East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8

Went to Chicago with the family for the weekend and made a run to the poker room late Friday night.

We were staying at a Holiday Inn in Buffalo Grove. Google says the resorts was about 60 miles away. I knew traffic was going to be pretty bad and the games would run late into the evening so I chilled out until about 10:30PM and made the trip.

I learned pretty quick that driving almost anywhere in Chicago sucks ass.

So its 11:45 on a Friday night, and traffic is bumper to bumper gridlock?!?!? I manage to get my Pontiac G6 stuck in gridlock between 4 semi trucks, front back left and right. (as I write this I wonder if they were [censored]!ng with me on purpose) Somehow I missed an exit and end up on I94E (crap).

At about 1:45AM I am running out of gas. I manage to exit and find a gas station in what seemed to be an unsavory part of town. Never a good feeling to be out of your element with $1500 in cash in your pocket. I gas up and get back on the road.

I see a sign for I80E and take that because I know at some point I can do a U turn, give up, and head back to the hotel.

I see a sign for the casino and take the exit. (now I don’t really even want to play) it took me 2 ½ hours to get there.

The trip into the casino was very depressing. I am not sure what they make (refine?) in this part of the country, but it smelled like cancer waiting to happen.

I get to the parking garage and make my way into the casino. Basically it’s a riverboat that they try to make look like its not a riverboat. Meh. The casino is narrow and crowded. I have to ask to find my way to the poker room. (no bathroom in or anywhere close to the poker room)

I sit right down on a 10-20 must move game and get the feeling it might be pretty soft. There were many hands that 7 saw the flop and went 4 ways on the turn. A few hands worth mentioning.

I have 8h4h in the small blind, 3 limpers button folds I call. Flop comes 8s 5h 2d I flop top pair8‘s in bad position, I should have the best hand now, but most the card in the deck will screw me, so I bet to see what happens. 2 callers everyone else folds turn Ah. Now I know I am behind but I got a ton of outs. MP bets button calls I call River Qh ! I know MP will bet the river and the button will call. so I CR the [censored] out of him. He call me a Mother F-ing stupid ass poker player and slams his 34 on the table and pays me off. (button calls too?!?!?!)

Flush is good and drag the pot, never saw the buttons cards but would not be surprised if he had a weak
Ace. I thought I played a bad hand ok.(I know I got lucky ) Didn’t feel right to fold preflop for $5

Later on I try to make a play on the blinds and raise with Ac8c after everyone folds to me in the cut-off. Big blind calls. I flop nut clubs, Queen on the board. Big blind bets out, I raise. Turn comes K of clubs. I figure that will kill my action. I bet he calls. River is a brick and he calls me down again with Qx offsuit. (no club?!?)

Racked up my 21 big bet win and called it a night.

There was a solid 20-40 running and what looked Like a 100-200 NL. Lots of action. Lots of big stacks of green.

Left the casino at about 5AM. got back to the hotel (I 90 this time ) it took me about 55 minutes. In light traffic.

Summary: 10-20 is loose. Action good. Chicago Traffic is unbearable unless is Saturday at 5AM.

JDOE

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

Sorry about the traffic here. Glad to hear you made out alright at the tables after the lousy trip. Your route to Indiana was unbearable mostly because of a major major project (lots o' lane closures) on 90/94 south of the city that they started in '06. From Buffalo Grove you might have been better served heading up to Milwaukee.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

I think you forgot something. I didn't think it was possible to have a Resorts trip report without a bad floor ruling.

Big NL is 10-25 and usually plays pretty deep. The bathroom is just a quick sprint down the escalator. Next time don't try and drive from the suburbs Friday night.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

How many $5-10nl games are running usually?

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

[ QUOTE ]


I learned pretty quick that driving almost anywhere in Chicago sucks ass.



[/ QUOTE ]

You tried to express it. But, even that, is an understatement.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

[ QUOTE ]
I learned pretty quick that driving almost anywhere in Chicago sucks ass

[/ QUOTE ]

It wouldn't have been so bad had it not been Bluesfest this past weekend.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

You ran good that night. Especially the part where you got off of what sounded like the Dan Ryan expressway to fill up and made it back on alive.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

the southside is fine. I go to my buddies house n 47th street weekly. Nobody messes with you unitl you hit 95th. Yeah and the traffic blows camel balls. Like another said, you would have been better off going north to milwuakee.

good to hear that you won something though.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

Hmm these games sound good. I'm from Peoria. Is it worth the drive to play 5/10 NL?

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

[ QUOTE ]
Hmm these games sound good. I'm from Peoria. Is it worth the drive to play 5/10 NL?

[/ QUOTE ]
I always thought it was worth the drive from Champaign to play 2-5 NL if you stay overnight. Also, I think on Friday's Resorts gets 10/25 NL uncapped, but do a search for that.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hmm these games sound good. I'm from Peoria. Is it worth the drive to play 5/10 NL?

[/ QUOTE ]
I always thought it was worth the drive from Champaign to play 2-5 NL if you stay overnight. Also, I think on Friday's Resorts gets 10/25 NL uncapped, but do a search for that.

[/ QUOTE ]

yea, trump poker rate was $40/night in 2004 when I played there.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

I figured I would bump this thread instead of starting a new one.

I've just moved to Chicago and from what I've read in posts I found using the search function, Resorts East seems to be the best place to get some good weekend action.

My questions are as follows:

1) What is the best way to get there from downtown (other than cab)? Is there a train that goes down there?

2) Do they spread PL Omaha (please god say yes)?! I found the following paragraph on their website:

"Check out the Bad Beat Progressive Jackpot featuring jackpots for 5-10 limits and under. The current Bad Beat Jackpots as of May 29th, 2007 are as follows:

Omaha: $13,434
Hold Em: $6,424
Stud: $5,284"

That must be limit omaha? What is the requirement for winning that jackpot, freaking straight flush beating quads?

Also, any other tidbits y'all could throw in about the poker scene in Chicago would be great.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

If you don't have a car and live in the city, I would take a bus tour to the casino. They're mostly free and run pretty regularly. See http://www.resortseastchicago.com/transportation.shtml

No Pot Limit Omaha. Just a 5/10 Omaha Hi/lo game. Rake is $5 plus $1 for the bad beat on all 5/10 limit games or below.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

[ QUOTE ]
If you don't have a car and live in the city, I would take a bus tour to the casino. They're mostly free and run pretty regularly. See http://www.resortseastchicago.com/transportation.shtml

No Pot Limit Omaha. Just a 5/10 Omaha Hi/lo game. Rake is $5 plus $1 for the bad beat on all 5/10 limit games or below.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, too bad there's no PLO. I'm assuming they have a 2/5 NL NLHE game?

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

Wait, how are they mostly free? Only one looks like it's free and it's a ways south of the city. Looks like the rest are $12.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

Find out if they have a shuttle service, with pick-ups in Chicago. Use it if they have it. With no car, anything else you do will be a huge hassle.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

When you consider gas, as well as tolls ($6.00 round trip via the Skyway/Indiana Toll Road) it's a steal.

WPT at Resorts
 

I checked with the Card Room Manager and he confirmed that WPT is coming. Here is what I got out of the conversation:

Two Qualifiers. One to Foxwoods in November and one to Bellagio in December. They will have sit and gos and hope to fill all the seats in the qualifiers with the sit and gos ($40). First prize will be a guaranteed seat plus $5K cash with the rest of the table to split the balance (I think about a $45K pot). They've been working closely with WPT so I think this will be a success.

He told me to keep an eye out in the room for information and the sit and gos should start in a month or two.

He also told me they are working on a weekly tournament on Sunday's with a guaranteed payout. $85 + $10. Sounds interesting. Hope they can turn their tournament products around. Tired of going to Majestic.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

Their was somebody last night who asked to start an interest list for half pot limit Omaha, half pot limit hold em was that you? It did not get going before I left. The only Omaha I've seen recently is 5/10 limit on Saturdays.

As others have said, if you don't have a car, taking the bus from the Sheraton is your only option. If you have a car, take LSD, to Stoney Island to the Skyway to Cline Ave. Indiana tollroad now accepts IPASS, so you'll want to pick one up.

Other Resorts tidbits:
-Poker rate is $40 Sun-Thurs night and the rooms are pretty nice.
-If you play 8 hours, they'll give you a $10 food comp if you ask when you checkout.
-Food in general their is pretty bad. Pizza is not bad but gets old quick. Chicken wraps at the table aren't bad. Sports bar is bad, buffett & steakhouse are over priced.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

Figured I'd bump this one too...I'm going on a non-poker trip to chicago to visit my sister. She'll be @ work during the days. I understand that resorts east is the place to go for limit poker. I'd appreciate any answers to the following: 1)Does a 10/20 go mid-week during the day? 2)What about 6/12 or 15/30? 3)I'll be staying near wrigley field w/ no car available. How long of a bus ride am I looking at? 4) Are the games any good during the day? Thanks for any information.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

1: Pretty sure yes, although I only play on the weekends. Show up after noon.

2: No. 5-10, 10-20, 20-40

3: Should probably budged 1.5 hours to get there. Google (Resorts East Chicago Transportation) to get the schedule.

4: Dunno, but probably

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

Thanks for the info Iron.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

They have just started a 1-2 nl game and from what I hear they are starting to have a tough time getting the 10-20 going. I think Empress in Joliet still has a regular 10-20 going, but you have to get there early.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

[ QUOTE ]
They have just started a 1-2 nl game and from what I hear they are starting to have a tough time getting the 10-20 going. I think Empress in Joliet still has a regular 10-20 going, but you have to get there early.

[/ QUOTE ]

When is the 10/20 not going? Are you talking midweek during the day? I've never seen them struggle to get that game going, but I only play weekends and weeknights.

BTW, for some reason, Wednesdays are a huge day at the casino. I don't know how early, but I've often seen 3 20/40 games playing and/or some higer stakes limit.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

About bus rides:

For the free ones, they leave at 2:15 4:15 6:15 and 8:15 from Hilton Towers (S. Michigan and 8th).

They leave the casino one hour after those times. It takes about 40 minutes. The last one to downtown leaves at 9:15. However, there is a bus to China town that leaves at 11:15pm, 1:15am , and 3:15 am. I took the 1:15am bus and got dropped off at 35th (Cellular Park) and took the train up to LaSalle and Division.

I think the transportation was simple and there weren't too many creepy people on the train at 2:00. And once you get a stop of two from 35th (closer to downtown) there are a lot more regular people.

Also, the bus driver I had from downtown to the Casino was the [censored]. He was retired ATF after getting shot twice in the belly. It didn't kill him cause he was/is extremely fat and it may have saved his life. He was a really nice/cool guy.

As for the poker, I only played 1/2NL and it was the funniest game I've ever seen. Very loose-passive at my table with standard raises usually being $15 preflop. At a different 1/2 table there were effective stcks of at least $400 about everywhere (max buy-in is $300) and they were absolutely horrible. I saw one guy raise to $50 cold preflop and got one caller. (The PFRer had A7 and took it down with A7 on a K 2 6 J 7 board after getting called for $100 on the river.

The 10/20 game that was right behind me seemed very live (one loud azn and one loud black guy)

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

Oh and one other thing, I was doing my usual degen roulette thing while waiting for a table and it turns out they don't announce the poker list down in the casino. They opened up a new table while I was down there... bastards.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

try this site for more info on Chicago-area poker

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

How do you get the poker rate?

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

Bump for a question.

I'm thinking about heading out there after work today catching the 4:15 bus from the Hilton Towers (S. Michigan and 8th). Anyone have a feel for how bad traffic is heading south, out of the city a bit before the rush?

Thanks in advance. No work tomorrow, so I want to go get crunk and laugh at the 1-2 NL people.

Re: East Chicago trip report (Resorts) 6/8
 

Resort's is starting a No limit Guaranteed tournament on July 29th (hopefully). If they get between 50 and 100 players they will guarantee the payout based on 100. $85 + $10. I believe I was told 2pm. What do you guys think?