Played at the Showboat/HOB

[Bremen]

Well I got off to a disapointing start at the Taj and combined with a rather tight 10/20 table decided to head over to the showboat to gamble it up.

First off I found out they are in fact using the same electronic board system as Borg/Ceasars. However their boards are not visible to players :-(

At the time of my arrival (4:45) they had a 1/2 NL and 2-3 2/4 games going. I decided to play the 1/2 NL. I was rather surprised when informed I had to buyin at the table, whatever makes the cardroom people happy, right? Well the dealer literally counted the chips out one at a time for my $300 max buyin (I don't know why I bothered, no one else had more than $100 or so). This same dealer did not require new players to post when joining the game. When the dealer change came I was very surprised to find out there was a $5 time charge (the previous dealer had been raking pots). Thankfully he was a definite improvement over the previous dealer. The most ammusing dealer mistake occured when a dealer accidentally gave a new player a missed blind button mixed with greenbirds. This player than bet with it before realizing it was different. The player was trying to raise (two greens would be a raise) however since only one came out the dealer treated it as a call. This caused a premature burn and turn. Fun times :0)

Thankfully the only thing more atrocious than the dealers were the players. However putting up with their verbal tirades is a definite nuisance. The floor was called over at least three times because of verbal bickering. I'm not quite sure the $240 I took off the table in just under 2 hours was worth putting up with those people.

I got back to the Taj and after busting out of the evening tourney went back to 10/20. I'm definitly starting to agree with Mike Gallo, overnight is by far the best time to play. Loose players who frequently called 3 cold preflop, yum! Took 45BB off that table in 4.5 hours.

[sekrah]

What other limits were the Showboat spreading?

[Bremen]

1/2 NL and 2/4 limit, thats it

[Bremen]

Now that I've had a chance to sleep (posting at 5AM is really overrated) I'd like to add some things to my report.

After playing Borg/Taj the silence in the HOB poker room really got to me. IMHO they really should pipe the music into the poker room as well. I know alot of the older nits would pitch a fit, however I see the HOB demographic as more WPT wannabe.

The $5 chips really get lost on the maroon felt. Wasn't a problem for me, but it would be really easy to miss a bet.

[Mike Gallo]

I'm definitly starting to agree with Mike Gallo, overnight is by far the best time to play. Loose players who frequently called 3 cold preflop, yum! Took 45BB off that table in 4.5 hours.


Nice hit. Good job. I had a session like that...once [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

I prefer to play from midnight to 4 am sometimes I will play until 8 am. Sometimes I will play from 2-10. I do like the overnight crowd much more.

If you do play the overnight, prepare yourself to play 5-6 handed a good portion of the time. Some nights I have played as short as 4 handed.

[poker327]

When I first thought of HOB and poker room, I thought they would have some music in the room. There is no use having a fancy computerized list if the players can't see it. I did like the fact that I saw some signs on the first floor of Showboat that direct you to the poker room, otherwise you wouldn't bump into it unless you were going to the music hall.

[Luv2DriveTT]

[ QUOTE ]
When I first thought of HOB and poker room, I thought they would have some music in the room. There is no use having a fancy computerized list if the players can't see it. I did like the fact that I saw some signs on the first floor of Showboat that direct you to the poker room, otherwise you wouldn't bump into it unless you were going to the music hall.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lets do the math -

1) they must be waiting on the installation of the screens for players. Its a brand new build out, not everything will work overnight

2) As soon as the floor gets 20 complaints from color blind people about the maroon felt, it will be ripped out for sure.

3)The escalator to the second floor is essentially one great big poker room sign. NICE....

4) When I was there the music from the hallway could be heard in the poker room. Not sure why, it was 7PM.

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

[Bremen]

[ QUOTE ]
4) When I was there the music from the hallway could be heard in the poker room. Not sure why, it was 7PM.

[/ QUOTE ]
It can be heard, but just.

[drphibes]

When to HOB late last night (Friday) for the first time to check it out. Here are my impressions. I parked at the customer surface lot and observed the sign indicating $5 parking, free with member card, so I made a mental note to pick up a card first thing. You walk through the doors on the far side of the casino (away from the ocean) and start walking and walking and walking. First you pass through the bus depot area and have the pleasure of being ogled by all the semi-dead bodies waiting for buses on either side. I picked up a membership card in little more than 5 minutes. You keep walking. Finally, after two football fields you get to the escalators on the ocean side. Up we go and to the right. All the way to the end and there is the HOB music hall on the right and poker room opposite on the left. The poker room is just way up and out of the way. They could not have hidden the damn room any better than that.

I entered the room, checked in with the host and sat down in the biggest limit HE game they had: 3-6. The tables themselves have a horrid, bright red felt with printed ornaments than include face up aces all over it. You cannot see the red chips very well and the community cards are all surrounded by the aces on the felt. VERY HARD to see and sort out I thought. I was told later that this obnoxious felt is soon to go and be replaced by something designed to play poker on, not walk on.

The next thing I did not like at all was the music blasting in from the HOB next door. I found it just too loud. Not like the bass you hear throbbing at the Borgata, but just loud instrusive music at the tables. Ugh.

The dealers were quite simply the worst I have ever seen anywhere at anytime. Couldn't change money->chips quickly. Didn't know where the action was. Didn't wait for the action to complete before turning over the next card; didn't return bet change or miscounted out the change time and again. Sidepots? Forget it. Simply horrid.

They have shuffle machines so I thought that would serve to speed up the game, but the sheer confusion of the dealers and the players made the 15 hands an hour pace seem like water torture. Usual mix of dealers playing from other casinos and horrible players.

One rule was interesting: they have a four raise maximum as opposed to a three raise maximum, which I have not seen elsewhere in AC for limit HE game.

I cashed out after about 2 hrs, walked the ten miles back to my car, flashed my new card at the guy in the booth and got the hell out of there.

'nuf said.