Only 12 players in SE tonight for €50+5 DC

tm2204

Post title says it all really; SE like a ghost town tonight. Sad to see.

RockRory

Was there wednesday myself and only 14. Hope this isnt the future trend. Love playing here

tm2204

Lot of uncertainty in the place. The only talk tonight by players, dealers, management & door staff was how bad things have gotten lately.

Yes it would be a real pity if it went under & I hope it does not and that this is only a blip.

Sporting have been accused, many times, in the past of ignoring players requests and maybe this is the players way of showing them that, at the end of the day, the customer should not be overlooked and/or ignored.

Hopefully things will improve.

ollyk1

tm2204 wrote: »

Lot of uncertainty in the place. The only talk tonight by players, dealers, management & door staff was how bad things have gotten lately.

Yes it would be a real pity if it went under & I hope it does not and that this is only a blip.

Sporting have been accused, many times, in the past of ignoring players requests and maybe this is the players way of showing them that, at the end of the day, the customer should not be overlooked and/or ignored.

Hopefully things will improve.

I ran into 3 wealthy Italian tourists looking for poker action last wednesday and brought them into the SE where they only wanted to play a cash game and the staff wouldn't even put there names up on the board for a cash game wait list instead preferring to encourage them to gamble on the gaming floor.

With an attitude like that I won't be shedding many tears for the SE as they don't care about players trying to make money from the game only donkeys paying rake and accepting second class treatment.

sickpuppy

Ive been talking to a lot of players who were regs,
the most annoying thing if putting in a 5 6 hour session of poker is having only coffee and little chocolates to eat its simply not good enough,
there probably more reasons but lack of food has to be a biggie.

tm2204

So it's more a case of the SE regs moving elsewhere than poker dying a death or slowing down at least?

The food thing has been an ongoing issue for quite a while now. It was addressed at the last big buy-in tourney but it's probably a case of too little too late.

Oh, and when I was leaving tonight at about 11:30pm there was not even 1 cash table going :eek:

yeah-buddy

its basic busness really, poker peaked about a year or two ago, now its on a slow decline imo

sickpuppy

Dunno a bout elsewhere loads of games in the fitz lately.
Crowds attract more players so its a vicous cycle no crowds no players.
I can pop into theitz at 8 on any week night order a proper dinner for 10 quid play 4 hours of poker and still be in bed at half 12.
Ithink people are talking with there feet sick of no grub and what seems like shoddy treatment of customersby upper management Alex and John are very decent blokes but is seems there pissing againest the wind with regards the poker room.

Taxipete29

86 in the tourney in the fitz on Wed I believe, so dont think that Poker is dying just yet

DBC2007

fitz had 60 for theirs on wed nite..the other 26 were playing 5card draw

fowlerDgrowler

recession lads... most people dont have as much cash as they used

tm2204

Spotted a couple of the SE regs (Mick Stephens & another face I recognise) in discussion with John (poker room manager) before tourney tonight. Neither of the 2 lads played the tourney or hung around for a cash game.

Lao Lao

yeah-buddy wrote: »

its basic busness really, poker peaked about a year or two ago, now its on a slow decline imo

Sorry but poker ain't dying in Dublin just yet, it's down to poor upper management decisions by the SE. I play there a lot (a lot for me is 2-3 times a week) but things have rapidly gone downhill. This I believe is nothing to do with Alex or John as they both run a very good show and know what they are doing. The problem is that their hands are very clearly tied by upper management who quite frankly don't give a flying fcuk about the poker room.

The numbers have been gradually been decreasing over the last 6 months. The first mistake was to introduce a tourney schedule which included 5-6 €100 buy in events out of seven. Personally, this didn't bother me at all, however, it clearly didn't suit a lot of the regs as all of a sudden playing 3-4 nights a week was now costing up to €400 a week.

I've constantly tried to stay loyal (for want of a better word) to the SE as I do enjoy playing there. The location, surrounds etc are all ideal in my opioion. The cash games on a Thursday-Sunday night are fantastic due to the fact they are so close to all the pubs and attract great drunken fish, however over the last couple of weeks, it's just gone too far

Last weekend, I had planned to travel to Waterford to play in the Big Slick event however due to unforseen cicumstances beyond my control, i couldn't make it. Instead I decided to head in on Saturday night and play a bit of cash. I reckoned the WSOP sat that the SE were running held no value (would have needed 50+ runners to generate a winner takes all first prize) so instead I arrived at 9:15 expecting some juciy cash games. I walked into the poker room to find that there was NO players there at all. The tourney was cancelled as only 2 people turned up and there was nobody on the waiting list for cash.

I left and headed for the Fitz where there was 5 cash tables going. I had to wait an hour to get a seat due to the demand and before I took a seat I rang the SE again at 10:15 to be told that there was 3 names on the waiting list to start the first cash game :eek:

On Wednesday, I couldn't make the tourney but headed in at 10:30 to play cash. 14 runners for the tourney and one name on the board for cash. I waited until 11pm and still nothing was happening so I headed to the Fitz again and got a game within 10 minutes as there was 8 people on the waiting list and all we had to do was wait for a dealer to come off her break before they started a new table. That night, they had 3 PLHE tables and 1 PLO table running most of the night (the PLHE only dropped to two tables at about 5am) I also say 7 ex-SE regs playing there on Wednesday

I've heard loads of people say how the poker room in the SE is not profitable and that all the money is made downstairs on the BJ / Roulette etc and as such that is why the poker room is over looked by upper management but quite frankly, I think this is a load of BS. The Fitz has less BJ / Roulette tables than the SE however they are clearly making money and are clearly a viable business. Why is this....hmmm, let me think, maybe, just maybe, it's because they get good numbers for their tourney's and always have 3-5 cash games going. If they are making enough money to stay in profit and open as a business with less house games than the SE and some poker than the SE can easily do it if upper management remove thier finger from their anus and sort their sh1te out.

I was talking to the staff in the SE on Sunday night and they all seem in no doubt that the only way to get players back is to start running GTD tourney's. I'd love this to happen as it is my favourite place to play but I can't see it happening. It would cost very little to GTD a few tourneys to get the crowd back in and they would make back their outlay in no time. Sadly, the upper management have no foresight at all

While I'm on a rant, I'll finish with this. I have one major bone of contention with the SE and that is how every now and again, the upper management will wander up to the poker room and be all buddy buddy, sleazy sleazy with all the poker players, standing around the tables, talking ****e as if they actually know something about poker, when in fact, their actions show that they clearly don't give a sh1t. One thing I can't stand is two faced hypocripsy (spelling???)

Good night and good luck!

sickpuppy

Super post LAO LAO sums it up very well

Conbro

R.I.P.

sickpuppy

R.I.P what?
your bankroll:pac:

LuckyLloyd

Yeah great summation of the situation. I wasn't really aware things had gotten that bad in there (I didn't play live during May). The only thing I would say is that the SE poker room died a death about four months after it originally opened and it was empty for a while before a change in floor management and approach turned the whole thing around to where it was a year ago or so. Surely it could happen again? The location and plushness of the place will always be great things to work with and build upon. And it's mentioned loads but John and Alex are friendly, fair and very efficient.

eagle eye

I can tell you for certain that if I lived in Dublin, this would me be my place of choice. I think the staff are very nice. And as Lloyd says, its a really plush place and very comfortable to relax and play poker in.
I really don't understand what is so great about the fitz and the jackpot. I have not been to Lukes but I think those living in Dublin are supporting the wrong two clubs.
Maybe I'm missing something thats only known to the locals.
All I know is that I would deffo be supporting the SE and Lukes if I lived up there.

mormank

eagle eye wrote: »

I can tell you for certain that if I lived in Dublin, this would me be my place of choice. I think the staff are very nice. And as Lloyd says, its a really plush place and very comfortable to relax and play poker in.
I really don't understand what is so great about the fitz and the jackpot. I have not been to Lukes but I think those living in Dublin are supporting the wrong two clubs.
Maybe I'm missing something thats only known to the locals.
All I know is that I would deffo be supporting the SE and Lukes if I lived up there.

can i ask you why exactly you would support the emproium if you lived in dublin?? is it because they have nice surroundings?? cos there is far more to a club than that. over the past year i have been reading thread after thread of ppl bitchin about how the emporium is being managed poorly and the poker players are nor being treated well.

i think it is only about time that players started voting with their feet..good riddance if it goes under imo...only themselves to blame from the sounds of things

ionapaul

If I were a reg anywhere, it would be in the SE I suppose...but as of this week I've made a decision to go to the Fitz for mid-week cash action. The reason is as stated above - the poker room in the SE has become increasingly empty and whereas the Fitz will have 2 cash tables going at 10pm most nights, the SE won't even have one going. I'm not going to give any additional advice above what is mentioned in earlier posts, but I probably won't be playing cash in there Sun-Thurs again unless they take the steps necessary to attract more players.

Obviously the poker staff in the SE are great, but I also get a feeling from the staff on the door, on the front desk and from the 'hand-shakers' on the gaming floor that poker players just are not welcome there....

BigCityBanker

It is depressing to see the decline of the SE over the past while, its a luxurious room with great comfort but as Lao Lao stated above the start of the decline seeme to be changing the tourney schedule. The Thursday night game is a case in point. It regularly had 80 players generating 5e reg each but somebody somewhere with an amazing sense of business awareness and understanding thought it would be best to change it to 100+10 so they could get more reg! Consequence of halving numbers initially leading to the same reg, knock on effect of having 40 less players to sit at the cash tables and this was only the begining of the terminal decline.

I said it in the thread about the 1000 game that ive never seen a business ignore the needs and feedback of its customers for a prolonged period of time and in spite of this flourish. The SE will not be the exception to the rule.

You generally do get what is coming to you, and it seems that it has been a long time coming.

eagle eye

mormank wrote: »

can i ask you why exactly you would support the emproium if you lived in dublin?? is it because they have nice surroundings?? cos there is far more to a club than that. over the past year i have been reading thread after thread of ppl bitchin about how the emporium is being managed poorly and the poker players are nor being treated well.

i think it is only about time that players started voting with their feet..good riddance if it goes under imo...only themselves to blame from the sounds of things

Well as I said in my post, I don't live in Dublin. I have visited three of them, and the Fitz most often. I remember Luke from the Fitz and he was excellent. I remember being there since he left and I did not like the place as much. I did not know Luke by name but from reading here, I am now aware of his name.
I went to the emporium and found it to be a very nice place. I liked the staff there, Alex was one guy I remember from my visits and another guy whose name I don't know but he's Irish. And the place is so nice as well. I really enjoyed my experiences there.
I have been in the fitz and found the place full of loud people who were lacking in manners and found it hard to listen to the rubbish that was being talked. I actually left the place after about an hour and a half as it was just unbearable on my last visit.
The jackpot I totally detest. I have not one good word to say about the place.

califano

ionapaul wrote: »

Obviously the poker staff in the SE are great, but I also get a feeling from the staff on the door, on the front desk and from the 'hand-shakers' on the gaming floor that poker players just are not welcome there....

I sensed that too. I only got offered a drink after going about 9-0 on a red or black winning spin useing a e20 joining up chip. I spied the waitress being reigned back on her approach to offer me a drink. the handler eventually gave her the nod to proceed at 9-0.

ollyk1

Anyone who has been to the SE recently (in the last 6 months) knows that Alex and John very rarely work on the poker floor anymore, they only take charge when there is a big event taking place. Generally you are dealing with staff who are just doing a job and hoping to knock off early because the place is empty. There is no management of the poker floor anymore from what I can see.

The best thing about the SE were the regulars and the good vibes in the place but without the people playing there then that's gone, lets not big up the dealers or the management of the poker floor too much here. I can count on one hand the number of decent poker dealers in there these days.

I echo Noels comments above you just can't continually ignore your customers needs and succeed.

Einstein

SE was my place of choice for a long time. But since they changed the tourney schedule I havn't been back.
It's been Lukes all the way for me. You're made feel far more welcome there than in the SE. Must try the Fitz again sometime.

YULETIRED

The SE is the only casino in town where I have actually fallen asleep , this indicates how lavish the place is. It was a very good sleep too and I woke up in an armchair to watch some live soccer for a few minutes. Bad beat Joe was smiling at me from the tables, this worried me slightly so I checked In the gents to see if he had painted a hitler moustache on me or something......I don't want to be mistaken for El Stuntman with people asking me for unpaid loans to be returned (maybe that was someone else...I was too sleeply to be sure)
It was very difficult to leave that chair...a good sleep in a casino can be both EV+ and EV- I had missed 2 levels of play but my stack was not adversely effected too much

The SE attendance is low because.

Euro 2008 is great this year and even better with beer
The Summer is here. (even better with Beer)
A few are in Vegas. (24 hours beer)
Lazy obese NO voters playing online poker at home whilst drinking beer


The solution.

Beer! (and girls)

El Stuntman

if the SE banned YULETIRED, I would probably start donating again

edit: BBJ was smiling??? I want some of whatever you're on...

YULETIRED

El Stuntman wrote: »

if the SE banned YULETIRED, I would probably start donating again

edit: BBJ was smiling??? I want some of whatever you're on...

I could have dreamed the BBJ part...

I've been banned before you know....
You know that guy with the glasses, funny nose and strangely familiar voice.....well that's me also. I pride myself on having lots of virtual and real life alter egos. I get around the finger scanner very cleverly (not to be revealed on a public forum)

El Stuntman

YULETIRED wrote: »

I've been banned before you know....

You know that guy with the glasses, funny nose and strangely familiar voice.....well that's me also.

you're ollyk? :eek:

YULETIRED

El Stuntman wrote: »

you're ollyk? :eek:

Yes it's me, I was hoping to break it to SWAR this weekend over dinner but now he'll read it here. Perhaps we can still be friends although I don't know if thats enough for me...my heart is not made of stone.

El Stuntman

YULETIRED wrote: »

Yes it's me, I was hoping to break it to SWAR this weekend over dinner but now he'll read it here. Perhaps we can still be friends although I don't know if thats enough for me...my heart is not made of stone.

The Talented Mr Ripley, wp

califano

YULETIRED wrote: »

Of course. Let's say, for argument's sake, you were here - perhaps we could split the rent on a house - I'll get a job - or, better still, I could get a place in Rome and when we're there we could be there and if we're here we could be here?

El Stuntman wrote: »

The Talented Mr Ripley, wp

lol thats the one! good spot.

YULETIRED

you are good real good kid, real good, but as long as Im around you'll always be 2nd best see....

(Rounders, too easy for you I bet)


hmmm only 12 at the SE, I do hope it improves...

El Stuntman

YULETIRED wrote: »

hmmm only 12 at the SE, I do hope it improves...

mods, please ban YULETIRED for attempting to change the subject to something clearly irrelevant to his bisexual\multiple personality disorder tendencies

the man is a menace

tm2204

El Stuntman wrote: »

mods, please ban YULETIRED for attempting to change the subject to something clearly irrelevant to his bisexual\multiple personality disorder tendencies

the man is a menace

YULETIRED

El Stuntman wrote: »

mods, please ban YULETIRED for attempting to change the subject to something clearly irrelevant to his bisexual\multiple personality disorder tendencies

the man is a menace

One of us will get you for that Mr Colt Severs.

El Stuntman

YULETIRED wrote: »

One of us will get you for that Mr Colt Severs.

Are you talking to me?

or are you talking to me?

califano

YULETIRED wrote: »

you are good real good kid, real good, but as long as Im around you'll always be 2nd best see....

(Rounders, too easy for you I bet)

Havent got a clue! Sounds like Cagney though.

I think now would be a good time for deacon mod KevIrl
to attempt to get us back on track just for him to get a feel for how the role might suit him.

Macspower

A friend of mine was one of the guys who travelled to the SE on sat night and no tourney and no cash game.... I nearly didn't believe him... he ended up in lukes I believe

El Stuntman

Macspower wrote: »

A friend of mine was one of the guys who travelled to the SE on sat night and no tourney and no cash game.... I nearly didn't believe him... he ended up in lukes I believe

more off-topic ramblings

this forum has gone to the dogs

I'm off to get a pastrami sandwich as big as my head

The Tourist

I stopped going so much when the buyins went up a few months ago. When I did go, I found it too quiet. Hopefully they'll sort all this out, and when they do I'll be back. IMO it's the best place to play in Dublin by far. On a side note, I also avoid the straddled cash games & I can't imagine your typical €50 buyin randomer enjoys them much either. Just a thought.

Macspower

El Stuntman wrote: »

more off-topic ramblings

this forum has gone to the dogs

I'm off to get a pastrami sandwich as big as my head

sorry back on topic....

ban Willie? I thought they were making him a mod...? I'm surprised you havn't seen through his disguises before.... After getting banned from the fitz he masquades there with a big mustache and a hat and they call him general..... when in Lukes he dons a curley wig and fake tan and calls himself Ektor... one thing however gives him away.....

HIS PLAY.....


Off topic:

regards the 5 live straddle in a 1/2 pl this only works when deep and asking for it in a game with stacks between 50-150 when a game starts is not a good idea but often happens in the SE...

The Tourist

Macspower wrote: »

regards the 5 live straddle in a 1/2 pl this only works when deep and asking for it in a game with stacks between 50-150 when a game starts is not a good idea but often happens in the SE...

Surely this just puts off the fish long term

Macspower

The Tourist wrote: »

Surely this just puts off the fish long term

agreed...

sickpuppy

To the tourist anyone can object to the live straddle and its at an end eg Harold will always object to it so no problem IMO people who sit in with 25bbs have either a lack of self respect or are short stack experts liek Mick McEVOY.

SWAR

YULETIRED wrote: »

Yes it's me, I was hoping to break it to SWAR this weekend over dinner but now he'll read it here. Perhaps we can still be friends although I don't know if thats enough for me...my heart is not made of stone.

Willie...I mean Ollie, don't be playing with my emotions like that!!!

Regarding the SE and its decline of late, I have to say that I haven't reallly experienced it first hand as I haven't been playing that much of late; however from what I hear and read it has gone pretty bad. I agree with BCB that they had it coming due to ignoring the customer and when I say customer I mean the poker players. I would imagine if any of the highrollers on the first floor kicked up a fuss about the lack of food, they would do all in their power to rectify the situation. The simple fact is that the only two people in the SE that give a dam about the poker floor is John and Alex. Unfortunately as mentioned previoulsy it is rare to see either one of them on the poker floor these days and more importantly the upper management don't really take on board the suggestions that the lads put forward.

It's a shame it's gone like this but it was inevitable.

tm2204

SWAR wrote: »

The simple fact is that the only two people in the SE that give a dam about the poker floor is John and Alex. Unfortunately as mentioned previoulsy it is rare to see either one of them on the poker floor these days and more importantly the upper management don't really take on board the suggestions that the lads put forward.

It's a shame it's gone like this but it was inevitable.

And that's the crux of the arguement here. One can debate the pros, cons & make all the best suggestions in the world but if the powers to be are not listening then it is all a waste of time.

First thing that needs to happen in the SE going forward is for the 'powers' to decide if they even give a sh!t. If they do then steps can be put in place to rectify the problems.

Must say though that it would be almost a 180 degree U turn to go from having a 'don't give a sh!t' attitude to one of longing for the players to return & doing anything to get them back.

Can't see it happening myself but one lives in hope.


P.S.
One further point to consider; is there another agenda going on here? There are rumours abound of the poker room closing, a restaurant being opened there, the bookies downstairs closing & being replaced by the poker room, the Sporting itself being sold, etc: Letting things get like they have only add fuel to this already raging fire!!

Glowingmind

Hmmm, so i'm going to the Fitz tonight am i?

El Stuntman

tm2204 wrote: »

One further point to consider; is there another agenda going on here? There are rumours abound of the poker room closing, a restaurant being opened there, the bookies downstairs closing & being replaced by the poker room, the Sporting itself being sold, etc: Letting things get like they have only add fuel to this already raging fire!!

This is true, myself, YULETIRED and Bad Beat Joe are opening a tapas\karaoke bar on the ground floor. There is a gambling element to this also but I can't disclose any more. Suffice to say it will be the greatest innovation in eating out since the invention of the unisex jacks....

watch this space

El Stuntman

Glowingmind wrote: »

Hmmm, so i'm going to the Fitz tonight am i?

I don't know, keep asking yourself and you may find out

rx8

Looks like that's where the action will be....

90-100 players guaranteed in the scalps game,..even Smurph will be in to donate!
(takes 2 steps backwards)
:rolleyes: