This thread is for general discussion/chat about the Monte Carlo Poker Room.

Very classy room, not real busy but a very nice place to play low limit poker. The morning tournies usually draw 3-4 tables and trypically a very friendly group of players. The 2/4 limit also only has a $2 big blind and no small blind, nice if you're a rock-type player.

When I played there in May, they had changed the 2/4 single blind to a half kill game, still with the single $2 blind.

What does half kill and full kill mean? It's something I keep seeing popping up here in regards to a few casinos (seems like ones dominated by locals).

Just a way to get a little more action.

When a player wins two pots in a row, the game increases in limit for that one hand only (unless the player wins again, then the kill continues).

For example, a 4/8 with a full kill will go to 8/16 for the one hand where the winning player won two in a row. In a half kill game, it would go from 4/8 to 6/12.

The killer (person that won two pots in a row) must post a live third blind, for the full amount, and gets last action preflop, unless there is a raise in front.

The blinds stay the same, even if the Kill or half kill is active, but in orer to stay in the hand, the blinds have to call the full blind kill amount (i.e. in a 4/8 game which a full kill is active, the BB in order to just call, needs to put an additional $4 to make a full $8 blind bet if he chooses to play the hand). The killer, however, must post the entire blind amount, regardless.

I made it sound a lot more complicated then it is when you play it. It is really a fun way to play limit (if you like added action).

I'll add to LVM's excellent descrption of the blind process that the winner of the hand gets a small marker, usually the size of a chip or the 'missed blind' and 'out' markers, since they're designed to fit in the dealer's chip tray. To make things simple, if you have the Kill marker and you fold a hand, you just toss the chip back with your cards and the dealer will put it back in the pot. If you have the Kill marker and stay in a hand until showdown, don't give up the chip unless you lose the hand.

Just be careful because not all dealers will clearly announce that a pot is indeed a kill pot, or if they do they may not do it loud enough for you to hear, so always be aware of who's got the Kill marker. I was playing the 4/8 game at Oceans 11 in Oceanside CA and I guess I let myself get a little distracted. I didn't notice that one player had won the last two hands, though the dealer didn't announce "Kill Pot" either. So I get my cards, toss in $4 to call the blind only to be told it's $8 because it's a kill pot and I can't take my $4 bet back, I'm committed. So I added four more, someone raised later, I called that and lost a bunch on the hand. Had I been aware that it was a kill pot I'd likely have just mucked the cards since playing then for $4 was a marginal call to begin with.

And another word of warning: Aggressive and hard-core regular players will often look at kill pots with a gleam in their eye. Many low-limit players will be intimidated by having to play at double their regular limit and are prone to making nervous errors. Don't fall into that trap. If you are the type who gets nervous when you're in over your head, then just play the highest premium hands in kill pots and let everything else go. Don't get fancy with a JTs if you're the first in, that type of thing. The sharks will smell your fear and attack.

While most card rooms do give you last action if you have the kill button, they don't observe this at Mandalay Bay. Be sure to ask if your kill gets you this right. Also, some casinos require that there be a set amount (usually ten big blinds) in the pot to make it a kill pot. If there was not enough action and the killer takes the pot, you still have a leg up, but may not have to post the kill, depending on the rules of the room. A split pot takes the kill off, and this rule is universal. See, Michael made it easy, and here comes the rebbe to muddy the waters. There is no question so simple that some mutt like me can't overthink and overexplain it.

It's never a bad idea to ask for a rules clarification, as many rooms have different rules regarding all kinds of things. I've played in a number of Vegas, Reno, local, and tribal poker rooms, and most of them have some weird variation on the "standard" rule. My favorite is in Missouri, where the dealer has a tray full of chips, yet you can't buy any chips from the dealer or a runner, you must stand up and go the the main casino cage to buy in...they can't even have a cashier in the poker room.

Thank you for completing the definition, John. I figured that I already made it sound complicated enough, so I would let someone else put the icing on the cake to further confuse the lad

Everything John said is true as well. Minimum pot requirement is commonplace in most places that offer a kill option. MB is one of the only ones that does not give the killer last action. Venetian (in the rare instances they have anything with a kill) also says that killer button does not get last action, but if the table agrees, they will change the rule to whatever the players want, unlike Mandalay Bay, which is firm.

The Bay, actually, it very nit picky about a LOT of things, hence I stopped playing there long ago. No reading at the table, no cel phones anywhere, quarters in the pot, and discount blinds keeps me away from there.

Really, despite all the accurate information given here with regard to kills, it really is very simple, and if the option is presented to the table, I recommend agreeing to it. It makes some juicy pots, and makes the sometimes mundane game a little more action oriented (which to me, means more fun).

I liked the Monte Carlo room: nice dealers, nice management, nice wood on the walls (a trifecta), but the only bad thing is that the room is quite cramped. It seems like it's the perfect size to have one less table than they have (not to mention there's a pillar in the center of the room.

There are 2 notably bad seats in the room, and I was seated in each of these seats, where the only options to get to the seat is:
a) ask one person next to the seat to get up whilst you go to the seat
b) crawl under the table
c) climb over the table (note: weird looks are given if you linger too long on top of the table)
d) jump over the table. This one requires special training, just so you know ( i think there's a certificate too)

Any update on whether they still have reduced, non-standard blinds in 2/4 and 4/8 limit games?

And why would they do this? Just to be different? Seems like only having $3 in starting blinds instead of $6 in a 4/8 game is a great incentive to play tight which means less action and very boring game.