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.

Getting to know the people

I love playing stud, which is no secret. I have found a pure joy in the game, but last night I found a better reason to enjoy the game -- the people.

When you play poker these days, you know you are on a table with a bunch of douche bags, and that's just me being nice. There are a million people who want to tell you how to play, what to play, even what to wear. But last night I was playing $1-$5 stud with a few interesting people. Granted, I was the youngest person there by at least 40 years, but that doesn't change the way I feel about them.

Many of these players come out because they have no one. It's sad but it's true. Many of them are so old that they are the last of their family. However, some of them have sad stories as well about how close young relatives have passed away. The people at the stud table become their new family.

It's probably not much different from when you gave money to your kids anyway.

These men and women find comfort in each other knowing that others have gone through the same thing. Last night, as I talked to them I learned they just wanted someone to talk to.

I haven't had a hard life. I haven't gone through nearly the amount of heartache they have gone through. But I love playing with them.

It's not a serious game with them. They have been through serious with everything else in life. Stud is a time for fun and a time for mingling.

Maybe playing with them isn't going to improve my game, but I don't care. When I am sitting there, it's never about the game.