www.CostaRicaTicas.com

anytime you sit in a poker game there are things to watch for.Cln gave a good response.
I will clarify mine that on 2 occassions i saw the same group betting it up and when it got down to them they decided to chop.They were ticos but it could be anybody and it kept me from sitting down at that particular time.For the most part i have played in and witnessed very good games at the dr and yes i play to many hands drink heavily and usually lose my $200.

I play at the Del Rey alot. The game can vary from ramming jamming (last nite there was over 10k on the main table) to no action. Some of the ticos can play quite well. I would say that half of the table is locals and the other half tourists. Some players to look out for are Chino Mike, who may play 3 hands a night, German, who is a very tricky player, and the 2 young guys with shaved heads who play super tight. There are 2 young Ticos who are very good, and a guy named Dave, who may be the best player at the table. The game is good, however management is a bit inept and will give varying rulings. There are bad beat jackpots.

Can you get up and leave when you are winning!! or there is a given time you have to meet?

That part is tricky. If you get up right after winning a big pot, the locals will get all pissy about it.

In a casino, you should be able to sit and go as you wish, but in CR, it's different. I have never seen this happen in any US card room. In CR, they expect you to give them a chance to win their money back.

I play in the game at the DR maybe twice a week for 3-4 hours each time. I seiously doubt that there is any collusion. As far as winning a big pot and quitting........ the house rule is that if a player wins he is required to play for at least one hour before quitting. This rule can be shortened win or lose if a player tells the others that he is going to leave early whether he is winning or losing. I am not passing judgement on whether or not the rule is good,I'm just giving the house rule. Then again they can't take your winnings away from you if you violate it. Just don't try to play again.

this comment is off subject and can die right here if no one wants to respond. but i was curious as to how this comment by dos leches, on inspection, is seen? for me, smoking kind of fits into what many may consider a vice, much like mongering. so ... mongering is okay, but smoking is not? i just dont like the word "ban". i mean that is why we go to places like CR to monger, because so damn much is banned in the USA.

i am not a smoker and the last few times in the del rey i have been almost overcome with too much smoke. but i can choose to not go there, right?

sorry for the disruption, i enjoyed the info on the poker game.
i would be the fish for sure.

radar

OK,I'll respond,mongering is healthy,and it is good for you,smoking is not healthy and it may shorten your life span.I made it short and neat . Has to be banned because people will not do it on their own,has to be a law to stop them hurting other people aka "non smokers". Yes you are free to do whatever you please as long as you do not inflict harm on others.How about going to a theater full of people and yelling fire when there were no fire,that is a free speech also is it not!! Remember, we all live in a small tiny place on earth,and is nice to be little courteous and considerate to our surrounding.

Dos leche no one is harming you. If you choose to enter a place with smoke thats on you.No one force's you to be there.

I know I have a choice,but what about the dealers that they have to stand dealing cards all day with players around the table blowing smoke at their faces .

I don't know any poker room that stulkl allows smoking at the table, whether in CR or US. Even Binion's in Vegas is now smoke-free last I heard. Personally, I would not play at a smoking table (again).

for those of you that don't think smoking is problem (my guess is you smoke) its one of the things I dislike about my fav place on this earth .....the best thing that ever happened to me is restaurants went non smoking ...I have been in the restaurant business for 30 years ....for my health it was the best move my state ever made .....100% non smoking ...everyone in my family has been a smoker but me ...not even once.

Last trip (pissed me off ....wanted to say something but didn't) as I sat at the sportmens bar , I try to eat most of my meals at the bar, and grab the seat in the corner where the computer is ....most of the time I can have at least one seat space from anyone. As I am waiting for my food ...here sits next to me a chain smoking gringo .....as I am stuck smelling and breathing his second hand smoke , I can only hope he gets his drink and hits the road before my meal comes ....no luck ...as I watch in amazement before he finishes his cig he lights a second one ...wtf (place is full)no where else to move to .....I have choose to eat in a place that smoking is permitted .....if I say something to him .....he has a point to tell me Phuck off ....he clearly sees it bothers me,as no rules saying otherwise except the human rule !!! the rule I find most smokers don't give a shit about .....what it does to others ....dam it its almost 2012 cant people get it in their head ...its killing you .....

There is very little collusion here, less than the typical Vegas or AC low limit grinders tables. The style tends to be aggressive. If you try to play standard tight aggressive (wait for big pairs and bet 4 times the big blind you will get killed). The reason is you will get three or more callers and someone will run you down. a much better strategy in a looose 1/2 game is to see lots of cheap flops with small pairs and suited connectors and wait for trips or better on the flop to trap aggressive players. Folding after the flop is imperative to this strategy.

_________________
BKTUNA/Boyd
I am never going home

I played at the Del Rey poker room when I was in San Jose in March and it was tough, but manageable. BKTuna's scouting report is on the money. You can't win playing tight and passive. It's all about trapping the aggressive players with made hands. It takes patience, but also being smart enough to get off of big pairs because the loose players love to chase with a wide range of hands.

Not sure I'll be playing when I go back next week, need to figure out my finances, but if a big check arrives in time, I'll definitely hit up the Del Rey poker room again.

The 2 shaved heads have become regulars. They buy in for a dime and ususally only show down the nuts. I love playing with them as you always know where you stand. You can stack them off if you get in cheap.

I played a couple of sessions at the DR during my last trip. I was told before playing my first session that the players were better there, than playing at the Colonial for instance. I tried to play at the Colonial, but it seemed that a cash game wasn't starting till after 9pm or so--I got tired of waiting so ended up playing at the DR.

I would say that most of the players seemed to be good players. I left $200 up after first session of 3 hours, and and $100 up after 2nd session of an hour.

I would add that if you are learning and don't really understand what your starting hand requirements are, position, betting, or understanding classifying player types, then you should probably not be playing at these tables.

USA