On Monday, at 8:47am local time in Las Vegas, the Bellagio Poker Room announced via X/Twitter that, starting 13 minutes from then, the limit hold'em games offered on the property would change limits to $15/$30 and $30/$60. The move reflects a continued atmosphere of change around the city as other poker rooms have made adjustments in recent weeks.
According to the Bellagio Poker Room, the change comes in part because they "feel those levels will help to grow these games and our room."
While limit hold'em games have certainly dropped out of favor over the years, there's clearly some level of demand for them – think of it this way: if one of the premier poker rooms in Las Vegas spreads limit games and devotes valuable table space to the format, they must have the players.
Initial reactions mixed
There were a number of replies to the announcement – some from people poking fun at the idea of limit hold'em games holding relevancy, but others from members of the community with valid concerns and opinions about the sudden change.
Ronnie Bardah let his disapproval be known, writing, "Will not do anything for the growth of the game," but expressed his hope that the Bellagio Poker Room will restore the previous stake levels during the World Series of Poker.
Bardah's response wasn't pure criticism, however, as he continued to engage with the Bellagio Poker Room account and provided feedback on steps they could take to grow the limit hold'em games.
Sean McCormack, Executive Director of Poker Strategy & Development at MGM Resorts replied directly, addressing Bardah's hopes for a return to the stakes of the past during the busy summer months and claiming that he has "heard mostly positive reviews in the room today" in regards to the change.
Do you play limit poker? If so, what are your thoughts on the change? Let us know in the comments below.