Tunica trip report

[JTrout]

I went to Tunica for the first time in a long time. Some things have changed. Some things never do.

Observations:
Gold Strike and Horseshoe have switched rolls. At least from the small stakes perspective.
Gold Strike had app. 14 tables going, all with waiting lists.
Hold'em- 10/20, 5/10, 3/6
No Limit- two tables w/ 1/2 blinds. LOOONG waiting lists.
4/8 Omaha8 with half kill.
1-5 stud.

I played about 5 hrs. at 5/10. It was soft. Filled with uppermiddle class, uppermiddle aged players that weren't maniacs, but were callingstations.
There was one cute redhead in the game. A dealer from somewhere (she had the outfit), she had a friendly smile and an unbuttoned shirt.... but she soon shuffled off to the 10/20. Sigh.
The few hands I played held up fortunately and I finished +$240.

I strolled through the Horseshoe a couple of times, but didn't play. They had several tables with empty seats, short waiting lists.
They are still in the middle of the casino, which isn't very appealing.

I made a run over to Sam's Town, and saw many of the same faces that were there 2 years ago.
Gerald, the room manager, was in a terrible accident awhile back, is doing well. Although he is walking with a limp, he had the same big smile on his face that he always had.
The dealers were the same: sweet Tanya, evil Tanya, hyper Vicki, etc...
They had a 10-20 going 7-handed, probably 2 props.
A couple of 4/8 games, a couple of 2/4.
And a 2/5 No-Limit.
The No Limit was 9 handed, so I sat while waiting for a 4/8.
I sat with $200, which was the short-stack. Ave. stack looked to be about $500.
I sit between the blinds, so sit out a hand. Then I'm dealt cards without having to post. Surprising. FreeRoll!
I fold the next few hands, until I find KK while UTG.
They hold up, and my $200 is now $450.
I considered getting up without ever posting a blind, but folded around a couple more rounds, then went to 4/8.
(I was "scared money" at the table, and hence a fish.)

The 4/8 was as soft as I remember. Of the two 4/8 tables, I was seated at the quieter one. This was disappointing, but it was soft, nevertheless.
After about an hour of (mostly) folding, I wake-up with AA utg+1.
Raise. Call. Call. Call. Call. Wow.

Flop: A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]
BB checks. I bet, call, Raise!(AT), call(?), call(2 hearts).
I re-raise, fold, call, call, call.

Turn blank. Bet, 3 calls.

River the lovely 8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Flush checks, I bet, 2pr makes crying call, 1 fold, and flush just calls.

It was a fortunate night for me, in that practically all my hands held up.

10 total hrs. (+4 driving): $576.

I keep telling myself sometime I'm gonna get out of the kiddie pool and start making some moves..... but I doubt I will!

JTrout

[d10]

[ QUOTE ]
There was one cute redhead in the game. A dealer from somewhere (she had the outfit), she had a friendly smile and an unbuttoned shirt.... but she soon shuffled off to the 10/20. Sigh.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like Jessica from the Horseshoe. I see her playing at the Gold Strike fairly often.

All these Tunica threads are making me wish I could have gone down this weekend. I'm missing out on lots of good poker.

[Spook]

nice report, small but jealous filling.

[MicroBob]

nice report. wasn't able to make it down this weekend.


I suspect the popularity of the Gold Strike this weekend was maybe due to people logging the hours for the $50k freeroll?
And possibly just a bunch of people getting their play in for the room-rate there.
I live close enough that I don't know how the rooms there work...but on this forum it seems that everyone recommends getting the G.S. room-rate (if not recommendaing the grand).

I guess the Horseshoe just doesn't have enough rooms to offer many poker room-rates perhaps??


Anyway, the past couple of months I've been down there and Gold Strike was deader than Horseshoe on the occasions I've looked in on both.

14 tables filled and all with wait-lists there is pretty impressive for them. Sounds like they were having one heckuva busy holiday weekend.

[JTrout]

edit: now that I think about it, I think "hyper Vicki"'s name is Donna. So "hyper Donna".

the waiting list for the 1-2 no limit was very long, and very slow-moving. They could've used another table, or maybe a 2-5 game.

I was there at 2pm-6pm and 9pm-midnight and Gold Strike was packed at these times. People standing around waiting on a seat.

Could be the freeroll promotion, but I think the atmosphere is more appealing.

PS. easy comps. Just ask.

The comps at Horseshoe have always been easy/great as well; however, there was one player at my (G.S.) table complaining of only getting one (H.S.) comp the day before.
He probably asked for 2 during same shift, if I had to guess.

[Chipr777]

Our comps at Horseshoe are liberal to say the least. Factor that in with the comparison between the Gold Strike and Horsehsoe buffets and its painfully obvious where the place to play has always been and will continue to be. When the new Horseshoe room opens in 2-3 weeks watch what happens to the Gold Strike business. The temporary room is rough on everyone. The slots are loud, the snack bar small and only serving cold sandwiches, more foot traffic, ect. The new room will be a breath of fresh air. Waiting lists on computer, new KEM cards, plaques, tables, chairs, and plazma screen TV's at every angle. The new felt will be something to see also. The new snack bar is almost done and instead of just a service well next to the new poker room it will be a full service bar, minus the loud band. I can honestly say it'll be one of the best rooms in the country.

[Randy_Refeld]

The biggest difference between the GS and the Horseshoe is the staff. A friend of mine recently played the NL at the GS against my advice and the inexperienced floor made a poor ruling forcing him to put 150 in the pot when he wanted to fold. The Horseshoe has an expereinced staff (for themost part); the GS has one member of their floor staff that would be employable in a well run room and just a handful of dealers that would be employable elsewhere in the country.

[JTrout]

I noticed one G.S. dealer, Joe, that I thought I remembered being a shift manager at H.S. He seemed like his dog had died.

My table experienced no problems all night. The dealers were fine.
However, the 1-2 No-Limit was calling for the floor with regularity.

[d10]

I agree. Even with the more comfortable room at the Gold Strike (and it looks like that is about to change soon) I've always felt more comfortable playing at the Horseshoe due to the staff. The staff at the Gold Strike never seems very helpful to me, unless they're helping their regulars. I've never played there unless it was to clear a room, and these days I'd rather play online if I can't get a room at the Horseshoe.

[Randy_Refeld]

[ QUOTE ]
My table experienced no problems all night. The dealers were fine.

[/ QUOTE ]

A lot of their inexperience is hidden by the shuffle machines and the lack of bigger games that require more experienced dealers.