Re: I personally would prefer to see a rule that keeps the Sunday game from becoming a disdainful, nasty, bitchfest.

***

Almost as quotable as William O. Douglas. If I get there by 10am will I make it into the game? Does the game become more profitable the nastier it gets? Is the must-move game as much fun?

I need someone to come to my office and give me names. I need to know who to talk to.

Stan

Time for a live game report Thursday 5:15pm


(38) Live games


(3) 2-4 LHE
(2) 3-6 LHE
(3) 10-20 LHE
(1) 20-40 LHE
(1) 40-80 LHE


(1) 10-20 Omaha H/L
(2) 40-80 HORSE
(1) 300-600 HORSE


(12) 1-2 NL
(8) 2-5 NL
(4) 5-10 NL


BBJP $360,412


Stan


stanstrickland@theborgata.com

It seems to me like the obvious solution would be to clock a player out when they are given an absent button. That way, the dealer has no discretion and only needs to check thus at the beginning of their down.

If the floor people do what they are supposed to, there wouldn't be any problems with people walking. If there is a 3rd man walking rule, where the 3rd player away from the table gets 10 minutes (or whatever), player should be picked up immediately by the floor person as soon as 10 minutes elapse. If the rule is 2 absent buttons +x minutes, that should be followed diligently as well. It seems the problem lies almost entirely with the lazy and/or incompetent staff members.

Reprimanding, threatening or otherwise intimidating people to stay at the table will never work. Whatever is done, it must be within the rules. And if the rules are followed properly, these problems wouldn't arise.

Stan:

What do you intend to do if you find out who the offenders are? A better strategy would seem to be collecting the names of the floor people who don't pick people up when they are supposed to, and otherwise don't perform efficiently.

And while you're taking names, can we also report to you names of imbeciles who constantly smoke in the bathroom?

PS
I hope that this and some of my previous posts don't appear to be disrespectful to anyone, Stan in particular. Sometimes the only way to rid ourselves of grave evils is to be brutally honest and explicit.

But the 3rd man walking rule doesnt punish the players who walk away for a long time....it punishes players who walk away for a short time. Why should a player be prevented from taking a 10 minute break because two other players have decided to take 90 minute breaks? I would much rather the Borgata pick up any player as soon as they would have received a 2nd absent button, perhaps putting them on the dinner list instead of removing them completely.

I was under the impression that max 2 absent buttons (60 min) would be distributed before being picked up.

The rules themselves may be debatable, but they should be enforced whatever they may be. So until a rule is changed, the old precedent should be strictly followed.

Stan,

Could you please post what the rule is as far as how long a player can be away before being picked up? It's been a while since I've been there but will be up there next month (playing 10/20 O8 as it happens) so I would like to know so if people are away too much, I know what to expect to be done about it.

I'm sorry if you have posted this info before, but I didn't remember seeing it and since this discussion has popped up, I thought it would be a good time/place to ask.

Thanks

Yes, this. This rule never made sense, the wrong person is generally being penalized. Very good suggestion on the pick up + add to the dinner list.

Interesting questions. Not sure how serious you are tho. But...

10AM on Sunday is plenty early to get into the main game.

I don't think the game gets more profitable compared to Saturday. But perhaps it isn't less profitable either. But it seems that more hands turn into a personal grudge match with more pots being 2 or 3-way confrontations.

For me personally, the main game is more fun until the "unfun" people come over from the must-move. So therefore, I assume the must-move is not so fun.

I am usually the most affable guy at any any poker table, but Sunday's game is turning me into someone who is willing to turn any rule interpretation into courses of action that will just piss off certain people. For example, checked to me on 3 streets and last to act, I would wait until specific others show all their hands before flipping over a Q-high flush. Because that's what some other people would do.

Your solutions might seem like they would work, but they would not. The biggest problem are those folks who are somehow able to time it so they come back in between the time they get the buttons and before chips are picked up. It rarely (tho it is occasionally exacerbated) has anything meaningful to do with laziness or incompetence. (i.e. sometime staff are slow to pick up, but it usually wouldn't have made a difference anyway)

In other non-10/20 Omaha news, it looks like the Borgata is adding another tournament series this Fall, the "Fall Open". As the room seems to fill up when they run these tournament series (and mini-series), it should end up being good for some extra traffic this November (?).

beyond me why anyone is allowed more than 30 minutes away from the table. That is enough time to take a break, get a quick bite or whatever. If you need more than that go on a dinner list

Re: I am usually the most affable guy at any any poker table, but Sunday's game is turning me into someone who is willing to turn any rule interpretation into courses of action that will just piss off certain people. For example, checked to me on 3 streets and last to act, I would wait until specific others show all their hands before flipping over a Q-high flush. Because that's what some other people would do.

***

Same thing happened to me in the last omaha game I played in. Lady bets on the end, I call. She refuses to show her hand down. I show a queen high flush and after studying my hand for twenty minutes, she turns over a king high flush. I'm not going to let it turn me into a different person. The nice thing about the Borgata is the great diversity of games offered and even a table transfer is very easy! I can always find a table with amiable and sociable folks at the Borgata, less stressful and more fun. Thanks for the Sunday omaha update!

Is there something special about the Sunday game? I play 10-20 O8 with some regularity (maybe twice a month?), but never on Sunday.

I have taken to always immediately showing down my hand in O8 regardless of turn order or my holdings. Everyone slowrolls, but I figure no one is paying enough attention for me to make an effort to disguise my hand, and I mistakenly mucked a chop a couple times when I started playing.

I'm in the same boat here. I just turn my cards over. I get a bit frustrated by people that insist on staring at their cards, then the board, then their cards for what seems like minutes. Why can't they just turn their hand over and let the dealer/other players read your cards for them (assuming the are spending that time staring at their cards and the board because they can't figure out if they have a winning hand or not)? And if they are wasting everyone's time for some other reason, then I wish they would just please leave. O8 can be a slow enough game as it is (not as many hands dealt as hold'em) without people wasting time at showdown. And the benefit of turning your hand over and letting everyone read it is that they may catch something you missed. I've had this happen a few times (caught a flush or straight or better two pair without realizing it).

Was there Tues and Wed nights. Stayed at the Taj Monday night.

While I always thought the Borg was #1 and Taj #2, I now know the gap is much much bigger. And the Taj has to be #3 or lower now. That room is just depressing.

Played 10/20 LHE Wednesday between playing in both tourneys. 3 tables of 10/20 for about an hour. It is BBJ eligible, and most of the regulars there (which seems to be everyone) were happy that it was BBJ eligible.

I never knew that the 10/20 LHE was such a regular's table. Felt so out of place as everyone was calling each other, the dealers, the waitresses, the floor, etc. by name. But everyone was generally very nice.

Wanted to play 10/20 O8, but the list was long and no one was getting up (except you know, to walk).

I always love visiting the Borg. Had a massage treatment, which even though a 50 min massage is the same cost as an 80 min Taj massage, the spa at the Borg is by far much better. Ate mostly at NOW, which has a new item on the menu (Oxtail soup) that I tried. Was ok, and for $18, not worth it. Beef/tendon soup is still the nuts. Buffet is damn expensive when you don't have a black card - even though the food is awesome.

15% discount at some restaurants with a tourney ticket was a surprise I didn't know existed. Even though it was good for only a couple bucks for me, if you are planning on eating at these places (I forget the places, but most restaurants), then 15% off couple be a nice cashback rebate.

Ok, too long now. Summary: trip to Borg 2 nights, had awesome time as planned.

Thanks for reminding me. I had forgotten. There are so many freebies, it is hard to keep track. Apparently, over one thousand folks qualified for the last Freeroll (now I know why some freebies are more competitive,) almost 230 showed up and received a 15% voucher good at Roma, Met, B&B, WPAG, SB, & Forn. (Su-thu) exclusions apply, read the fine print. Thanks for the food and bev. Voucher for registering for the freeroll, Too many freebies to even keep track of...the one I miss, is 50 hours gets you 50 extra comps...hope it comes back in September!

+ one on all the 0/8 complains EVERY ONE IS VALID AND TRUE

I miss playing Omaha but because of all these vaild points I too must stay away from the game

Despite all the nonsense, the 10-20 omaha is one of the best games in the house, with a growing player pool. It is one of the few games where several players will lock up a seat an hour before showtime and others will wait all weekend to get into the main game if necessary. The players always put on a crowd pleasing show. It is amazing to watch players limp in in early position with Q972 off-suit and win a $500 pot when the board is 84tenJK when none of the lows or flush draws come in. There are good reasons more players are playing in the omaha game and the player pool is getting larger!

Wow - I didn't realize there were so many others that felt the same way.
I'm glad to see my post started a very really discussion about the problem with people walking away from the game. The person I was talking was a woman (I saw he listed in some responses) However, I have seen many other people do this as well - both men and women.

My previous trip a few months ago I was there when the O/8 table opened. Two women played 2 hands and then left to get breakfast for over an hour! This is while the list started to grow to 3-5 people. It also meant no one else could leave the table for more then 10 minutes.

It was bad enough when it was a two way game and people started to leave during stud 8. I assume that is why it is now just O/8.

I can sort of understand not wanting to play the stud part. I can't understand not playing O/8 if you have locked up a seat at the O/8 only table and keeping others from playing. As mentioned, seats at this game are usually very slow to turn over.

The real point is that these people have figure out the system. If they stay for 1-2 hands with a new dealer and then leave, the get almost 3 full shift changes. That is the problem.

How can it be best addressed? The biggest problem with the third man walking rule is when two people are the first to leave together for a prolonged period of time.

Can't wait for my next trip down

Time for a live game report Friday 2:30pm


(42) Live games


(3) 2-4 LHE
(2) 3-6 LHE
(3) 10-20 LHE
(1) 20-40 LHE
(1) 40-80 LHE


(2) 10-20 Omaha H/L
(1) 20-40 Stud
(1) 40-80 HORSE
(1) 75-150 HORE
(1) 75-150 Stud
(1) 300-600 HORSE


(13) 1-2 NL
(8) 2-5 NL
(3) 5-10 NL
(1) 10-25 NL


(158) 12pm $270 + $30 NL Big Stack Re-Entry Tournament


BBJP $366,022


Stan


stanstrickland@theborgata.com

I was playing in a room (can't remember exactly where it was), but when a player that had been away came back, they couldn't give back both absent buttons at one. I think they could give back the missed blind and one absent button when they played their first hand, but couldn't give back the other absent button until the next dealer sat down. This was prevent them from coming back and playing a couple hands then leaving again. Now I'm sure somebody could work out the timing so they got back just before the dealer change, gave back one of the absent buttons, played a hand or two before the new dealer sits down, then give the new dealer the other absent button, play a hand or two, then leave again. But I think that would take a lot more thought and effort than the current system (play one hand of new dealer then leave for 90 minutes or so).

Just a suggestion on the way this could be handled. Also, I know this probably doesn't apply to the regulars who probably account for the majority of the nomads, but the fact that somebody can go on the dinner list isn't necessarily a well known fact. It was quite a few trips to the casino before I heard of the dinner list, then had to ask what it was and what it was for. Maybe if when players get a player's card for the first time, they can be told about the dinner list so they know they have that option? Maybe there is a better way to educate people about it, but right now, it's really a word of mouth kind of thing and requires people to hear about it, then find out what it is and how it's applied.

I go to Borgata a few times a month and the only HORSE/HOSE games I've ever seen are the occasional 4/8 and then 40/80+. Is there ever HORSE/HOSE games at like 10/20-20/40? I've seen interest lists, but I've never seen any of them run.

Pink chip horse has gotten off a few times...

Re: 10-20 omaha complaints (dogs bark, but the caravan moves on)

***

People know about the dinner list. Thing is you could be waiting all day on the dinner list to get into the game, and that's not the reason you woke up early in the morning to lock up a seat an hour before the game started and missed breakfast. You are barking up the wrong tree complaining about the women in the game who go have a bite to eat. They are the action players in the game. The honey that the bees (in this case the boys) drop all other pursuits to play with. I have seen them play 36 hours non-stop and I would never deny them a break to eat. If you want to get into the game wake up earlier in the morning. Complaining about the action players who make the game worthwhile isn't going to get you anywhere!