Tunica, Atlantic City, or Turning Stone? Will you help me choose?

[doggin]

Thanks in advance for your input. My first B&M poker
"vacation" can only be one of these, all three are
right at 600 miles from home.
I want to play 4/8 to 6/12 limit HE, and a few of the
50 dollar or such NL day tourneys. Nothing but poker for
what I hope is five days/nights.
And I have my wife's blessings! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

The Grand's comps are pretty good at 25.00 rooms with
6 hours play minimum.
The Taj is 65.00

I just discovered Turning Stones website after threads
about the recent tournament they held, (the one Ivey won)

I've never done this before, I'm leaning towards Tunica,
but I appreciate any comments from those who have been
there and done it.

Thanks again, d

[boedeker]

if its summer i would say ac if for no other reason than options.

[GWB]

Aren't the Indiana casinos closer to you?

[MicroBob]

tunica has 5 poker-rooms....but only 3 of them are worthwhile imo. 9 casinos total.
still the games at horseshoe, goldstrike and grand are decent imo.

HS and GS are right next door to each other so it's an easy walk between the two.
the grand is about a 5 minute drive (not a walk you would want to make).

i haven't been to AC so i cant tell you much...but arent the waiting lists for the low-limit games kind of insane there??

not sure when your vacation is....but early august there are some decent sized tournaments at the horseshoe for the Jack Binion's summer classic or something like that.

this means that they will open more ring-tables to accomodate the extra-players.
a little bit of sight-seeing possible too if catching a glimpse of a Moneymaker or Ivey at the tables interests you.
but i'm assuming there are enough 'name' players to be seen in AC to make this a push at best.




i would think that you would want to consider Foxwoods in the running too.

[doggin]

I'm going sometimes in September. I'm from Ohio and I
remember a post here where some guy got up to go to
the bathroom at the Taj, and when he came back to his
table, it had broken up and his 260 dollars in chips
were gone. Stolen. I've been to Caesars Indiana riverboat
and people can get up from 4 grand in chips and never
have to worry about it. I got up several times to get a drink or restroom and you just do not have to worry about
anyone taking your chips. It's kind of weird in a way.
But there is always a first time I suppose.

Aztar Evansville was a very small room and long wait.
Caesars Indiana-Louisville is nice, I thought, but I
have'nt been anywhere else. If I can get a reservation
at one of the Tunica card rooms for the comp rate,
I think that would be hard to beat. Plus I want to try
a live tournament and the day tourneys there would be
perfect for that.
Of course, the five day plan would have to be diverted
to the four day or three day plan, depending on the
health and welfare of the all-mighty bankroll.

BTW, I spoke with several players at Caesars and all
agreed Tunica was a very good place to go play poker.

Thanks guys, d

[Losing all]

I've been to AC a few times. Plenty of weakie/loose players at many limits all over town. The boardwalk is cool, and lots of good food options(boardwalk or casino).

Spent 6 days in Tunica this spring. I only played at the grand, and the LL games were very goot/typical. I don't think I had a decent meal the entire time I was there though, and there will be ZERO to do besides poker. I wont be back.

If you plan on playing 12-16 hours a day, without huge game selection, go to Tunica(for the cheaper rooms) If you might want to eat a decent meal by the beach(or decent period) and have the option to do some partying if the thought crosses your mind, go to AC.

[steamboatin]

The food at the Gold Strike is good, and they have very nice rooms. Two hours of play will get you a meal comp.

I never stayed or played at the Grand. I played 3-6 at the Hollywood on a Saturday afternoon and that was the easiest fishiest table I ever played. (1 hour up $99)

I played a little 2-4 at Sam's town and that is not a game I enjoy. Super nice group of people, just everybody calls and we see who gets the best hand.

The tournaments at the Gold Strike are inexpensive to play. The Saturday morning tourney cost $16 to register and rebuys are $5 (unlimited for the first hour). Some of the weekday tourneys are limit for the first hour and no-limit after the rebuy period ends.

I have not played at the Horseshoe but I know they have tourneys.

I forgot the previous poster's name but He is exactly right about nothing to do except gamble. That is the most nothing you might ever encounter. It is just flat fields, with four lane roads and casinos. They have a riverboat ride and a museum, but I wasn't impressed enough to see how much they cost.

At the risk of sounding like an angle shooter, we had a very late lunch at Sam's town buffet on Friday and as we were finishiing, they started setting out the seafood and didn't ask us to leave. I was too full to eat another bite but could have scored some seafood for the lunch price.

I really like the Gold Strike but I will admit my casino experience is limited. I have played once in Vegas at the Excalibur, two trips to Tunica, and I mostly play at Casear's Indiana. Tunica will spoil you for Casear's because they have competition and the comps are better and they are actually polite to the players.

[tylerdurden]

The only three cardrooms in Tunica with mid-limits or higher are Goldstrike, Horseshoe, and Grand. The other two rooms, Sam's Town and Hollywood, are a few miles further south, and I haven't even been down to that group of casinos in several years, so I don't know much about what goes on there. Harrah's (the new one, formerly the Southern Belle) used to have a poker room, but I never saw any games actually going on in there. I think it was a baccarat room when it was the Southern Belle (it was the only full-size baccarat table in tunica at the time, everyone else only has mini-bacc).

Most of the posters on this board seem to like the Goldstrike in Tunica, but I think the Horseshoe is *the* place to play in Tunica, no matter what your game. Don't get me wrong, the Goldstrike is nice, but the Horseshoe has a better overall experience. The games are roughly the same quality maybe just a bit loser at the goldstrike, but the Horseshoe has higher limits, better food, better management, better everything. Goldstrike has nasty hotdogs on a 7-11-type machine in the poker room, Horseshoe has a full grill right next to the poker room with table service, and sandwiches and finger food are comped. The Horseshoe has a better buffet. They've also got a much better selection of table games than the goldstrike.

The Grand the biggest casino in Tunica, but I always get a weird feeling in there.

If you're really hard up for something to do, you can take the short drive up to Memphis. I find a drive through the cotton fields relaxing.

[steamboatin]

I do like the Gold Strike, but next time I am in Tunica, I'll walk next door and check it out. I am always open to suggestions.

[Porcupine]

If you're really hard up for something to do, you can take the short drive up to Memphis. I find a drive through the cotton fields relaxing.

While in Memphis be sure to drop by Platinum Plus.

[MicroBob]

i prefer the Horseshoe as well...for all the reasons mentioned (except for variety of limits...doesn't matter to someone like me always playing the smallest available).

gold-strike is okay....but the canned music is always putting me to sleep. i have twice played there when one of the guys at the table was falling asleep between every hand. i really didn't blame him too much though...almost put me to sleep too.


the horseshoe pokerroom is very near the bar where the band plays....if you're at one of the tables near the back it can get a bit loud. that's not the type of thing that bothers me...but i know it bugs some people.


again, Horseshoe and Gold Strike are right next door to each other so there's no reason why you can't try both.


horseshoe and goldstrike both have pretty good steak-houses. horseshoe also has a good asian restaurant (i have been told). the stuff from the snack-bar at horseshoe is good too...and their buffet is the best.
sam's town has a good buffet too.

i never cared for the food at the grand....but i definitely think it's possible to get good food in tunica...i just wouldn't eat exclusively at the grand (the grand promotes the hell out of their italian restaurant...but i havent tried it).

[niagarapoker]

Ever been to Syracuse? Turning Stone is just your average Native American run casino. I can't believe they held a televised tourney there. I'd opt for somewhere else if you're going to spend 5 days there.

[highlife]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm from Ohio and I remember a post here where some guy got up to go to
the bathroom at the Taj, and when he came back to his
table, it had broken up and his 260 dollars in chips
were gone. Stolen. I've been to Caesars Indiana riverboat
and people can get up from 4 grand in chips and never
have to worry about it. I got up several times to get a drink or restroom and you just do not have to worry about
anyone taking your chips.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would be very surprised if this were true, but even if it were, this has the potential to happen anywhere really. And at the Taj there are much bigger games with people sitting in front of $20,000+ in chips and cash playing in the 400-800 stud game and the occasional 200-400 or 300-600 HE. I'm sure those people feel safe or they wouldnt be playing there.

AC has three casinos with nice poker rooms (Taj, Trop and Borgata) all with plenty of action for low limit players. Plus like some others have said there is alot more to do there when you arent playing poker.