Atlantic City Casinos: Two Questions

I have reached what I consider the "sweet spot" as far as receiving a level of comps I am very happy with at the Taj Mahal, and I want to have more options when I go to AC (as far as level of spending) without negatively impacting my rating at the Taj. Thus my first question: Am I correct that your comp rating is based on average play - so that the more you play per day average the better rating you have? (Rather than total amount of dollars bet overall?) So I need to stick with a certain minimum I am playing per day, and at higher denominations? If this is the case, I want to have options in case I get to the last day of my trip and don't have enough bankroll left to meet those standards - should I just play somewhere else with that extra money where I can shell out less that day and bet lower denominations to make it last longer? The optimal strategy may be to divide all the money into 3 days at the Taj and not gamble the 4th day, for example, but I don't want to be stuck not being able to play at all the last day, or having to shorten my trip. If playing elsewhere is what I need to do to maintain my status (by not "pulling down" my daily average, and rating, at the Taj), what casinos do you recommend as "backups" where it is easy to level up to the second tier in the players club, since most of my bankroll will not be going to them?

Second, I really want to try a live cash game of poker, but I am very intimidated by the prospect. I fully understand how to play poker, but not the "table etiquette" or nuances unique to playing a live cash game in a casino, and I'm afraid of making a fool of myself (having to ask questions, etc.). For over a year now I've been promising myself I'd try it "next time," and every time "next time" comes I am too afraid. When I go in there and watch, it seems like everyone is experienced and knows exactly what they are doing. How did you get up the courage as a first-timer and what was it like? Anyone regret it?

Quote: GlamorousGirl

I have reached what I consider the "sweet spot" as far as receiving a level of comps I am very happy with at the Taj Mahal, and I want to have more options when I go to AC (as far as level of spending) without negatively impacting my rating at the Taj. Thus my first question: Am I correct that your comp rating is based on average play - so that the more you play per day average the better rating you have? (Rather than total amount of dollars bet overall?) So I need to stick with a certain minimum I am playing per day, and at higher denominations? If this is the case, I want to have options in case I get to the last day of my trip and don't have enough bankroll left to meet those standards - should I just play somewhere else with that extra money where I can shell out less that day and bet lower denominations to make it last longer? The optimal strategy may be to divide all the money into 3 days at the Taj and not gamble the 4th day, for example, but I don't want to be stuck not being able to play at all the last day, or having to shorten my trip. If playing elsewhere is what I need to do to maintain my status (by not "pulling down" my daily average, and rating, at the Taj), what casinos do you recommend as "backups" where it is easy to level up to the second tier in the players club, since most of my bankroll will not be going to them?

Second, I really want to try a live cash game of poker, but I am very intimidated by the prospect. I fully understand how to play poker, but not the "table etiquette" or nuances unique to playing a live cash game in a casino, and I'm afraid of making a fool of myself (having to ask questions, etc.). For over a year now I've been promising myself I'd try it "next time," and every time "next time" comes I am too afraid. When I go in there and watch, it seems like everyone is experienced and knows exactly what they are doing. How did you get up the courage as a first-timer and what was it like? Anyone regret it?

One thing you do not want to do is play poker at the Taj. Everyone is old, experienced, and it's hard to get their money. If you want to stay close, take the two minute walk and go to Showboat instead. The rake is kind of high, but they have high hand promotions and a solid bad beat jackpot. I also don't think the players there are as tight on average.

As for the other questions, I don't know lol

Sign up for a poker tournament. More relaxed atmosphere. Occasionally a casino with have a ladies only tournament.
Or have a male friend sit with you at a low limit poker table.
I am available for just a few " chippies".

It is my understanding that it is better to have an average bet of $100 for 6 hours than $200 for 3 hours. Not sure why.

They DO look at your daily average, and putting in a short day may hurt you. Then again, if that short day is the first or last day of your trip, and you have good numbers the other days, it may not matter. Then again it may.

Sorry if this reply isn't much help.


As far as your hesitation about poker goes, read this post / article: Introduction to Poker in a Casino Poker Room.

I was extremely experienced playing online until my internet stopped letting me log in a few years ago. Not sure why I can't anymore.;-) Anyways, the first time I went and played I bought in for the minimum and was really nervous. I had planned on folding every hand for the first round just to get a feel of how to do it. The very first hand I was dealt was KQ suited so I decided to play. I played it completely wrong and ended up losing a decent sized pot to the BB with something stupid like 9-2. After a few hands I was good to go as far as etiquette. So if you have played before then you will be fine playing.

Quote: GlamorousGirl

Second, I really want to try a live cash game of poker, but I am very intimidated by the prospect. I fully understand how to play poker, but not the "table etiquette" or nuances unique to playing a live cash game in a casino, and I'm afraid of making a fool of myself (having to ask questions, etc.). For over a year now I've been promising myself I'd try it "next time," and every time "next time" comes I am too afraid. When I go in there and watch, it seems like everyone is experienced and knows exactly what they are doing. How did you get up the courage as a first-timer and what was it like? Anyone regret it?

There is nothing to be afraid of. It is my experience that the dealer and the other players are always very helpful with newcomers. A couple of times through the blinds and you will have the hang of it.

Quote: mickeycrimm

There is nothing to be afraid of. It is my experience that the dealer and the other players are always very helpful with newcomers. A couple of times through the blinds and you will have the hang of it.

I see new players all of the time and I can't think of 1 time where they were given a hard time by the players. Well at least by all of them, of course there is always that 1 a-hole.

Quote: GWAE

I see new players all of the time and I can't think of 1 time where they were given a hard time by the players. Well at least by all of them, of course there is always that 1 a-hole.

Obviously they'll be nice to the new comers. They are considered easy money.

Quote: Lemieux66

Obviously they'll be nice to the new comers. They are considered easy money.

well I didn't want to say that but since you are mentioning I guess I will concur.

OP, quite often the biggest tell of new players is they move quicker when they have a good hand. Kind of like giving a speech. People will talk faster when they are nervous. When new players and weak players get a good hand they get nervous about it and they can't wait to get the money in the pot.

If I have no table image I will sometimes do this with a weak hand trying to induce a fold.

Sit down at a $1-$2 LIMIT game (no fold'em hold'em). You can't get anyone out of a hand, but you can't get sucked into betting your whole stack either. After a few minutes you will realize it is the same game as the home game you play.
Will you make some mistakes? Yep, but learn from them.

My mistake was getting a good hand in a NL tournament game, and with the bet at $50, I pushed out a $100 chip. Dealer says "Player calls." I said, "No that is a raise to $100." Dealer says, "You have to say raise, you didn't, that is a $50 call."

Another player raised it to $100 for me anyway, and I went on to win the hand, so it worked out.

One Lesson learned. See how easy that was?

If you play tournament NL at home, I found that much less intimidating. I had a rocky start at my first table, practically embarrassed myself to tears in any early hand, but it turned out to be in my favor. I got quickly labeled as a calling station, even though I was playing pretty tight. That led to 4 people calling my all-in bets, which led to their elimination. <grin> You should have seen the look on my face when the TD dropped the first red chip next to me after the first knock out. The player next to me had to explain it was a knockout event, which meant you got paid $5 every time you knocked someone out of the event.

Unfortunately, the later lesson I learned was pretty expensive, as I made a classic rookie mistake and got knocked out on the bubble, when, as the third big stack, I stupidly took on the 2nd big stack, and lost. Did I mention it was the bubble spot? <tears>

90% of the poker players will love to see you at the table and they will all be very helpful, the dealers will often coach you when its your turn and what your options are no one will care. There are a few dumb players that will yell at you if you act out of turn. I always love When I act out of turn and the guy before me gets mad. I can always tell he is a bad player. Why the hell would he care? I'm giving him extra information.

Just wait for the dealer to ask you to act. If you are unsure of what your options are, just ask him or her. They will almost always help you.
There is nothing to be afraid of :)

Most of all enjoy yourself!!

Quote: RaleighCraps

Unfortunately, the later lesson I learned was pretty expensive, as I made a classic rookie mistake and got knocked out on the bubble, when, as the third big stack, I stupidly took on the 2nd big stack, and lost. Did I mention it was the bubble spot? <tears>

there is no shame in that. If you are playing to make the bubble then you are not going to win it anyways. As long as you were making the right move and not just a bluff with air then you were ok. If you win that hand you are a huge favorite to win the whole thing and you can bully the little stacks.

2-4 limit is the smallest game in town.

Quote: GWAE

there is no shame in that. If you are playing to make the bubble then you are not going to win it anyways. As long as you were making the right move and not just a bluff with air then you were ok. If you win that hand you are a huge favorite to win the whole thing and you can bully the little stacks.

With respect to Paul Harvey's "The rest of the story"

It was the bubble. I am BB. First to my left does not have enough left to post the BB next, so he is almost out. I am thinking fold anything, but I am looking at KK. I make a 3x raise pre-flop and get 2 callers. Flop is A-K-?. I make a pot sized bet. I don't remember the rest of the action, other than I end up all-in, and the other player flips A-A.

Had I not played that hand, the player on my left busts out next hand, and I am guaranteed $186 for my $100 buy-in.
Perhaps I could have gotten away from the hand, but it was just a big mistake to have played the hand to begin with, given the imminent demise of the player on my left. Sometimes the best play is not to put yourself into a situation where you have to make a big play to call or fold.

Quote: RaleighCraps

With respect to Paul Harvey's "The rest of the story"

It was the bubble. I am BB. First to my left does not have enough left to post the BB next, so he is almost out. I am thinking fold anything, but I am looking at KK. I make a 3x raise pre-flop and get 2 callers. Flop is A-K-?. I make a pot sized bet. I don't remember the rest of the action, other than I end up all-in, and the other player flips A-A.

Had I not played that hand, the player on my left busts out next hand, and I am guaranteed $186 for my $100 buy-in.
Perhaps I could have gotten away from the hand, but it was just a big mistake to have played the hand to begin with, given the imminent demise of the player on my left. Sometimes the best play is not to put yourself into a situation where you have to make a big play to call or fold.

If you think raising with KK and then going broke when you flop middle set is a mistake, then I don't know what to tell you. You're there to WIN! Sometimes people want to cash just so they didn't "waste their time". Don't be that way.

Quote: RaleighCraps

Sit down at a $1-$2 LIMIT game (no fold'em hold'em).

there are no 1-2 limit HE games in AC that I know of

Quote: RaleighCraps

With respect to Paul Harvey's "The rest of the story"

It was the bubble. I am BB. First to my left does not have enough left to post the BB next, so he is almost out. I am thinking fold anything, but I am looking at KK. I make a 3x raise pre-flop and get 2 callers. Flop is A-K-?. I make a pot sized bet. I don't remember the rest of the action, other than I end up all-in, and the other player flips A-A.

Had I not played that hand, the player on my left busts out next hand, and I am guaranteed $186 for my $100 buy-in.
Perhaps I could have gotten away from the hand, but it was just a big mistake to have played the hand to begin with, given the imminent demise of the player on my left. Sometimes the best play is not to put yourself into a situation where you have to make a big play to call or fold.

Even with the story you made the right move. It just sucks that you get KK and flop middle set and he wakes up to AA with top set. I always say, don't be results oriented. If you made the right play then you will win a hell of a lot more than you lose.

Also, I have seen people with less than a BB left and come back to win a tournament. Imagine next hand he is all in and wins with 2 people in the pot plus the antes (if there are some). Now he plays his SB and figures owell I will go all in and wins again. All of a sudden he has enough to play a few hands and you are thinking crap I folded that KK back there.

Quote: GWAE

Even with the story you made the right move. It just sucks that you get KK and flop middle set and he wakes up to AA with top set. I always say, don't be results oriented. If you made the right play then you will win a hell of a lot more than you lose.

Also, I have seen people with less than a BB left and come back to win a tournament. Imagine next hand he is all in and wins with 2 people in the pot plus the antes (if there are some). Now he plays his SB and figures owell I will go all in and wins again. All of a sudden he has enough to play a few hands and you are thinking crap I folded that KK back there.

I came back to win a tournament from just that spot. Bounty tournament, 2 tables left. blinds at 500-1000 with 100 ante. My BB I had 500 left, forced all in, 6 limping callers checked it down as I stumbled into the best hand. Now I had 3800. SB looked down at JJ, 4 limpers and I shoved, 2 callers with A-rag. Jacks stood up. Stack now at 11k. Went on to win the tournament, only bounty I collected was the second place guy. Every time someone gets shortstacked at my home tournament, my wife insists on telling that story (aggravates me to no end, why give them hope when they are on the ropes, lol)

Can not understand players still trying to get past the bubble, instead of going to win it all. You flop a set of kings, only AA beats you.
What is there to think about ?????

Quote: Buzzard

Can not understand players still trying to get past the bubble, instead of going to win it all. You flop a set of kings, only AA beats you.
What is there to think about ?????

They want to cash to justify time spent playing. It's stupid but it's there.

There is nothing more (un)lucky in Poker than flopping set-over-set. Other than trying to control the size of the pot, you found yourself in a situation that had only one outcome. Personally, when it comes to tournament strategy, I play to win rather than to cash.

Quote: Lemieux66

They want to cash to justify time spent playing. It's stupid but it's there.

I have to say that the first 2 years I played poker this was my mentality. I would tell people that I cashed in 90% of the tournaments that I play. Their next question is how many have you won? My answer was 0. I would make it just past the bubble and then with my short stack I was out quickly. I did feel good about it since I was making some money at it and more importantly not losing money. Now I go to win. Well I went to win, now that I am poor I do nothing. Anyways, a few small adjustments and I was still cashing in a bunch but more importantly I won or chopped more than a dozen in the last 2 years.

Quote: GWAE

I have to say that the first 2 years I played poker this was my mentality. I would tell people that I cashed in 90% of the tournaments that I play. Their next question is how many have you won? My answer was 0. I would make it just past the bubble and then with my short stack I was out quickly. I did feel good about it since I was making some money at it and more importantly not losing money. Now I go to win. Well I went to win, now that I am poor I do nothing. Anyways, a few small adjustments and I was still cashing in a bunch but more importantly I won or chopped more than a dozen in the last 2 years.

I'm not entirely sure this paragraph makes people actually want to go for the win lol.

Quote: Lemieux66

I'm not entirely sure this paragraph makes people actually want to go for the win lol.

I snap take 90% cashes. My small amount of casino tourneys are much more annoying. Out of about half dozen (~40-50 ppl field), I got to the final table 4 times, cashed once (5th place). I should try another one eventually; people were terrible at these, just like the juice.