I'm going to ask this question here, it seems like a good enough place for it (I hate starting new threads).

I'm going to AC for the first time in a couple months. As a big dude in a wheelchair the amount of space in the room is of the utmost importance. I was wondering if the Borgata poker room is packed tight (e.g. Bellagio) or is it spacious (e.g. The Venetian)? If you could tell me about any other AC rooms would be greatly appreciated.

I asked this in all 3 of the AC room threads in order to cast a wide net of AC guys

very spacious especially in high limit area

Yeah, I'd say Borgata high limit > Venetian > Borgata main room >>>>>>>>>>> Bellagio

Stan,

In regards to the 3/6 omaha 8/b full kill game that ran this weekend:

I must admit that I hope this game runs more often. I am not at the point where I can play the 10/20 version, but it's hard to get the 3/6 one going. What helped was the half-rake that was instituted when there were 7 people (instead of the normal 6). But the problem was communication: every dealer questioned whether this was true and the floor guys failed to relay the information. Eventually, arguments ensued, you were actually called by one of the regs (must be nice to have the bat-phone line!) and you had to re-approve the rake reduction. Still, we lost 2 players because they couldn't put up with the aggravation.

I hope that you are planning some sort of promotion similar to the 7 card stud one because I think Omaha has a better chance of catching on. Although your stud promotion has brought in some players, I do not think it has had the resounding success that you were looking for. Making a rake reduction month for all omaha games would help generate interest so that games like the 3/6 8/b will run in times other than when big tournaments are running.

Another suggestion: instead of a HOSE tournament, you should have a 6 game tournament. You have it as the big game: why not make it a tournament and draw more people? I know you can't do 8 game in NJ, but 6 game would be sweet. Thanks again for keeping the room as great as it is.

I've seen a number of people with wheelchairs at the Borgata poker room. None of whom seemed to have a problem getting around. If there were a need to move chairs to help you get around, I'm sure that the Borgata staff would do what they could to assist you with your needs.

Here's how the Borgata poker room looks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIMIlMmXI7M

The norm for these games is 6 or less players equals half rake. The half rake was offered in the beginning does not normally mean that it will continue all day. Sometimes it is used as a way to keep the game going until more players show up. I do not think they meant to have it half rake every time the game was seven handed. This is where the true confusion came from. I do hope that this game continues to be spread as well. I will help the game and players as much as i can.

Stan

Stan/tab...do I need to be present when you guys announce my name for winning the free seat?

The fine print on the monitors advertising this offer state that only cards from Harrahs or Trump (AC casinos) count.



Looks like the game ran Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It looks like (almost) all the players at the game were different than the regulars at the 10/20 game.

I didn't see the card, but the dealer told me that the rake was 10% to $4, (compared with 5% to $4 at the 10/20 game).

Are the comps for this game $1.50/hour?

Was there this weekend for the Omaha o/8 event. Played in the Omaha O/8 10/20 game on Sat. Was very happy to see the 3/6 game go. It drives the regulars crazy when someone that plays once in awhile (in there game) wins.

Would love to see the 3/6 game go on a regular basis. I live in northern NJ and it is hard sometimes to get there before 10:00 AM when the 10/20 game usually starts. The 2nd table for the 10/20 is always iffy. 3/6 could breed more players that might "move up" over time.

BTW - the dealers should mention the 3rd man walking rule when the 3rd person gets up. Two regulars got up together to have breakfast about an hour after the game started. They were played one hand with the new dealer so they got their full hour plus 10 for breakfast. After 45 minutes, the 3rd person got up and was then picked up BEFORE THE TWO OTHER WERE BACK! He was not a regular and was unaware of the rule. The others at the table knew the 2 that got up, never pushed for their "absent" button - but couldn't wait to have the 3rd player picked up. It was just wrong IMO.

FYI - I think you run a great room

$1.50 an hour

Stan

Stan - On a slightly different note. For the O/8 limit events, can you start at 25-50 or even 50-100. to have a 25-25 and then a 25-50 each for 40 minutes is a waste of time and just drags things out. You might actual get down to the "in the money" players by the end of day 1. Sucks coming back for day 2 and falling just short of cashing
Thanks

Time for a live game report Monday 3:50pm


(31) Live games


(2) 2-4 LHE
(1) 3-6 LHE
(1) 10-20 LHE
(1) 20-40 LHE


(1) 20-40 Stud

(1) 10-20 Omaha H/L 8B with half kill
(1) 40-80 Omaha H/L 8B


(10) 1-2 NL
(9) 2-5 NL
(3) 5-10 NL
(1) 10-25 NL


Yesterday's Events

(619) Event #8 11am $400 + $50 Deep Stack NL Tournament
(110) Event #9 12pm $260 + $40 Ladies No-Limit
(087) Event #35 3pm $150 + $30 Turbo NL
(105) Event #36 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament


Today's Events

(340) Event #10 11am $350 + $50 Deep Stack Semi Turbo NL (2 re-entry)
(101) Event #11 1pm $300 = $50 PLO
(???) Event #37 3pm $300 + $50 Survivor
(???) Event #38 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament


Tomorrow's Events

Event #12 11am $170 + $30 NL Day 1A $100K Guaranteed (2 re-entry)
Event #13 12pm $350 + $50 Seniors NL
Event #39 3pm $100 + $20 Championship Qualifier
Event #40 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament


BBJP $155,189


Stan

At the end of each tournament, Tab and I sit and discuss possible changes to our tournaments. I will bring this up.

stan

This year, the event stopped Day 1 after level 14, with 1000/2000 blinds with 35 players left (17 from money). The following level was 1500/3000 blinds, a 50% increase, the largest percentage increase since the 5th level. (The four previous blind level percentage increases were 25 20 33 and 25) This resulted in several players coming back, with most of the non-cashing players busting out within an hour of Day 2 starting.

I would suggest the following changes:
1) Remove the initial 25/25 level and possibly the 25/50 level. Almost all players were within a few percent of their starting stacks at the first break.
2) Introduce a 1200/2400 blind level. The increase from levels 14 to 15 was too severe for that point in the tournament, and makes no sense for that blind increase to start a new day.
3) Possibly run the first day until it reaches the money. If the first 2 levels are removed, it would probably reach the money around 3AM.

I gave 3-6 O8 a shot last Friday, just to decompress from an action-packed 2/5 table before going to bed. I have to say that was a pretty dreadful game. I don't know whether it was because it was a dreadful table, or the game itself is just lacking in excitment.

Next day I sat down for 1/2 PLO for a little bit, and it was likewise a dreadful game. In that case, I think the fault lies with the regs who pushed for $5 bring-in, to make math easier. It did make it easier, since almost no one ever potted pre-flop. If someone did, then no one knew the pot size anyway, because there was always lack of clarity as to how to count the blinds.

Really, PLO regs need to get their **** together, and just play the ****ing 1/2. What's so hard about it? If you want to play higher, go play 2/5. I didn't stay at that table long, since I didn't want to keep shortstacking it, and I didn't want to put large sums at risk either. I think Stan needs to put his foot down, much like Ari did at Parx, and insist on one standard format, and not let regs torture it to death.

Thankfully for my sanity, I spent most of my time playing 2/5 NL. Those were the best games, even more so than usual. Borgata continues to be second to none when it comes to 2/5 games.

+1

I mentioned the exact same thing in the MTTc thread when the structure was announced, but nobody seemed to care. Tab claimed the first two levels were added "to give more play" when they actually have the exact opposite effect. Please ditch these levels and add them to the middle of the structure. That seemed to be the consensus among almost everyone playing in the tournament.

When did you play PLO? I showed up around 11:30 ish in the 1 seat and got freerolled with the nut straight on the turn. I wasn't there too long. But +++1 for Borgata 2/5. So good.

a question for stan, does the borgata offer a poker rate for rooms? i may be heading there this weekend; i don't plan on playing any tournaments, just cash games.

Here are the poker rates, if available.

Re: the Borgata 2/5 NL scene. 2/5 NL is all I play, and IMO it's inherently a great game. So barring a really unpleasant atmosphere, I expect to have a reasonably nice time playing it no matter what casino I walk into.

However, there's definitely something special about the Borgata 2/5 NL vibe. Certainly the fact that generally speaking, Borgata is a luxurious, smoke-free (thank GOD) room with many food options goes a long way in and of itself. Not to mention that on the whole, they have the quickest dealers I've seen at any casino.

But specifically, I think the biggest reason 2/5 NL is better there than anywhere else is because on average, they have more 2/5 NL tables going at a single time than any casino in the USA, so your table selection is vast. I mean they had thirteen (13) 2/5 NL tables going last Thursday. A Thursday! Now I know the Winter Open drew in more traffic then usual, but still that is outstanding.

A corollary to that point is--and I've discussed this with Stan--is that the $500 max buy-in lures in 1/2 NL players and even totally inexperienced tourists who want to "take a shot" at 2/5 NL. Whereas if you go up to a $1000 max buy-in, while you get more money on the table from the experienced 2/5 NL players, you get less 1/2 NL people taking a shot because of the intimidation factor. Any 2/5 NL reg should want 2/5 NL virgins at their table.

Furthermore, because there are so many tables going, you rarely get stuck at a table with 6 or 7 familiar faces. In my experience going there over three years, I'm hard pressed to find more than say 2 people that I've played with regularly at any time. Like any casino, there are of course people who are there seemingly every time I'm there, but it's never like Harrah's Chester or the Showboat ca. 2007 where it was literally the same 5-6 people every time, with you being the outsider. There aren't any 2/5 NL cliques there that I know of.

A second reason the action is great IMO is because unlike most casinos, they collect time, which a) speeds up the game, b) encourages more action than a rake and c) discourages people from leaving their seat for too long.

At other casinos I've heard people say that Borgata is tough, they don't get any cards there, action isn't heavy enough, it's tough to make money there, etc. I don't know what game they're playing, because I've had many sessions over the past three years where I've profitted over $1,000, and a few where I've profitted over $2,000. I've never been at a table where it was a "rock-fest" for longer than say an hour, and again that's because you don't have to worry about the same clique of regs monopolizing the tables every time you go there. There is absolutely money to be made there.

Anyway, no 2/5 NL scene finds my comfort/happy zone better than the Borg

Time for a live game report Monday 10:30pm


(33) Live games


(2) 2-4 LHE
(1) 20-40 LHE
(1) 40-80 LHE


(2) 1-2 PLO
(1) 2-5 PLO

(1) 20-40 Stud

(1) 40-80 Omaha H/L 8B

(1) 100-200 6-way


(11) 1-2 NL
(9) 2-5 NL
(3) 5-10 NL


Yesterday's Events

(619) Event #8 11am $400 + $50 Deep Stack NL Tournament
(110) Event #9 12pm $260 + $40 Ladies No-Limit
(087) Event #35 3pm $150 + $30 Turbo NL
(105) Event #36 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament


Today's Events

(340) Event #10 11am $350 + $50 Deep Stack Semi Turbo NL (2 re-entry)
(101) Event #11 1pm $300 = $50 PLO
(152) Event #37 3pm $300 + $50 Survivor
(137) Event #38 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament


Tomorrow's Events

Event #12 11am $170 + $30 NL Day 1A $100K Guaranteed (2 re-entry)
Event #13 12pm $350 + $50 Seniors NL
Event #39 3pm $100 + $20 Championship Qualifier
Event #40 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament


BBJP $155,189


Stan

Agreed +++1

As a mainly 1/2 NL and PLO table in the past, who has moved up to 2/5 NL(definitely not because of a growing bankroll), I rarely see any faces I recognize even from my extensive time at Borgata. The time collection is definitely odd for me. I rarely took any breaks during my session this weekend(nitting over $5 obv) and I timed my sessions to end at the end of the down. I also find 2/5 more enjoyable since I can take/observe creative lines vs opponents that I have gotten used playing in tough home games before I turned 21.

Sick there are 3 PLO games now, hopefully they'll be running whenever I am available to come down.

You won the free winter open seat? Congrats. I was coming in here to ask who had won lol.

Quick question....

About a week ago I saw the ability to register online for a few of the WPO events? Is that option still available, or am I going crazy?

Tab just posted in the Borgata WPO thread that prereg is no longer available.