fallsview niagara falls report (VERY LONG)

went to fallsview last night for first time.. and had only played bricks-n-mortar (non-home games) a couple of times before.

anyhow, huge, huge parking lot and jammed packed. i thought wow.

got into casino at 6:30 pm on saturday night.... got to poker area and was surprised at how small it was (this is one of two main casinos - or maybe 3 - for a huge area in canada, like probably 6-7 million people, not to mention U.S. visitors).

then, not only is the area pretty small (15 tables maybe or slightly less by my eye), but they don't have 6 of the tables going at all, and they ONLY have 1 (ONE) limit game going and that's 6-12, which is a little richer than i wanted, but it's still o.k.. probably had about 8 no-limit games going.. i'm like "what's the deal with that?" as it seemed like limit had a huge waiting list and no-limit was managable (but in fairness, i'm not sure about that).

then they had enough dealers and opened the other tables, but it must have taken at least 70-90 minutes from the time the dealers sat at the table and and they all filled up. the whole poker area just reeked of inefficiency. the whole waiting list was just written down, no electronic board at all... the people were pretty nice, but a little defensive and my one hour "estimated wait time" turned into almost 2 hours, but i was saved by one of the new tables opening up, otherwise it would have been 5 hour wait.

anyhow, 10 people eventually end up at table and we start...

first three hands had maximum 3 people see flop. so i'm thinking i drove down to niagara falls and waited two hours for this. just to reinforce: this was 6-12 limit.

but pretty soon it loosened up pretty nicely so that it was 4-7 seeing flop with average of 4.5 people seeing flop.... i brought down average playing tightly as did at least one other guy and maybe one other guy.....

but there was an ABSOLUTE MANIAC at the table, raising probably 60% pre-flop and then raising quite a bit thru the hand, and he was hitting stuff for the first 90 minutes, although the last 3.5 hours i played with him were pretty painful for him, although he eventually toned the maniac stuff way back. the guy talked like he had alot of cash (i.e. wife signed pre-nup etc.) and the guy was extremely animated (in fact shocking that casino security didn't implore him to tone down, but he probably tipped at least $100 - was tipping awhile when he was losing).

anyhow, i was absolutely shocked how much stuff hit on the river and runner/runner. and not just to me. and the # of people who sat down at the table and hit trips and a straight in the first 10 hands, meanwhile i haven't played a hand outside blinds in 40 minutes.

so to my game, won some pots, but got busted a bunch of times. i think my ratio was 4 wins to 6-7 rivers/"tremendous flops" by opponents. worst was that i'd hit an ACE on river and it would complete someone else and i'd pay to see two guys cards (i think i'm fishy on the turn/river)..

so played 6 hours and finally nailed some stuff on the river myself in the last hour and i ended up O.K. (not great but DIDN'T LOSE).

a few thoughts: seems like flushes and straight were king (some two pairs too). i hit enough flushes, but only one straight, couldn't believe how often others won on straights but i assume others play almost any suited one and two gappers)... it was wierd. in six hours, i almost never saw a pair of aces win (pocket or with help from board), although i saw tons and tons of lower pairs win.

dealers were pretty good. i figure we probably did 20 hands an hour (which i don't think is horrible, but maybe someone can correct me). no dealer errors (although i got burned on miscommunication twice, but only happened a few other times to others so obviously my mistake). one bitchy dealer and two dealers who threw the cards which i hate (always a danger of someone seeing cards)....

sorry, can't remember the rake structure. the maniac who was comped said he was comped on his friend's blackjack not on the poker (apparently you have to lose money to the house to be comped).........

curious as to the rake structure.... i think i'll have a look at the no-limit next time. i think it was 5-5-100 (each blind = 5 and 100 minimum buyin???)

i think i may go down another weekend and get cheap lundy's lane motel room for friday night and then just play thru saturday night.