Poker at Mohegan Sun

[Bring Back Pat!!!]

So. As some people may or may not know, Mohegan Sun casino in CT recently added a poker room. Up until this point, Foxwoods had a monopoly on casino poker in the area. Foxwoods has a very large room, but it is always packed and can be difficult to get on a table at times. I've waited on the list upwards of an hour and a half before, even for a 1-2 or 2-4 game. I'm not sure of the details (Shiek, little help...?) but I believe there was something in writing that stated they couldn't have a poker room until a certain amount of time passed, but I could be wrong.

 

I went down there Monday night after work with the wife and a couple friend of ours. After eating some dinner, we made our way over to the poker room to check it out around 9:00. The room is a decent size. Very large ceilings help make it feel probably larger than it is. They have a large number of flat screens hanging from the ceilings. The tables are decent. The felt is fine, but they have an odd snake skin rail that is a silvery-purple color. And no cup holders, which odd to me, isn't a big deal because I try not to drink and play at the same time.

 

I thought I was only going to play for an hour or two, and wanted to just get a feel for the room, so I jumped on the first opening I saw, which was a 2-4 limit table. I ended up playing until 2:30. After a series of ups and downs, ended the night up about $85, which is fine with me, you don't play 2-4 limit for it's profit making abilities. The dealers are a little rough around the edges, but overall very nice and had a pretty good hold on the table. One had trouble when we ended up having two side pots (but what are the chances of that at low limit to begin with?). I had a great time and it just felt a little different for some reason. Almost more relaxed. As I was playing I heard some discussions of some of the tournaments they run, and decided to try one Tuesday at noon.

 

So yesterday, I entered a $60 + $15 multi table. As I was waiting for it to start, the dealer thought we might get 60-70 entrants, based on previous tourneys. We ended up filling not only the 80 regular seats, but also 5 alternates for a decent sized field. One nice thing, during the tournaments, the flat screens in the tourney area are tuned to the tourney info. They display the level, time remaining, next level blinds, total number of people left, average stack, etc right there on the large monitors within eye sight, so there was never any wondering about where you stood in the field or what the next blind level would be. Very helpful, and new to me. I'm sure other places do this, but it was extremely well organized. The tourney ran very smooth. I hardly heard the floor called over to any tables for issues, once or twice maybe.

 

As for my play. Solid for the most part, sprinkled with just enough dumb luck. When I'm playing somewhere new, I like to get a feel for the players for a level or two. Starting stack was 6k and with 25-50 blinds, I had time to play tight and not fall behind. Won a few pots and basically treaded water for a bit. Went into the first break, after level 3, at about 7k. Didn't make many mistakes, but played pretty much ABC poker.

 

In the fourth level ran into a little bit of trouble when I called a loose small stack's all in with my J-J. He turned over A-Q, and hit a Q on the turn. I lost about 2500 in that hand. Shortly after that was my first lightning strike. I had about 4k left, and from under the gun, got pocket 7s. I raised to 1200, 3x the blinds, hoping to not get any callers. The guy to my left raised enough to put me all in, and it folded around to the big blind, who went all in, for more than me, but less than the UTG+1. I figured I was beat by at least 1, and hoped for at least one AK. With a chance to tripple up, and pretty much committed, I went all in and the UTG+1 called the BB's bet. We opened up and it was my 7s against the QQ of the UTG+1 and the KK of the BB. With a junk flop, I was given another chance when I spiked a 7 on the turn. With a blank on the river I was back in it.

 

Two levels of folding later, I got 77 again in the SB. There was a cut-off raise from a woman who had been playing like a maniac. I knew she had nothing, as both myself and the guy next to me had gone a little card dead after our big hand, she was just trying to steal our blinds. She had me covered by a lot, about 25 to 10k. I called her raise and the BB folded. Flop came out 8,9,10 rainbow. She CB's (or so I thought) and I instantly go over the top all-in. She inst-calls and turns over J-10 for top pair, open ended. Again the turn saves me with a 6. Bad read, good result.

 

I only played a few more hands after that, winning every one. Took a player out with J-J against 10-10. Flopped a straight over straight with A-10 vs 9-10 and took a guy out. Played well for the next 5 or 6 levels and made it to the final table 3rd in chips. That's when the poker gods smiled on me again. On the 3rd hand of the final table, it folds around to me in the SB and I call with a Q-7 spades. BB checks and the board hits Q,5,2 with two hearts. I lead out (don't remamber the blinds and bets, 2-4k I think were the blinds) with a pot sized bet, figuring it'd be over right there. BB min raises me. Not thrilled with my kicker, I think he might have a Q, and just call the bet. Turn is the 7H. Two pair, and I again bet, this time about 3/4 the pot, and he goes all-in over the top. So I ask for a count and start talking to him. I ask him if he raised me on a flush draw. Ask him if he's still drawing. Somehow, convince myself I've got him and call. He turns over K-10 of hearts for his made flush and I think I'm all but done. I have him covered, but only by about 15k or so. I even start counting out my chips when the dealer throws the miracle 7 up on the river! Better to be lucky than good. So with 9 people left I'm the chip leader. I go card dead for a while, not wanting to take too many crazy risks with bluffs. Get down to the final 6 when I get my lucky 77 again. This time I'm still the chip leader and want to put pressuer on the short stacks. Go all in and get two callers, a J-9 and K-10. I guess they were frustrated. Anyway, K-10 makes a flush on a 4 flushed board to win the hand, knock the other shorty out, and take over the chip lead.At that point blinds were 8-16k with a 3k ante, and two minutes from 10-20k. We talked it over and decided to chop it 5 ways for a payout of $846 each. Payouts were supposed to be $1899, $955, $590, $425, $360 or something close to that. With the blinds where they were, I was happy with that payday.

 

All in all, I now have a favorite place to play. I've seen some pro players over at Foxwoods, and it always seems to be like paparazzi the way people run right over and bug em or try to hang around and watch them play. Nick Frangos was at Mohegan yesterday playing 100-200 and I don't think anyone even knew. I didn't until I bumped into him heading to the bathroom. Something about Mohegan seems more relaxed, or maybe more serious? Whatever it is, I'll be going back for sure!

 

eta: wow, I had no idea I wrote so much, sorry...

Edited November 12, 2008 by Bring Back Pat!!!

[Big Country]

Nice run in the tourney.

 

On Monday I had a similar run. Final tabled. When we were 8 handed agreed to a deal, though it was great for the girl with the chip lead, I didn't want to turn it down because it still guaranteed almost 2nd place money to everyone. I'd never seen such a sick pay structure. 3K to first then a drop to I believe 900 for 2nd and on down to 200 from 9th. (We extended the pay to 11 places giving them 150 each and making first 2700). I was second in chips, but with blinds so high and stacks all relatively short, it was pure gambling at that point and I decided that locking in $800 was better than risking finishing for $200

[Do Work Son]

Nice poker story...congrats on the final table

[SheikYerbuti]

I'm not sure of the details (Shiek, little help...?) but I believe there was something in writing that stated they couldn't have a poker room until a certain amount of time passed, but I could be wrong.

 

 

Great post, BTW.

[Bring Back Pat!!!]

After posting I decided to see if I could find the answers to some of my own questions. Apparently Mohegan decided on their own that the area (the two are about 10 minutes away) couldn't support two rooms and dropped poker after having it. I never knew they had it before. I guess they underestimated the poker boom. This review of the room touches on it a bit, along with other things, some I picked up on, some I did not:

 

Poker News Room Review

[TimC]

Good read, Pat. Danged, I wish we had a poker room closer than 500 miles away.

 

I've never been to Foxwoods, but I've heard some so-so reviews of it. One day I'll make it up there, but I wonder how it compares to Borgata (which I love) and if it's worth the extra few hours drive.

[nuke'em ttg]

You clearly need an Agent to handle the details of your new career...I'm here for ya BBP

[Bring Back Pat!!!]

Good read, Pat. Danged, I wish we had a poker room closer than 500 miles away.

 

I've never been to Foxwoods, but I've heard some so-so reviews of it. One day I'll make it up there, but I wonder how it compares to Borgata (which I love) and if it's worth the extra few hours drive.

 

 

I've never played anywhere but my local (tiny, 20 tables max and mostly tourneys) and now Foxwoods and Mohegan. Foxwoods is huge. Not sure the exact number of tables, but at least 120+. And they moved it downstairs a few years ago to accomodate the additional tables. Low ceilings, pretty dark, and all spread out among a few 'areas' within the same room. Since then I feel like I'm playing in a buddies basement. And although that's where I normally do play, not exactly the feeling I want from a casino. Mohegan is very open. The entire casino is like that throughout, and they did a great job tieing this new wing in with the feeling of the rest of old parts. Just a much more newer feeling. More enjoyable overall.

 

And the play was better, for the most part. I stopped playing 1-2 no limit at Foxwoods because you can raise to 40 and still get four or five callers. Not the type of play I enjoy.

[Bring Back Pat!!!]

You clearly need an Agent to handle the details of your new career...I'm here for ya BBP

 

 

Sounds good to me! How's that commute gonna treat ya?

[nuke'em ttg]

Sounds good to me! How's that commute gonna treat ya?

if i go Greyhound i should see ya by spring

[MrTed46]

Good read, Pat. Danged, I wish we had a poker room closer than 500 miles away.

 

I've never been to Foxwoods, but I've heard some so-so reviews of it. One day I'll make it up there, but I wonder how it compares to Borgata (which I love) and if it's worth the extra few hours drive.

 

Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun is not better than Borgata (which I love also).

[BiggieFries]

Before I moved to FL I used to play at MoSun before they closed the room. I never understood why they closed it. It was nicer then the AC rooms and closer than Foxwoods.

[SheikYerbuti]

Apparently Mohegan decided on their own that the area (the two are about 10 minutes away) couldn't support two rooms and dropped poker after having it. I never knew they had it before. I guess they underestimated the poker boom.

 

 

Before I moved to FL I used to play at MoSun before they closed the room. I never understood why they closed it. It was nicer then the AC rooms and closer than Foxwoods.

 

Mohegan Sun claiming they couldn't support a poker room during the period between 2004 and 2008 is a complete lie. 100% false. Couldn't afford to keep a poker room open during the greatest poker boom in the history of casino gaming, when they and Foxwoods were the only casinos for 250 miles in any direction? Couldn't support a 20 table poker room while Foxwoods was expanding their poker room from 80 tables to 100 tables and still couldn't handle the overload? Horsecrap.

 

Now, I don't know the real story. There have been many rumors. But Mohegan Sun's poker room closed in 2004 because of some combination of: poker room supervisors banging cocktail waitresses in the back office, drug use on premises by the poker room staff, or poker room employees involved in an embezzlement operation that was skimming off the casino. Again, I don't know which it was, but these were the stories going around at the time, and I believe them WAY before "we couldn't turn a profit one year after Chris Moneymaker had every wide-eyed noob in America rushing out to try playing poker". Pu-lease.

[TimC]

every wide-eyed noob in America rushing out to try playing poker". Pu-lease.

 

Stop making me tear up. I made over $2,600 in 2004 playing very little part-time poker. I loved people calling all-in with A-Q offsuit. It was like watching this year's Main Event.

[Bring Back Pat!!!]

Mohegan Sun claiming they couldn't support a poker room during the period between 2004 and 2008 is a complete lie. 100% false. Couldn't afford to keep a poker room open during the greatest poker boom in the history of casino gaming, when they and Foxwoods were the only casinos for 250 miles in any direction? Couldn't support a 20 table poker room while Foxwoods was expanding their poker room from 80 tables to 100 tables and still couldn't handle the overload? Horsecrap.

 

Now, I don't know the real story. There have been many rumors. But Mohegan Sun's poker room closed in 2004 because of some combination of: poker room supervisors banging cocktail waitresses in the back office, drug use on premises by the poker room staff, or poker room employees involved in an embezzlement operation that was skimming off the casino. Again, I don't know which it was, but these were the stories going around at the time, and I believe them WAY before "we couldn't turn a profit one year after Chris Moneymaker had every wide-eyed noob in America rushing out to try playing poker". Pu-lease.

 

Well, that's why I always thought there was some sort of an agreement between the two. I know I had heard that at some point. Foxwoods wanted to be the only game in town and either bought them off, or gave them something else in exchange for poker. I always thought Mohegan couldn't have poker, not that they didn't want it. That would be the most ludicrous management decision ever. Hell, the two are so close, and with the lines I see at Foxwoods, you could support 400 tables easily.

[SheikYerbuti]

Well, that's why I always thought there was some sort of an agreement between the two. I know I had heard that at some point. Foxwoods wanted to be the only game in town and either bought them off, or gave them something else in exchange for poker. I always thought Mohegan couldn't have poker, not that they didn't want it. That would be the most ludicrous management decision ever. Hell, the two are so close, and with the lines I see at Foxwoods, you could support 400 tables easily.

 

Before 2003 Atlantic City had 2 poker rooms: the Taj at 65 tables and the Tropicana at 40 tables. When the Borgata opened a 40 table room in July of 2003, everyone thought the city was way overextending and that all the rooms would suffer. By complete luck, the timing was perfect because the Moneymaker boom expanded the demand for poker by, I'd guess around 500-1000%. Now the Borg room is at 80 tables, Ceasar's, Harrah's, and Showboat all have sizable rooms and all the other properties have small poker rooms as well.

 

Now that the boom is calming down and the economy is the way it is, all the rooms are experiencing a serious hangover from the 4 year toga party that's finally winding down. The Hilton just closed their room and the Borgata just laid off 50 part time dealers. I can only assume many more closings and layoffs are on the way.

[Big Country]

I've also been hearing that a lot of the action in Vegas is starting to die down. Still plenty of money to be made there, but the economy is certainly having a profound affect on poker. The Big Game almost never runs (granted, much of the "Big Game" is now played on Full Tilt), and the action is tightening up at all of the levels.

 

At least here in LA, it may be slowing down but the local room is still almost always full the few times I have made it over there.