Trip Report: Berge goes to AC for the first time!

[zerocarb]

Nice TR. Mix in a few Appletinis and Sea Breezes and you'll give Toss a run for his money.

[frommagio]

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Finally I'm in the HJ and pick up AKs

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What is the HJ?

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highjack....it's one before the cutoff


nice TR btw

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Cool, thanks for the info. Good to improve my vocabulary!

[Berge20]

Two other notes about Friday:

What is with the chips at the Borg? Are they magnetic? Designed that somehow they trap air and don't let go of each other? They stick together and I was highly annoyed.

One of the most entertaining parts about my table was the one major fish who kept saying "Man, I know I've got you beat" while trying to decide if he's calling a big bet on the river. Everytime he called and showed a loser (generally not even close)--much love for that guy.

Part 2: Saturday Daytime

I wake up at 7ish thanks to the old body clock and consider leaving the guys and going to start playing, but I roll over and grab a couple more hours of sleep before showering and the usual morning gig. That got the gents up and at em, so before long we were off to the Borgata again. Clear blue skys and 85 degrees outside. I note that it was a really nice day to spend inside.

We decided that eating might be useful and sat down at Bread and Butter for a nice breakfast sandwich. I went with the Cinnamon Swirl French Toast after waivering on my choices--it was solid, but I'd definately try some other things on the menu nextime.

Then back to the poker room. Our companions managed to leave DC at 10am, so they should arrive early afternoon and then we were just going to play it by ear.

I grab another 1/2 NL seat, but the table wasn't nearly as good as the previous evening. There were two major fish, one hyper aggro who couldn't not bluff and one huge calling station. The seat to my direct left came in and was busted about 3 times in a row (new player each time), but I didn't get any of their money--it was the hyper aggro guy.

He was entertaining and was constantly jabbing about the new guys at the table.

There were two players that I realized were fairly decent. One to my left two seats (Quiet, unassuming type) and one to my right a few (Similarly quiet with some Greg Raymber t-shirt on).

I do a lot of folding and finally pick up JJ in the BB. I raise to $20 over 5-limpers and only a MP limper calls. Nothing special about him that I'd noticed. Unders flop, fairly uncoordinated and I fire out $35 and he calls. Turn is another blank and I fire out $60, which he just calls.
River goes check-check and he tables Queens for the win. Needless to say, I was confused.

Shortly after, I snag AQs from the SB and raise it up to $17 over 3 limpers, including Mr QQ. Both call. I fire a C-bet at a dry unders flop and he raises me. Meh, muck.

Reload to the max. I'm getting thirsty, where is the damn waitress and why don't they let me have Redbull Vodkas here?!?

We've got a short-stack guy two to my right who has been playing a long time and is a clear gambler. He moved AI from UTG for like $17 and I called from the SB with ATs, only to see AJ. Next hand, I open raise from the Button with A9o, both SB and BB gambler call. Axx flop, I C-bet for $20 and he moves in for another $15 or so. I call and get shown AT. Meh.

I got a little frustrated at that point and took a quick walk. Just wasn't getting it going and couldnt get into a hand against the two big fish at the table. Mr. K had once again started building a stack at his table (luck-box) and ChrisAJ was again struggling. Mr. K said the other guys and gals had arrived and were at the racebook, so he was going to meet them.

I go back and sit down at my table to see if I can't get going. Soon after, I'm sitting on the button with AQs and the guy in the Raymer T-shirt raises to $15 from UTG. Big calling station comes along, as does a new guy who looks like he's been up all night. I decide to do the same and we end up 4-way to an AA3 double suited flop. He C-bets $20 into the pot and I consider the possiblity that he's got AK or a big pair that's testing the waters. The big mega calling station was still in and he loved any Ace, so I decided to raise to $60 and see if perhaps that's where the case ace was. No dice--the fish fold and Tight Raymer T-shirt guy calls.

Turn goes Check-check. He leads for $91 on a blank river and I ponder before giving him credit for AK and folding. He shows a King and I feel moderately like a donkey for playing AQ against his EP range. I suppose he could have 2 kings there sometimes, but not really often--if he thought i was on a flush draw that busted he wouldn't have led I don't think.

Only other interesting thing was when a Black Card holding Asian woman asked to see this guy's hand after he was in a pot later (she wasn't even in the hand). Hyper aggro guy had bluffed and was called--and he immediately mucked. She insisted on seeing the winning hand and the dealer obliged.

He took some offense, asking her if she felt she was cheating and then explained the spirit of the rule. She just kept saying "I just wanted to see your hand" and without too much of a stink he let it go.

I packed it up soon after--Hyper aggro guy had felted his AA against a set of 2s and the major calling station was gone. Down $321 on the morning session. So to the racebook I go to meet up with the others.

I head in and immediately see them at the bar yelling at a main screen. They had bet some trifecta that was about to pay off, if only the 2 horse faded. It did and there was much celebrating. We added 3 ladies and 2 other guys to our event, moderately helping our good looks average.

I decline on betting the ponys and just do some drinking. Not long after, the ladies want to go play some table games and drink, so who am I to say no to that. It is decided that roulette will be our game of choice. Mr. K and ChrisAJ wisely decide to keep playing poker.

$5 Minimum tables ftw and we all plop down and I buy-in for $200. Oddly the ladies are impressed, but I knew the house would end up getting it somehow. We go over the basics with them and they play mostly red/black or on a column. I dance around all over the place, start up quickly.

A smoking hot blonde waitress was getting our drinks and she did a wonderful job bringing me Captain and Cokes at every pass. I look up and see it has been ten reds in a row, so time to make a big bet on black. Red! Doh. Ok, that can't happen again. Red! Meh. The girls decide to start betting against whatever I do, just to prod me. Black again I say, but the wheel says Red.

Down to my last $15, I decide that a desperate move is needed. Double Zero it is. Around and around the wheel goes. The ball bounces around, close to the needed salvation--nearly stays right next door and then hops into payday glory!!!

Bam! I'm yelling like a drunken fool and the girls don't appreciate what has just happened. Our friend Greg definately knew and we did some little high-five thingy. The dealer stacks and ships my chips too me and we all have several more rounds. One-by-one they each lose their buy-in and once it's down to just me, we decide to pack it in and go prepare for dinner. I leave only down $140, but up about 8 Captain and Cokes, two single girls 3-sheets to the wind.

I go back and get the two poker players and Mr. K and I sweat ChrisAJ who is donking around at 2-4 limit now. We make some random sidebets and there is a lot of screaming about "give me a duece!" which the dealer didn't appreciate coming from non-players.

We headed off to the hotel of the evening to drop off our stuff and change. Someone picked up a case of beer on the way, indicating that we might be saving that for the BYOB strip joint I had heard so much about. The girls were slow at getting ready, so we had to break out the beer--oh the shame. Finally, by like 9pm we headed out to the Tropicana to grab some dinner and complete the evening.

Next: Saturday Evening

[poker327]

The Borgata chips are made of fiberglass and have a slug inside of them so they don't break as often. But they are not magnetic. The good thing about the chips are they stay clean. When I ask people in the Taj why they don't play at the Borgata, the #1 reason is they don't like the chips.

[jjshabado]

Woot!! First time I've made it into a trip report!

One quick correction, it wasn't a Raymer t-shirt, it was a Trailer Park Boys t-shirt. Julian drinking whiskey.

I don't know why I showed the K, I almost never do that because I generally think its stupid. I had AK there as I think was pretty obvious, but I will occasionally play QQ or KK in a similar way. Especially against a smarter player who might be raising my c-bet on the flop and then checked the turn behind me.

I was actually the one who tried to explain the IWTSTH rule to the Asian lady. I'd raised preflop with KQ, then called the guy to my lefts $20 bet (into a 70ish pot) on the T-high flop. He was slightly weak tight and I figured I could win with a Q/K or with a smallish sized bluff on the turn or river (depending on how the hand went). I then chickened out (don't know why) and both turn and river went check check. I mucked right away because I said K high at the same time the other guy said A high. He was a good guy so I just tossed it right away, although I guess I should have waited...

The lady asked to see my hand because she'd folded a pair. I usually just ignore the occasional IWTSTH use but decided I'd try the polite-explain-the-spirit-of-the-rule line that people here recommend. Unfortunately her English wasn't quite good enough (or I'm not articulate enough) for her to understand what I was trying to say, so I gave up.

That session was probably the best run of cards I've ever had, and ended up a very healthy amount for 1/2.

[Berge20]

Ah, I wasn't 100% sure and I wasn't going to ask [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
It was close enough...

Good playing with you, even though I wasn't fully aware of it. I'd have jumped in on the IWTSTH rule, but wasn't really in the mood to jump in. My guess is her english was good enough, she just didn't care.

[SellingtheDrama]

dah...sorry I missed you. Was there Saturday too, over in the tournament area [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

And fiberglass chips...I've always wondered, ty.

[Mr.K]

Berge, Berge, Berge. You've neglected many key details but you are forgiven nonetheless. As I have little time at the moment, I will summarize below. More details and commentary on request.

- If women were coolers, ChrisAJ ran into the equivalent of 10 Rosie O'Donnells over the weekend. Huge, annoying, and completely uncalled for. The pokah gods have some s'plaining to do. Being his first time in AC, I sure hope this doesn't poison his impression of what is otherwise clearly the greatest place on Earth.

- Berge and I had prop best going on ChrisAJ's hands at the 2/4 table (my inner Bill Fillmaff desperately wanted to chide him to GET OUT OF THE KIDDIE POOL OMFG U FISH!!!1!1one), and broke even in this particular form of prop betting. The dealer (whose name I forget) hated me for yelling for deuces to flop and telling the other players that Chris was a guaranteed winner. Whatever.

- Shannon Elizabeth was playing in the high stakes room Saturday night and was looking HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT. Forget which game she was playing but surprisingly the rail was not packed with onlookers. Dude from "That 70s Show" was there as well, I think.

- Fuji is still the best poker dealer I've ever seen. The Borgata staff is head and shoulders better than any I've come across including the vaunted Bellagio (sorry Linda).

- The new 5/10 limit hold'em game played MUCH faster than the old 6/12. I haven't read the thread about this yet, but all of the floor staff I spoke with cited speed as one of the factors for the change. Action was better than you'd expect for a 1 chip/2 chip game too.

- 10/20 was awesome as usual. I sat for a total of 10 hands and won ~15bbs. Yes, I'm that guy who sits at a $2/hr comp game and then xfers to the $1/hr comp game as soon as I'm called on the list, whilst failing to swipe in for the new game. This is retribution for them failing to offer me rooms at the poker rate anymore. Commie bastards!

- I technically lost a $5 prop bet to ChirsAJ, but on another, considerably more important level I won. Here's the deal: we bet on Berge20 taking down one of the inebriated, single, 23 year old women he mentioned in his report above. Feeling that if he works on women nearly we skillfully as he plays NLHE he'll definitely make it happen I bet Berge was going to succeed, Chris bet he would not. Many drinks and a trip to some questionable establishments later, I found myself calculating the EV of intentionally scuttling the bet (READ BETWEEN THE LINES). As fate would have it, my back of the envelope calculation was this:

EV of winning the bet = +$5
EV of losing the bet but attempting to "win" in other respects = (.65*-$5) + (.65*GLOATING FOR SEVERAL WEEKS) + (.35*SHAME AND AWKWARDNESS)

The latter seemed to be a much better bet, particularly when I added in my hidden outs in the instances where my effort failed but Berge still managed to connect with his draw [thanks, Ed Miller!]. As a result, I moved forward with my plan and yada yada yada I ended up throwing a $5 bill at Chris AJ the next morning.

- A Greek guy (I think) and his INSANELY hot Cuban girlfriend sat at my 1/2 NLHE table last night for a few hours and proceeded to drink their heads off. I usually see some gorgeous women when I'm in the poker room, but this one took the cake on the looks and attitude front. She had the whole table joking and drinking heavily, leaving me to focus on stacking up about $1200 of their money. Also, some guy at my table was trying to hawk a ticket from the Phillies 10,000th loss for $600. I offered him a book of matches and unlimited comps at the Sands (which I thought was an eminently fair deal), but he declined.

- Apparently 6 drunk people is not the legal equivalent of 4 sober people when it comes to compliance with A.C. cab regulations. We were shocked to learn this, but the local police were adamant about it.

- Dealers at Borgata said the Trop just fired 40+ dealers. Everyone I spoke to said that things are not going well in the Trop poker room and at the property in general. I was there for a while late on Saturday with the group but did not investigate the poker room.

-Berge gives Bread and Butter at Borgata insufficient credit for having awesome breakfast options.

- There were a grand total of about 31 customers on the gambling floor at the Trump Plaza at 2:30 am. I'd never been in there, but it was conveniently located across the street from another important AC landmark I'd been visiting, so I thought I'd check it out. Wasn't impressed in the least, but I did leave with a few hundred of their money after an out of character decision to play some $50 minimum roulette.

- We should trade Delaware to another country for some islands in the Mediterranian and another plot of land to be named later, or, failing that, force the state to improve its [censored] highways. Driving through that godforsaken strip of land on Friday afternoon was pure torture.

- You get a lot of edamame beans at Noodles of the World for $5. Too many for one person to eat.

- A guy at my table on Sunday accidentally dropped $125 in green checks on the floor as he was racking up. He came back 3 minutes later when he realized his mistake and found that someone had taken the money. People at the table had witnessed it happen (I hadn't) and the floor eventually identifed the person who stole the money, but the guy who lost it had already gone by the time they did. It did strike me as very customer friendly and just the right thing to do for the floor to look at the camera to see who was responsible. I think many AC casinos would just tell the player: "tough [censored], pal."

- There's more, but I forget. To recap, I luckboxed my way to a win approximately the size of Mexico's 1998 GDP, Berge and ChrisAJ got pwn3d in prop betting by yours truly, and Delaware is the devil. Also, Baltimore smelled really bad as I was driving through today on my way home. Really, really bad.

[TenEightClubs]

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The Borgata chips are made of fiberglass and have a slug inside of them so they don't break as often. But they are not magnetic. The good thing about the chips are they stay clean. When I ask people in the Taj why they don't play at the Borgata, the #1 reason is they don't like the chips.

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have the people seen the chips at the taj lol, you could get aids from those dirty a$$ chips

[vhawk01]

Wow, I definitely need to be a part of the next trip somehow. Sounds like a blast.