It’s happening at Atlantic City Hotels and Casinos

I love AC. From the beaches to the boardwalk to the casinos and night life. The history is rich and the politics even richer. This glamor city on ocean is a mecca in the dumps. Last time we were there Labor Day some of my familiar sites were missing. We know the Sands has be turned in dust and rubble and sands. BTW they still show up in a google map search. The Pinnacle knocked it down to build their mega resort, put 100’s of people out of jobs and now its another empty eyesore. No end in sight when this fiasco will be settled. Another one of my favorite sites is also gone. What happened to the Peter Max mural? They just tore it down with nothing to replace it except an ugly wall. I will go on and on, but for now you should know the hotel rates are awesome. So go enjoy because AC still has what to offer.

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We have been getting some flack lately, rightly so, about people booking Bally’s  and ending up in Claridge Tower.  We take our customer’s satisfaction very seriously.  Even though we have a warning in our reservation area that Bally’s may put people in Claridge Tower when the others towers are full, people are still upset when it happens. Bally’s, owned by Harrahs considers Claridge Tower as an extension of the  Bally’s property.  Therefore, at Bally’s option, depending on availability, people will get a room where Bally’s chooses. This still doesn’t make people happy knowing Claridge is Bally’s, especially when they didn’t think much of the warning or hoped for the best.

As far as Claridge goes I know it has been remodeled since Bally’s bought it, and many people don’t mind. However, there are folks who feel slighted and we agree with them.

Our suggestion as of now is to either gamble :)  and book Bally’s knowing you may end up in Claridge, or simply choose from our other casinos  we book.  We have them all.

And to let you know, this is not a closed case.  We have our people reaching out to Harrahs to try to come up with a solution that will work for everyone.

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In two words,  Customer Satisfaction.  I am sure we all have the experience of voicing a complaint no matter where it was,  and we were the guilty party, according to the customer “service”.  Hell I have seen this here on our reviews. The hotel personnel blame our valued clients.   Not that it happens frequently but when it does happen we are all over it.  We can’t make everyone happy,  but we will certainly try.

Some of you will notice we have just instituted a reply to your reviews.  We read every review, and reply to most. Your feedback is just as important to us as it is to people who read reviews about your stay.

We deal with many travel sites in our business. Orbits, Expedia etc  and the trend I see is less personal, and more price oriented.

Here at AtlanticCity.com our staff is 110%  people oriented, and we guarantee the lowest rate.

So the bottom line is that when you are happy we tick!

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It seems that opportunities are becoming a little ripe these days, the latest of such attempts comes from Penn National, which wants to open a casino on Route 30. First of all, the land is not in the casino zone - it is on the outskirts of the city. The next hurdle would be the sewage plant right next door, so even if permission were granted, the smell factor would definitely make it less than a perfect choice for the location of a 24-hour entertainment avenue. The message from the city council also so far is that Penn National has little chance of success, as the current laws only permit development on 3% of the 23-acre land. With many hurdles in the way, one should not hope to see the Penn National casino anytime soon on the White Horse Pike.

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Oil just seems to be taking to new and never before discovered heights and the pressure is telling on everyone. With OPEC standing firm on its decision not to increase production beyond a certain point, all of Atlantic City as well as most of New Jersey had to adjust to the best average rate for one gallon of gas crossing $4. At such rates, it is no wonder that people here do not want to travel as much as they would have preferred to initially for entertainment. This year’s visits to Atlantic City are about 10% lower already, according to estimates by Fox News. Maybe it is high time that we all started cutting back on things that we do not need or things we tend to waste our gasoline on. With gasoline soon to reach newer heights, it is time for conserving what little fuel we have got in our cars today. One tip: do not speed unnecessarily as that burns up the gasoline like nobody’s business.

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Blackjack is one of the most popular games that have ever been played at a casino. To this date there are as many variations of this game as the number of cards in a deck. In reality, of all the games that one finds at a casino, this is the one that truly offers a chance for the individual to potentially gain an edge over the house (the casino). Over the years, I have come across a few resources in blackjack that I believe are worth a read..

1. Arnold Snyder’s Blackjack Forum – BlackjackForumOnline.com
   It seems that there is such a thing as free money, well, or at least as close to it anyway. This site is an information portal with gambling tips from professional gamblers, a valuable tool that you get for free at this forum. It also hosts a Professional Gambling Library, one of the largest sources of gambling tips and tricks on Blackjack on the internet. The site is deep enough that you could consider using it as a launch pad to kick start a gambling career but simple enough to get a couple of ideas for your next trip to Atlantic City, even if you are a beginner.
2. Blackjackinfo.com
   As the very name suggests, this site is all about the game. One of the main features on this site is their software, or should I say, the casino verite, a perfect tool to practice Blackjack before hitting the casino floor.
3. When it comes to online gambling is concerned, most of us have questions ranging from which sites are the ones to trust, how to win online, the legalities and so on. Their online gambling section answers most of these commonly asked questions. Their side design and the depth of the information contained in this site makes them stand out from the crowd. If you are a professional blackjack Player, then you might find the update on blackjack tournaments listed here quite useful.
4. Blackjackincolor.com
   This site is perhaps the best place on the ‘Net to understand the underlying mechanics of Blackjack. They don’t really give you a formula to help one win the next hand of blackjack but rather helping one understand the vulnerabilities of the system and the player, which is you. What I really like about this site, is the way it takes one into the nuances of the game, step by step, but at the same time keeping it simple and interesting. Their discussions are scientific and their arguments make sense. Their explanations are often supported with charts that ram the point home. Take a peek and you’ll sound like a pro at your next dinner party!
5. BJMath.com
   Math is said to be the language that unites us all. Since math is their focus, it isn’t surprising how accurate their information is, a rare commodity in today’s internet sites. This site has various tools dealing with the game such as the Blackjack calculator that allows one to count the cards and the risk involved with each hand. With each hand that a player gets, and with the help of this calculator, you are able to determine your chances of winning the next hand. They also have some of the best tips for the live tables that I have ever come across. Math fanatics are likely to love this site but even if Math isn’t exactly your thing, I suggest checking the site out for their tools and tips.
6. BlackjackTactics.com
   There are a lot of sites that claim to have the formula for winning at Blackjack but their explanations often tend to be flat and leaves one wanting more. This site offers an in-depth strategic view of the game. From basic strategy to card counting strategies, they have it all. They also seem to update the site regularly with the latest strategy articles, game variations, game charts, betting systems, history and so on.

So the next time you plan a visit to Atlantic City to try your luck at Blackjack, you will might have a little more than luck on your side. Happy gaming!

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So what does it take to have a ‘poker face’? Is that something people are born with or can you cultivate what it takes to win at Poker? Like any other sport, talent does help, but in Poker, there are certain simple mistakes that beginners often make that we see over and over again.

1. Be the wolf and not the tiger - We all like to play to win a lot of money but so does everyone else at that table. Winning with a bad hand is not as common as the movies make it out to be. Once in a while everyone will fold and you may win even with a bad hand but, empirically speaking, those occasions are rare. The sooner you learn to treat a bad hand as just that, the better your chances of making it in poker.
2. Do not over-bluff – Beginners often make this mistake. Bluffing may be one of the key components of this game but remember that it is just one of them. Over bluffing actually makes it easier for your opponents to read you front side up. Learn to bluff at the right time and Poker will seem a lot easier to win at.
3. To expose or not, that’s the question – If you are one of those ultra-competitive people pouncing on every opportunity to prove your point, then this is for you. At the poker table, you may know when someone is bluffing, but you should still seriously evaluate if calling him or her out and exposing their bluff is going to be to your advantage. The catch is that calling someone on their hand means that you may have to put a few extra chips into the pot. Is that worth risk? Are you better off just letting it go and waiting for the right move? Be pragmatic when calling bluffs.
4. Pay attention to the cards – Counting cards is much more popular in Blackjack but can be used effectively in Poker as well. Pay attention to the folded hands and the cards that are missing in the action. Try to remember patterns in these cards. This is something that you become good at over time, but if you can do this, you certainly have an edge over those that don’t have the ability to focus long-term. Not many have the ability to focus and remember cards after several hours at the poker table.
5. Stay healthy – Last but not the least, a healthy body means a healthy mind and when one suffers, so does the other. Many successful professional poker players say that playing for 14 hours straight, their concentration only improved with the passage of time and that the tiredness and the numbness actually helped. Remember to keep drinking water so as not get dehydrated and make sure that you do break away from the game every now and then, to refresh yourself, in body and mind.

Finally, remember that it’s after-all just a game. Learning to enjoy it will mean that you stay healthy and focused longer and actually increase your chances of winning.
 

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Here are my top picks for Blackjack books, selected from several dozen books that were evaluated. Whether you are just learning how to play Blackjack or planning to quit your job to take on the game full time, I have a book for you in this list. The next time you are browsing through those blackjack books at the bookstore, here’s what you need to look for:

1. Blackjack Bluebook II - the simplest winning strategies ever published (2006 edition)
   This book is down to earth, good for beginning blackjack players. This book explores the strategy of the game with a strategy chart in different colors. The author does a good job with the illustrations for the hand play revisions and covers the different variations of the game quite well. It seeks out to debunk the blackjack myths quite effectively. The basic counting system is explained in detail in this book along with computer simulation results. This book also points out the various plays and maneuvers including several out-of-the-box techniques that I have not seen in too many other beginner books or guides. It has over 40 useful charts and 60 illustrated hand scenarios.
2. Blackjack Blueprint: How to Play like a Pro… Part-Time (Paperback): I give this book five stars for an interesting read about card counting. It offers a brief introduction to basic strategy and card counting based on Stanford Wong’s Hi-Lo system and illustrates how to tailor the play and the bet amount to the count. Card counting strategies account for nearly half the book and the reminder may not be all that engrossing to the reader. Although this book is titled part time, there are portions on this book that would make more sense to a professional than an amateur. And there is a section in this book called zone tracking and believe it or not, this part relates to team play. Another section talks about strategies for equalizing the negative swings one encounters during a play which I thought was the weakest link in the book. A good pick for your Atlantic City trip, just make sure you pick up the book well in advance of your trip!
3. Blackjack For Blood: The Card-Counters’ Bible, and Complete Winning Guide (Paperback): Humor can often make it worthwhile to read a book and this is one such rare blackjack book that actually has a strong element of humor. It includes several relevant anecdotes, making the book a further interesting read. The author also provides information on some of the ‘below the belt’ but not illegal tricks that a player can use to make money from the house. This book basically deals with the card counting system and gets quite involved in math and strategy. I would not recommend this book for  beginners.
4. Professional Blackjack (Paperback): This is a book that is definitely not for the beginners, but the best one out there for the more semi pros or the pros. The most in-depth coverage of card-counting strategies and results that can be expected. It makes you realize that making money at Blackjack is not easy, yet showing you how to do it all the same. This book may be a bit old but is still quite effective and relevant. Before you quit your job to start gambling, read this book to know where you stand.
5. Blackbelt in Blackjack: Playing 21 as a Martial Art: This book was authored by one of the grand masters of Blackjack and a legend by himself, Arnold Snyder. This book is aimed more at the professional niche.. Snyder reveals various tricks that he himself had used including shuffle tracking, team play, multiple decks and camouflage techniques. This book has also devoted large sections of it to card counting and various card counting systems. With this book one can pick up on systems ranging from the deadly red 7 count, the hi-lo count, the zen count, the true count, and so much more.

So there you go, depending on where you stand in your Blackjack skills, pick one of these and you are sure to have a little more fun during your next trip to Atlantic City.
Happy gaming!

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New Jersey Gov. Signs Smoking Ban, Casinos Excepted  reads the headline on Jan 15.  But as of Feb 21 we hear that the Senators want to ban also the Casinos.

Well in my humble opinion- while I don’t smoke- and it does stink and I stay far away as I can-

These state representives have screwed enough with the casinos which bring millions of dollars of tax revenue. I am sure we all remember the July budget fiasco.

And we have the Pocanos with gambling.

How long will our politicians stand on their soap box and not get real.

People smoke.People gamble. People like to smoke. So accomodate these people and go on.

You got better things to do. 

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