Sunday, August 31, 2008

Harrah's Atlantic City new daily tournament schedule

On Labor Day (tomorrow), Harrah's is rolling out a new tournament schedule that should be used until the end of the year, when they will re-evaluate the current format.

Harrah's is implementing more tournaments during the day. There will be four tournaments daily starting 10 a.m. Trying to fulfill everyone's needs, there are cheap tournaments, as well as a $500+$60 deep stack tournament on Saturday afternoon. On Saturday night, there will be a World Series of Poker Circuit satellite ($500+$60).

The players should enjoy the extra tournaments, although, expect to hear dealers grumbling. Every dealer in that room is going to be affected because dealers drop an average of .50 cents a down for tournaments. Yikes!

Included in the daily tournament lineup is a midnight madness tournament, which is so popular in Atlantic City that the Trupm Taj Mahal raised its buy-in and the Borgata got rid of it after a few month experimentation.

The $300 and $500 tournaments will have 30-minute blinds and the others will be 20 minutes.

Here's the schedule breakdown:
Sunday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $68+$12
8:15 p.m. $68+$12
12:15 a.m. $40+$10

Monday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $68+$12
8:15 p.m. $68+$12
12:15 a.m. $40+$10

Tuesday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $68+$12
8:15 p.m. $68+$12
12:15 a.m. $40+$10

Wednesday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $68+$12
8:15 p.m. $68+$12
12:15 a.m. $40+$10

Thursday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $68+$12
8:15 p.m. $68+$12
12:15 a.m. $40+$10

Friday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $68+$12
8:15 p.m. $300+$40
12:15 a.m. $68+$12

Saturday: 10:15 a.m. $40+$10
1:15 p.m. $500+$60 Deep Stack 12K
8:15 p.m. $500+$60 WSOP Circuit Satellite
12:15 a.m. $68+$12

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Another casino delays construction (MGM)

Another casino company is delaying construction. I will have more of an opinion on this later, but here is the article from The Press of Atlantic City. (Check out the sidebar for more information on the petition mess with the Revel casino project.)

MGM to delay start of Atlantic City casino project until 2009
By DONALD WITTKOWSKI Staff Writer, 609-272-7258
Published: Saturday, August 30, 2008

ATLANTIC CITY - Tight credit markets will force gaming giant MGM Mirage Inc. to postpone construction until 2009 on an Atlantic City resort that would mimic a multibillion-dollar casino and hotel development in Las Vegas.

Despite a delay in getting started, the company still hopes to complete the estimated $5 billion MGM Grand Atlantic City development by the previously announced 2012 grand opening, spokesman Gordon M. Absher said.

MGM will use the extra time to refine its designs and streamline the construction schedule to contain costs, though there are no plans to downsize the project.

"We're still enthusiastic and confident about the Atlantic City market. The project has not changed or been downscaled," Absher said Friday.

Absher confirmed what gaming analysts have been predicting for weeks - MGM will focus on completing the financing for its massive $9.2 billion CityCenter project in Las Vegas and take another year or two before breaking ground in Atlantic City. CityCenter has served as the inspiration for the Atlantic City project, although the Las Vegas development would be larger.
MGM is getting closer to working out the final financing for CityCenter, but the global credit crisis means the company will have to be patient to secure additional funding for Atlantic City, Absher said.

"The banks just aren't lending money, and these projects obviously require financing," he said. "It is a matter of the financial institutions being tight with money."

Casino companies have been delaying or killing projects outright in Las Vegas and other gaming markets because of the difficulties of borrowing money during the economic downturn. In Atlantic City, Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. previously announced it would hold off on redeveloping the old Sands Casino Hotel site for a megaresort, and the Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort has delayed a proposed billion-dollar expansion.

Jeffrey Vasser, executive director of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, said MGM's delay underscores the nationwide casino construction slowdown rather than exposing any particular problems with the Atlantic City market.

"This is more of a macro situation that we're facing," Vasser said. "When you look at the Las Vegas expansion projects, the Las Vegas properties are stopping in their tracks as well. I don't view it as any reflection on Atlantic City's growth."

MGM announced its project last October, before the credit markets tanked and while casino operators still were going gangbusters to build the industry's newest must-see attraction. At that time, the company said it would start construction in 2008 on a $4.5 billion to $5 billion complex featuring Atlantic City's largest casino and tallest building.

The project would include three hotel towers totaling more than 3,000 rooms, a world-class spa, a convention center and 500,000 square feet of upscale retail shops, restaurants and entertainment. One of the hotels would soar 800 feet high, easily dwarfing any other building in town. MGM's proposal for 280,000 square feet of gaming space would give it bragging rights for Atlantic City's biggest casino floor.

The development is planned on a 72-acre site in the Marina District next to Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, which MGM co-owns with Boyd Gaming Corp. Approximately 60 acres would be used for the casino resort, with the remaining 12 reserved for future development, possibly posh condominiums, the company said.

Absher stressed that while no construction will be done this year, the company is moving ahead with the planning and regulatory approvals for the project. One key piece of the regulatory process is MGM's pending application for a Coastal Area Facilities Review Act construction permit from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

MGM also anxiously awaits the findings of a lengthy New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement investigation into its partnership with the eldest daughter of Asian gaming mogul Stanley Ho for a new casino in the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau. Critics claim New Jersey gaming regulators should deny the partnership with Pansy Ho because of her father's reputed ties to Asian organized crime. MGM repeatedly has said it is doing business only with Pansy Ho, not Stanley Ho.

"We're confident that when they complete the investigation that everything will be fine," Absher said of MGM's belief New Jersey will approve the Macau partnership.

It is not known when the DGE will wrap up its investigation and make its recommendation to the New Jersey Casino Control Commission for a vote. The commission must approve the Macau partnership because MGM holds a New Jersey gaming license. If the commission turns it down, MGM likely would have to cut its ties to Atlantic City to concentrate on Macau.

E-mail Donald Wittkowski:
DWittkowski@pressofac.com

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Trump Plaza PokerTek Tourneys

Trump Plaza begins PokerTek Tournaments starting tonight!

Really!

I find it odd that Trump Plaza didn’t announce this sooner. Personally, I find it bad marketing that it was announced on the day that they started running it. However, the good news is that Trump Plaza is running free rolls, something you don’t often see in Atlantic City.

Nothing is given away free anymore, just listen to the slot players walking along the Boardwalk complaining about the lack of comps they receive. I read it in the paper, so it’s true.

Anyway, Trump Plaza started tournaments today on its PokerPro machines and will run tournaments through Sept. 5. According to the press release, players are invited to play in twice-daily $1000 free-rolls each day at noon and 8pm. Starting September 6th, a full tournament schedule will be in effect, with daily Hold'em tournaments at 11:30 am ($50+5) and 7:30 pm ($70+7 Friday and Saturday, $50+5 Sunday - Wednesday), and a $50+5 Omaha tournament every Thursday at 7:30pm. (I’ll update my tournament calendar eventually to include this along with the new Harrah’s tournament schedule).

Atlantic City info right on the sidebar

On the sidebar of the page, I post Atlantic City casino articles. The articles range from a number of topics and many of which I am going to write about, eventually.

For my job, this starts one of the busiest times of the year, so sometimes it's a little difficult to get around to writing articles. However, you will find articles about the Revel casino project and the local union's attempt to try and block the deal. Revel has already begun building the casino, unlike other companies who have promised the same and all that is there is an empty space.

You also find information on poker and anything else I can find about Atlantic City that I think people will find of interest.

It only goes five articles deep, although, I could make it longer if people are looking for information that dates further back.

Enjoy. Atlantic City is a fun town especially with all the B.S. that goes on with the government here.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Results from Borgata $500K Deep Stack Poker Tournament

The final results for Borgata’s $500,000 Guaranteed Deep Stack Poker Tournament (August 9 – 12, 2008)

956 entries / $1,921,000 Prize Pool

1. ANTHONY BELLINO (YONKERS, NY) $443,201
2. MICHAEL CROSBY (GAINESVILLE, VA) $272,460
3. ROBERT MCLAUGHLIN (WASHINGTON, DC) $148,180
4. PETER MALKOUN (BROOK HAVEN, PA) $129,060
5. GEHRIG WHITE (CHARLOTTE, NC) $109,940
6. BRIAN O'DONOGHUE (BAYSIDE, NY) $90,820
7. IRVING MCKENZIE (SALISBURY, MD) $71,700
8. SUN CHA (ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) $52,580
9. MICAH RASKIN (OLD WESTBURY, NY) $38,240
10. ANTHONY CAMPAGNA (MANORVILLE, NY) $24,856
11. ROBERT SUCHOCKI (NUTLEY, NJ) $24,856
12. ROBERT WISIAK (RIDGEWOOD, NY) $24,856
13. MICHAEL KITREL (VIRGINIA BCH, VA) $18,164
14. VILAILAK SOUVANNARATVONGSEUK (WEST COLUMBIA, SC) $18,164
15. STEVE RYAN (LAKE RONKONKOMA, NY) $18,164
16. PATRICK GELINAS (ODENTON, MD) $11,472
17. RANDY PFEIFER (EAST AMHERST, NY) $11,472
18. GUY LOUIS CICCONI (CHADDS FORD, PA) $11,472
19. EMANUEL FAILLA (COMMACK, NY) $8,604
20. MIRZA OTOVIC (NEW YORK, NY) $8,604
21. ERIC MORRIS (MARIETTA, GA) $8,604
22. RONNIE BARDAH (BROCKTON, MA) $8,604
23. AVDO DJOKOVIC (STATEN ISLAND, NY) $8,604
24. JAMES CALDERARO (VENICE, FL) $8,604
25. MICHAEL SICA JR (N BRUNSWICK, NJ) $8,604
26. DAVID ZEITLIN (NEW YORK, NY) $8,604
27. JOSHUA GOLDSTEIN (NEW YORK, NY) $8,604
28. PHILIP NEIMAN (FLUSHING, NY) $7,266
29. KEVIN LANG (RALEIGH, NC) $7,266
30. JOHN FRANTZ (MENDHAM, NJ) $7,266
31. FARID EBRAHIM (FREDERICKSBURG, VA) $7,266
32. THOMAS SAVITSKY (RANDOLPH, NJ) $7,266
33. ANTHONY BERTUZZI (STATEN ISLAND, NY) $7,266
34. VINCENT VILLAMOR (MAYS LANDING, NJ) $7,265
35. MORAN DAVID (NEW YORK, NY) $7,265
36. CHRIS RAGAVANIS (OLD SAYBROOK, CT ) $7,265
37. RUSLAN DYKSHTEYN (STATEN ISLAND, NY) $6,118
38. ARTHUR PETERS (BRICK, NJ) $6,118
39. VIRGIL PAGE (BAYONNE, NJ) $6,118
40. WILLIAM DOLLAR (RALEIGH, NC) $6,118
41. CHARLES MARIANIK (LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ) $6,118
42. PASQUALE DIGIULIO (PHILADELPHIA, PA) $6,118
43. THOMAS DITROLIO (HAVERTOWN, PA) $6,118
44. MICHAEL NYE (EAST BRIDGEWATER, MA) $6,118
45. CLINT SCHAFER (BATON ROUGE, LA) $6,118
46. ANDREW KNEE (MOUNT SINAI, NY) $5,354
47. TONY SOUTHON (MILLVILLE, NJ) $5,354
48. GERALD ROGERS (YEADON, PA) $5,354
49. MARK SYKES (MIDDLETOWN, CT) $5,354
50. BRIAN HOLLYWOOD (PASADENA, MD) $5,354
51. RYAN JULIUS (NAPERVILLE, IL) $5,354
52. BRYAN BUONOCORE (CANTON, OH) $5,354
53. MITESH SHERE (BROOKLYN, NY) $5,354
54. ANTHONY ABRUZZO (FLORHAM PARK, NJ) $5,354
55. CHARLES HOOK (PHILADELPHIA, PA) $4,780
56. MARK DIKKER (MORGANVILLE, NJ) $4,780
57. MICHAEL STRAUSS (NEW YORK, NY) $4,780
58. SADRIJA VUCETA (NEW YORK, NY) $4,780
59. D HATZIDIMITRIS (WHITESTONE, NY) $4,780
60. JASON EMERSON (WHITE RIVER, VT) $4,780
61. MONTE HOOVER JR (STEUBENVILLE, OH) $4,780
62. ROBERT DEPASQUALE (RANDOLPH, NJ) $4,780
63. WAYNE LEWIS (BRIGANTINE, NJ) $4,780
64. ALEXANDER SHTEYMAN (EDISON, NJ) $4,206
65. DAVID FARAH (FAIRFIELD, NJ) $4,206
66. SCOTT GREENHOLTZ (WESTMINSTER, MD) $4,206
67. STEVEN LEVY (PEABODY, MA) $4,206
68. CHIN NGUYEN (SILVER SPRING, MD) $4,206
69. JOHN LECATO JR (BELLE HAVEN, VA) $4,206
70. ALBERT RICCOBONO (OSSINING, NY) $4,206
71. RICHARD COHEN (HUNTINGDON VALLEY, PA) $4,206
72. DEBORAH RAY (BLACK LICK, PA) $4,206
73. MARTY WONG (NAPA, CA) $3,824
74. JERRY HUMPHREY (GIBSONIA, PA) $3,824
75. ROBERT DICHIARA (BLUE BELL, PA) $3,824
76. JAMES WATKINS (LANDOVER, MD) $3,824
77. JASON FRAZEE (FORKED RIVER, NJ) $3,824
78. MARCUS HOUED (SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ) $3,824
79. TANIOS ABI-YAGHI (TOMS RIVER, NJ) $3,824
80. SERGUEI MITROCHINE (BROOKLYN, NY) $3,824
81. LAWRENCE RAO (FALLSTON, MD) $3,824
82. JOE WAGNER (ZEBULON, NC) $3,442
83. DAVID MERLINO (SMYRNA, GA) $3,442
84. WASYL STEPHEN ZALIWICIW (PHILADELPHIA, PA) $3,442
85. JESSE CHINNI (ELLICOTT CITY, MD) $3,442
86. CRAIG STEIN (MACEDONIA, OH) $3,442
87. ARMAN LATIF (RICHMOND, VA) $3,442
88. RICHARD CHANG (MISSION VIEJO, CA) $3,442
89. WILLIAM BLANDA (GALVESTON, TX) $3,442
90. PATRICK CARNEY (SCRANTON, PA) $3,442

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Site Update: The Sidebar 2.0

I trying to make the site a little more user friendly and give the people what they want. I added a calendar to the sidebar for all the major tournaments coming in Atlantic City. It's a tedious process and will take some time to get all the tournaments up.

It just has basic information such as date, time, type and buy-in. I've added the Borgata Poker Open and the U.S. Poker Championship to the calendar so far.

You can access the calendar here. But it's also at the very top of the sidebar.

Monday, August 11, 2008

2008 United States Poker Championships

This is the information that everyone has been waiting for: the 2008 United States Poker Championships will be held at the Taj Mahal from Sept. 14-Oct. 8.

Here's the poster for it.


Here is the schedule:
DATE, TIME, EVENT, BUY-IN
Sept. 14, 11:15am, Limit Hold'em, $300 + $40
Sept. 15, 11:15am, Seven Card Stud, $500 + $50
Sept. 16, 11:15am, Seven Card Stud Hi/Low 8 or better, $500 + $50
Sept. 17, 11:15am, Omaha Hi/Low 8 or better, $500 + $50
Sept. 18, 11:15am, 2-Way P/L Hold'em & P/L Omaha, $500 + $50
Sept. 19, 11:15am, H-O-S-E (Hold'em-Omaha H/L-Stud-Stud H/L), $500 + $50
Sept. 20, 11:15am, No Limit Hold'em, $500 + $50
Sept. 21, 11:15am, No Limit Hold'em, $300 + $40
Sept. 22, 11:15am, Seven Card Stud, $300 + $40
Sept. 23, 11:15am, No Limit Hold'em (6 max.), $300 + $40
Sept. 24, 11:15am, P/L Omaha Hi/Low 8 or better, $300 + $40
Sept. 25, 11:15am, No Limit Hold'em, $300 + $40
Sept. 26, 11:15am, No Limit Hold'em (6 max.), $500 + $50
Sept. 27, 11:15am, No Limit Hold'em, $1,000 + $80
Sept. 28, 11:15am, No Limit Hold'em Seniors Only (50 yrs.), $300 + $40
1:15pm, No Limit Hold'em Ladies Only, $300 + $40
Sept. 29, 11:15am, No Limit Hold'em, $300 + $40
Sept. 30, 11:15am, No Limit Hold'em (6 max.), $300 + $40
Oct. 1, 11:15am, Omaha Hi/Low 8 or better, $300 + $40
Oct. 2, 11:15am, Pot Limit Hold'em , $500 + $50
Oct. 5, 3:15pm, No Limit Hold'em Main Event (Day 1), $9,700 + $300
Oct. 6, 11:15am, Seven Card Stud, $300 + $40
1:15pm, Day 2 - No Limit Hold'em Main Event
Oct. 7, 11:15am, No Limit Hold'em, $300 + $40
1:15pm, Day 3 - No Limit Hold'em Main Event
Oct. 8, 11:15am, P/L Omaha Hi/Low 8 or better, $300 + $40
11:00am, Final Table - No Limit Hold'em Main Event

BUY-IN -- CHIPS -- TIME PER LEVEL
$300+$40 -- $5,000 -- 45 MINUTES
$500+$50 -- $5,000 -- 50 MINUTES
$1,000+$80 -- $8,000 -- 55 MINUTES
$9,700+$300 -- $30,000 -- 90 MINUTES

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Harrah's and Trop Update

Harrah's has a couple of changes I found out about last night.

The first thing is they are having a different tournament schedule. Harrah's is going to run four tournaments throughout the day: 10:15, 1:15, 7:15 (I think, it might be 8:15, though) and 12:15 a.m.

They are starting a midnight tournament and I don't know how popular it's going to be. Taj is the only place that has seemingly been able to run a tournament well. Borgata tried it for a while and then decided it wasn't worth it.

The other change at Harrah's only myself and people over the age of 65. Starting today, they are going to have a .50 cent ante on the $1-$5 stud game. Previously, this was an anteless game and everyone pretty much played here because Bally's has an ante, Taj is timed and raked and Tropicana dropped their game for a $3-$6. People aren't going to be thrilled with this, and Harrah's is only doing it to make more money.

In a regular game, there tends to be a lot of chops and a dealer can go seven or eight hands before they actually pitch out a real hand. This is going to help the dealers. However, I think some of the regulars aren't going to be able to change up their game enough to deal with an ante.

My intent is just to go in there and try to start a $5-$10 game because if I am playing with a .50 cent ante, it's not going to be on a $1-$5 game.

The Tropicana has started a bad beat jackpot as well, and not just for tournaments. It's going to be for all live Texas Hold 'Em games beating Aces full of Jacks or better.

Friday, August 08, 2008

Site Update: The Sidebar

I've added a news link on the right side of the page. This will include any casino news stories about Atlantic City that I have not included in the blog. Some of them are interesting, just not interesting enough to me to write about. Hopefully, I will update this every day, even multiple times a day. So, keep checking back because there is always something to talk about in Atlantic City.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

A Social Experiment

Last night, I finally decided to check out the PokerPro machines at Trump Plaza. With all the talk, I knew I eventually had to five in. And wouldn’t you know it?

The room was bustling. There was one game going with two seats open.

I have made my opinion clear before about the machines. I don't care for them, however, there are things to like about PokerPro. I decided I was going to give it a fair chance. I don’t enjoy playing online, but this was half live, and half computer.

Pros:
- No tipping dealers (this seems to be everyone’s favorite part)
- $3 rake
- The machine keeps track of the amount of money in the pot
- Bets are announced (not audibly) without having to take time to count chips
- The game runs quickly and efficiently
- Mistakes are nearly non-existent.

Cons:
- No type of order. Chaos seems to be prevalent even with floor people standing around.
- No one tells the players not to talk about a hand while it’s in progress. So, a lot of poker ethics are gone out of the window.
- Team poker.
- Floor people who don’t understand the rules of poker. Just how to work a machine and push some buttons.
- No protection for players from verbal abuse.
- Less tells you can notice people.
- Getting your money and your account in order is too long of a process.

I am sure there are more, but these are the ones that stick out. Last night, there was a player berating the fish at the table. It was disgusting to the point where I finally said something. After winning a huge pot, he was dancing and singing in his seat.

I asked him if he his behavior was necessary. His response: "Yes, it was."

I said, "Good job. That man has not said a word to you all night and he is dumping money on the game at a ridiculous rate and all you want to do is make fun of him."

I wanted this kid to get snapped off so badly. But, frankly, I didn’t have the patience to sit around that game any longer than I did because the people playing this machine were unbearable. I think it’s a problem with poker in general, but that’s for another day in another post.

In the end, I didn’t really like the machine. The players have to police each other if they want the integrity of the game to hold up. When that happens, you start looking like a douche or a bitch. No one wants to be that guy on the game because it’s not profitable.

Both my boyfriend and I won, which is great. But it's weird because I didn't reall y enjoy the win. The players were awful and it was pretty obvious what they had most of the time. Frankly, none of these people are poker players and never once thought what you would had in your hand. They just see the two virtual cards in front of them and play with that, which is fine.

I said last night that the only reason I would ever come back is because this seems very profitable. But I really don’t even feel like I am playing poker.

The other big problem was putting money in my account and getting my money out of my account. You go up the cage and give them your money. However, now they have punch buttons into a computer, fill out a piece of paper and finally you’re set up to play. Maybe this doesn’t sound like a long time, but it took about two to three minutes. When it comes to playing with chips, you push your money up and get a rack of chips. This may take all of 30 seconds.

Getting money was even worse. You have to pull out your ID and club card. More computer punching and more filling out paperwork. All this just to get my money out of my account. If you don’t get the money out of your account at the end of the night, you can just keep your bankroll on your card.

But this lends to another question. Are they keeping track of my wins and losses? If I win a certain amount at the end of the year, are they going to report this to the IRS?

I like real poker.

Monday, August 04, 2008

Guess What Happened?

I played poker. Twice even.

I learned a valuable lesson in one of the instances as well. Don't open the girlfriend seat up to anyone. For the sake of the story, I want everyone to know that I am a woman, who has a darling boyfriend that taught how to play poker. Actually, even met the boyfriend while playing poker. Then, I knew nothing. Now, I a little more than nothing.

However, no one ever told me that the girlfriend seat was evil. I never actually sat in the girlfriend seat because whenever my boyfriend played, I just played as well. For those who do not know the girlfriend seat is where the girlfriend/wife/lover sits who has no interest in playing and sits behind the guy while watching. Usually, they are drinking or sighing loudly because plastic cards are getting more attention than their plastic breasts.

Well, I had a friend call me one night while playing -- five times. And the dummy in me decided it was OK for her to come and watch me play. I was already annoyed that she called five times for what was seemingly no reason.

When she got there, she tried telling me dumb stories that I didn't care about and then did the audible sighing when I told her while I have cards in front of me, she is not allowed to talk to me.

After the night was over she had the audacity to complain to my boyfriend that I ignored her while I was playing poker. He pretty much laughed in her face and told her that it was her fault that she came. She should have known better.

However, the kicker came when I decided I had enough. She threw my mind for a loop and I decided it was best that I left. She asked me to sleep over, and being the great person that I am, I told her yes. However, on the way out she asked me if I can take across town to see some guy she wanted to get it on with for about five minutes.

I gave her two options because at this point I was sick of her. 1. I take you there, drop you off and find your own way home because I am leaving. 2. You come to my house and stay there.

I've known this girl for only about two months. I don't see this relationship lasting very long.

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Minnesota Crash Associated to Revel Casino Links

Here are links regarding the Minnesota crash that killed eight people associated with the Revel Casino project. It's sad when anything like this happens.

All the plane crash victims are identified in this article.

Investigators analyzing the voice recorder. There is also a picture of the wreckage on the link.

Latest update from the Owatonna People's Press. The plane hit an antenna.
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