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Played here for a week.
Your options in stakes for NL is either 1/2 (300 max) , 1/3 (1K max), or a huge 5/10/25/50 game.
The mid-stakes ecosystem essentially does not exist anymore.
A mix between action players and the most miserable bad regs I've ever came across while traveling the country playing poker.
You are basically at the mercy of the nit regs to put the $6 / $12 on consistently at the 1/3 game in order to play a game at a reasonable size.
New management seems to have found the perfect limits to create the most rake. However this is horrible for for profit players.
In addition, the action whales apparently agree, and are beginning to take their patronage to other rooms in Austin where games are uncapped and less nit regs are sniping. This leaves each 1/3 table with half pros. The worst ratio I've ever seen in low stakes live games anywhere in the country. Something HAS to change.
No food options.
Dealers consistently make mistakes. Especially on PLO bomb pots that are dealt each dealer change.
All in all, from a traveling 2/5 5/T pro, this place disappointed compared to the hype.
New management seems to be only interested in running a low stakes rake trap while cultivating a player pool healthy enough to run their 10/25 live stream.
I will not be returning. And would not be surprised to see this place out of business in a couple years. The regulars I talked to agreed with this outlook.
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Hi Milo, this review got my attention a few weeks ago, but I wanted to gather some information before responding.
Regarding mid-stakes games, I checked PokerAtlas daily to see the ratio of 1/3 and 2/5 games at The Lodge compared to other rooms in Austin. Not one time was there a 2/5 game running at another club without at least one 2/5 table running at The Lodge. Most often, there either were zero 2/5 games running in the area or The Lodge was the only one with a game running. If you want to play mid stakes (2/5 or 5/10) in Austin, The Lodge is clearly the best option.
That's No Limit Hold'em. If you want 1/2/5 PLO, The Lodge is always going to have the most games.
Regarding the caps on our games, these were implemented and adjusted based on player feedback with the goal of giving casual players a better experience. Many were not comfortable with sitting at a 1/3 table and winning a few pots, only to find themself playing uncomfortably deep in the double board PLO bomb pots that run at almost all tables. (It's worth noting that players can sit out of the bomb pots.)
As a former poker pro myself, I think the caps are still quite deep (333bb in 1/3, 400bb in 2/5, uncapped 5/10+) and create a great game for pros to play in. The caps on the double board PLO bomb pots are 150bb, 166bb, and 200bb in our 1/2, 1/3 and 2/5 games, respectively. That's still such a great spot for good players.
From my personal experience at The Lodge, the games have a ton of action and are great fun compared to most rooms in the world, but it's possible you were on the wrong side of variance.
-Mike Brady
