Borgata Open Weekend #1 trip report

VinnyTheFish · #1 01-24-2006, 12:59 AM

Maybe easier to read at www.vinnythefihs.blogspot.com

 BORGATA WINTER POKER OPEN Trip report
(* Note: If you ever get bored, so straight to Saturday. It is the most eventful day *)

Monday, January 16
The plan was to hit the Borgata on Monday, play in the $1,000 Warm-up and buy the entries into Friday’s and Saturday’s events. The flu has put me on my back since Thursday and there was no way that my body was ready to handle the 2 hours drive and (hopefully) many hours of poker. So I stayed home, on my couch and played the 9 am $11 Rebuy at Stars. A few hours later, a couple amazing river donks and ‘ most importantly ‘ doubling up to 400K with 11 left when my QQ rivers a third Q to bust AA. Needless to say, 2nd place was exactly how I wanted to start the week.

Wednesday, January 18
The flu has hurt me all week. All week. Yesterday was the worst. I get home from work after 8 straight hours of (what felt like) Hulk Hogan punching me in the back of the head every 6 seconds. I do everything possible (except go to the doctors). I load up on Dayquil, Tylenol, Advil, drink gallons of water. I got to bed at 11 pm with the same head ache I woke up with.

Thursday, January 19
Holy cow! I wake up and no pain! None ‘ wtf’ It’s a miracle. Now I am raring to go. I have to work until 2 pm. Then it’s the parkway south. I am all packed and ready to about 6:20 am .. cars packed, house is checked and locked up. I have 3 dogs.1 inside dog and two outside dogs. The weather has been horrible the past few days, so I let the dogs sleep in the garage. They love it. They get blankets and pillows, and refuse to go back outside when it is cold or rainy. They’re awesome. I let them out for the third time last night before I go to bed. I open the garage and they are ready to go out. They’re all excited. I bring them out, and make sure they are all secure and they have food for the next two days until my niece comes over to feed them. I go back to secure the garage and I see the dogs left me two huge lumps of presents in the middle of the garage. <censored!> I clean it up and realize I have no more ammonia, but I do have bleach ‘ job done, off to work. I get to Dunkin Donuts about 15 minutes later only to realize, my pants are splattered with bleach. Brand freekin new! Worn twice. So is this my lucky day that I wake up with no flu symptoms or um unlucky day that I have to wear bleached stained pants until I check into the Borgata! LOL!

The drive down was not bad and I made it in under 2 hours. Check in was great, 5 minutes only, when the line look huge. The room is perfect, I love the Borgata rooms!

Now, finding the tournament cashier’ I go to the poker room, ask there. It's about 5:00 pm and the line for 1-2 NL is over 50. LOL come on now! He gives me directions to the wrong place. He actually sends me upstairs to the tournament room. Ok ...

I walk around and ask a worker who directs me to the main cashier. Geez! Up to the room for a quick nap. A room service steak sandwich and quick shower. 5-10 by 7:00 pm!

-- Now before I go any further, I was little harsh on the Borgata staff. They really did awesome job. They seriously ran a great tournament. Only glitch was Event 2 started 20 minutes cause someone jacked their (or misplaced) their tourn. The $25 and $100 Tournament chips.

Thursday night – I cannot take a nap, I just want to play. The lists are huge and I am not happy. I get on 3-6 while waiting for 10-20 or 6-12. That’s 7 pm. They do not call my name for 6-12 or 10-20 till almost 4 hours later. I end up down about 15BB in an uneventful & tight table. It started out great. Unbelievable weak, clueless players … example. Seat 7 – Muck a king high (nut) straight when he does not see a re-raise, loses a 100+ pot. – Same guy – checks the Aces full of Jack Full house (nuts) to be nice to guy who has been check raising him all night.

Friday, January 20
I am up about 7 am, when the banging outside makes me jump up! Am I hung over? Wait … I did not even drink. I turn the TV up and back to bed.

I get up about 10. Flu symptoms gone, ready to take the WPT by storm (LOL). The tourn. starts at 11 am, on the button. I am so impressed. I see no notable players. They have the entire room downstairs, the main tourn. Room and a ball room up stirs full, plus a waiting list out the wazzoo. Ends up over 1400 entries.

Day 1 starts with T3000, 1 hour Blinds (25/50) I am seat 3. FIRST HAND - Seat 4 wins with Ace High. But this is important. He calls down 3 raises, the river leaving him with 1000 chips if he loses. The better was bluffing with J-high and Seat 4 will not flip over his cards. The dealer finally says “muck or show” – a few people have to explain to him why he has to show. He says, “I have nothing,” but flips over A4 for Ace-high and the winner.

About 5 hands later, I limp in MP, 3 callers in before me and 2 after. Six people in for T50 and I have Q6 off-black. (Why I played? Everyone was folding.) Flop comes Q36 (two diamonds) I bet 500, I want the 300 right now, no slow playing, a set (3’s or 6’s) will re-raise so the plan is fold. Everyone folds, but Mr. “Never played before.” Turn is a black 7, I bet out 1000. He calls in about 30 seconds. I put him on two diamonds, or QJ maybe KQ. (I am thinking no way he has a str8 already, we would have re-raised.) The river is the 3 of diamonds. Now, I just panic, I want to check fold, but I only have about 1300 left. The pot is over 3000, so I just push. He thinks for about 2 minutes. Ok, what does someone have that has never played before, but is afraid to call?? KJ diamonds. – have a nice day.

My WPT event lasted 15 minutes.

Luckily, my buddy Bert almost tackles as I am laughing and talking to myself while strolling through the Borgata. We laugh about the beat and I am now down about 700 for the trip. We play about 4 hours of $50 BJ and I win $200 and get some nice comp dollars. I head the Poker room, which was closed till 4. However, they opened at 3. While waiting, I start chatting with a nice Canadian guy; ask him if he has even read the Zoo and he has no clue, so my read on him is wrong. However, he is experienced, he just came in from Tunica and it was a conversation worth blogging.

I play 20/40. New table and I love it. 2 LAG’s - 2 AC Grandpa Rocks and a table of pretend tight-aggressive players and ME! I really just play tight to see the deal. I catch both LAG’s with a Set or a Straight a few times, but each time the river a Higher straight or a flush, despite my raises. Ok, down 30 BB’s in 2 hours. By Mid night, I am down 2 BB’s and in comes 2 regulars. They bring up a Time-Pot, fine. However, decide to run the table for the dealer. Table change!

I get into 20/40 in the High room and it’s a exact replica of the first table. 5 callers, blah blah blah. BrettBrettR sits down in seat 2 and recognizes my Granny Mae Card holder. We were both beat, so it was uneventful and I enjoyed his company. I get to eat at the Black Card Buffet, my last meal until 1 pm Sunday, when I on the parkway north. I did not eat anything at all, nothing!

Oh, the Granny Mae card holder, yeah, when I had it on the table, I may have won 1 or 2 pots outs of 20, but when it was in my back pocket, I was winning like the card player I want to be! I kept it hidden from the light for the rest of the trip.

I go to bed about 3 down 1800 including my two tournament Entries.

Saturday, January 21 – It’s a QQ day!

No construction. I sleep till 10:20. AWESOME! I walk down to the room with no expectations. No goals, I just want to play poker. My girlfriend is showing up at 6:30. We have dinner reservations at 8:30. I want to play Black Jack all night!! I have spoken with CCx and hopefully we’ll meet up and take the Borgata for a few Dimes!

I sit down in seat 7, table 34 or something. Everyone keeps coming up to the this guy on my left (seat 8) saying, “Hi” … and he proceeds to tell how has gotten 4 bubble beats since his WSOP second place to TJ. I never once try to talk now. I have no desire to make an ass out myself or to let everyone know how much of a n00b I am. This guy, who I actually start talking to and really like, is Steve Zoine (www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player_steve-zoine).

You can see his photo at Pauly’s blog (Tao of Poker - http://taopoker.blogspot.com) That is my middle finger and elbow to his right LOL!!

This is definitely the highlight of my trip so far. Some how, he seems to like me. At one point pulls me away from the table, compliments my game and tells me I am basically the only player at the table he has respect for. Make my weekend <brag><brag>!! Him and I have a nice chip lead on the table. We started with 4K today, same 1 hour rounds.

The table – Seat 1 is a nice guy, played the night before in a satellite with Zoine. This is the guy that informs who Zoine is. Definitely, the life of the table. Seat 2 and 5 are LAG’s, raising 3 of every 5 pots. Seat 3 is your internet/college pro. Glasses, hat, I-pod, card hold (which is all norm) and then the “How many chips” … “I need to calculate odds .. hold on” … <stare down> … “fold” player that just wasted 7 minutes of everyone’s time. The rest of the table is tight. No idiots, except seat 3.

A few hands in, I get Q9s in the BB, Seat 1 raised to 100, everyone folds to me, I call the extra 50. Flop comes K9x-rainbow. He bets the pot, I call. Turn is a nice 9. He bets 1200, I call. River is an 8 – as he is just about to check, he bets 1200 again. I have him Ax, but definitely not a 9, I re-raise to 3000 and he folds. I tell Zoine and him later that I had 98 just to see what they say.

A few later, I re-raise with A8 to defend my blind and scoop that 1 to two folders. I have 7K at the end of round one and I am happy. I am not trying to triple up out of the gate, just play my game. A few hands into round and I am sure my day is done. I’m the BB with QQ. Folds around to Seat 5 who raises to 400. This is his normal steal I have been folding my blinds. I bump it to 1200, Zoine calls, Seat 5 calls. Now, I am sure I am in trouble, hoping they both have AK, but I doubt it. I just cannot get a read. Seat 5, just took a bad beat from the new guy in seat 1. Seat 1 had every out on the river for a double belly buster straight and a flush. Hits an 8 on the river to survive. I am hoping he is on tilt and I think that Zoine may have JJ or TT – he was UTG and he must have a monster. I am quite sure he would re-raise with AA or KK. I push. Zoine is not happy and folds. (he tells me he has KK and I have no reason not to believe him) Seat 5 insta-calls with AA. I have by about 3K, so this hurts. The turn is a sweat QUEEN! Even better – KING on the river. Steve is a bit upset and I do not blame him. He had me on AA and I appreciated it! I am now over 11K and the chip leader at the table.

Until our little internet pro wanna-be in seat 3 pushes a re-raise with AQo. Seat 4 calls and Zoine folds 99. A 9 hits on the flop and I feel really bad for Steve.

I throw Steve about 2400 trying to steal his blind with AT hearts. He gets aggressive and I run like the wind.

I then make my first mistake against seat 1 – the guy who rivered seat 5 before. I lead out with J8 clubs in hopes to steal a blind. I now have a straight-flush draw a (baby) flush draw and straight draw (obviously). I hit nothing with a 2 on the river and I take him for a pair and a no folder. This is a guy who went all in with 77, so I check after him. MY first real mistake of the tourn as he turns over Q high to win the pot. I just lost my table image. But hopefully this will help me when I have a very strong hand.

And here it comes. I get seat 1 again with a small raise on when I am BB. I have 74 spades. So I call the 2 times the BB bet. The flop is A25 (two spades) and I am hoping he has an ace. I hit a flush on the turn and put him all in. He calls and has a set of 2’s and I am dreading the river. It’s a blank and I am again back to table leader.

I knock out a fish and Arnold Spee. http://www.worldpokertour.com/player...le&id=5345
Takes the seat. I seal a few blinds and end up near 13K as they break our table.I move from chip leader to a table where I am 3rd in chips. I get the 8 seat and Steve Zoine gets the 3 seat. The guy is awesome. I forget my glasses and Zoine starts looking for me. Luckily, he ends up at my table, so I still have my dark blue, lost golf ball finder glasses – LOL. (I did not wear them once)

I sit right down and raise with QT suited from the Button. BB re-raises, I see I have him covered and take a risk putting him all in. He folds. This is another key hand that sets up me getting into the money. Seat one is a young, Work-out dude, just real cocky, with a cry baby attitude. Seat 9 ends up winning the tournament, although I was seriously shocked when saw him alive at about midnight. What do I know? I tried to knock him out a few times and he always folded, stating that he was folding A-something or Blah Blah Blah.

I get into a pot with A2 suited and 4 callers. I just call down – thinking I have the best hand, but having a bad feeling that I am walking into a set. Luckily I isolate a smaller stack and get him all-in. Two pair wins, I am near the 20K mark and either 1 or 2 in chips at the table.

I try to steal blinds with 68 clubs, but of course it is Zoine’s blinds and he reads me like a book. He makes it 10K to go and I have no choice but to fold.

HUGE mistake #1. Seat 6 pushes in front of me. I am the button and BB is absent. I look down and I have AK hearts. I have him covered but only by 2000. The blinds are 400-800 now, and I lose to QQ. My mistake is that I thought the Looser player in Seat 4 went all , but it was Seat 5 who did not play a hand since I sat down. I get two hearts on the flop, but runner black jacks make me ship it away. It’s now 6 pm. My girlfriend is almost at the Borgata, so I decide – MANIAC time! Any Ace, KT+ or suited connectors. Hell, I have 2K the next stack is over 10K and the dinner break is 42 minutes away. No way do I want to wait out the break and come back with less than 10K.

A8-off, all fold. JT-suited, all fold. Seat one is not happy, cause It’s his BB, and button I go on. I have about 7K now and I still wanna play $11 Rebuy Stars Maniac. I wait a few hands and Seat 1 is Now UTG+1. He bets the BB x 2. (I have no idea why people raise this, but everyone has their reasons) Right away I have him KQ, KJ – he is very tight weak and fold to every reraise. All fold to me, so I just call with 78-spades. Funniest part is that SB and BB both fold. Ok, heads up, but I really wanted 4 players. Flop comes 2 spades. K96. I push my remaining 6K or so. He thinks for a few minutes. Then starts asking me questions. The first is .. did you seriously flop 2 pair. I smile BIG. No I smile cause I think I walked into Aces, not because I have 2 pair, which I do not. He starts banging out questions, and I just get frustrated and start rattling off lie after lie about how strong my hand. He picks up his cards to fold and I smile again, 1 second too soon. He puts them back down and insta calls with KJ. Top Pair with my draw. He immediately start berating me about how bad of a play this is for me. The turn is the jack of spades. I hit my flush and he needs any of two Kings or two Jacks to send me packing. Blank on the river and he is not happy. Berating me (and I do not blame him) but its like a roid rage. I actually find it funny. I cannot look or I will burst out in laughter and I want to be a gentleman. We go on break and I have 16K. Not great, but I am ok.

I really only get involved in two hands at that table for the next 4 hours. First hand after the break, I am BB and I have AJo. The same tight player who got me with QQ, pushes. I am the only one left, so I flip over my AJ after saying FOLD. Seat 1 flips! Auto-tilt! And I love every seconds.

To the tables pleasure – he busts out a few hands later, on a 3-outer on the river. I just sit there. The one guys asks me – “Aren’t you happy he’s gone?” – Nope! I did not knock him out. But it was still fun to watch.

I get in a hand with A9 suited some how. I spike a 9 on the turn for TPTK and I call a smaller stack’s all in. His AK never pairs and I get up to 30K.

They break our table an we are now 9 people from the money, yet. I am dropping from 30K (average stack) down to 20K quickly.

New table and the dude on my left has a Borgata Open Bracelet. This table is very uneventful. I call one all with AK and the guy looks very weak. He also has AK and we split.

Now in the money.I am still at the 20K mark and I cannot break 30K. I am trying not to get desperate, but I only have one move.

The SB cannot cover his SB, and guess who gets AA in CO? YEPPERS! ME! I push cause the has a huge stack and I never, every just call with Aces. Not even here. The funny part is that the SB has 27 and spikes a 7 on the flop, so I have to sweat it out.

New Table and I have George Carlin (look & sound alike) in Seat 3. I am in Seat 2 and the chip leader is in seat 10. I still have about 25K and we’re up to 2000-1000 +ante.

I love this Carlin guy. He is cracking me up. He is winning with Quality cards and doubles up 3 times in a row. Seat one is not only just bullying with his chips, but he is being very rude about it. Carling raises and Seat 10 wants him all in. He stars asking Carlin all the blah blah questions and finally says, “Count your chips.” Carlins laughs and says, “The dealer can.” I do not like the disrespect to this guy. There is no need for it. He’s been not only a gentleman, but also the table “nice guy.” Seat Ten calls and is way behind when they both flop an Ace. Carlin AK, Ten has AQ. The river Queen sends the table in an uproar and the chip leader just got way bigger!

Round 11 done. I am at about 20K and I have to move. 70 left. I push with AJo and steal antes plus blinds. Next hand I have AK-spades and call an all-in. QQ vs AKs. Nada! Down to 3 500 chips, 1500. I ante my 500 and push with 99. I win! LOL

Next hand I now have KK-both red. I just cannot believe my luck. I push – TWO callers and I am drooling! One guy pushes the other out on the flop. I flip my KK with board QJx-all spades. I am think he a flush or AQ. He only has A9 with 1 spade. The quick Ace on the turn sends me home. Out 58th.

Very happy with showing. I loved my play, but I got lucky a few too many times. I only called three all-ins. Twice with AK. Never to a larger stack.

So, I head upstairs. My girlfriend is already in bed. She looks pissed at me! She’s been alone since 6:30 and she does not gamble. She would not take money. And she was just grouchy! I finally get her to talk. She says, “Do not be mad at me.” Huh?

She sat down at 5 card draw-triple play. About the 5th or 6th hand, asshe is still trying to figure out how to play that slot – SHE HITS A ROYAL FLUSH … PRE DRAW!!

She thinks it auto-hold, like at the Microgaming casinos online. All five cards go away.

Paying 4000:1 plus jackpot … GONE! No comment

We head downstairs and take the $100 BJ table for over 5K!
Game-set-match.
[img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

dp13368 · #2 01-24-2006, 02:47 AM

[ QUOTE ]
She looks pissed at me! She’s been alone since 6:30 and she does not gamble. She would not take money. And she was just grouchy! I finally get her to talk. She says, “Do not be mad at me.” Huh?

She sat down at 5 card draw-triple play. About the 5th or 6th hand, asshe is still trying to figure out how to play that slot – SHE HITS A ROYAL FLUSH … PRE DRAW!!

She thinks it auto-hold, like at the Microgaming casinos online. All five cards go away.

Paying 4000:1 plus jackpot … GONE! No comment

We head downstairs and take the $100 BJ table for over 5K!
Game-set-match.
[img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

^^ Best part of the story, anyway good stuff.

2Fast · #3 01-24-2006, 03:36 PM

thx nice report and great playing. Lucky your girlfriend blew it on the slots or she would have been really mad at you!! Was Spee tough to play against at your table??

VinnyTheFish · #4 01-24-2006, 10:42 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Was Spee tough to play against at your table??

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually - We were the next table to break when he came. He played at our table for about 15 minutes, then the table was broke. Which was lucky for the table, since Zione was in seat 8 and Spee was in Seat 1.

So, all in all, I do not even remember seeing him get into a pot. He was a very nice guy.

Death Valley · #5 01-25-2006, 09:50 AM

Great report! I actually read the whole thing (Im such a loser).
What was the buy in for the event, and what did you cash?

Horrible beat for you girl...... worse than 3 weeks ago when I got timed oout due to computer lag with AA preflop in what would have been at least a 3 way $1500 pot....and yes, I even got to see an ace flop [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

VinnyTheFish · #6 01-25-2006, 11:24 AM

[ QUOTE ]
What was the buy in for the event, and what did you cash?

[/ QUOTE ]

I played in Event #1 which was $500

Jan 20 -- NLHE 1 $500 + $60 - out in 15 minutes
Jan 21 -- NLHold 'Em 2 $750 + $60 - 58th for $1400+

But Black Jack from 2:30 am - 4:00 am was just awesome!

[ QUOTE ]
when I got timed oout due to computer lag with AA preflop in what would have been at least a 3 way $1500 pot....and yes, I even got to see an ace flop [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG - come on DV ... def. sorry to hear that.

=============
I'll be down again Thursday.

Thur - 7 pm Super Sat.
Fri - 11 am $2500
Sat - we'll figure it out