that ticket for the 100 game in the Fitz!) and so decided to drag my ass round to play with the n00bs in the Merrion.

Now I say "n00bs" like I'm not one of them, but goddamn if you thought the Fitz was bad for rookie calls on their freerolls... its NOTHING like the Merrion! (The worst example was a sizeable all-in that was called by a bloke who, when the cards are turned over, has an inside straight draw with one card to come.... worse still, he *makes*it!)

So my current thing is not bad beats (bad beats are like SOOOOooo last month gurlfriend!!)... oh no, this month my *ahem* "personal poker concept" is to get decent-to-excellent cards that then sit on their ass when the flop comes....

All night it happens to me. AK, AQ, AJ, KQ (three times!) all given decent raises, all flop nothing and get bet into me. Ugh.

Massively on tilt I get talked into playing 9,3h two hands before the freezeout and flop a 9 and river a 3! Next hand I play Q9 (again with a rebuy in mind) and flop a set and triple through to 6500 in chips!

More tedious chucking of cards or losing decent pocket cards (not one pair mind you, 4 hours by then and not one pair!). I bluff all in with A8o and get nailed by AJ only to flop and river a poker of 8s!
Then more hands that should hold up that just dwindle away... and more bluffs that hit freak flops...

Finally I get to last table and am ok stacked. A few good hands and one killer call and I'm Mr Big Stack. Then I get a run of GREAT cards AK, AQs, and the aforementioned KQd x 2) and all lose and I've enough for my big blind and my small one. I get 53 in the BB and there is a frenzy of action in side pots before the flop... then the smoke clears a pair of 5's takes it! Still not safe, I go all in on my first pair of the night (44). Called by 99's and I river a 4!
Finally I make a terrible call with A4 against A6 and river a 4 to get a €100 ticket (another one!).

Weird night of poker though, it was like Po Kor (the god of the game) was messin with my head all night to see if it would fall off!

DeV.

Lafortezza

I really really hate the merrion.. Poker never seems to 'work' there, admittedly I've only played in the monday freeroll but apart from the lovely ladies working there, the Fitz is just a million times better.
Fair play DeV getting the 100 ticket!

Decker

Hi,

the Merrion does seem to get a different crowd on a Monday than the Fitzwilliam on a Thursday, mostly seem like students. I've got numerous tickets/cash on the Monday night there. I reckon that you've a much greater chance of a ticket in the Merrion freeroll than the Fitz and the waitresses are much prettier:)

Alex

DeVore

Yeah I recognised only a handful of the players there from the Fitz and the standard was appalling afaics!

Even at the last table there was some VERY dodgy plays being made with A3-6 or Qx. Big stack played any two cards higher then an 8 it seemed and very soon became small stack and then walked... earlier on some of the players clearly hadnt a breeze about how Poker is played at all but it was frustrating to throw A3 or K2 back and watch them hit 2 pair with Q4 against all the odds!
Eventually they lost everything bluffing or overbetting their hands, but still.... dead weird to play against. As Luke says, Poker just doesnt seem to "work" there sometimes....

I hate that they dont give you any information... like the blinds or the number of players or the time remaining at the levels or any organisation of the tournie or a dealer (AT ALL) until the last table... these are little things but they really need an overhead system, a few more dealers and a floor manager like Luke...


DeV.

cormie

I've heard about them elsewhere. Unfortunately I'm only 19. No merrion for 2 years so.

pokertroll

From what I gather, Messrs Forteza and Vore and are judging the standard of play and how well poker 'works' in the the Merrion by playing in the Monday night freebie.

Hardly a fair assessment!


The Monday night freebie is merely a gap filler, intended for novices and those who have nothing better to do on a Monday night. It is neither publicised nor taken seriously by the management who know that most of their regulars play the Fitz 100 game that night.


Fair enough, they don't have enough dealers for Monday night but it is a free game and they are making no money from it. All of the money goes into the prize pool. I don't think this is true for the Fitz game on Thurs - AFAIK the club takes a cut from the prize pool.

The Merrion normally have 4-5 dealers working in their regular tournies. Sometimes if there are 5 tables or more you may be left without a dealer for some of the night- Big deal!

IMHO, poker generally 'works' very well in the club for the regular Tues 100, Wed 20+, Fri 25+ and Sun 10+ tourneys. The same can be said for the Irish Open and WSOP events.

Mr Fortezza, I think you have been put off by the fact that you are hassled for your ID each time you visit the Merrion. Bring you Id next time, play in a regular tourney and you will soon discover how superior it is.

Note - Sunday can be quite loose due to the low cost of rebuys but it is good for the financially challenged! - the last 3 tables get a prize!


Also, The Merrion will be hosting the televised 6000 Euro Entry World Poker Championship in June http://www.worldpokerchampionship.com. Satellites starting soon...

Lafortezza

Originally posted by pokertroll
Mr Fortezza, I think you have been put off by the fact that you are hassled for your ID each time you visit the Merrion. Bring you Id next time, play in a regular tourney and you will soon discover how superior it is.

I don't have ID, nobody actually knows my real name, all information that I tell my 'friends' and acquaintances is false, I have never paid taxes in the countries or on the planets that I have lived in. I am only 76% human.

If you work for the Merrion Card Club why not just come out and say it. Become a regular poster on behalf of the Merrion and you might get some respect. I don't think anyone I know prefers the Merrion to the Fitz, there's probably some valuable information out there that could bring you more customers.
Why do you think that the Merrion has such a bad reputation among Boards people? Word of mouth? Less welcoming to new players? Less professionally run? Unfriendly staff?
I've heard all of these reasons from people I've played against in the Fitz, and these are people with far more experience and most definitely far more money than I have.

mewso

I admit I prefer the Fitzwilliam for certain reasons but I do agree with Pokertroll that we shouldn't criticise the Merrion without experience of most nights tournaments.
The Merrion was the first casino I played a tournament in. This was the friday night €25 rebuy and I found it quite a good standard and made the final table. I am forced to remember this fondly as I make a final table so rarely these days that any time it happened becomes a glorious memory.
I've also played the wednesday night which is a similar structure to the Fitz and normally has more players (increasing the amount of money you can win).
There are good reasons to play there but I prefer the Fitz. This is because I find the Fitz friendlier, a better layout and as Dev says you have the display that lets you know where you are re. players left etc. Not to mention there is no buzzing a door as if you are entering some kind of world that you shouldn't. This is intimidating for newbies. The open door of the Fitz, the large open room that constitues the whole casino is more welcoming and Lukes particular skill in remembering names keeps people coming back.
I do suspect the Merrion gets more players purely because it was for a long time one of the only places to go to play a poker tournament. Word of mouth could well beneit the Fitz
All in all though there is not a huge difference between the two bar personal preference and plenty of the staff are friendly in the Merrion. You just can't beat Luke's mercurial memory of names.

careca

I also play the fitz on a more regular basis but I have to admit I don't find anything wrong with the Merrion. Have played a couple of tournies there and found it grand. Interesting though that even though i have had more luck in the Merrion that I still prefer the Fitz !!

I would definetly be interested in the satellites for the world poker championship, Pokertroll. So if you have any details on dates/cost/structure then please post them. The site seems to suggest online sats but I don't play online so if there are some in the merrion then great.

pokertroll

Become a regular poster on behalf of the Merrion and you might get some respect

LOL - like I'm really looking for respect by posting here!
No I don't work for the Merrion - I spend a lot of time there, I also spend a bit of time in the Fitz which is another fine establishment but I just prefer the Merrion.

Why do you think that the Merrion has such a bad reputation among Boards people?

Maybe because few of the more vocal boards people have played in the Merrion (apart from the Mon night freebie)

Word of mouth?

Fitz regulars are hardly going to be the most objective source of info about the Merrion. You will find that a lot of Merrion regulars feel the same way about the Fitz!
Thats why they all play where they do.
The Merrion always seems to get a far higher turnout for its tourneys (5-7 tables) so
you could say that the Merrion has more regulars than the Fitz!

Less professionally run?

Really? In what way? Was the Irish open not up to scratch this year?

Unfriendly staff?

Bring you ID and they might be more friendly to you!
I personally can't fault them
Yes they even remember my name each time, just the same way Luke from the Fitz does!

RE the world Poker Championship - The merrion website is shi'ite so details about the satellites are not up yet! They are posted in the club but I'm not sure of the dates.

Hobart

Originally posted by lafortezza
I don't have ID, nobody actually knows my real name, all information that I tell my 'friends' and acquaintances is false, I have never paid taxes in the countries or on the planets that I have lived in. I am only 76% human.

If you work for the Merrion Card Club why not just come out and say it. Become a regular poster on behalf of the Merrion and you might get some respect. I don't think anyone I know prefers the Merrion to the Fitz, there's probably some valuable information out there that could bring you more customers.
Why do you think that the Merrion has such a bad reputation among Boards people? Word of mouth? Less welcoming to new players? Less professionally run? Unfriendly staff?
I've heard all of these reasons from people I've played against in the Fitz, and these are people with far more experience and most definitely far more money than I have.

I think you are being a tad harsh there to Pokertroll. He makes his points and he makes them well. Apart from the linkage, he offers no real impression that he works for the merrion. If he does, so what. Yes let him come out and sayit, if he wants. I remember a thread discussing the merits for and against promotion of your place of employment (some time ago) and , i believe, that it was decided that there was no huge necessitity to reveal your place of employ, unless you were blatently selling your service or had a mass of advertising linkage in your post.

However, back to the merrion. It is my personal opion that the merrion has a more "professional" feel to it than the fitz. I have never been there on a Monday, but certainly Tuesdays and Thursdays, for example, every table has a dealer. This does not seem to be the case in the fitz. I also find the lighting better and the sparcity of tables to be quite welcoming. The Fitz has a bit of more of a "friendly" type atmosphere than the merrion, and I agree with musician, the entrance can be a bit "off putting" to noobs. Also like musician I got to the last table on my first night there. Howver unlike him, for me it has all been downhill from that point onwards for me .

Lafortezza

Originally posted by pokertroll
No I don't work for the Merrion - I spend a lot of time there, I also spend a bit of time in the Fitz which is another fine establishment but I just prefer the Merrion.

Would I know you from the Fitz? You seem to know me somehow knowing about the ID thing. Don't be shy.

Originally posted by pokertroll
Fitz regulars are hardly going to be the most objective source of info about the Merrion. You will find that a lot of Merrion regulars feel the same way about the Fitz!
Thats why they all play where they do.

I'm only saying what I've heard from people in the Fitz who go to both casinos fairly regularly.

I've only been to the Merrion a few times for the Monday freeroll as I said at the start. Maybe I'm missing out on the other tournaments that are run better but comparing the similar Thursday freeroll in the Fitz to the Monday one in the Merrion, I know which I prefer.

DeVore

Eh Pokertroll... if you do work for the Merrion there's no problem in declaring it. There *is* a problem not declaring it since its relevant. Also making personal yet anonymous comments about regulars here (especially given your nome-de-plume) makes my hackles rise a bit. *shrug*

For the record, I wasnt trashing the Merrion, its a very fine club and they have their plus points. If I was bringing friends to a club from out of town, it would be to there rather then the Fitz. However the Fitz is "home". Its like Cheers... somewhere where everyone knows your name. There is somehow a "levity" in the club that just isnt in the Merrion. I often feel like a "punter" in The Merrion, whereas in the Fitz there's more of a "club" feel.

As you point out, The Merrion makes nothing from the freerolls (I dont think the Fitz does either) and the feeling you are left with is... sort yerselves out lads, we couldnt be arsed as there's no cash in this for us...
(Its cramped too, they shove far too many people into the one area imho.)

On the plus side its got nice food served to the table but they really have to decide if they want to compete or not because the Fitz is definitely fighting for its market and the Merrion just has this feeling that its been raking in the cash for some many years that it has a right to continue to do so...

None of this would make me go or not go to a tourniement in either place. Its just when I think to myself... "I'll play the 20-in this week" its the Fitz I generally pick to play in for the minor reasons given above.

As you point out, most of the vocal people here favour the Fitz... but since we have all only recently started playing and have no prior loyalties to either club, the question that you should really be asking is.... Why is that so?

DeV.

pokertroll

No, I don't work in the merrion, I just play cards there!

I know about fortezza's Id problems because I saw him getting hassle off the doorman one night!

but since we have all only recently started playing and have no prior loyalties to either club, the question that you should really be asking is.... Why is that so?

Eh, for all the reasons outlined in my previous post! I.E you haven't played anything but a Monday night freebie!

Don't get me wrong, I have no problems with people preferring one club over the other. Thats down to personal preference. But when people start posting ill-informed comments about the merits of one club over the other, it is time to set the record straight.

Haven't you guessed who I am yet?

DeVore

I outlined my opinions, what do you see as "ill informed" about them??
I've played more then the freerolls there too and (like the fitz) the standard of play and the treatment players get is better then the freerolls...

If you can counter my points, I'm open to being corrected (genuinely). But of the 20 new players (at least) who have started playing poker through boards.ie.... just about all of them seem to prefer the Fitz from what I can see from here and having talked to them... isnt that a bit more then coincidence and lack of exposure?

DeV.

ps: I am guessing you are Mark btw

pokertroll

Ill-informed =

I really really hate the merrion.. Poker never seems to 'work' there

I like the Fitz also. In fact, I started playing there when it first opened but I have since seen the light.

I prefer the Merrion because I think in general there is a better standard of play and there are far more runners (5-7 tables most nights).

Mon 100 in the Fitz is an excellent tournament and may actually have an edge over the Tues 100 game in the Merrion but I think the Merrion is better for the Wed, Sun and Fri Tournaments which I mostly frequent.

just about all of them seem to prefer the Fitz from what I can see from here and having talked to them... isnt that a bit more then coincidence and lack of exposure?

Not really. Boards has a Fitz bias as it is where all the core posters play. Everybody knows your name as you say!

I'm not here touting for people to play in the Merrion. I'm just presenting my own point of view.

Good guess BTW ;-)

mewso

Lets not forget boys and girls. Alot of us want to improve our game. So give the Merrion a try. The last time I was there it seemed evident they are doing alot to attract new players. Extra prize money. Low stakes cash games etc.
I'm guilty at this point of preferring the Fitz out of loyalty as much as any other reason.

Anyway lets settle it this way. Mark get a Merrion team to play a Fitz team over two legs to decide who's best/who's Dad is older etc.

DeVore

Originally posted by pokertroll
Ill-informed = <snip>

If you look back you'll see that it was Luke, not I, who said that. I have no such strong feelings. Please dont put his words in my mouth, I'd hate to be wandering around saying things like "I go all in on a q5!" all the time...

I like the Fitz also. In fact, I started playing there when it first opened but I have since seen the light.

I prefer the Merrion because I think in general there is a better standard of play and there are far more runners (5-7 tables most nights).

Most tournies I've been to in the Fitz (FR, 20+, 250+) have had that number of players. The freeroll certainly seems to have more then the Merrion most of the time.
Personally numbers make little difference to me.

Mon 100 in the Fitz is an excellent tournament and may actually have an edge over the Tues 100 game in the Merrion but I think the Merrion is better for the Wed, Sun and Fri Tournaments which I mostly frequent.

Not really. Boards has a Fitz bias as it is where all the core posters play. Everybody knows your name as you say!

But why should that be so? I didnt start off with a bias, neither did Lafortezza... my question is "why *do* the core people here prefer the Fitz?" ...you cant answer that with an answer that effectively says "because the core people here prefer the Fitz!".

I'm not here touting for people to play in the Merrion. I'm just presenting my own point of view.

I'm not touting anyone to play anywhere. In fact I wrote my piece to inject a little alternative view into the forum partly. If you read my piece again you'll see the only slightly negative thing I said was that the standard of the worst players was worse then the standard of the worst players in the FR in the Fitz. Thats hardly the Merrions fault!!

There are things they can do to improve (my personal bug bear is not having the information about the blinds and the players and what have you... it really bothers my play).

Good guess BTW ;-)

pffffff.... I read a tell...

DeV.

pokertroll

Dev,
Maybe I've got it all wrong then!!
I thought you were agreeing with Luke when you said:

As Luke says, Poker just doesnt seem to "work" there sometimes....

DeVore

I agree with the sentiments that it just doesnt seem to "work" there sometimes but by that I mean it always seems mutant odds and weirdness abounds... I also feel like I'm imposing on them or something, its more like a mates game thats played on sufferance of his mother... there just isnt the easy banter that you see in the Fitz, though I enjoyed this Monday night, but theres just something I cant put my finger on that tips the scales in favour of the Fitz for me...

DeV.

Hyzepher

I've never been to the Merrion.

Maybe we should organise a night out there and really give the place a go. When do they have a €20r tournie?

Hyzepher

MrPudding

I have to admit that I do quite like the Merrion. I have played in the Freeroll, the 100 and the Wednesday 20 game. I must admit that sometimes I find things a bit less, je ne sais quoi, fun. I think this is mostly down to not knowing as many people there. During the period my GF was in France I played there a couple of nights. I got to know a few people and had a really good time.

I think that th reason most of us prefer the Fitz is cos that is what we started with and what we are most used to. In my own case I would have to say that I probably prefer the Fitz marginally but I also like the Merrion. I most certainly don't dislike the merrion.

I think that the Fitz may seem to be a little less formal and a bit friendlier but IMO the Merrion can be just as friendly.

There are a few different faces in the Merrion but some of the Merrion regulars are there.

Just my 2 cents.

MrP

One word for the merrion - 'rickety'. Thats the difference

pokertroll

2 words for you

Wrong thread!

You are saying the merrion is not rickety? Do the tables not shake?
There are many differences between the fitz and the merrion, this is what El Rifle dislikes about it.
Furthermore the fact that the Fitz makes a large profit and the merrion does not, may suggest one is more popular then the other.

Hyzepher

A bit off topic - have a gander at the Fitz vs Merrion thread.

Hyzepher

pokertroll

Yes I is saying that the Merrion is not rickety, El Rifle.
I don't really care either way. The tables are a good enough standard for all the major events that are held there.

Furthermore the fact that the Fitz makes a large profit and the merrion does not, may suggest one is more popular then the other.

YAWN YAWN I doubt you have any facts to substantiate this claim - I would guess that both clubs barely make a profit from Poker Tourneys.


Enough already, this thread is dead - go back and post in the Fitz v Merrion thread

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=173735

'Yawn Yawn' - are you some kind of idiot? I don't make unsubstantiated claims. Why was the merrion closed recently? Why are they putting up more money for tounraments recently? No you don't make money off tournaments, you make it off rakes at cash games, and other table games, but you know that don't you?. 100,000 euro was put into the merrion in the last few months if not more, how much was put into the Fitz? Do you want some more figures?

Its very easy to say 'yawn yawn' on a message board when you don't know who your talking to.

pokertroll

Obviously I am an idiot to be responding to your rubbish.

I don't remember the Merrion being closed recently, enlighten me please.

I know they have put a lot of money into tournaments and this is just another incentive to play there as far as I'm concerned.

When we are discussing the Merrion vs the Fitz, we are generally talking about the tourneys in both clubs. Ok, the fitz is better for cash games and they probably make a bit of money from them.

What are you talking about when you say that one club is more popular? Blackjack and Roulette?


BTW I'm sure the owners of the Merrion make enough money in the Colossus to support the loss leader tourneys in the Merrion so don't fret about it too much.

Sorry I didn't realise I was talking to the guy who does the accounts for both clubs.

Hyzepher

Intersting debate and discussion we encourage around these parts - personal insults or just downright boring posts get brought out and dealt with.

You have been warned

Hyzepher

Rubbish is it? Whats your business in this town!

Yes increasing prize funds after being in business for years is an an incentive to get new business. Becasue business is slipping. It doesn't matter how many students are in the place, they are not the money makers.

Merrion was closed for a few days about two weeks before the WCham

I wasnt discussing the tournaments, just the standards of one club to another in general.

I'm talking popularity - players who have serious money, for 100 and 250 cash games and yes table games, they want comfort and a liitle bit of class

The Collussus has nothing to do with ths topic

If the fitz is making a profit and the merrion is not, that is a pretty plain fact that one is better then the other, or at least more popular. If it wasn't more popular it wouldn't make more money. I don't do the accounts but I am aware of the profits in these two places, like it or lump it

pokertroll

Merrion was closed for a few days about two weeks before the WCham

Don't remember that - I'm there most Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. So it must have been one of the other days - they are not open on Thurs AFAIK

If the fitz is making a profit and the merrion is not, that is a pretty plain fact that one is better then the other

Would you use the same criteria to compare Ryanair and Aerlingus?

If that is your criteria, fair enough but it is not mine.

BTW, I don't agree that business in the card room is slipping, I have never seen it as popular as it is at the moment - you may be right about the games room. I think this is more a problem with the capacity in the club and location of the games room upstairs but I have heard that they were looking at getting the premises next door.

Hyzepher

Originally posted by El Rifle

I wasnt discussing the tournaments, just the standards of one club to another in general.

What part of 'off-topic' do you not understand. If you want something to compare - you can comapre the difference between having access to the poker forum and not. Please post to the correct thread

hyzepher

Lafortezza

Originally posted by Hyzepher
What part of 'off-topic' do you not understand. If you want something to compare - you can comapre the difference between having access to the poker forum and not. Please post to the correct thread

hyzepher

You're so sexy when you act all tough

PHB

Just some odds some people should know but don't

AK Suited vs. 7-2o
70% vs. 30%

AK suited vs. Q-4s
65% vs. 35%

AK Suited vs. Anyone suited connecters
62% vs. 38%

A-10s vs. J-2o
67% vs. 33%

Perfect poker really only happens over a long period of time.

AK is still a drawing hand!!!
Against most hands its still 60% vs. 40%
If you play to infinity its gona win, but thats not the case.

You said you raised pre flop with AK etc and hit nothing, listen to Doyle Brunsen, if you raise before the flop, you should raise and reraise after the flop no matter what :P

brianomc

Merrion was closed for a few days about two weeks before the WCham

I dont remember that and I work there. Was it the card room or the whole place, my memory is a bit shoddy but i know the whole place didn't close