Some AC Questions

[jasonHoldEm]

Hi guys,

I've been bugging Mike Gallo the last couple days, but thought I'd make a post to get some more info from other posters. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

I'm going to be making a trip to AC sometime this summer (I haven't set a date yet, probably June or July)...I'm planning well in advance in hopes of scoring some deals and also because this will be my first B&M trip and I want to get all the details out of the way so I can enjoy myself and play some poker.

My buget for the trip is pretty flexible, but I don't want to spend an arm and a leg either. Originally I was considering finding a different hotel outside AC and driving in, but changed my mind (I really don't like city driving) and now I'm looking to stay at the casino I'll be playing at (with maybe a drive/taxi ride to one of the others sometime).

I'm planning on spending about a week in AC, probably driving up on a sunday or monday. My basic plan is to get my feet wet early in the week playing some low limit games and then move up to some (slightly bigger) low limit games, lol.

A couple questions...

Which is better as far as the poker room goes, Taj or Borg?

Which is better as far as hotel, service, and all the other stuff?

I've heard about the $39 deal at the borg (you have to play 8 hrs of poker per day I believe)...is this deal good for fri and saturday too or just sun-thurs?

If I stay at the borg and want to check out the taj are they within walking distance or am I going to have to drive? What's your best guess on the cost of a taxi?

Is the rake the same at the taj and borg? What is it?

Anything else I should know?

Also...I've been looking around for a "clueless newbie B&M guide" but haven't found one...I'm sure there has been one if someone could point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it (stuff like how to buy chips, when to look at your cards, chopping, generally everything that there's a button for online but I'm going to have to do myself in a B&M).

Thanks,
Jason

[jayadd]

The games at the Taj are much better anyone tell you differnetly they are posers. You have much more of a selection and a greater chance of someone willing to give poker a shot cause they watched it at the TAJ. All the hype of the borgata is like a childs new toy at christmas its nice shiny and new but it goes in the chest before the spring.
Thats why borgata's poker room is tucked away downstairs and the Taj has it up in front.

jason Holdem stay where ever you want but You will find a better selection at the Taj.

[CrackerZack]

Jayadd's post is a bit bizarre IMO. Flame me if you will.

First off, if you're not playing 15-30 or higher, the rooms are interchangeable in game selection. If you are, Taj has more games at higher levels. To your questions...

Rooms... Taj, more tables, more games, especially higher level, dirtier than a bed-stuy subway toilet (both chips, room and players), floor very rarely gives a crap, dealers are avg to good, drinks is a plastic cup.
Borgata, less tables, usually 6 games of 10-20 and 6-12, 7 or 3-6 and 2-4, everything is brand new and very clean, beer in a bottle, dealers above 2-4 are usually decent, at 2-4 are usually awful, floor is good, drinks come in glasses and bottles of beer.

Other stuff... borgata is sooooooo far above anything else in AC its sick. Its not even close. Comp system is the best, rooms are great, hotel is beautiful, etc etc. Its the only casino in AC that can be mentioned in the same breath with Vegas.

$39 deal I believe is 4 or 5 hours per day of play, sun-thurs only. $125 on fri/sat. Taj room rates will not be available to you as you don't have a card and haven't played there a lot. Trop you can probably get 40-80 per night depending on day of the week. Dirty room though, not worth going IMO.

Taj and Borg are not close. Borg isn't close to anything really. Its far from other Marina casinos. Taxi will be $8 as that's the max fare within the city.

Rake is 10% to $4 max 6-12 and below. 10-20 and up is time charge. $5 per half hour at 10-20, $6 at 15-30, $7 at 20-40, etc...

Anything else you should know? yes, have fun. The players will be atrocious at low limits. They won't notice tells on you and its unlikely you'll really give off major ones. Maybe you will, but don't worry, no one is really paying attention. The game will be slower but its much more personal so have fun with the crowd.

Good luck.

[morgant]

ac is hardly city driving lol. but there are numerous cheap hotels right there in the heart of it. use any search engine. cab fares are if memory serves, $8 anywhere in town. you can't walk from taj to borg., but if you are going to be there for that long play them both, and decide where you want to demolish the competition. aesthetically the trops room is handsome, everything else there leaves a little to be desired, but if you are there for a week check it out, i found some great games.

i think you are young, and you are looking for a cheap hotel it sounds like...who give's an f about the hotel service, you are going to be playing poker, a climate controlled room and a mattress should do. if you can get the borg. deal than you will have a very upscale pad.

do an ac. search over the past 6 months there is a plethora of info.

you seem the eager beaver, requesting info. now when the trip is not for several months on the horizon, lol

gl /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[jasonHoldEm]

[ QUOTE ]
you seem the eager beaver, requesting info. now when the trip is not for several months on the horizon

[/ QUOTE ]

/images/graemlins/blush.gif Yeah, maybe I'm getting a little excited...

...but this allows me to take the "Ahhh, [censored] it...I'm going to Atlantic City trip" at the drop of a hat (which is probably what will end up happening anyways as I'm only about four hours away). /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks to all who have responded.

Jason

[Mike Gallo]

Zack,

Aloha /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Pretty spot on advice.

$39 deal I believe is 4 or 5 hours per day of play, sun-thurs only.

They offered that rate to me after 8 hours of play. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Barry]

I got $39 a night weeknight for my play and it's $125 weekends. If I ever finish it I'll post a report on my trip to the Borg and the Shoe in Tunica. But suffice to say that the 15/30 at the Borg is the softest game that I have ever played in.

[jayadd]

[ QUOTE ]
Jayadd's post is a bit bizarre IMO.

[/ QUOTE ]

what was so bizarre about it? at all levels taj has better game selection. Borgota has a better poker rate and is cleaner big deal your spending most of your time in the poker room, and what do you expect its fricken a poker room. If you ever have played at binions the taj is immaculate. I think its funny how people will bust on the taj but you will so happen run into them there.

[morgant]

it strikes me as bizarre, cause it seems like you are arguing the merit of either room from a thread that died months ago. and your stance seems oddly defensive, couldn't imagine why, who cares, it's a poker room(as you say).

[jayadd]

[ QUOTE ]
it strikes me as bizarre, cause it seems like you are arguing the merit of either room from a thread that died months ago. and your stance seems oddly defensive, couldn't imagine why, who cares, it's a poker room(as you say).

[/ QUOTE ]

this thread died months ago? hmmm... it looks like its from today but my computer has played tricks on me b4......

[morgant]

there is something clearly wrong with your wiring. when someone asks the differences in two poker rooms. i would be inclined to reply, taj has lots of action, the borg. is a very nice new poker room that is attracting a lot of people who like shiny new presents(hmm sounds like fish, oops i am trying to make the borg. look bad) but i prefer the taj.

"The games at the Taj are much better anyone tell you differnetly they are posers"
you were the first reply, were you giving him forewarning about the posers that run rampant around here? or are you talking about the posers that think the borg. is better from threads several months ago...? please direct me to these posers, cause i am confused as to why you would bring them up? not to mention poker posers have no clue how to play and usually make hefty donations, ooops are you giving more credit to the borg. when your intentions were to break it down.


"All the hype of the borgata is like a childs new toy at christmas its nice shiny and new but it goes in the chest before the spring."

so how does the taj fit in this metaphor, you describe the borg. but what kind of christmas gift is TM?

[CrackerZack]

[ QUOTE ]
The games at the Taj are much better anyone tell you differnetly they are posers

[/ QUOTE ]

That's just a bizarre defensive stance that is incorrect. At limits greater than 10-20, its completely true although the few games at the borgata can frequently be the best game on earth, but at levels below 10-20, all games a great. Since the games are the same, I'm choosing comfort and cleanliness.

[scrub]

I've played a few sessions at 10/20 in both rooms.

The Borgata games tend to be loose passive.

The Taj games tend to be loose aggressive.

The Borgata games sometimes include Mike, frighteningly good Asian guy with the weird eyes, and a few other good players.

There were a bunch of decent playing regulars the weekend I played at the Taj, but I don't play there often enough to know who's who.

My guess is JHE's going to be playing 10/20 or lower, so it doesn't make that much of a difference.

The last time I was there, the we were able to get a poker rate room on a Sunday night by talking to the floorperson.

scrub

[NJchick]

The games at the Taj are much better anyone tell you differnetly they are posers.


AGREED 100% - I wonder where you got that from?

[Miah]

EDIT: Here is my plan in a nutshell, and I think rational people will agree: Stay at the Borgata for the cheap, available room rate (39 during the week). It is nearly impossible to get a room at the poker rate at the Taj. On the weekend, when you're hours of play won't drop the room rate down from $125, take a drive over the the Taj and book a few hours there. If you're in AC, you gotta hit up the Taj at least once. During the week, play at the Borgata to get the room rate.

Original post:

The games are great at both places, and just like every other poker game in the world they have their times when they're good and when they're not.

As for 10/20, It has always been great in both places for me. For what its worth I believe the 6/12 on the weekends at the Borgata is probably better than the 5/10 at the Taj.

The real tie breaker here is that you can actually get a damn room at the poker rate at the Borgata. On top of that it's only $39 with 8 hours of play Sun-Thurs or $59 with 4 hours. During the summer months I wouldn't worry about bad games during the week.

Definitely keep us updated, maybe I'll come down when you're there.

I'll address each question, even though I'm just reinforcing what CZ already said.

[ QUOTE ]
Which is better as far as hotel, service, and all the other stuff?

[/ QUOTE ]

Borgata, it's not even close.

[ QUOTE ]
I've heard about the $39 deal at the borg (you have to play 8 hrs of poker per day I believe)...is this deal good for fri and saturday too or just sun-thurs?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's $125 on Fridays and Saturdays without having to play a certain number of hours.

[ QUOTE ]
If I stay at the borg and want to check out the taj are they within walking distance or am I going to have to drive? What's your best guess on the cost of a taxi?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's about a 7 minute drive, no idea on cost of taxi. I'd say just take your car since you'll only pay a parking fee once (since you're staying as a hotel guest).

[ QUOTE ]
Is the rake the same at the taj and borg? What is it

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, 10% max $4 for all games below the 10/20 level. $5 time charge every half hour for 10/20.

[ QUOTE ]
Also...I've been looking around for a "clueless newbie B&M guide" but haven't found one...I'm sure there has been one if someone could point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it (stuff like how to buy chips, when to look at your cards, chopping, generally everything that there's a button for online but I'm going to have to do myself in a B&M).

[/ QUOTE ]

You don't need it, after 15-30 minutes you'll feel right at home. Maybe you should go look at the clips from Mike Caro's tells videos on his website.

[southerndog]

it's eight hours.. However, if you are there with someone else, you can combine hours. Also, you have to hound them about it. Make sure they take care of it.

[MaxPower]

Driving in AC is probably no different from driving in your hometown. It's not like Manhattan.

Also, if you plan on driving from the Borgata to the Taj, I think they will give you something so you don't have to pay for parking twice.

I don't think it is hard to get the poker rate at the TAJ during the week, but I don't think they will give it to you because you have never played there.

You might want to ask some people what the games are like on weekdays. I usually only go on weekends and holidays. I have been to the TAJ on a few weekdays and the games are usually not as good. Perhaps the Borgata is better because it gets more of a tourist croud and there are no buses coming in.

[Paul2432]

AC hotel rates jump dramatically in the summertime. Is everyone here sure this rate will still be available over the summer?

One other thing nobody mentioned. If you have any desire to spend time on the beach, Taj is right on the beach, but the Borg is in the marina with no beach access.

Paul

[RollaJ]

[ QUOTE ]
Borg is in the marina with no beach access

[/ QUOTE ]

I think it does have access to the beach, thats why they have a marina there /images/graemlins/grin.gif