Their registration process is a bit antiquated for tournament play with a 10-15 minute wait in line to be expected for about eight people ahead of you. They require your MGM card, a picture ID and cash. You need to sign and date a form in two places and only then are you given your table card. Be prepared to play 10-handed at your table, something I had thought ended after the COVID-19 pandemic waned. So, those were a couple big differences I noticed versus tournament poker in Vegas.

Tournament #1: Money Goes Poof!

In my first tournament I was completely card dead. In 90 minutes of play I only picked up one ace (A4) and no pocket pairs. I counted exactly nine times a picture card showed up in my hand, and it was never two at the same time. And never suited connectors. Typical holdings were 73, T6, 95, etc. Tournament poker is a game of patience. With constantly rising blinds, you can’t wait for premium hands forever, but you do have to make strategic moves as well as just be fortunate enough to have playable holdings from time to time. In my final hand I was dealt 55 and ended up against 88. I lost, and it was goodbye to my first tournament. It happens to all of us and we need to move on.

Tournament #2: That’s More Like It

In my second tournament I fared better. In one hand I went all-in with AK, to be called by two players with AK and AJ. I was expecting a chop with the other AK but the board ran out with four hearts. Luckily, I was sitting with the only heart on the table, and as such managed to triple up with the nuts.

With the field of 64 down to 12 and nine players making it into the money, I was presented with a problem. I was second in chips at my table. I was dealt KQ unsuited. The massive chip leader at the table bet 3BB. I called and the flop came JQK rainbow, giving me top two pair. The chip leader now bet out for 50K, which was 2/3 of my stack. My predicament was that I could potentially be drawing dead, or at least way behind to a flopped set or straight, and thus miss making the money, despite having strong holdings.

I looked around the table and saw two others with small stacks. At the other table, there were also a few players with small stacks. So late in the tournament, blinds and antes were very high, and it occurred to me that many players would be forced to go all-in within the next couple of hands. So, opting to go for the “sure thing”, I folded and sure enough within five minutes three players busted to leave the final nine all in the money.

Unfortunately, I busted out shortly thereafter, in 8^th place, with my AK all-in pre-flop vs JJ, and no ace or king showed.

Until Next Time

Over the course of the rest of my Atlantic City tournament vacation, I ended up playing in another four daily tournaments. I only made it to the money in one of them, but had a great time trying. Plus, a 33% “cashing rate” is nothing to sneeze at! Hopefully I’ll do even better next time around.

My previous sojourn to the Atlantic City poker rooms, in May 2014, took place while I was on a family vacation to the States, which we had taken to attend my youngest brother’s wedding.

On my way to Atlantic City! SO good to finally be back!

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) May 12, 2014

I have many fond memories of Atlantic City, having been there multiple times in my 20s and early 30s. Back before I was self-employed, it was essentially impossible to take any time off work for poker trips. Living in Israel, where we have no casinos or brick and mortar poker rooms, meant I’d have to board a plane and head FAR away. With work and family responsibilities, visiting poker rooms was mostly something relegated to what I only dreamed of doing back then.

Every once in a while, however, say once a year or so, I’d travel to the Tri-State area to visit family. While I was there, I always tried my best to carve out at least a little time for poker. Once, I even remember taking the subway/bus combo from Brooklyn (a 4+ hour trip in each direction) just to be able to have about six hours to play overnight (I slept during the travel portion). Yes, I know I’m a degen, but when it’s your ONLY chance to play live poker, you grab it and treasure any memories you make.

This time around, I found myself in the vicinity as I had flown in for my nephew’s bar mitzvah. Ah the cycle of life… and poker life.

A Shadow of Its Former Self

I was too young to partake of the festivities during poker’s heydey in Atlantic City, in the mid-90s and early 2000s, but on the half dozen occasions or so I got to visit between 2004-2014 poker was definitely still going strong, albeit beginning to decline. While the Borgata always got the lion’s share of the attention, there was plenty of poker to be found at virtually every major hotel/resort in the city. From the legendary Taj Mahal to the Showboat to Bally’s, Caesars AC, and more, this place was THE hub of East Coast Poker and for good reason. In 2013, once online poker became legalized in New Jersey, it also became possible to get your poker fix anywhere within the Garden State’s borders, as well as play other gambling games in a casino online.

In any event, long gone are the days of Atlantic City being “the only game in town” for East Coast poker players. As casinos and poker rooms have proliferated in neighboring states, like Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Maryland, AC’s slice of the US live poker pie has shrunk considerably. Bluntly speaking, the passage of time has unfortunately not been kind to Atlantic City either. Many resorts have closed entirely, with the famed Boardwalk and other areas very literally losing much of their legendary luster.

The pandemic unfortunately hasn’t helped much either, so much so that when I arrived to play some poker back in August, only three “surviving” poker rooms remained for me to visit: The Borgata, The Tropicana, and Harrah’s AC. Even so, I was excited.

Silver Linings at the Felt

All of that preamble notwithstanding, going in with a positive attitude ensured I’d likely have a good time while playing poker, and I did. My first session took place at Harrah’s.

The face of a guy who had the BEST time pulling his first poker all-nighter in 2+ years (and broke even, lol)

Thanks, @harrahsresort! You’re EXACTLY what I needed.

More to come pic.twitter.com/UC4uonjyZs

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) August 16, 2021

After about six hours of play in that first session, I felt like I was just getting warmed up … but at 5:45am floor staff suddenly announced that the room would be closing “in about 15 minutes”. I couldn’t remember this ever having been the case in the Atlantic City poker rooms, which I always recall being open 24/7, but I suppose things are just different in 2021. Such a shame, too, as they had a good three full tables going.

No matter. There was more poker to be played the next day, and I chose to spend it at “The Trop.”

Last time I visited @TropicanaAC, 14 years ago(!), it was the old “classic” wood-paneled room… Good times…

I like what @CaesarsEnt has done with the place!

Let’s play some cards pic.twitter.com/rMCIl5rltk

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) August 16, 2021

This was definitely not the Tropicana I remembered, but the modern upgrade suited the establishment nicely, especially as management of the property had been taken over by Caesars Entertainment. Down after about five hours of play, I got “saved by the deck” in the form of the room’s high hand promotion. Presto: up for the session!

Longest 40 minutes of the day?

When you’re waiting for your high hand to hold #vacayrungood

Thanks, @TropicanaAC! pic.twitter.com/91yqTw0fHJ

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) August 17, 2021

I stayed at Harrah’s during the trip, so later that evening I was able to get in another short, profitable session within walking distance of my hotel room, which is always a treat. I again “closed the room down”, which left another bittersweet taste in my mouth; who needs sleep on a poker trip?

My last poker session of the brief Atlantic City jaunt is one that’ll always be special to me, as I got to play with my Dad at the Borgata.

What a special opportunity to play poker at @BorgataPoker with my Dad.

Gonna hold on to this memory for a long time. pic.twitter.com/2iLDB1dP0i

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) August 18, 2021

Believe it or not, it was actually my first ever session there, and it truly did live up to its reputation as the only “Vegas-caliber” poker room in the city. Dad and I played for low stakes at the $1/3 Hold’em tables, but a variety of stakes could be found and there were even a couple PLO games going along with a $30/60 mixed game. Plenty of “characters” abounded, too; the kind you tend to find in the Vegas rooms. Let’s just say they helped make our night that much more memorable.

A dozen tables of poker action definitely lit up the night. Even so, the cavernous room had ample space for more poker to be played, with dozens upon dozens of additional tables practically begging to be filled. This room WAS open 24/7, but after a few hours of play it was time for us to rack up (our winnings!) and head back home.

A Great Time Was Had

Anyone who reads this article will see that I’ve reviewed the 2021 Atlantic City poker scene in very broad strokes. Moreover, it’s obviously impossible to have given a 100% spot on accurate review of what poker has been like in the city throughout 2021 from just a 2.5-day visit.

If you’re a professional poker player, quite frankly there are probably numerous better places to ply your trade, save perhaps for certain times of the week at the Borgata. If you’re a low-stakes recreational poker player like me, however, the AC poker scene still offers the opportunity to have some good old fashioned poker fun and make good memories.

18.5 hours of poker

4 sessions in 3 poker rooms

$445 profit

Lots of fun family time with Dad, @muffnman and co.

8 hours of sleep since Sunday morning (only got here Sunday night though, lol)

1 really happy and grateful guy

Thanks for the memories, Atlantic City! pic.twitter.com/G5OG8lV8KZ

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) August 18, 2021

The Northern Route

The “northern” route is really the mid-west route, as the northern states west of Chicago aren’t the most poker friendly. If you want to travel through the Canadian border states, I suggest packing a chipset and bringing some friends with you.

We start this trip out with a bang, visiting the legendary Atlantic City. No East Coast poker trip is complete without hitting the boardwalk of AC. While it is clear we are past the glory days, poker is alive and well down in New Jersey. The Tropicana, Harrah’s Atlantic City, and the Borgata all have poker rooms, the Borgata with an impressive 52 table room. There is plenty of action in AC, and if you need a break from the bad beats, hit the famous boardwalk. You will find plenty of non-poker entertainment there.

Next on the list is Hollywood Casino Columbus in Columbus, OH. With 28 tables ready for action, this room is sure to be a great stop on the trip. The room also hosts some regular tournaments, although check before you go as they may not run every day of the week. Columbus as a city has plenty of attractions, you can visit the LEGOLAND Discovery Center, the Zoo / Aquarium, or head to the North Market and get some amazing food. You’ll be sure to make many memories, both on and off the felt.

After winning heaps in Columbus, you have two choices depending on the desired length of your trip. You can take a short day and hit Hollywood Casino St. Louis (6.5 hours), or you can catch up on your favorite podcast and make it to Harrah’s Kansas City (10 hours). If you decide to take the shorter trip, you’ll most likely be extending your trip by a day. St. Louis will have14 poker tables waiting for you and plenty of non-poker attractions. After a solid poker session, visit the famous Gateway Arch or have a relaxing stroll through the Missouri Botanical Garden. If you fancy yourself a long-haul grinder, make your way to Harrah’s Kansas City and stop by the WWI memorial and museum to learn about the US’s involvement in the great war.

If you find yourself waking up in St. Louis, there is quite the drive until our next stop. Black Hawk, CO has four cardrooms to choose from, Isle Casino, Harrah’s Golden Gates Casino, Monarch Casino, and Ameristar Casino. All casinos are offering heavy poker action and you’ll be sure to enjoy your stay in this Denver suburb. Sadly, Black Hawk is a 13-hour drive from St. Louis, so you may not make it in one day. You can find yourself a nice hotel to crash somewhere just over the Colorado / Kansas border after 10 hours of driving. This leaves a 3 hour trip to Black Hawk and will give you a nice morning or midday poker session before continuing your drive. If you are coming from Harrah’s Kansas City, you have a solid 9.5 hours of driving, but that’s 30 minutes shorter than your previous day. If you take this route you can enjoy a night of poker in Black Hawk, or stop just before and see everything Denver has to offer. If you are a paranormal enthusiast, you’ll love the Twilight Ghost Tour which takes you through Capital Hill, Denver’s notorious haunted neighborhood.

After trekking to Black Hawk, the final two destinations are Las Vegas and Los Angeles, which we covered in the southern route. However, depending on the path you chose you may not hit Vegas right after. Black Hawk to Las Vegas is just over 11 hours of driving. That may be too much for one day and still expect to play some poker. If you do wake up in Black Hawk, you can muster up one more grueling drive and make it there in a day, but it’ll probably be best to get right to bed and spend the next day playing poker all over town. If you took the other option and stayed just over the Colorado / Kansas border, here is where you will add a day. After playing your midday session at Black Hawk, make your way to Grand Junction, CO. Crashing here for the night will give you a nice 7.5-hour drive into Vegas the next day. In Grand Junction, you can go paddle boarding on the Colorado River, or explore the red rock canyons at the Colorado National Monument. This is a great part of the country, and the scenery is spectacular.

Overview

Since we do have some alternatives, I am going to break down an overview of all the possible paths.

The Southern Route 1 – 8 days, 7 poker stops, 1 non-poker stop

Day 1 – 7 hour drive – Maryland Live / MGM National Harbor
Day 2 – 8 hour drive – Harrah’s Cherokee Casino
Day 3 – 8 hour drive – Beau Rivage
Day 4 – 9 hour drive – Austin, TX
Day 5 – 8 hour drive – Guadalupe Mountains, TX (no poker)
Day 6 – 8 hour drive – Talking Stick Resort
Day 7 – 5 hour drive – Las Vegas, NV
Day 8 – 4 hour drive – Los Angeles, CA

The Southern Route 2 – 8 days, 7 poker stops, 1 non-poker stop

Day 1 – 7 hour drive – Maryland Live / MGM National Harbor
Day 2 – 8 hour drive – Harrah’s Cherokee Casino
Day 3 – 7.5 hour drive – Pensacola Greyhound Track
Day 4 – 8 hour drive – Houston, TX
Day 5 – 9 hour drive – Fort Davis, TX (no poker)
Day 6 – 9.5 hour drive – Talking Stick Resort
Day 7 – 5 hour drive – Las Vegas, NV
Day 8 – 4 hour drive – Los Angeles, CA

The Northern Route 1 – 7 days, 6 poker stops, 1 non-poker stop

Day 1 – 5.5 hour drive – Atlantic City, NJ
Day 2 – 8.5 hour drive – Hollywood Casino Columbus
Day 3 – 6.5 hour drive – Hollywood Casino St. Louis
Day 4 – 10 hour drive – Burlington, CO (no poker)
Day 5 – 8 hour drive total – Black Hawk, CO, then Green River, UT (midday poker stop)
Day 6 – 6 hour drive – Las Vegas
Day 7 – 4 hour drive – Los Angeles, CA

The Northern Route 2 – 6 days, 6 poker stops, lots of driving

Day 1 – 5.5 hour drive – Atlantic City, NJ
Day 2 – 8.5 hour drive – Hollywood Casino Columbus
Day 3 – 10 hour drive – Harrah’s Kansas City
Day 4 – 9.5 hour drive – Black Hawk, CO
Day 5 – 11 hour drive – Las Vegas, NV
Day 6 – 4 hour drive – Los Angeles, CA

Whichever path you choose, a cross-country poker trip is a beautiful thing. You will get to enjoy many great cities, play poker with all walks of life, see the countryside, and make memories you will cherish forever. Who knows. If you play your cards right, you may even make money doing it!

Ryan Hansen almost didn’t play in the 2021 WSOP $3,000 6-max limit hold’em event that he won!

Ryan Hansen goes from no-limit hold’em to LIMIT hold’em

NOTE: PLEASE SUBSCRIBE To Bernard’s YouTube page AND LIKE any videos that you enjoy

Ryan Hansen

In this episode of The Bernard Lee Poker Show on the Cardplayer Lifestyle Podcast Family, Bernard Lee interviews Ryan Hansen, who captured the 2021 WSOP $3,000 6-max limit hold’em bracelet.

At the start of the interview, Ryan discusses his expectations playing in WSOP tournaments versus cash games. He also talked about 2021 WSOP atmosphere. Then, the Connecticut native discusses how he got started in poker in no limit hold’em and how he switched to limit hold’em and plays primarily at the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City, NJ. Ryan discusses the differences between no-limit hold’em versus limit hold’em and also the differences between cash versus tournaments.

During the second part of the interview, Ryan first discusses the differences between 9- or 10-handed versus 6-max. Ryan talks about almost not playing in the WSOP tournament, but then talks about his experience in the 2021 WSOP $3,000 6-max limit hold’em tournament. After the win, Ryan says that he will play in the tournament next year.

Daniel Buzgon

In this episode of The Bernard Lee Poker Show on the Cardplayer Lifestyle Podcast Family, Bernard Lee interviews six-time WSOP Circuit ring winner, Daniel Buzgon. The New Jersey native initially attended Arizona State University for golf management. However, he began to play poker and decided to give it a go after graduation. Since then, Daniel has earned over $6 million ($2+ million live and over $4 million online). He has also captured six WSOP Circuit rings, including two over three days last month in the recent WSOP online Circuit series. Additionally, Daniel was part of the initial season of Pokerithm.

Ryan Hagerty

In this episode of The Bernard Lee Poker Show on the Cardplayer Lifestyle Podcast Family, Bernard Lee interviews the 2020 WSOP Main Event U.S. bracket 4th place finisher, Ryan Hagerty. The New Jersey native initially describes how he learned how to play poker and how he began playing online and live poker.

Ryan also talks about the behind the scenes of the 2020 WSOP Main Event US bracket. Then Rayn discusses his hot streak continuing as he won three partypoker online events in a matter of days.

David Williams

In this episode of The Bernard Lee Poker Show on the Cardplayer Lifestyle Podcast Family, Bernard Lee interviews David Williams, who finished runner-up in the 2004 WSOP Main Event. In 2016, David also became well known outside of the world of poker when he competed in Season 7 of Fox’s MasterChef. Hosted by renown chef Gordon Ramsey, MasterChef is a popular cooking competition shown on television. During the interview, David discusses the experience, making the finals and the behind the scenes of the program. During the last segment, David pays tribute to Mike Sexton.

Image credit: Greg Gayne | FOX

Nonetheless, Atlantic City is still worth paying a visit to if you enjoy playing poker, whether live or online. The city still offers more options than most locales around the U.S. and the longstanding gambling Mecca of the East Coast knows what it takes to make players feel welcome. Even with all the hardships as of late, you shouldn’t discard the salt water taffy capital of the world just yet.

Atlantic City skyline

1. Borgata’s Poker Room Is Still Going Strong

Despite multiple casinos and poker rooms shutting down all across Atlantic City, the Borgata has stood the test of time and is still going strong. With a poker room featuring more than 80 tables, you’ll find everything you could possibly ask for – from cash tables across various stakes to daily multi-table tournaments and special events to sit n’ gos.

If you enjoy live poker, visiting Atlantic City specifically to play at the Borgata is probably worth it. It may not have everything you’ll find in Vegas but it is definitely an excellent option for people living in the Tri-state area as well as the rest of the East Coast, for whom a Vegas trip is more logistically complex.

2. Several Other AC Poker Rooms Are Pretty Good, Too

Apart from Borgata, there’s still plenty of good poker action you can find at other Atlantic City venues such as Harrah’s or Tropicana. Although their poker rooms may not be as big or as impressive as what Borgata has to offer, these options still have dozens of tables hot with action. Harrah’s in particular, because of its affiliation with the World Series of Poker brand, hosts some well-regarded, well-attended tournament festivals

The WSOP Circuit pays their annual visit to @harrahsresort in Atlantic City starting today with 13 Circuit rings up for grabs. Check out the lineup at https://t.co/ndxL6cKwk6

— PokerAtlas (@PokerAtlas) March 7, 2019

It is always nice to have many poker room options within close proximity of one another, whether it’s because a particular room won’t happen to have the game of your choice running at a particular time or just for the sake of having some variety.

3. You Can Play Online Poker in Atlantic City

New Jersey is one of the few U.S. states that have regulated online gambling. So, while staying in Atlantic City, you’ll also be able to play online poker. Notable online poker sites, such as PokerStars NJ and WSOP.com offer a slew of cash game and tournament tables active 24/7 at which anyone within the confines of New Jersey can take a seat. Of course, you can also pass some time engaging in other online gambling activities, playing slots or table games at regulated online casinos, the likes of which you can find by visiting CasinoBillions.com NJ.

4. You Can Stay in Atlantic City without Breaking the Bank

One thing that has always been true of Atlantic City is that it’s a great place to take a relatively inexpensive poker vacation. With so many thousands of hotel rooms within just a couple miles of one another, there’s competition for your hard-earned dollars, which means room rates are never too high, save for national holidays. It’ll never be Las Vegas, but Atlantic City will always have a great Atlantic Ocean view as well as its famed Boardwalk, both of which don’t cost a penny for visitors to enjoy.

Cheaper room rates means you can allocate more of your funds towards your main reason for heading there in the first place, i.e., playing poker. Especially in the off-season months, you should be able to find some excellent deals on meals and accommodation, and who doesn’t love to save a few bucks?

Click here for great Atlantic City Poker Vacation deals

5. There’s Plenty of Other (Gambling) Action Going On

While poker may be the main reason for your visit, many of us like to engage with other not-so-skill-heavy gambling activities. If you love to try your luck with some table games such as blackjack, roulette, or craps, you’ll find more than enough options in Atlantic City. The same goes for video slots and video poker, as you’ll find hundreds of machines spread across the various casino floors.

This New Jersey man played his cards right…literally! He won $1 million off of a $5 poker hand in Atlantic City. Now THAT’S a Christmas present! https://t.co/W1vUNMab63 pic.twitter.com/YWVvuqo5Va

— Good Morning America (@GMA) December 26, 2018

Of course, the Garden State gaming capital is still all about having a good time, and it plays host to a number of great shows, comedians, and magicians throughout the year, where you can enjoy a pleasant break from the tables.

So while, its heyday may be in the rear view mirror, let’s not forget that you can still play some great poker and have a good time in Atlantic City.