Fri-Sun, sometimes Thursday.

20/40 and 75/150

I just got home from 3 days at the Borgata and must give credit where due. I stayed in a very nice room at the water club. I went down to the pool and hit the jacuzzi for a bit ( wish it was 5 degrees warmer). The 2/5 games were actually very good. I managed to win over 1k while running pretty bad. I did lose about 1k at 5/10 as I played pretty poorly and made a couple of mistimed bluffs. So while I barely won any money, the games were very juicy, and there is a lot of earning potential.
I met Stan and we talked shop for about 15 minutes. He picked my brain a bit about the poker room in general and we discussed in depth the buyin amounts at 2/5. I personally really want the max raised, and think the minimum HAS to be raised. I suggested that min max should be standard for 1/2, 2/5 and 5/10. That may be difficult, but I think it should at least be closer. 40/150 BB would be really nice.
Whatever is decided I really appreciated being given the opportunity to give my input. I've played a lot at many different locations and feel I am able to provide some good insight.
Also on a personal note, thanks Stan for making me feel "special" at the Borgata ;-) and for introducing me to [name removed]. See you soon.

Thank you for trying. Been working on this for while.

Why are people still debating the 2/5 buy-in max? Borgata tried to spread a 200 bb buy-in game when it introduced the 3/5. It just isnt a popular option....low-stakes recreational players dont want to play that deep. Raising the minimum would be fine, but people dont buy-in for $100 at 2/5 that often in any case.

The few times I have played the 3/5 the games were really tight. I would rather play 2/5 because there is so much more action. A couple years ago bally's would regularly run a 2/5 1k max game and it was better than borgatas current 3/5, but still very tight because no one wants to stack off 200 bbs without the nuts. As much as I love deeper stacked poker, the 100bb 2/5 game is just more action than deeper games. If they ever made 5/10 100bbs I would cry and go to parks/chester though.

Semi off topic: This Saturday, 9PM ET is the Gold Cup Finals, US Soccer vs Mexico on Fox Soccer Channel.

Is there anywhere @ Borgata that may be showing this? Does the poker room or back HS room get Fox Soccer? If not, any opinions on best place to go in AC to watch the game?

Running a 3/5 side by side with 2/5 is very different than just having one game that has a higher buy in. When you spread two different games
A.people Want to play what they are accustomed to
B. People Automatically ask for 2/5 out of habit
C.better and more experienced players go to the bigger game which...
1. Makes the game tougher
2. Which in turn scares away more recreational players
3. Which in turn makes the game break up a lot faster
The higher buy in games are tested and successful at parx, sands, Chester and Delaware. With Borgata being the gold standard on the east coast I don't think they should be spreading the smallest games.

Question for Stan
I'm thinking about coming down for Event #20, Friday's deep stack. The schedule says 12pm, but when you click on the details link where the blind structure is, it says 11am. Which is the correct starting time? Thanks!

Kevin P.

It's probably noon, since that's what's stated on the PDF version of the main event schedule. The blind structures seem to have more mistakes on them.

Stan or Tab-

Will the 100k on 7/16 have online reservation available like the last one?

U can't fix the 2/5 if it ain't broke. It's the best game in AC IMO. Please don't ruin it

The problem that occurs with the 1k cap 2/5 is that it plays huge and it makes it very hard to get a consistent 5/10+ going.

Parx has a semi-consistent 5/10 from what I see from the live game reports, but they have a huge player base to take from. DP gets the 5/10 going 1-3 times a week, depending who's there. No idea how it is with Sands, and AFAIK Chester only gets 5/10 going occasionally as well.

The Venetian, which is the first house I know of that instituted the 1k cap, suffers the problem (outside of WSOP time) of getting 5/10 going as much as they would like.

And with it forget 10/20 ever happening, since the 5/10s, with the 1k cap on 2/5, usually end up being uncapped or having a high cap ceiling.

Stan has one of the largest 5/10+ player pools in the country, and he'd put a major dent into it by upping the 2/5 max. Most of the other rooms can get away with putting a 1k max on the 2/5 because the player base for 5/10+ is thin as it is. Parx IMO really shouldn't need the 1k max either. 100BB gets you more casual players. If you want 200BB, either stack someone off or move up to 5/10.

A couple years ago, Bellagio decided to uncap their 5/10 (which they had at $1k). Instantly, their 10/20 game got decimated. Why play 10/20 when the 5/10 is uncapped? The cap went back into play within days.

The min, OTOH, really should be raised. Min 100 small blinds, max 100 big blinds.

12pm start time

Stan

A player that buys in for $100 who's strategy is just to shove already is ruining the game. These players should be eliminated from 2-5 and be playing 1-2 without question.

These players should not be able to sit in a game with relatively much deeper stacks and completely ruin the the games flow. They usually go on to lose their original $100 investment, (even if they get lucky and double up) and often rebuy for another $100 and another.

The few hundred dollars they may drop is usually not worth killing the momentum of an avg 2-5 game for a couple hours. Let them buy in for $250.

Borgata would have to get new signs for the tables though.

re: 2/5 NL buy-ins
Its not as if $200 min is unprecedented. In fact Borgata is the outlier.

Taj Mahal: min $200, max $1000
Mohegan Sun: min $200, max $800
Foxwoods: min $200, max $500

While you won't see a table full of guys with $100 buy-ins, you will often see a bunch of people buy in for less than $200. Bump it up to $200 will ya so there's a bit more money on the table

Time for a live game report Thursday 2:30pm


(32) Live games


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


(1) 1-2 PLO
(2) 10-20 Omaha H/L
(1) 30-60 H.O.E.


(11) 1-2 NL
(7) 2-5 NL
(1) 3-5 NL
(2) 5-10 NL


Events For Wednesday June 8

(829) Event #1 11am $350 + $50 NL (re-entry)
(078) Event #21 4pm $150 + $30 Survivor
(128) Event #22 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Thursday June 9

(432) Event #2 11am $200 + $30 + $25 Bounty No Limit
(090) Event #23 3pm $150 + $30 Survivor
(121) Event #24 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Friday June 10

(172) Event #3 11am $400 + $50 NL Tournament
(120) Event #4 12pm $350 + $50 Omaha H/L 8B
(082) Event #25 4pm $250 + $30 Survivor
(120) Event #26 7pm $150 + $30 + $20 Bounty No Limit

Events for Saturday June 11

(267) Event #5 11am $500 + $60 NL Tournament
(081) Event #6 12pm $350 + $50 HOSE
(040) Event #27 4pm $400 + $50 Survivor
(120) Event #28 7pm $200 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Sunday June 12

(164) Event #7 11am Day 1A $350 + $50 Deep Stack Double Play (Re-Entry)
(080) Event #8 12pm $200 + $30 Ladies NL
(073) Event #29 4pm $200 + $30 + $20 Bounty Turbo NL (Re-Entry)
(065) Event #30 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Monday June 13

(345) Event #7 11am Day 1B $350 + $50 Deep Stack Double Play (Re-Entry)
(076) Event #31 4pm $150 + $30 Survovor
(085) Event #32 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Tuesday June 14

(285) Event #9 11am $200 + $30 + $20 Bounty NL (Re-Entry)
(093) Event #10 12pm $350 + $50 Big Stack PLO High Only
(064) Event #33 4pm $200 + $30 Level Increaser NL
(081) Event #34 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Wednesday June 15

(860) Event #11 11am $200 + $30 Big Stack NL (Re-Entry) $75K G
(085) Event #35 4pm $300 + $50 Survivor
(070) Event #36 7pm $110 + $20 WSOP Super Satellite Act 1

Events for Thursday June 16

(142) Event #12 11am $400 + $50 Six-Max NL
(015) Event #13 12pm $500 + $60 Seven Card Stud
(085) Event #37 3pm $200 + $30 + $20 Bounty Semi-Turbo NL
(081) Event #38 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Friday June 17

(102) Event #14 11am $1000 + $90 $10,000 Cash Super Satellite
(086) Event #39 3pm $300 + $40 + $25 Bounty NL
(087) Event #40 7pm $200 + $30 NL Re-Entry

Events for Saturday June 18

(094) Event #15 11am $1000 + $90 Six-Max NL
(091) Event #41 12pm $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier
(057) Event #42 3pm $540 + $60 Championship Qualifier
(???) Event #43 7pm $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier

Events for Sunday June 19

(070) Event #16 11am Day 1A $2500 + $200 NL Championship
(049) Event #44 12pm $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier
(043) Event #45 3pm $540 + $60 Championship Qualifier
(083) Event #46 7pm $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier

Events for Monday June 20

(253) Event #16 11am Day 1B $2500 + $200 NL Championship
(323) total
(066) Event #47 3pm $250 + $30 Survivor NL
(074) Event #48 6pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Tuesday June 21

(260) Event #17 11am $400 + $50 + $100 Bounty NL (Re-Entry)
(169) Event #49 6pm $100 + $20 + $20 Bounty NL

Events for Wednesday June 22

(737) Event #18 11am $170 + $30 Deepstack NL (Re-Entry)
(163) Event #50 6pm $150 + $30 Deepstack Turbo NL

Events for Thursday June 23

(122) Event #19 11am $400 + $50 6-Max NL
(???) Event #51 6pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament


BBJP $163,630

Stan

Stanstrickland@theborgata.com

I think 200-600 would be fair since they take the extra 1 dollar for bbj if you win an extra hundred or so it's not so bad.

I played 5-10 and 2-5 and the 2-5 games were nothing to write home about but maybe it was the wrong time or day but 5-10 was always good. There is always a bad player or 2 at the very least.

Time for a live game report Thursday 5:00pm


(35) Live games


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


(1) 1-2 PLO
(1) 10-20 Omaha H/L
(1) 20-40 Stud
(1) 30-60 H.O.E.
(1) 50-100 H.O.S.E.


(13) 1-2 NL
(8) 2-5 NL
(1) 3-5 NL
(2) 5-10 NL
(1) 10-20 NL


Events For Wednesday June 8

(829) Event #1 11am $350 + $50 NL (re-entry)
(078) Event #21 4pm $150 + $30 Survivor
(128) Event #22 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Thursday June 9

(432) Event #2 11am $200 + $30 + $25 Bounty No Limit
(090) Event #23 3pm $150 + $30 Survivor
(121) Event #24 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Friday June 10

(172) Event #3 11am $400 + $50 NL Tournament
(120) Event #4 12pm $350 + $50 Omaha H/L 8B
(082) Event #25 4pm $250 + $30 Survivor
(120) Event #26 7pm $150 + $30 + $20 Bounty No Limit

Events for Saturday June 11

(267) Event #5 11am $500 + $60 NL Tournament
(081) Event #6 12pm $350 + $50 HOSE
(040) Event #27 4pm $400 + $50 Survivor
(120) Event #28 7pm $200 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Sunday June 12

(164) Event #7 11am Day 1A $350 + $50 Deep Stack Double Play (Re-Entry)
(080) Event #8 12pm $200 + $30 Ladies NL
(073) Event #29 4pm $200 + $30 + $20 Bounty Turbo NL (Re-Entry)
(065) Event #30 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Monday June 13

(345) Event #7 11am Day 1B $350 + $50 Deep Stack Double Play (Re-Entry)
(076) Event #31 4pm $150 + $30 Survovor
(085) Event #32 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Tuesday June 14

(285) Event #9 11am $200 + $30 + $20 Bounty NL (Re-Entry)
(093) Event #10 12pm $350 + $50 Big Stack PLO High Only
(064) Event #33 4pm $200 + $30 Level Increaser NL
(081) Event #34 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Wednesday June 15

(860) Event #11 11am $200 + $30 Big Stack NL (Re-Entry) $75K G
(085) Event #35 4pm $300 + $50 Survivor
(070) Event #36 7pm $110 + $20 WSOP Super Satellite Act 1

Events for Thursday June 16

(142) Event #12 11am $400 + $50 Six-Max NL
(015) Event #13 12pm $500 + $60 Seven Card Stud
(085) Event #37 3pm $200 + $30 + $20 Bounty Semi-Turbo NL
(081) Event #38 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Friday June 17

(102) Event #14 11am $1000 + $90 $10,000 Cash Super Satellite
(086) Event #39 3pm $300 + $40 + $25 Bounty NL
(087) Event #40 7pm $200 + $30 NL Re-Entry

Events for Saturday June 18

(094) Event #15 11am $1000 + $90 Six-Max NL
(091) Event #41 12pm $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier
(057) Event #42 3pm $540 + $60 Championship Qualifier
(???) Event #43 7pm $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier

Events for Sunday June 19

(070) Event #16 11am Day 1A $2500 + $200 NL Championship
(049) Event #44 12pm $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier
(043) Event #45 3pm $540 + $60 Championship Qualifier
(083) Event #46 7pm $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier

Events for Monday June 20

(253) Event #16 11am Day 1B $2500 + $200 NL Championship
(323) total
(066) Event #47 3pm $250 + $30 Survivor NL
(074) Event #48 6pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Tuesday June 21

(260) Event #17 11am $400 + $50 + $100 Bounty NL (Re-Entry)
(169) Event #49 6pm $100 + $20 + $20 Bounty NL

Events for Wednesday June 22

(737) Event #18 11am $170 + $30 Deepstack NL (Re-Entry)
(163) Event #50 6pm $150 + $30 Deepstack Turbo NL

Events for Thursday June 23

(122) Event #19 11am $400 + $50 6-Max NL
(???) Event #51 6pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament


BBJP $163,630

Stan

Stanstrickland@theborgata.com

Reminder: qualification for free-roll begins Friday!

Free-Roll Promotion:

Sunday, July 10 at 12PM: $15,000 Free-Roll

Qualify: Play Friday, June 24 through Thursday, July 7

Live Action: 20+ hours

Tournament Leaderboard: Top 100

Sunday, July 24 at 12PM:

$15,000 Free-RollQualify:

Play Friday, July 8 through Thursday, July 21

Live Action: 20+ hours

Tournament Leaderboard: Top 100

Time for a live game report Thursday 10:15pm


(36) Live games


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


(1) 10-20 Omaha H/L
(1) 20-40 Stud
(1) 50-100 H.O.S.E.


(13) 1-2 NL
(10) 2-5 NL
(2) 5-10 NL
(2) 10-20 NL


Events For Wednesday June 8

(829) Event #1 11am $350 + $50 NL (re-entry)
(078) Event #21 4pm $150 + $30 Survivor
(128) Event #22 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Thursday June 9

(432) Event #2 11am $200 + $30 + $25 Bounty No Limit
(090) Event #23 3pm $150 + $30 Survivor
(121) Event #24 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Friday June 10

(172) Event #3 11am $400 + $50 NL Tournament
(120) Event #4 12pm $350 + $50 Omaha H/L 8B
(082) Event #25 4pm $250 + $30 Survivor
(120) Event #26 7pm $150 + $30 + $20 Bounty No Limit

Events for Saturday June 11

(267) Event #5 11am $500 + $60 NL Tournament
(081) Event #6 12pm $350 + $50 HOSE
(040) Event #27 4pm $400 + $50 Survivor
(120) Event #28 7pm $200 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Sunday June 12

(164) Event #7 11am Day 1A $350 + $50 Deep Stack Double Play (Re-Entry)
(080) Event #8 12pm $200 + $30 Ladies NL
(073) Event #29 4pm $200 + $30 + $20 Bounty Turbo NL (Re-Entry)
(065) Event #30 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Monday June 13

(345) Event #7 11am Day 1B $350 + $50 Deep Stack Double Play (Re-Entry)
(076) Event #31 4pm $150 + $30 Survovor
(085) Event #32 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Tuesday June 14

(285) Event #9 11am $200 + $30 + $20 Bounty NL (Re-Entry)
(093) Event #10 12pm $350 + $50 Big Stack PLO High Only
(064) Event #33 4pm $200 + $30 Level Increaser NL
(081) Event #34 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Wednesday June 15

(860) Event #11 11am $200 + $30 Big Stack NL (Re-Entry) $75K G
(085) Event #35 4pm $300 + $50 Survivor
(070) Event #36 7pm $110 + $20 WSOP Super Satellite Act 1

Events for Thursday June 16

(142) Event #12 11am $400 + $50 Six-Max NL
(015) Event #13 12pm $500 + $60 Seven Card Stud
(085) Event #37 3pm $200 + $30 + $20 Bounty Semi-Turbo NL
(081) Event #38 7pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Friday June 17

(102) Event #14 11am $1000 + $90 $10,000 Cash Super Satellite
(086) Event #39 3pm $300 + $40 + $25 Bounty NL
(087) Event #40 7pm $200 + $30 NL Re-Entry

Events for Saturday June 18

(094) Event #15 11am $1000 + $90 Six-Max NL
(091) Event #41 12pm $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier
(057) Event #42 3pm $540 + $60 Championship Qualifier
(???) Event #43 7pm $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier

Events for Sunday June 19

(070) Event #16 11am Day 1A $2500 + $200 NL Championship
(049) Event #44 12pm $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier
(043) Event #45 3pm $540 + $60 Championship Qualifier
(083) Event #46 7pm $270 + $30 Championship Qualifier

Events for Monday June 20

(253) Event #16 11am Day 1B $2500 + $200 NL Championship
(323) total
(066) Event #47 3pm $250 + $30 Survivor NL
(074) Event #48 6pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament

Events for Tuesday June 21

(260) Event #17 11am $400 + $50 + $100 Bounty NL (Re-Entry)
(169) Event #49 6pm $100 + $20 + $20 Bounty NL

Events for Wednesday June 22

(737) Event #18 11am $170 + $30 Deepstack NL (Re-Entry)
(163) Event #50 6pm $150 + $30 Deepstack Turbo NL

Events for Thursday June 23

(122) Event #19 11am $400 + $50 6-Max NL
(088) Event #51 6pm $150 + $30 NL Tournament


BBJP $163,630

Stan

Stanstrickland@theborgata.com

Hey Stan did you ever have a game with antes? I would play a 2-5 game with antes for sure if it was 1000 max and wild.

5/5 game with $1 ante and buyin 400-1000 would be awesome.

Yes it would. There is a 500 buy in nl, a 2000, a 300, and a 5-1000 or 400 would be cool. And to the poster who compared Bellagio to borgata is wrong. You can't compare 5-10 and 10-20 to 2-5 at borgata. It won't make a difference at all. They have a 3-5 game that rarely runs as someone said a 5-5 game would be awesome with 1 dollar ante. My problem with 2-5 or 3-5 with 1000 buy in is nits but with the ante it would own.

Poker room definitely has Fox Soccer. I asked a few months ago at the Amphora and they looked at me like I had three heads. I wouldn't rule out the possibility they have it there though- it's not impossible to believe they have a soccer channel and don't even know it.