Atlantic City Trip Report 3-11-07 i.e. my longest post ever

[RobTheDuck]

Disclaimer: This trip report contains no strippers, strip clubs, stripping, body shots, drunkenness or debauchery. For those of you still interested, read on.

I've been going to AC about once a month for the last 12 months, but this will be my first TR.

Prologue

A few weeks ago, my buddy Chuck (reecelights on 2+2) and I decided to go down on the 11th. He works M>F 9>5, but my work schedule changes constantly, so we go to AC whenever our schedules line up. This time it happened to be on a Sunday, which I wasn't crazy about. It also happened to be the day after Daylight Savings started - which I really wasn't crazy about (see this post for DST speculation).

We have played at Borgata, Taj, Caesars, and Showboat, but we mostly play at Showboat. We both really like the tourny structure, the room is nice, the players don't smell as much as at the Taj, and the dealers and floor are generally competent.

We planned on leaving at 9am from the northern Philly burbs where we live, to make it to AC in time for the 11am Showboatament.

Chapter 1: Morning

Woke up at 8am after staying up until 2am (well, really 1am, but I had to set my clock ahead) winning a $16 double shootout satellite to the Stars Sunday WSOP Qualifier (translation: I unregistered and have W$650). I showered (since we weren't going to the Taj) and headed over to reecelight's place. We left at 9 o'clock on the dot and headed straight to Dunkin Donuts for our morning meal – and more importantly, coffee.

During the hour and a half drive (it was his turn to drive) we chatted mostly about poker, and a little about what kind of new car I should buy in August (no decision reached). With no traffic problems, we arrived in the Showboat parking garage at 10:30a.

We immediately headed upstairs to the poker room. We were surprised to see a large group of guys standing outside the poker room - it's usually pretty dead that early in the morning. We go in to sign up for the tourny and discover that the 11am tournament has been cancelled due to a private Union Electricians tournament that is being held instead. That explains the crowd. We debate between staying and playing cash games until the 2pm tournament, and hoofing it over to the Borgata to play in their 11am tourny. We decide to stay.

We get on the list for $1/$2NL. There are 2 tables of 1/2NL going already, and the list quickly grows to about 12 names (I'm assuming all people who showed up for the tournament). Another table soon opens, and Chuck and I each buy in for $200. I sit on his left, since he plays TAG and I don't want him reraising me (if you ask him, he'll say the same thing about me).

The table starts out uber tight. Not sure if it's because it's early or because it's a new table, but for about an hour, this was the tightest live 1/2NL game I've ever played in. Players were making $6 preflop raises and getting 1 or 2 callers (as opposed to "normal" live 1/2 where a PFR of $15 gets 5 callers). See this thread for a discussion of typical live 1/2NL pre-flop raising.

Some of the more interesting personalities at this table included Buddy Holly (had the hair and glasses) and a fat version of John Hennigan. Buddy Holly would call 100% of the time and bet 50% of the time. He would also say "uh huh, uh huh... hmmmmm...." to himself (i.e. loudly) every time it was his turn to act. He had no problem calling all the way to the river with K4 on a board of AK996. He lasted a surprising 75 minutes before going broke and leaving the table.

I played in a few pots, nothing spectacular. I played TAG, and c-bet as needed. At 1:50, I was up $77 and reecelights and I stood up for the 2:00 tournament.

Chapter 2: Afternoon

It felt weird to sit down in a tourny after playing a cash game. My normal M.O. is to hit the tournament first, then play cash when I go busto. Throughout the tournament, the electricians that are remaining from 11am are being rowdy and loud, but are always friendly and good-natured.

I started out very tight, and paid attention to how the rest of the table was playing. A woman on the other end of the table was a total calling station, even more than Buddy Holly. There was a married couple seated next to each other (not sure why this happens so much - Chuck and I will often get seated next to each other when we register one after the other, although the floor swears it’s random). For the first time I can remember, I am at a full tournament table without an Asian man. The kid on my right is about my age (25) and we chat between hands about how the woman on the other end can't fold.

At one point the husband and wife get in a hand together. She bets the flop and he re-pops her. She folds in disgust and he shows the table the bluff. She slaps him, he complains to the dealer, who promptly states that he didn't see a thing (the rest of the table gets a kick out of this). We are now in level 3 (blinds at 200/400) and my stack has whittled down to about 8k from our 10k starting stack. I pick up AJs in middle position and raise it up to 1200. The husband, in the small blind, makes it 4000 to go. I make an easy fold and he shows KK. The next hand I get A9 sooted and limp after UTG limps. 2 more limpers join in, and 6 players see the flop of AQ7. The calling station bets 1200 and it’s folded to me. I debate my options. I don't really want to call, and I would probably fold if anyone else had made that bet. I decide to shove my last 5 or 6k. It's folded back to the lady, and she hesitates... then finally calls... with a set of 7s! Slowroll, much? I realize I made a donkey play and I'm out of the tourny an hour and ten minutes in (about 70th out of 83)

I check on reecelights, and he is being much less of a fish than I was, and has slightly increased his stack. It's now a little after 3 o'clock and I realize I'm hungry, having not eaten anything since Dunkin Donuts. I'm craving a hot dog, so I head out to the boardwalk. It is so bright outside! I can barely keep my eyes open as I head up towards the Taj for some Boardwalk style (greasy) lunch. I get down to their outdoor food vendors and discover that everything is closed except for one stand that sells nothing but french fries. Lame! I don't want to spend all day searching for food, so I head back to the Showboat and to the House of Blues restaurant. I sit at the bar and order my usual - a beer and an Elwood (a grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and jalepeno relish). The service is crappy and the bartender who is clearly hungover keeps insisting that it's his first day, despite the fact that he was the bartender last time I ate there. While eating, I listen to Phil Gordon's Poker Edge on my iPod, where he interviews Paul Wasika about winning the NBC heads up championship. I like Phil Gordon's Little Green Book and his poker commentary, but I'm not a huge fan of his radio show. I finish my food and head back upstairs for some more cash game action.

I get on the 1/2 list again and in about 10 minutes, I get a seat at one of the 5 tables now going. I again sit down with $200. I quickly notice that I am the youngest player at the table - not something I have ever experienced at a 1/2 table before. There is an old man two to my left that open raised to $40 3 hands in a row and won the blinds each time. The guy on my immediate left moved to the other end of the table when a seat opened, telling the old man "its a real [censored] being on your right." I was surprised by his honestly - usually players say "its cold on this end of the table" or some lame excuse when changing seats. The old man stopped making his $40 raise when he realized he wasn’t going to get any action.

Over the course of about an hour I bleed off $100, calling PF bets and folding to flop bets. I like to tell myself that I was getting a feel for the table, but I was really just being loose-passive. I rebuy another $100 from the dealer. A man sits down to my left and my game gets worse. At least 3 times, I raised from the cutoff and he coldcalled from the button. He would then raise me every time I c-bet, or bet the flop when I checked. I couldn't get a read on him and was getting frustrated by my inability to play against him. At about this time, a very young (21 or less) guy sits at the other end of the table. He sits down with $100 or maybe even $80, and within a few hands I can tell that he's not willing to put much of it in the middle without close to the nuts. I see my opportunity. I change seats to the new kid's immediate right, putting the aggressive guy on the other side of the table from me, and the tight n00b on my left. I rebuy for another $100, which puts my stack at about $220 (for those of you keeping score at home, I’m down $180 at this point).

I pick up Js7s and limp in after a couple other limpers. I see a $2 flop with 2 spades. The old man bets and I call. The turn is another spade, giving me the J high flush. I check, he bets, I call. The turn is not a spade, so I'm confident I have the best hand. I bet, the old man goes all in for not much more, and I call. I flip over the flush, he mucks, and I scoop about $125. He leaves to find an ATM. At this point, Chuck joins me as a railbird, after busting out of the tourney in about 30th place.

Within 5 minutes of getting back to the table with $200, the old man loses about 50 bucks in a hand that I'm not involved with. On the next hand, the old man limps from EP and I get frisky from the cutoff and raise with 43. It's folded to him, and he calls. The flop is 843 with two spades and a club. He checks, I bet $30, and he calls. I put him on a flush draw. The turn is the A of clubs. He goes all in for $115. I think about it for a while and finally call with my bottom two pair. He turns over 2 clubs, the river blanks, and I stack him again. This time he leaves and doesn't return.

Next big hand: I pick up QQ in late position. The aggressive guy (who used to be on my left) raises to $15 and I make it $40. Everyone but him folds and I'm HU with position on him. The flop is Q73 rainbow. He bets $30 and I smooth-call. The turn is a K. He checks and I check, but he looks disappointed. I put him on AK. The river is a J. He bets $30. He might have played AT this way, but I think he has a K, so I raise to $100. Chuck, standing behind me chuckles and says "please have trip queens." Aggressive guy calls and turns over KJ for two pair. I scoop the $340 pot.

I play for a little while longer, winning and losing a few more small pots. I stand up at 6:45 with $607, for a profit of $207.

Chapter 3: Evening

Now for the 7:00pm tourney. I’m determined to not play like a donkey in this one. I realize that even if I bust out of the money, I will still be up for the day, thanks to my cash game winnings. Chuck and I sign up and sit down.

I sit down to the right of a big guy wearing a Tony Romo jersey. He’s friendly enough and after a while I realize he is playing total Harrington style (Volume I, that is). He raises my limps a couple times and re-raises me preflop once. I never get involved with him, because I know he’s tight. At the first break (80 minutes into the tournament) I have about 12.5k after starting with 10k. Not great, but not bad either.

Soon after the break, our table is split up and I go to a new table. This time I’m on Tony Romo’s immediate left. Nice. I take advantage of my new position and eventually build up my stack to about 24k. The biggest hand I remember is one I laid down: In level 5 (400/800 blinds) I raised to 2200 with TT from MP. A guy on the button re-popped me to 6k. I thought for a minute, then remembered how much I hate racing, and folded. I told Tony Romo that I folded tens, and he said “you have to fold that there,” reinforcing my tight image of him, and building up my own tight image.

Our table breaks again, and Romo and I flipflop yet again. We are reseated at new table and I’m back on his right. And who is on Romo’s left? Our good friend, Mr. reecelights. Within 5 hands of being at this new table, its folded to me on the button and I look down at AQ of spades. I raise it up to 3600 (blinds now 600/1200). Romo quickly folds and Chuck stares into my soul, then folds (I know he wanted to spite-call me). I show the AQ and they both nod in approval.

A bit later, it’s folded to me in MP with 55. I raise it up to 4000. It’s folded to the big blind – we’ll call him the dirty hippie. He tanks and I stare off into space. Chuck quietly asks me why did I minraise – did I forget that the blinds had just gone up from 800/1600 to 1000/2000? Yes, yes I did. I obviously don’t want I call, but I’m sure I’m going to get one since the big blind is getting 3.5 to 1. He finally makes a movement that I can see out of the corner of my eye. I ask reecelights “Did he fold?” and Chuck says, “Yes,” so I breathe easy again and scoop the blinds into my stack.

During the last hand before break, I get to see a free flop from the big blind, with 85o. The flop is K95. The sole limper (the husband from the 2 o’clock tourney) checks, the small checks, and I bet 4000 with bottom pair. The husband check-raises me, the small blind folds, and I fold. I have exactly 26k going into the second break, although I wish I had 30k instead of donkey-betting with bottom pair.

After break, the blinds are 1500/3000. With my stack of 26k, I have an M of almost 6 and prepare to find a spot to make a move. About 15 minutes after we’ve starting playing again, the dirty hippie limps UTG. It’s folded to me in the hijack, and I look down at a beautiful AA. I make it 10k to go. With any other hand, I probably shove, but I want the hippie to call me. Tony Romo folds, and Chuck asks me what I did that for. I try to send him vibes of “I have a monster,” but I think my bet did the trick (Chuck was probably wondering, “Why didn’t he just shove?”). Chuck folds, and it’s folded back to the hippie. He asks me how much I have left, and I count out the 14k still sitting in my stack. I’m expecting him to go all-in, but he just calls. The flop is Q84 and he checks. I shove, and he calls. As soon as he says “call” I proudly flip up my Aces and whisper “Pass the sugar!” to reecelights. He finally turns over AK and I know I’m good. The turn is a T and I suddenly get a sinking feeling in my stomach. Chuck looks at me like, “What’s wrong, you’re about to double up” and I say “Jack.” The river is one of the 2 remaining jacks (turns out Chuck folded KJ) and I’m out in 24th place out of 79. That’s poker.

About ten minutes later, Chuck gets it all-in with AQ of spades against 99 and 55. The flop has 2 spades, and Chuck somehow manages to not catch one of his 15 outs on the turn or river (apparently Lee Jones leaves our doomswitch on for live play as well).

It’s now 10:30 and we stand around debating between playing some more cash or calling it a day. We finally decide to head home (Chuck has to work the next day). We stop at the McDonalds at the entrance to the AC Expressway, as we always do when leaving town, and gorge ourselves on Double Quarterpounders and Chicken McNuggets. Chuck kindly picks up the tab, and we head back toward Philly.

Epilogue

I get back to Chuck’s house and drive myself back to my apartment. After entering all my transactions of the day into my spreadsheet, I discover that I’m up $62 for the trip. This is the smallest gain/loss I’ve ever had from one day of live play. But like they say, I’d rather win a small pot than lose a big one.

[jamzfive]

[ QUOTE ]

During the last hand before break, I get to see a free flop from the big blind, with 85o. The flop is K95. The sole limper (the husband from the 2 o’clock tourney) checks, the small checks, and I bet 4000 with bottom pair. The husband check-raises me, the small blind folds, and I fold. I have exactly 26k going into the second break, although I wish I had 30k instead of donkey-betting with bottom pair.


[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the TR. It was long, but I read the whole thing :-) I'm preparing for my first trip to AC for live poker (well, for actual money, I've played in a rather serious "bar league" quite a few times before), and I'm reading everything I can about other people's experiences.

Just one question about the above hand. If you were in the BB, how did the husband/sole limper act before you?

jb

[RobTheDuck]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

During the last hand before break, I get to see a free flop from the big blind, with 85o. The flop is K95. The sole limper (the husband from the 2 o’clock tourney) checks, the small checks, and I bet 4000 with bottom pair. The husband check-raises me, the small blind folds, and I fold. I have exactly 26k going into the second break, although I wish I had 30k instead of donkey-betting with bottom pair.


[/ QUOTE ]

Just one question about the above hand. If you were in the BB, how did the husband/sole limper act before you?

jb

[/ QUOTE ]

Good eye, sir. I now remember the hand: The small blind checked, and then I bet into the husband, who then raised me. He didn't check raise, just raised. Either way it was a donkey bet on my part [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

GL with your first live trip. Check out this post for some good discussion of first time live play (the FAQ in this forum also has some great stuff in it).

[bucktotal]

man, this sounds like me and my roomate.

nice TR. i'll prolly run into you sometime.

buck.

[Mike Gallo]

Awesome report dude !!!

Nothing you can do about the way you left the tournament.

Next time you want some good poker room food, go to the coffee shop at the Taj poker room, get a NY steak sandwich.