I busted right before dinner. Had a fun table with a lot of competent east coast regs. I do have to say though I think it kind of sucks that Mohegan just isn't drawing like it should. I don't know what else they have to do but if I can ever help them, Rick specifically, to help get people there just say the word. The hotel gets nicer everytime I am there and basically everything to do with this place is top notch from the structure, to the staff, to the tables themselves being rather large. I have a few suggestions for the next one but I'll pm them to Rick and he can do with them as he sees fit. I am really pulling for MS to become a major factor in Northeast poker.

busted KK vs AA for a very big stack booooooooo

sick overlay.

i played the $350 and despite what others have said, I thought it was well run and I didn't have any issues or complaints. I felt like my table was pretty soft, and I'll def be playing the next one.

the room overall is nicer than foxwoods, and i think the staff is better. the only thing i think is better at foxwoods, is the ability to see outside, and to easily step out for a few minutes for fresh air.

and the lack of cocktail waitresses in MS. I think next series we'll see a lower guarantee and lower buyin till they get a bigger base. I just hope its at least a $1500. This place will work out, I'm sure of it, just need to build up the player base through a few of these series and go from there. Ideally, maybe next spring after a fall and winter series, I'd love to see an annual Mohegan Sun Championships that maybe ended in a 3k or something. Either way, they've already help by putting pressure on Foxwoods, resulting in their 750k guarantee this month (which i wonder if it will be lowered now).
~Justin

Busted 2 hands before dinner break. Lost some really, really annoying hands to people not playing well. Played with the legend livb. Tournament room is great. The hotel/casino is really nice, my room for the short time that I had it was very nice. Mohegan >>>>>> Foxwoods.


Edit: The only problem with Mohegan is that the best restaurant is Michael Jordan's Steakhouse. I refuse to eat there, **** Michael Jordan.

I agree with Justin...I think MS has the potential to really be a legitimate stop on the poker tour...there will ALWAYS be growing pains when trying to build some loyalty and notoriety amongst players in New England and in the Northeast in general...a few reasons why I think there was a disappointing turnout in today's 2k 700k guarantee:

1) Proximity to the WSOP...a lot of players go broke during the WSOP and simply don't have the funds yet to play a 2k or tournaments in general
2) Proximity to the Foxwoods Mega Stack and Borgata Deep Stack tournaments--I think this is was just unlucky timing for Mohegan...most recreational players from NY/NJ area were not thrilled about driving 3 hours to CT and THEN potentially drive 6 hours to AC for Borgata's deep stack...so most players decided on playing one OR the other...unfortunately, the Borgata's reputation, HUGE customer base, and lower buyin probably convinced many to pick AC over CT. Obviously, Foxwoods having a well structured 3 day 2k with a larger guarantee later this month couldn't have helped MS' cause today either...
3) The poker rates were simply WAY TOO HIGH...199 for weekends and 149 for weekdays simply doesn't encourage people to come and play tournaments...in fact, I understand that rooms during the summer are much more expensive at MS but I can't tell you how many people called for the poker rate and were quoted rates in the $300-400 range because the poker rate rooms were not available anymore...when you are paying more per night for a room than a tournament buyin, it probably doesn't make much sense to make the trip...
4) MS should have ran single table SNGs for the Main Event in the SAME room as the mega satellites...there should have been someone announcing single table satellites so once people busted the nightly megas or daily event, they could take another shot at getting into the main...running SNGs in the poker room and running the other events in the convention center just doesn't make much sense...

So where does MS go from here? As a circuit regular, I want to see as much competition between the casinos as possible. Its very easy for us players to complain and whine about bad dealers, bad rulings, bad turnouts etc...Bruce/Rick and team have been very accommodating in terms of listening to what we players want...so lets be constructive so that MS can put together another series that can not only be profitable for the casino but provide a great value/playing experience for us players...

have to disagree with you here Todd...I've been here for over a week and I've tried each restaurant and I think the variety of food joints really separates MS from other casinos...Pepe's pizza is phenomenal....and I had a swordfish dish at Todd English's Tuscany Italian joint that was absolutely incredible...in fact, everyone that joined me said it was one of the best meals they'd had in a while...

^^ I agree, I drive to Mohegan to eat when I'm staying at Foxwoods.

I am sure the guys playing were happy with the overlay, but I really hope MS management realizes what Bruce/Rick have done for poker in New England. I agree with alot of the constructive criticism given and think that Rick has been great in responding to the feedback. Overall the experience in the spring and summer tourneys was great for me as a recreational player. I get to play live so few times a year (job, kids, etc), so I like it when there is a large tourney. I think the first $350 was evidence that guarantees work... 741 people on a Wednesday in July. Not sure of the reasons for the low turnout for the $2K, but Vinny had some good ones. I really hope they keep the guarntees in some form and work out the kinks. I don't think the slot or craps managers have this relationship or communication with thier players, so I hope Rick shows the higher ups that the poker community is willing to support MS and make thier tournaments the very best. Gl to any 2+2's still in it.

Just wait till the new Bobby Flay restaurant opens. His restaurants are amazing. If MGM had a poker room and I never had to step foot in Pequot or Cedar. I would be the happiest player in MA. Really looking forward to the next series though. If I could suggest anything to Rick, it would be to have a $1-1.5k with a 300-500k guarantee and start pushing sats early. Maybe surround it with some other $300-$500 prelims with guarantees and just try to start ripping through ACT type sats. I agree with Vinny that the poker rate was high, although thats not your fault Rick, you do what you can with what you are given. I'm going to put my thinking cap and email or PM me in the next week or so any ideas I can think of to help MS.

The Foxwoods $2k is going to be very interesting now. In a weird way I think MS unintentionally might have inflated the turnout there now with the overlay today. People will come overlay hunting later in the month.

def a very sick overlay...the weak performance of poker tourneys around the country continues (of course with the very few exceptions)

who cares. guys......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKHdXameFio&feature=fvw

shoulda went with my gut and just came out and direct bought...i KNEW there was gonna be a fat overlay on this one.

damnit.

gl anyone still in.

What's the deal moneyinbag? didn't release your name?

what's wrong w/ MJ.... u must be a john starks fan

Anyone know how many are left?

Trying to rail a mate from the other side of the Atlantic and it's not easy apart from his twitter updates lol.

Just back from dinner 13 left.

How about an update as to who is left in the event. Your site has no information. Im too tired to give my long winded rant as to how you missing your Guarantee by over 200k , (which I GUARANTEE is the biggest overlay in poker history) Will have a negative impact on the future of guaranteed prize pools not just at your casino but also at all others. 4am is a bit too late to write my thoughts on this clearly and objectively. For the time being can you please post somewhere the palyers that are left in the event. Preferably their last names rather then just writing Joe from ny as you do on the Mohegan site. Im not really sure what that is all about. Are you trying to shield players from tax responsibilities or their wives from finding out they were playing a tournament. Stop trying to re invent the wheel! Follow what works for others and copy it. Im going off my rant and want to save it for tomorrow. Believe me , as poker tournament circuit players we want nothing more then another great stop on our travels. You are fumbling a great opportunity here and it really isnt that tough .

GUARANTEED eh?

There was a 256k overlay in the $300 last FTOPS. That would make the Mohegan tourney not even the biggest overlay this summer.

If you want to count it, last year's UB Aruba tourney would've had a >1 mil overlay if they didn't renege on it last second.

I promise in the history of the world there have been other tournies with bigger overlays.

Coming back today at 11:00a.m. final 9...

Chris B $291,000.00
Richard I $492,000.00
Steve F $1,467,000.00
David Z $1,563,000.00
Shawn M $333,000.00
Allen B $715,000.00
Jamie K $612,000.00
Leonard C $670,000.00
Adam L $1,110,000.00

If you look at the results threads I have started...full names, city, state and prizes are posted for all winners.

GL to Hoboken's 2nd best live pro and Dave Z.

Im talking live overlays. Regardless of whether its the biggest ever or not, that is not the point. The point is that the lack of marketing, preparation and poor decision to make a huge Guarantee will have a negative impact on the Mohegan and other casino guarantees in the future. If you want to go tit for tat as to who has the biggest overlay in poker history, I have no interest. Way to go not getting the point and focusing on some meaningless statistic. Typical poker forum nit!

I didn't expect an overlay for this tournament, let alone one of this magnitude, nor did many of the in-the-know East Coast regs that I spoke to about it. Sure after the fact anyone can point to factors that may have contributed but I think it's fair to say that it came as a pretty big surprise. And LOL at "lack of marketing/preparation", do you really think there was a big group of local players willing to enter a $2K event who didn't play because they were unaware that the event was taking place?

Some great players and good friends included amongst the final tablers:
Adam Lippert
Allen Bari
David Zeitlin

glglgl 3 way chop IMO

I'll be hangin on the rail, perhaps will post an update or 2 if my aircard works in there.

Mike

mkind --

I googled for info about the Aruba overlay/cancellation you mentioned, but couldn't find anything. Can you (or someone else in the thread) explain what happened? UB just canceled the tourney after they realized there would be a big overlay? Or they reneged on a guarantee?