HEROES

Does anyone know the appropriate person within the company to voice our opinions to? I'm not talking within the physical location, but within Penn National. The number of posters in this thread is relatively small, but I know many players (who don't post here) who would be willing to e-mail complaints to the right person.

This is really sad. ME has many positive things going for it, but if you are an avid poker player, places to play has never been one of them. Shame to see one of the larger areas of the state deprived of a place to play because of these poor policies.

Hopefully Oxford is up and running before too long, this is just pathetic. Guess my next trip to a casino will be to FW after all, the extra 3 hours and $20 in gas I would have to pay are nothing compared to that rake(not to mention the superior casino/player pool and principle of the whole thing). Truly absurd.

Good news, everyone!

I used to like to cite the way in which they numbered the poker tables at Hollywood as an example of their general mentality. As they had them set up originally, the dealers rotated tables in table # order 4-3-1-2.

It stunned me.

Clearly some kind of conscious thought went into numbering each table, yet they arrived at 4-3-1-2 when they could have just as easily made it 4-3-2-1 and saved a ton of confusion.

I pointed it out to both of the competent floor supervisors several times, not needing them to change it but just curious beyond belief about what possible line of thinking led them to that conclusion. They offered no answers.

Months passed, nothing happened.

I've just received word that the table numbers have been CHANGED to make actual sense! They've finally shown themselves to be capable of making logical decisions based on long-run maximization.

Things are looking up!

Now about that six dollar rake...

it really is too bad, there are a ton of avid players in maine who would be more than willing to throw money at this place.

but i've really never seen such a hostile environment for regs/players in general. the rake is absurd, nothing is comped, and everything (cranberry juice example from earlier in the thread) is ridiculously overpriced.

+1 to what others have said, f this place and patronize the local games until changes are made.

Soda is free.

Nicely done. Seriously, from one poker player to another, thank you.

That wouldn't surprise me. I know that Hollywood Casino at Charles Town, WV (the casino closest to me), is 6+1. Frankly, they can charge whatever they want there because they have a monopoly on the DC/Northern Virginia area.

If I recall correctly, the Hollywood Casino in PA is 6+1, which is at least $1 more than most of the other casinos in the state which are at 5+0 (e.g., Parx) or 5+1 (e.g., Harrah's).

Bottom line is that Hollywood Bangor can charge whatever the they want too until they get some competition. I'm pretty sure that hordes of casual action players aren't going to materialize and flock to the casino if they drop the rake $1 or even $2. I'm very lucky that Charles Town is full of casual action players to counteract the effects of the high rake.

However, not allowing chops is bull****. Not reducing rake when tables are short (Charles Town refuses to reduce rake) is bull****. Charging for non-alcoholic drinks is bull****. I understand that poker rooms in general are loss leaders for casinos and that rake is going to be high where there is no competition, but some things are unforgivable. I put not allowing chops and refusing to reduce rake when shorthanded in the "unforgivable" category.

The Hollywood Casino does do half rake at 6 players or less. Is that different from other casinos? Furthermore, I am going to ask about blind chopping tomorrow to see if I can get a consistent or "house ruling," because I have seen blinds chopped a few times. Although to be honest, blind chopping so infrequently happens due to ridiculous amount of limping going on at 1/2 (but that is a whole different story). Although, I agree that it is ridiculous if it is indeed not allowed.

I asked about blind chopping after reading the post previously stating it was forbidden. I was told it IS allowed. That may be a mixed message coming from staff but I have never been told I can't chop blinds by anyone yet.

Secondly, I know this rake conversation has gone on for a while. The bottom line is they CAN and WILL keep it. Until they have competition and or lack of patrons it is a non negotiable. For local grinders who are playing most days i think it is important to minimize paying for drinks, food, etc. but as there is little online being played it is the only local consistent option. SNGs will definitely add a viable option for +EV players.

Banning chopping the blinds is specific to just one of the floor supervisors.

I can deal with the obscene rake as long as we got some BASIC

comps. Maybe $1 for beers, free popcorn, something!!

Recently been having some bigger games. A few weeks ago a 10-20 game ran for like 12 hours, and there has been a 2-5 game going much more frequently. The 6$ rake is a little more reasonable at these games. Word is that they want to try to have a 5-10 or 10-20 game monthly. Fingers Crossed!

I'm all for that. Get some of the over rolled players off of 1/2.

It will be good to get a weekly PLO game running. Maybe we can gauge interest here as well. It would also be beneficial to run it around a quality dealer shift

SNGs will begin in October. That's a definite. Buyin amounts are open and all amounts will be served with a 20% rake. Example $100+$20, $200+$40, ect. I believe minimum buy-in amounts will $50+$10.

These will be the precursors to MTT appeal.

http://www.foxwoods.com/uploadedFile...lk%20april.pdf

Link to Foxwoods SNG structures & buy ins for comparison.

I heard a rumor from a credible source that SNG chips have been ordered and they will begin running as soon as the chips are in, which will hopefully be before October, which is the ETA Ssull apparently heard. I'm on my way to the casino shortly to see if this is really the case, as I'd love to get SNGs going ASAP.

In any event, I can't wait to get back on the felt. I know I've gone to great lengths in this thread to point out the many flaws of Hollywood Casino, but this is totally a step in the right direction so it should definitely be praised.

I've been going more often again, maybe 3x/week, and will continue to. I'm up maybe $300 after 100+ hours of play and determined to "fix" that.

Wow.
I really like visiting new places to play poker. Was thinking that, since I am going to a conference at Waterville Valley next month, I could pop over to Hollywood-Bangor for a night, on a Thursday night, and get some game in, and get a room before heading back to Cape Cod. 4+ hour dirve. Room rate, with a Hollywood Card from Lawrenceburg (which didn't work) $149.00
or........ leave NH and go south, to Foxwoods. 3.5 hr drive, and a room rate of....0.00. I have offers of two nights each week in Sept. (Sun-Thurs)
its an easy choice, sorry to say. I won't be seeing Bangor again this trip.

You can get a room in Bangor for a lot cheaper than at the casino. Not some slummy motel either. Though there certainly are plenty of those.

I'm sure. or drive one hour less, and stay at a casino that has 165 poker tables. And for $0. But I do appreciate the suggestion, truly.
Its more an indictment of the management style of Penn National. Perhaps they are selling that hotel out on Thursday nights?

Oh, I don't blame you at all. I'd rather go to Foxwoods or Mohegan over Hollywood all day. I was just stating that if you do ever come up here to play you can find a cheaper room elsewhere.

Simply "LOL" at what I've been seeing lately. Lot of ego driven grudge matches between wanna be pokerstars. We're in Maine. You're nobody.

Wish I could say the dealers have improved. Some are laughably bad and I hate to say it because they're nice and it's nothing personal. But I mean when you have to ask the table how to deal with a side pot maybe you're in the wrong business.

This is way off topic, but no one outside of this thread is going to care. Rite Aid got robbed again.. second time in a week.

I love this city!


On a poker note.. how has the action been lately? Haven't been in about a month. Judging by Daryn's post I'm guessing it's the same old aggro over rolled guys I don't care to play with.

One thing this room needs to institute (or at least more often), must move tables. The problem seems to have been occurring lately when going from 2 tables to 3. Couple weeks ago, I was playing on the main (first) table, when all of a sudden we were down to 5 players! Meanwhile, the other 2 tables were plugging along with 8 players a piece. What we ended up doing was breaking up the main table and having one of us move to the waiting list.

Now opening the third table is all well and good, but if they would have made it a must move table, the problem would have been solved. Furthermore, it keeps the first table going which typically has the most money on it (especially by later in the afternoon).

I know one of the players spoke to the floor/host about it, and a dealer said he'd be speaking to his supervisor as well concerning it. Anyone else agree or think this is problem which players should still voicing to the floor?