AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

I'm heading to AC for the first time ever (blasphemy, given I live less than 3 hours away) this weekend.

I'd appreciate any thoughts on the differences between the two facilities, less focused on game quality (because I'm on the working assumption all the games will be good) and more on atmosphere, dealer quality, cocktail waitress quality, etc.

If you want to toss some thoughts in about the game structures and/or quality, I'm happy to listen.

TT - I swear I used search and couldn't find a discussion that has surely been had before. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

The Borg is the hands-down winner on all the criteria you cite. It is a beautiful, shiny monument to capitalism, whereas the Taj:

-Has dirty atmosphere
-Has dirty chips
-Has dirty clientele
-Has bad drink service

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

Generally all of your factors favor the Borg. Dealers are generally good at both, however given the huge numbers employed at each, there can be hit/miss. Both have excellent dealers, both have crappy ones.

From a viewer's perspective, waitress quality at Borgata is infinitely better. Service is neutral enough.

I prefer the Borgata atmosphere, other people I know like the old-school feel of the Taj better.

I have absolutely no clue what games you play, and there are some differences in what the two spread.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

In terms of games, I'd be playing some low level NL Holdem most likely (1-2, 2-5), Limit Hold'em or Stud in the 4/8 range. The ole BR isn't exactly properly prepped for the variance of anything higher I'm afraid.

Who has more tables? What kind of wait times on weekends?

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

I don't play much at the Taj anymore, so I'm a bit rusty on their spread.

Borgata will be a ton of 1/2 tables (10-15 easily), anywhere from 4-8 2/5 games depending on the traffic. They are generally pretty good about opening new games.

LHE there's a couple tables of 3/6 usually. That's the closest for you. Nothing in stud that small goes that I have seen in memory (ie Taj is the only place to go).

Regarding more tables, both have an absolute ton of tables, no substantial difference.

Also as a note to make your life easier: when you enter the Borgata poker room, the booth on your immediate right is the signup board; chips are over on the left (you generally buy the first round at the cage, refills at the table). The tables right in front are the small stakes limit games. Just behind them and around the corner to the left are 1/2 NL. 2/5 NL will be in the back left, just before the high limit room (near the ATM/phones).

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

The Taj is definitely a little dirtier.

I like the Taj. I am one who thinks a casino should be a little dirty. There is just something wrong when a casino is as clean as a hospital or church. It doesn't feel right.

Plus AC is a dirty town. It's only befitting that the casinos be a little dirty, too.

I've been to the Borg, it's like a misplaced Vegas casino. It's nice but makes me want to hop on a plane to Vegas and experience the real thing.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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From a viewer's perspective, waitress quality at Borgata is infinitely better. Service is neutral enough.

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Service speed may be neutral, but Borgata serves quality liquors in real glasses and imported beer in bottles. Taj has lower-quality liquor and serves everything in plastic cups.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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2/5 NL will be in the back left, just before the high limit room (near the ATM/phones).

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God bless America

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

Taj: The crappy bar around the corner you keep going to because all your friends/workmates do
Borg: The trendy bar with expensive drinks and attitude

Both have their place.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

BORGATA in a landslide based on your criteria.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

The Borgata is essentially landlocked over in the marina area, the Taj is right on the boardwalk within walking distance of a lot of other things. I like to be able to take a break outside of the casino, walk along the boardwalk and laugh at some of the characters, hit up the Irish pub, etc.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

The borg doesn't have cocktail waitresses. They have "entertainers" who serve drinks. They actually have a weight clause in their contract based on body mass index. But as far as the games go... 1/2 and 2/5 both seemed surprisingly weak tight. The 2/5 especially played very small. Internet sized pfrs, and 1/4 psbs on the turn, and river, etc. As for fixed limit, they spread 2/4, 3/6, and 6/12. If you have a solid limit game, you should be able to run over the 6/12 with relatively lower variance than say, in a california 6/12.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

Serious question. Sometimes at like 6am or whatever, the Borg gets this HORRIBLE sewage smell and I've come pretty close to vomiting more than once.

Does anyone KNOW whether or not the Taj has this?

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

Berge,

The Borgata is what you are looking for. The only point in favor of the Taj is that it is on the Boardwalk. Sorry I won't be able to run over and say hi.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

I can assure everyone he will be writing a trip report.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

Let's hope it isn't me going busto on Friday night and then playing penny slots all day Saturday!

[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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Serious question. Sometimes at like 6am or whatever, the Borg gets this HORRIBLE sewage smell and I've come pretty close to vomiting more than once.

Does anyone KNOW whether or not the Taj has this?

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Depends on the clientel at the particular moment and how close you're sitting to them. This is also not limited to just 6am, as this smell can be observed at just about anytime if you are so inclined to seek it out. And vomiting, along with many other bodily functions, seems to be perfectly acceptable behavior at the Taj.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

The only other slight pro to the Taj (not for this guy) is that I think it's the most likely to have Omaha/8 being played (5/10 with a full kill).

I've seen it go at 3/6 (no kill) at the Trop on occassion, Never sat in a game at the borgata (I think it was always out of my comfort level).

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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Serious question. Sometimes at like 6am or whatever, the Borg gets this HORRIBLE sewage smell and I've come pretty close to vomiting more than once.

Does anyone KNOW whether or not the Taj has this?

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Probably something to do with the Atlantic City Utilities Authority being so close. You know, where the big windmills are?

The stench at the Taj is the clientele.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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The only other slight pro to the Taj (not for this guy) is that I think it's the most likely to have Omaha/8 being played (5/10 with a full kill).

I've seen it go at 3/6 (no kill) at the Trop on occassion, Never sat in a game at the borgata (I think it was always out of my comfort level).

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The Borgata has a regular 10/20 half Omaha hilo half Stud hilo game. I have also seen a 5/10 Omaha hilo only game go on occasion when there is interest.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

the waitresses at borgata have gotten worse over the years. There are a couple of fat and ugly ones now, make me want to barf and tell them to cover up.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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The Borg is the hands-down winner on all the criteria you cite. It is a beautiful, shiny monument to capitalism, whereas the Taj:

-Has dirty atmosphere
-Has dirty chips
-Has dirty clientele
-Has bad drink service

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Cannot comment on any of these as I dont care about them when I play. I only care about the game quality.

I just spent 10 days there after almost two years of being overseas, my observations:

1. To play mid limit stud go to The Taj.
2. To play the mixed game (stud 8/b, omaha 8/b) go to the Borg for 10/20 it goes everyday. Play in the evenings when there are plenty of multiway pots, during the day the rake gets annoying as you chop a lot of pots heads up. Perhaps one person knows how to the play the game properly (hand selection, raising at the right time, chasing one way draws etc). The taj also has this game but it is 15/30/45 and I have not figured out the adjustments for this structure so I stayed away.
3. Mid limit hold em is infintely better at the taj, if you like volume games where you repeatedly get cracked and then drag monster pots -- where made flushes are jamming the river and you hold a full house [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]. If you want weak tight games go to the Borg on weekday afternoons when the rich old types come and play weak tight. The Borg at night on weekends has line ups that have some very tough spots mixed in with weak spots (good seat selection is a must).

The coffee tastes the same. Girls, ambience, etc I dont care. I dont drink when I play so beer bootles or glasses or cups is all the same.

I played 4 sessions of mixed games at 10/20 and ended up 1500 (two 900 dollar wins!) including one bad losing day.

I played 5 sessions of hold em ending up 1200, no spectacular wins or losses.

I played 2 sessions of stud and ended down 200.

Not a bad week. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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The Borgata is essentially landlocked over in the marina area

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Thats a funny statement.

I have nothing useful to add (aside from +1 for Borg), I just got a laugh from this.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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2. To play the mixed game (stud 8/b, omaha 8/b) go to the Borg for 10/20 it goes everyday. Play in the evenings when there are plenty of multiway pots, during the day the rake gets annoying as you chop a lot of pots heads up.


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Doesn't this game have a time charge and not a rake? I know 10/20 HE is $5/down.

BTW, I've found Borgata's 10/20 game to be generally a little looser than the 6/12 game, but my sample size is not all that big.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

5 percent rake to a max of 4 dollars on the mixed game.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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5 percent rake to a max of 4 dollars on the mixed game.

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That's really strange considering that once you factor in the kill, it is a higher stakes game than 10/20 HE. Of course, 5% rake is also pretty unusual in AC. Is it comped at $1/hour or $2 (I think 10-20 HE is the lowest game at Borgata that gets comped $2/hour.)

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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5 percent rake to a max of 4 dollars on the mixed game.

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That's really strange considering that once you factor in the kill, it is a higher stakes game than 10/20 HE. Of course, 5% rake is also pretty unusual in AC. Is it comped at $1/hour or $2 (I think 10-20 HE is the lowest game at Borgata that gets comped $2/hour.)

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Comp is 2 dollars.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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5 percent rake to a max of 4 dollars on the mixed game.

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That's really strange considering that once you factor in the kill, it is a higher stakes game than 10/20 HE. Of course, 5% rake is also pretty unusual in AC. Is it comped at $1/hour or $2 (I think 10-20 HE is the lowest game at Borgata that gets comped $2/hour.)

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Comp is 2 dollars.

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I could be wrong but i think its 10% up to $4, i'll be there, probably palying in this game saturday so i will double check

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

I'm fairly certain you're correct - 10% to $4.

Jeff

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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5 percent rake to a max of 4 dollars on the mixed game.

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That's really strange considering that once you factor in the kill, it is a higher stakes game than 10/20 HE. Of course, 5% rake is also pretty unusual in AC. Is it comped at $1/hour or $2 (I think 10-20 HE is the lowest game at Borgata that gets comped $2/hour.)

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Comp is 2 dollars.

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I could be wrong but i think its 10% up to $4, i'll be there, probably palying in this game saturday so i will double check

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I am usually not wrong about rake but of course I could be. Please confirm and let all know for sure.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

Gonna beat Borg on Sunday wooo

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

Borgata meets all of your non-game criteria, hands-down.
Lots of eye candy (especially on weekends/at night), bottled beer, top shelf drinks, etc..
I think they both have around 85 tables or so.
As far as wait times go, I would think Borgata 3/6, 1/2 NL, & 2/5 NL games would have a pretty long wait list on weekends. Taj wait times are usually OK, depending on the game that you want to play.

Both places have 1/2, 2/5 NL. Borgata has 2/4, 3/6 & 6/12 HE. Taj has 2/4, 3/6, & 5/10 HE. Trop is the only place in AC that regularly spreads 4/8. Borgata doesn't spread low limit stud anymore (a damn shame, IMHO). Taj has lots stud games - 1/5 (no ante), & 5/10 (.50 cent ante).

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

stay at Borgata, play at Tropicana....

Taj - chips spread STD's

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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Taj - chips spread STD's

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please, don't comment on Taj if you haven't been there in the last year.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

was there during Borgata Winter Poker open (3 wks ago)...

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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stay at Borgata, play at Tropicana....

Taj - chips spread STD's

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Sorry to hear you got STD's on your trip. Could have been the skank from Pacific Avenue you know. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Seriously, the chip situation is a lot better than it was 2 years ago.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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Seriously, the chip situation is a lot better than it was 2 years ago.

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agreed...Atl City as a whole are trying to "clean up" the city and make it appeal more to families, not centered around gambling

no real STD's, hookers scare me

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

I agree with eastcoaster assesment , just got back fro Ac played the Borgata 1/2 and 2/5nl about 3 or 4 players per table the rest are just making donations.In my opinion very soft compared to internet play just make sure you pay attention to the players.

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

I would rather play at the TAJ. It is clearly not the nicest room in town but it has a good atmosphere. There are some sick gamblers that I run into everytime I'm there,plus it was the home of rounders [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: AC: Borg vs. Taj
 

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was there during Borgata Summer Poker open (3 wks ago)...

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FYP