To travel, or not to travel? That is the question.

This is still another one of the short-term vs. long-term issues, complicated by a lack of reliable information.

I know that when I limit myself to playing live tournaments in one location, I am limiting my options.  I also know that playing in small local tournaments, where first prize might only be ten buy-ins, I'm not going to make a lot of money.

At some point,when I am finally able to play full-time, if I really want to make poker a viable option where I am making more than the average individual income in the United States (about $36,000 if I remember correctly) I have to be willing to go to charity rooms or casinos in other cities, where the first prize is 25 or 50 times the buy-in, or more.  But for now, I have to stick pretty close to home.

Here is the current situation, as I see it:

1. I no long consider The Big Game Room to be reliable, and the information that they put out is often wrong.  I once went to TBGR and found it closed, even though the web page said that there was a tournament running that day.

Due to state meddling and overregulation, TBGR can no longer operate as a standalone business in their own space.  From now on, most of the weekday operations will be at a room in a sports bar, and weekend operations will be at a room at a bowling alley.  Or so they say.

In late August, the TGBR web page said that they were closed for now, but they would post an update after Labor Day.  The update was finally posted several days after Labor Day, and it said that operations would start on 9/18.  That never happened.  A few days ago, they posted on the web page that operations in the bowling alley would start on 10/2.  I'm not sure that I believe anything they say any more.

Information is always either lacking, incorrect, or contradictory.  The web page says that they will be open on 10/2 at the bowling alley.  However, the Facebook page not only says nothing about the new openings and locations, it still shows the old (standalone) address, with a map of how to get there--and the name of the strip mall is misspelled.

I have pointed out the information problems and inconsistencies, and for the most part nothing gets done.  At one time the owner of TBGR told me (this isn't an exact quote but very close) that he wasn't responsible for the web page, and didn't know what was on it.

So, soon there could be poker at a bowling alley that is less than two miles from my house.  Maybe.  It might be a pretty small prize pool if a lot of players check the Facebook page first.

The good news is that there is another option in Muskegon County.  There is a tournament Saturday night in Holton, a city about 20 miles from where I live.  It's a one-shot deal, but they have had their one-day state license in place for about a month, so I can be pretty sure that it's actually going to happen.  TBGR still does not have their state license.

Here's the problem.  Cost matters, and when I enter a tournament, I consider all of the costs, including travel, in this case, the cost of gas for the 40-mile round trip.  I have an account for live tournaments, and also an account for other expenses, including travel.   My Live Bankroll account is only about $450.  My Poker Expense account has about $300. That may sound like a lot of money, but my live bankroll, which I have built from nothing, is not enough money to play ten $50 tournaments.  The minimum bankroll to play MTTs should be about 100 buy-ins.  I don't have nearly that for even $25 tournaments (but you have to start somewhere) but at triple that cost plus travel expenses, it doesn't make much sense.  Or does it?

Again, I have an information problem.  The tournament in Holton could have an entry fee of $75 or it could be $25.  I have played at both levels..  Again, I have no information.  I called the Holton American Legion, and the people that I talked to on the phone either didn't know about the tournament, or knew none of the details.  This seems to be new to them.

Here is a best-case scenario:

1. If it's a tournament with an entry fee at or below $40, it's a lot less risk, because it's a relatively small piece of my bankroll.

2. Since tournaments don't run often in rural areas, it could be a big event for them, attracting a lot of players, and building a big prize pool.  I have seen those situations.

3. If the charities and the American Legion make a lot of  money, they might want to do it again soon.

4. If they become a viable option, it might give TBGR just what they need, competion.  TBGR no longer has the advantage of being a standalone, poker-only, poker-friendly environment.  If TBGR is to be competitive, their will have to up their game and do a better job of giving the players what they want.

If two or three of those four conditions exist in Holton, it will certainly make me think hard about at which place to play  And I will be happy to advise the folks in Holton on how to make themselves a viable option, on behalf of all of the players who are desperately looking for good options.