Date: 19 Dec 2006 12:31:44
From: Bronzedodger
Subject: Niagara Fallsview poker room visit this weekend
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Checked-out the Fallsview poker room Saturday night. I was concerned that
December in Niagara Falls might be pretty quiet, given that tourists tend
not to check-out the falls in late December. I played at Casino Niagara in
the summer as the lowest NL game as Fallsview was 5-5 No-limit (never even
heard of 5-5 NL before) . Casino Niagara was ok, but the 1/2 was pretty
tough. This time when I called ahead Fallsview had 1/2 & 2/5, so what the
heck.
Nice place, something like 15 tables. You sign-up at the desk and the
lists are displayed on over-head flat panels (looks like
departure/arrivals boards at the airport). Any worries about it being too
quiet were unfounded - it was a mad house. All the tables were full, and
there were long lists for the $1/$2, and at least 10 people for each of
the other games. The line-up was something like:
No-limit:
1/2 ($100 max)
2/5 ($200 max)
5/5 ($500 max)
5/10
Limit:
2/5
5/10
10/20
All tables Hold 'em, but they had notice about running Omaha on Thursdays.
I got a seat at 2/5NL in about 20 minutes - i think it was only the 1/2NL
that had a list maybe 40 players long. There were a couple of guys with
$500+ already, and a lot of solid players. First little while it was tough
as there was very little limping - and I had no cards. But soon enough an
influx of Xmas party-ers began to arrive. The game would loosen up until
the new guy busted...then slow down again. I was attempting to play loose
early to get some chips, but with no cards, I was just donating. Made a
good score with QQ, but anything I won did not go to showdown. After 90m
or so I was playing too tight - winning the blinds with KK is not the
goal. There was a hand I'd like commentary on - I thought I botched it
entirely, but after the fact, I don't think I did that badly due to the
math, but it was not a fun hand regardless. First the background hand.
New guy sat down with the "never played in a casino before" comment to his
Xmas party buddy who sat down at the same time. He posted from UTG+2, and
after a couple of limpers just checked. I raised with not much of hand to
$20...and got 4 or 5 callers (ugh) including the new guy. Flop was QQx, OP
bet, new guy then went all-in. Two callers - new guy had AQ and tripled up
on the first hand. Nice! I now have $300 to my right with a guy who will
limp with AQ.
A little while later, after new guy had given back about $100, we had a
family pot - I limped with Th-8h.
Flop Jd-7h-2h.
New guy bets $40 into a $30 pot.
I'm thinking with 12 outs I can take new guy's entire stack if it hits, I
call the $40.
Big stack to my immediately left (solid player with probably $500) raises
to $100.
New guy calls, $270 in the pot - now I figure I could triple-up if I hit,
call the $60.
Turn is 4c.
New guy checks, I check, big stack bets $100
New guy folds - so it's $100 into $430.
I haven't hit a draw in ages, but I call - still 12 outs.
River is a blank, but the big stack is so spooked (since I have not been
splashing around) he checks behind me with J-7o for top two on the flop -
he was worried about me having a set.
I figure my only options were check, or all-in for my last $200 and hope
to push him off - and I
chickened-out, since I hadn't seen this guy make a wrong move yet, and he
had to have at least AJ. In any case, didn't have much to speak of after
that even though I was there for a good 6 hours.
A couple of knocks against the room:
1) no rake, but a time charge - it was $6 every 30m on the $2/$5. After
being up and down all night, I would have made something like $20, but the
fees were $72 for the 6 hours and I was behind. I figure with the number
of hands I typically play the rake would not have been more than $15-$25,
so I think I was way behind on the time charge.
2) the dealers I thought were ok, but they were not showing any urge to
move the game along. With time to collect the fees every 30m, getting
distracted talking to floor people, etc. the time fee was made worse. One
woman was a very slow - a little annoying if it's raked, but when it's a
time fee - c'mon.
3) No ipods - apparently Ontario (the land that fun forgot) has some fire
regulation that makes them ban headphones. Lame.
Nice room though, and very organized, but I don't think know if I'm good
enough to stay ahead of the time charge (even though I was watching other
guys take some serious chips off the table). When I left at 3:30am half
the table-games were empty, the slots were quiet, but the poker room was
still full...so no shortage of players (a lot of folks from the States
were up for the Bills/Dolphins game the next day). Given the opportunity I
think I'd try it again but with an eye to stealing enough blinds to stay
ahead of the sit fee.
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