I have a question that some of you can probably help me out with. I am planning on taking a trip for a couple of days to Atlantic City for the first time. I wanted to know what's the best casinos(nicest and or easiest games) for playing 1-2/2-4 NL holdem? As well, do any of them hold small buy in($10-50) tourneys often? I saw that you can stay for around $55-70 a night. Anyplace you DO NOT want to stay? Thanks in advance.

There are some good 1/2 NL games at the Taj...and depending on who is playing, a good one at the Showboat (but scout the Showboat game first). You won't find 2/4 NL spread but will find 2/5 NL.

1/2 NL buy-in
min $60
max $300

2/5 NL buy-in
min$100 (???)
max $600

Here is a tip: get into the game earlier rather than later or you will have the regulars sitting with a couple of grand. (they get there around 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. when the game first starts, buy in for the max and double up a few times, have huge stacks and stay for the next 16 hours playing their big stacks very well.)

You won't find any tournanments under $50 + $15. (earlier in the week they have the smaller buy-ins, on the weekend it bumps to $100-$500)

Stay away from the SitNGo format. Blind structure waaaaay to fast and it is winner take all. You could make more $$$ playing $5/$10 Limit.

No information on lodging.

Play well.

If you want to stay at a cheaper casino hotel during the winter, then Tropicana is the place to stay at. The best place to play poker in my opinion is either the Borgata, or Taj Majal. The buy ins for the AM tourneys at the Borgata are cheaper during the winter. Some days they start for as little as $60 with a $15 entry fee. I usually play on Mondays and they get between 80-120 peeps. Haven't played any tourneys at the Taj, so I can't help you out there.

gl man.

There is a great article in the most recent two+two online magazine. Discusses the poker rooms and the games they spread at many of the AC casinos.

http://www.twoplustwo.com/magazine/current.../adamo1205.html

Hope this helps, good luck.

James

From personal experience, I found the Borgata to be the most enjoyable room to play poker in. I have played at the Trop, the Taj, and the Borgata, and was the most comfortable at the Borgata. Of course that may because my best winning session was there... but my friend and I both agreed that it was the cleanest. and had the best service During the weekend it can be very crowded, so get there early and get your name on the list ASAP. We got there around noon, got ourselves on the list around 1:30, and didn't get on a table until at least 3:30, probably closer to 4:00. The weekdays are considerably less crowded, so you can arrive later in the day and not have to worry about a 120 person list for the 1/2 NL games.

The Borgata, Tropicana, and Taj all offer daily tournaments with smaller buy-ins, though the weekend tournaments are generally more expensive at all of these places than the weekday tournaments. Borgata and Taj also both offer sit and go NLHE tournaments (60+15 at Borgata, 50+15 at Taj) throughout the day. The Taj SNGs are WTA for 500 bucks, and the Borgata SNGs are 1st gets 500, 2nd gets 100. Going to go play in the Borgata's SNGs on Friday or maybe early next week, see how juicy they are. But in terms of overall poker room quality I would rank them as the following (in terms of cleanliness and service)

1. Borgata
2. Taj
3. Tropicana

On a side note, the Trop does have a sweet burger and crab shack in the Quarter which gave us some good food at an excellent price. Oh and if you are planning on spending a large number of hours in the poker table per day of your stay, as the 2+2 column mentions you can get a sweet fricking room rate at the Borgata. And believe me, when you see the line for their night club as you leave the casino floor, you are going to want to stay and blow some of that hard earned bankroll for the room and trying to pick up some ladies. There were definetely some very beautiful women in line (though this was during the summer and may not reflect the winter crowd).

Taj is a nice room. Huge, tons of spreads, a good mix of talent levels. But way more low limit grinders there.

Borgata is a real nice room, and VERY soft at low limits.