Saturday Night Live Poker At Seneca Niagara Casino
You heard me! I actually got to play some live B&M poker. Scary enough it was Harry that suggested we go play some cards, and believe it or not Matt was allowed out of the house to play too. So, around 9:30 on Saturday night we headed over the border to Seneca Niagara in order to play some poker.
I was just planning on playing 'for fun' so I put us all on the limit lists (3/6, 5/10) and 1/2 no limit as the limit games can be slow to bust people compared to 1/2 as those two are generally happier playing limit.
About Seneca's Poker Room
Upon arrival at the place of my first casino poker experiences, I'm shocked to see how they have increased the size of the poker room.
They must have doubled the tables to 30+ and had a 'high' section where those with more colorful chips can play and they can run donkaments. The poker room is separated from the smoky hell of the main casino, has no casino sounds, just shuffling and riffling of chips. Sweet sweet poker sounds.
The Games
Seneca was also running $60 sit-n-go's constantly through the night... that's perdy cool to see regular tournaments, even though I hate tournaments I know a lot of people love them. Our Canadian side casinos don't run these at all except tuesdays and of course the WPT that's on this week.
I called all three local casinos, here's the games they were spreading on Saturday evening:
Casino Niagara:
1/2nl, 2/5nl, 5/5nl, 2/4 limit. Bad players, (mostly) bad dealers, awful awful floor staff. Plus loud as hell... meh.
Fallsview:
2/5nl, 5/5nl, 5/10nl, 10/20nl, 25/50nl, and 100/200 limit. HAH! 100/200. Musta had some tournament player action here because thats way way higher than the normal 10/20 that runs there. I chock it all up to the WPT event this week (mini event started Sunday, big event starts middle this week sometime (10k buyin)). These limits are all way higher than I play, though I'd love to be rolled for it. Fallsview's lists are always way, way, way overbooked and they seem in no hurry to expand the poker room. Meh, if i was rolled for mid/high limits i'da been there.
Seneca:
Wow, what a list.
1/2nl, 2/5nl, 5/10nl, 2/4 limit, 3/6 limit 1/2 kill, 5/10 limit, 3/6 crazy pineapple, 3/6 omaha/8, 15/30 limit, 7stud 1/2 i think it was. Seriously thats a good number of games, though nothing seriously high limit that i could see.
The Dealers
Seneca was always better from a dealer point of view than our Casino Niagara and Fallsview casinos. That's not to say all our dealers are worse on the Canadian side, there are a few bright spots, but most of them are less than good. It has something to do with the fact that dealers in the Canadian casinos rotate their dealers into the poker room and out of it on schedule so dealers can be raking craps one day and pitching hold'em the next. Plus dealers in the Canadian casinos dont keep tips. That sucks for motivation to do your job well. The dealers are Seneca Niagara were professional, excellent. They know their work and can deal all the games as evidenced by a 7stud, omaha8 game running and the dealers having them in their normal lineups. Totally pro and they earned their tips.
My Games
As stated before, I went to the casino with Matt and Harry in order to have some fun with them. On arrival I was seated in a 1/2nl game with the understanding we were to try and get together for some 3/6 fun. Around 45 minutes into an uneventful 1/2 session I was called for 3/6 with a 1/2 kill. This was my first kill-game but had the general gist down.
Shortly after sitting, I hear Matt and Harry's names called from the podium for the 3/6 game, but they don't show. WTF? I switch out of no limit, which is definately my best game, and come to play limit with these guys and they didnt come over! So, i hunted them down at a 1/2nl game where both bought in, got stuck, and refused to change tables. Those f'ers! Thankfully my game was sweet with one older east indian gentleman who played every hand to the river it seemed and reloaded twice. Kill pot? No matter. I hit some good hands, played standard tight-aggressive and came out $143 winner.
Unfortunately, Harry and Matt both lost a bit of cash, nothing too bad though.
I bought the traditional McD's milkshakes on the way home, with Harry requesting a double quarter pounder with cheese. Sorta gross, but thats the way he rolls when half-drunk on cheap casino beer i spose.
Hopefully Harry and Matt will want to go back to Seneca once in a while. I still love live poker and would like to play more now that my weekend mornings don't require getting up early.
And finally, breaking news. Matt's not 40 yet, and it wasn't his birthday. He is getting married in a few days though -- that i'm definitely sure about as I'll be attending.
I was just planning on playing 'for fun' so I put us all on the limit lists (3/6, 5/10) and 1/2 no limit as the limit games can be slow to bust people compared to 1/2 as those two are generally happier playing limit.
About Seneca's Poker Room
Upon arrival at the place of my first casino poker experiences, I'm shocked to see how they have increased the size of the poker room.
They must have doubled the tables to 30+ and had a 'high' section where those with more colorful chips can play and they can run donkaments. The poker room is separated from the smoky hell of the main casino, has no casino sounds, just shuffling and riffling of chips. Sweet sweet poker sounds.
The Games
Seneca was also running $60 sit-n-go's constantly through the night... that's perdy cool to see regular tournaments, even though I hate tournaments I know a lot of people love them. Our Canadian side casinos don't run these at all except tuesdays and of course the WPT that's on this week.
I called all three local casinos, here's the games they were spreading on Saturday evening:
Casino Niagara:
1/2nl, 2/5nl, 5/5nl, 2/4 limit. Bad players, (mostly) bad dealers, awful awful floor staff. Plus loud as hell... meh.
Fallsview:
2/5nl, 5/5nl, 5/10nl, 10/20nl, 25/50nl, and 100/200 limit. HAH! 100/200. Musta had some tournament player action here because thats way way higher than the normal 10/20 that runs there. I chock it all up to the WPT event this week (mini event started Sunday, big event starts middle this week sometime (10k buyin)). These limits are all way higher than I play, though I'd love to be rolled for it. Fallsview's lists are always way, way, way overbooked and they seem in no hurry to expand the poker room. Meh, if i was rolled for mid/high limits i'da been there.
Seneca:
Wow, what a list.
1/2nl, 2/5nl, 5/10nl, 2/4 limit, 3/6 limit 1/2 kill, 5/10 limit, 3/6 crazy pineapple, 3/6 omaha/8, 15/30 limit, 7stud 1/2 i think it was. Seriously thats a good number of games, though nothing seriously high limit that i could see.
The Dealers
Seneca was always better from a dealer point of view than our Casino Niagara and Fallsview casinos. That's not to say all our dealers are worse on the Canadian side, there are a few bright spots, but most of them are less than good. It has something to do with the fact that dealers in the Canadian casinos rotate their dealers into the poker room and out of it on schedule so dealers can be raking craps one day and pitching hold'em the next. Plus dealers in the Canadian casinos dont keep tips. That sucks for motivation to do your job well. The dealers are Seneca Niagara were professional, excellent. They know their work and can deal all the games as evidenced by a 7stud, omaha8 game running and the dealers having them in their normal lineups. Totally pro and they earned their tips.
My Games
As stated before, I went to the casino with Matt and Harry in order to have some fun with them. On arrival I was seated in a 1/2nl game with the understanding we were to try and get together for some 3/6 fun. Around 45 minutes into an uneventful 1/2 session I was called for 3/6 with a 1/2 kill. This was my first kill-game but had the general gist down.
What's a Kill Game?
A kill game means the poker game is played at a certain limit, in this case 3/6. If a certain qualifier is met (the pot becoming $60 in this case) the next hand is played with an increase in betting structure of 1/2 more, or rounded off to $5/$10 in the case of this game. A full kill would have been $6/$12.
Shortly after sitting, I hear Matt and Harry's names called from the podium for the 3/6 game, but they don't show. WTF? I switch out of no limit, which is definately my best game, and come to play limit with these guys and they didnt come over! So, i hunted them down at a 1/2nl game where both bought in, got stuck, and refused to change tables. Those f'ers! Thankfully my game was sweet with one older east indian gentleman who played every hand to the river it seemed and reloaded twice. Kill pot? No matter. I hit some good hands, played standard tight-aggressive and came out $143 winner.
Unfortunately, Harry and Matt both lost a bit of cash, nothing too bad though.
I bought the traditional McD's milkshakes on the way home, with Harry requesting a double quarter pounder with cheese. Sorta gross, but thats the way he rolls when half-drunk on cheap casino beer i spose.
Hopefully Harry and Matt will want to go back to Seneca once in a while. I still love live poker and would like to play more now that my weekend mornings don't require getting up early.
And finally, breaking news. Matt's not 40 yet, and it wasn't his birthday. He is getting married in a few days though -- that i'm definitely sure about as I'll be attending.
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