Here's my Trip Report for my daytrip to Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center in Wheeling, West Virginia. Of course, comments, thoughts, etc, welcomed.

A brief background...West Virginia voted in table games at their race track/slot machine parlors earlier this year and the two closest to me (Mountaineer and Wheeling) opened poker rooms about a month ago with other table games coming by the first of the year. I've been to Mountaineer twice...this is my first trip to Wheeling.

So, I always take off Thanksgiving week and the GF and I usually head home to NJ. But she decided she wasn't going home and finally talked me into not going as well. Kinda our first Thanksgiving alone since we started dating 8 years ago. I was planning on going to Wheeling the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, depending on how the Niagara Falls weekend went. Since I came out ahead at The Falls, the plan was to leave around 1 PM. But when I woke up Wednesday, I wasn't sure if I wanted to go. After thinking about it, I decided I'd give it a go.

I've decided to start a live poker bankroll and had $600 set aside. My plan is to add to it with my live trips and hopefully start pulling money out in the future to spend on crap I want. I'm not sure what the min/max is for the 1/2 NL game there, so I decide on bringing $400. As usual, I don't plan on losing that much. I'd probably stop after losing $300, but I'll bring $400 anyway.

I leave at 1:05 PM. I know this isn't the best test...going in the early afternoon on the day before a major holiday. And unfortunately, I run into a little bit of traffic. Early indications show that getting to Mountaineer is easier traffic wise. The route to Wheeling pass one or two busy towns before reaching Wheeling. Just something to keep in mind as I HATE traffic.

I get to Wheeling at 2:18...73 minutes. The time to both places is almost exactly the same. One thing that is different, once I get into West Virginia, the speed limit goes up to 70.

Again, no signs to the poker room in the parking lot, so I park and go in the main door. I'm not sure if my players card is still valid since it's probably been like 6 years since I've been here. There's no line at the players club desk, so I go and check. Yes, my card is still good and would I like a new one since they've changed designs? Sure...why not. I finally see a sign that says poker room with an arrow on it. I follow a hallway around the slot area. It's pretty dead in here. I figure it will be crowded tonight. More poker signs and I have to open some door and go down a set of steps. At the bottom is another entrance. I'll have to remember to find out how to get to this doorway so I can park closer to the poker room.

I enter a lobby-like area and there are no signs saying which way to go. I'm near the non-smoking slot area, the simul-casting area, and I also notice the dog track is right out the window. I take a shot and go one way. Nope. Turn around, try another way. Nope, but I do get to witness a dog race. The GF and I have been to dog races before in Florida...they're kinda neat. Finally, I walk into the slots area and there I find a sign for the poker room. It's tucked in the corner of the non-smoking slots area.

Because it's in a corner, I really can't see into the poker room. They have a kiosk where you can sign up for games yourself instead of going to the desk. I decide to give it a try and add my name to the 1/2 list. Pretty cool and pretty easy...I see my name added to the list. I turn around and the lady at the desk asks me if I just signed up for 1/2. Yes, I did. I'm told not to go far as there are about 7 people on the list and she's probably going to start a new table soon. I ask her what the min/max for 1/2 is. She says 40/200. While I'm waiting, I jot down some notes. There's 5 tables of 1/2 going, one 2/5 table, two tables of 2/4 Limit, one table of 3/6 Limit, and one table of 1-5 Seven Card Stud. There is also an interest list for 3/6 Omaha 8.

I waited not 5 minutes and they open a table at around 2:50. We're lead to the table and two chip runners appear. They get our chips for us...I decide to buy in for the max $200. So do a couple others, but most buy in for between 100 and 150.

Tables are pretty much the same as Mountaineer, although these have green felt. There's auto shufflers, the little display in front of the dealer to keep track of open seats, a betting line, and removable cup holders. But later, I notice they also have little tables on wheels that you can put your drinks on. I ask the dealer what we get with our players card. They haven't figure that out yet.

After we get settled and everybody has their chips, we start playing. Eventually, I get pocket fours in LP. A couple limpers, so I see a flop and it comes 4-x-x with two diamonds. A guy who later I found out is Mr Aggressive Table Captain guy bets out 10. Folded to me and I don't want to fool around with 2 diamonds out there so I raise to 25. Folded to Mr Aggro who thinks and folds.

Couple hands later, AQo UTG, raise to $7, all fold.

Later, I'm in the BB and flop a double gutshot for a straight but don't realize it and check. Then I see it. Someone bets $5, couple callers and I call. But I miss on the turn and fold to a bet and raise.

3:30 and Mr Aggro moves to 2/5. 4:08 and I'm down $5. I'm getting some hands preflop...77, AQ, AJ...but not getting anything on the flop. And now it seems just about every hand is being raised preflop.

At first I thought they said no straddle allowed. But later, someone straddles and the dealer doesn't say anything. Also, you have to post when you first sit down.

A10o in the CO. This hand is not raised preflop so I limp in and see a flop of 10-x-x with two clubs. Someone bets in front of me, it's folded to me, and I should have raised, but I just call the $10 bet. I have top pair and if someone had jacks or better preflop they would have raised. Me just calling is allowing others to draw to their flush. Luckily, no club on the turn. Same guy bets 20 and I raise to 40. He is the only caller. But there is a club on the river. He checks...I check. He flips over a ten with a weak kicker (like a six or something) and I take the pot.

AKs UTG+1...UTG folds and I raise to 10. Three or four callers and the flop is 3-4-K (rainbow, I think). Checked to me and I make it 28. All fold. Perhaps with a flop like that, I should have betted a little lower. Thoughts?

It's 4:40 and I'm up $80. I know it's my first time there, but I would have to say I think that this table is softer than Mountaineer. Not by a lot though. Again, as I said before, a Wednesday afternoon before a major holiday probably isn't the best time to judge. That being said, I think I like Mountaineer better. I don't know though. Wheeling has a nice room. You're in a corner with only one opening at the front of the room, so it's quiet (no slots ringing in your ear) and it's in the non-smoking section so you don't have the smoke floating over your head like you do in Mountaineer. The dealers were good...no major problems. One hand, we had four people all in preflop and he handled the three side pots perfectly. Alcohol is not free. I assume soft drinks are. I think water in a cup is free, but water in a bottle is $1. They handle open seats much better than Mountaineer. We have an open seat at various times and it's quickly filled. I think I'll have to visit both a couple times more to pick one over the other.

It occurs to me that I am up even thou I have had no big pairs. No AA, KK, QQ, JJ, or even 10-10. Some AK's and AQ's. And almost on cue, I am dealt QQ. I need comments on this hand. Unfortunately, I didn't write it down right away, so I am lacking details. I know I raised preflop and got two callers. Guy to my left, who is OK. And the table donk who is getting lucky. There's probably $30 in the pot and we see a flop of J-x-x. Donk bets out a big $5, I raise to $25, both call. Turn is another jack and donk bets out 25. I'm pissed. I figure one of them has a jack, so I fold. Thoughts? What would you have done? Other guy calls the 25. A big fucking fat queen hits on the river. Well, fuck me. I think there's a bet and a call. Donk flips up pocket tens, guy to my left flips up aces and takes it. If I stay in, I make lots of money. But I couldn't call the turn bet with two jacks. Was I right?

Now I'm mad that I finally got a big pocket pair and lose with it and would have won if I stayed in. And I'm mad that most of my $80 profit is gone. And I'm mad that I was thinking about leaving with my $80 profit after another round or two but have to stay now. And I'm mad because I have AQo UTG, raise to 7, and fold to a reraise of 30, leaving me with even less profit.

Two guys to my left miss their blinds. They come back and post $3 each. So we have three people posting a big blind, plus the small blind. I have AK. Maybe one limper, I raise, everyone folds. OK pot with some dead money in there.

Not soon after, I get KK in the BB. And I watch one person limp...and another...and another. By the time it get to me, SEVEN people are in the pot. I have no idea how much to raise. One or two callers is OK, but of course I don't want to face 7 people on the flop. I decide to raise to 30. Guy to my left calls, everyone else folds. Flop comes ten high, I bet 50, he folds.

It's almost 6:00 and this puts me up $65. I hang around for a couple more hands and decide to split. I'm getting hungry. So, about 3 hours, +65. Still mad about the QQ hand. Eh, what can you do? I cash out and walk back through the casino to my car. I will say that it looks like Wheeling has a better selection of food. There was a snack bar not far from the poker room, but walking back to my car, I see a small food court. I also pass a sit down restaurant where the prices weren't bad (burgers and things like that), and a steakhouse where the prices were high. But then again, it's a steakhouse. I grab a rate card at the hotel...$135 a night Sunday thru Thursday, $165 Friday and Saturday night. But you get a 10% discount with a players card or AAA card. I will say this...there is more around Wheeling than Mountaineer as far as other hotels and restaurants. Wheeling is in Wheeling while Mountaineer is in the middle of nowhere.

Back in my car, I decide to try to find the other entrance so next time I can park closer to the poker room. Luckily, I find it as it's drizzling and pretty dark and I really can't see where I'm going. Still undecided on which room I'm going to go to more, but I think my next trip will have to be on a Saturday or Sunday.

__________________
"I'm disappointed in you, Scotty" -- Michael DeMichele at the 2008 WSOP HORSE Final Table
Check out My Blog, updated 9/03/08

Nice report Snicks. Wish I lived on the left side of the state so I could be closer to some poker rooms. It takes me 3 hours to get to Atlantic City and you know how the traffic can get on the AC expressway and passing through the Philly area. The 3 hour trip usually takes 4-5 with traffic.

I totally forgot one aspect of the QQ hand. The table donk had gotten a rack a few hands before and racked up maybe $200 in chips, leaving himself with about $22 in front of him, next to his rack. Nobody said anything, but you're not allowed to leave your chips in a rack. I raise with the QQ, guy to my left calls, donk thinks about it and says all-in, counts out the $22, and throws in the $22. Whoa...hold on there Sparky. You just went all in with EVERYTHING...including the chips in the rack. Of course, almost everybody at the table realizes this and calls him on it...the dealer calls him on it...the donk picks up the rack and cuddles it like it's his first born and says he didn't mean the chips in the rack. Guy who's not in the hand wants him to put it all in (this donk was a little annoying at times), but says it's up to me and the other guy since we're in the hand and he's not. The dealer says she'll call the floor over if we want. We all know what the floor will rule...everything will have to go in. I don't know if I want to risk all my chips with QQ, so I say nothing. Guy next to me says nothing and we play the hand. As we know now, guy next to me had AA. So, would you have made the donk put everything in if you're sitting there with AA? Or would you let him slide since he's new (as he told us before when he made a string bet and had no idea what we were talking about) and didn't know better? And if he did go all in, do you call with the QQ with your stacks about even?

__________________
"I'm disappointed in you, Scotty" -- Michael DeMichele at the 2008 WSOP HORSE Final Table
Check out My Blog, updated 9/03/08

Nice report Snick... no bathroom story thou????/ :shock:

__________________
"Beer a proud sponsor of casual sex since 1857"

I think with AA I make him put it all-in. With QQ I would feel pretty confident that I was good since he really only wanted to bet the $22.00 and didn't want to put in the rest. I am surprised the dealer gave him a choice, he bought chips and said all-in. I don't see why there would be any discussion. This is the hand where you fold and a Q hits at the river?

Another nice report BTW.

Topic very creepy similar to something you can't possibly know about! Unless magic 8 ball has been getting in your ear again.

Thanks for the report.

__________________
I have been blogging. Last updated April 29th. http://www.feltpoker.com/blogs/ugignadl/

I agree. I'd probably ask to call the floor and pretend that I wasn't sure of the rules so I didn't look like an ass, but I'd be licking my lips over that rack of chips against a donk who didn't want it in and QQ in my hand.

__________________
Bernie Wayne - You stick with me kid. In a few years you'll be wearing diamonds big as horse turds and farting through silk.

I was switching gears. :D


I don't think you're allowed to say that and not elaborate. :wink:


Yes. Of course, had I called the floor and called his all-in, I would have been crushed by the AA behind me...and would have sucked out like a champ at the end for my biggest pot ever. Damn.

__________________
"I'm disappointed in you, Scotty" -- Michael DeMichele at the 2008 WSOP HORSE Final Table
Check out My Blog, updated 9/03/08

Good report! Sounds like a pretty great experience.

UTG and 4 callers and I'd have bet 3/4 the pot, so $38. 3 callers and I'd make it $30. They folded, nice pot!

__________________
Blog Updated 6/21, Oooops, I'm goin to Vegas in a few days.
11:09:32 PM Randy: limit poker is easy
11:19:03 PM Randy: ok, i suck at teh limit

Mirage: FU PKOER
Mirage: F
Mirage: U
Mirage: FUFUFU
Mirage: up a $1.45 still YES

Let's just say that there is a man named W. V. Wheeler who is quite close to me!

__________________
I have been blogging. Last updated April 29th. http://www.feltpoker.com/blogs/ugignadl/