Trip report... first timer in AC (long)

[MagicFlea]

so I'm home for christmas break (I'm 21 and a senior in college), I'm getting pretty bored with online poker already (this is my main impediment to making a lot of money playing online), and I've had the itch to go play in a casino for a while now what with all the talk of how loose the games are I've seen here, so I decide I'm going to get up real early wednesday morning, take the train out to atlantic city, and play some poker!

I did very little research for this trip, since I wasn't planning on staying in a hotel or anything of the sort...
I walked out of the house with 6 bucks in my wallet. made it to the local train at 11:52 (not quite as early as I had planned) which managed to get me to Atlantic city at around 3:10... first made my way to the borgata because the building looked nice and I read here that they had poker. I walk around a bit not knowing what the hell was going on but really just interested in taking in the scenery, when I finally stumble across the promotions desk and sign up for a rewards card. From there I was directed to the poker room, but first stopped to pull $200 out of the ATM (out of the 300 I withdrew from neteller for the day). Poker room looks pretty nice, I put my name down for 3/6 and take a seat at 2/4. Had some first-time-live jitters including picking my hand up once, forgetting to tip a couple times, and trying to cash out my chips with the chip cart lady etc. and by the time I got my seat at 3/6 I was just about even. The 3/6 table was a dream table in terms of loose-passive play, but I couldn't manage to make any money and cashed out with 160 after the weakest players left and the table stopped looking enticing. I decided at this point to head over to the trop to play 4/8 since that was my intention and it turns out they don't spread it at borg. I also realize its about 8:00 and if I want to get back home tonight I have to leave now to get the last train out of philly. Clearly this is out of the question, so I figure I'll just tell my parnets I crashed in the city with friends (they hate poker).

Everyone at the borg was very businesslike and professional but I didn't get too excited about the experience. I wandered around the casino for another 10 minutes looking for food then decided to try my luck at the tropicana instead, hopped on the shuttle bus and made my way over there.

I get to tropicana, again wander around like an idiot tourist for a few minutes, then make my way to the poker room and put my name down for 4/8. Fortunately I'm about number 9 on the list so a new table starts up within a few minutes after I get a chance to munch down a tasty roast beef sandwich for 7 bucks.

This table is a nightmare! 2-3 way flops, raised or reraised action, and I can't catch a hand. About an hour later I'm down to about 50 bucks (from 200), but I can tell the table is changing and this is all poker roll anyway so I head out to the ATM to grab my last 100. Things start getting better, and better.. and better... and not just because I'm on my 5th or 6th G&T by now either. By about 1 AM I'm back up to 180ish (out of 300) but the table is suddenly very very loose. Here is the signature hand of the night:

dealt 55 on the button, 1 raise, 3 coldcall, I coldcall, bb raises, UTG caps, 6 to the flop capped. Really I just want to see a 5. Flop: no 5. one bet to me, so I have to call. Turn: no 5. Again 1 bet. At this point pot odds are probably slightly against me but, whatever, I have no problem making this call with the attitude at the table at the time. River, no 5, but it checks around this time and I get to show down my hand. It's good. Ship it!

AK, AK, Q7, 45, and some other junk were all shown down and I took the pot on a 3-straight, 3-flush, paired board.

The table alternates between maniac preflop/passive post to total loose-passive for the rest of the night. One guy literally calls down with anything every single hand (he called down 32 all the way to play the board), but managed not to lose for 5 hours.

My second biggest hand came on AKs, I was UTG+2 and it went raise, reraise, cap from me... then 3 people cold called the cap, and an ace came and it was enough. Lost a big one on a flopped wheel at 5 AM after 11 or so drinks when I totally failed to notice that the 8 that fell on the river gave 67 a higher straight and I bit about 8 BB on that hand.

At 6 AM the table finally dies, and having survived all 9 hours of it I cash out $544, use my props for another sandwich and crash on the train back home.

Trop impressions: I prefer this room to the borgata, but maybe just because I had a great time. Good atmosphere, very friendly and competent dealers with a good mix of characters, and I got to meet some cool people, including a fellow I sat next to for the duration of the 9 hour 4/8 table.

Trip summary: up $220, 2 sandwiches, and a lot of drinks, after expenses, and going back ASAP. perhaps taj 5/10 next time?

[samjjones]

For some reason, I never do well at the Trop 2/4 until I start drinking heavily and gamb00ling it up and putting half the table on tilt. But with all of the bars/restaurants in the Trop, its pretty hard not to have a good time.

[Georgia Avenue]

Great report...Your 55 hand was, yeah, well, you know. But I certainly approve of your Trop > Borg conclusion. The best rooms in AC are the dirty squalid old school drunk-mageese fests. See you there!

[TomBrooks]

[ QUOTE ]
My second biggest hand came on AKs, I was UTG+2 and it went raise, reraise, cap from me... then 3 people cold called the cap

[/ QUOTE ]

Congrats on making your first trip to AC and your success.

Holy Christmas! Three people cold calling a cap! Do people cold call a lot in AC small stakes poker?

The trop is definetely a decent room, a close second behind the borg IMO.

[buffett]

[ QUOTE ]
I walked out of the house with 6 bucks in my wallet...made my way to the borgata...stopped to pull $200 out of the ATM

[/ QUOTE ]
Isn't this -EV compared to using Wawa, Commerce Bank, or several other options?

[MagicFlea]

yeah... this is where the "first timer" part comes in. 2.75 fee!