I was surprised to get a free room offer with the little play I gave them last time. It may have been that they saw me as a newbie last visit. I learned at the Player's Club that I had three accounts with them. Very strange. Now they are consolidated, so I won't look like a newbie again.
No resort fees. What a joy! A free night here is a free night. This time we got a room facing the river. Great view. It had all the same amenities. I did learn that I could get a microwave and coffee maker just for asking, but we just used the free coffee in the hotel lobby. Starbucks was perfectly fit even for my gourmet coffee loving wife. And they had little syrups to have flavored coffee.
Elizabeth rarely goes to a casino with me. For some reason she was willing to go this time, and we had a great time. She was content. I think she may go again. She especially liked that the entire casino is smoke free.
Along with the free night came $40 in free play of mine and $10 for her new sign up. So, she played a few slots and some VP and wound up $10 down for the trip. She also got a great $25 matchplay which we split, and lost on a come out roll of 3. Not even any suspense there.
I was behind until this morning when the 9/5 DDB gave me Aces twice. I ended up $267 ahead for the trip. That is nice because I head to Blackhawk CO next week and can use the bankroll.
There was a 3-6 game from 5 PM until almost midnight and a half hour high hand $300 bonus. Just before the game broke up I was on the board with just tens full of sevens. With 4 minutes to go some Aces full no limit guy took me down.
I liked the game. Players were very loose. Still, I did not do as well as I would have expected I might against that competition.
One fellow there had lived in Colorado and been to Blackhawk. He praised the Lady Luck Casino. That may be where I go on a future trip. At the time he used to go just 6 hours of poker play got him a free night, but it was unadvertised and not based on a reservation. He liked the games there, and liked the poker at the Ameristar. However, it may have changed since his time.
An old fellow, Korean War vet named Paul was the best player at the table and played all the while until eleven. He held an unlit cigar and could have perfected a George Burns imitation. I liked all the players. One had the same mannerisms as Peter Balint, my old colleague. It was eerie.
The poker room took my name and called me when the game started. That was great.
With the free room came free wine at 5PM in the lobby. The wine was pretty basic. I added some stevia to my merlot to take the sour edge off. Then it was fine, and I had two glasses. The casino does not give free alcohol, but the whiskey prices were not inflated, running about $6 to $9. I just drank the free wine and after dinner had a couple glasses in my room. I brought a bottle of wine, usual Tisdale at under $5 a bottle. It is a small casino, so a trip to the room is effortless.
We walked the trail along the river for a while and enjoyed that. A few rowers were in the river again. Only one small motor boat. It is a great spot. Very pretty.
Currently they are doing a good bit of building. A Marriot is coming and it looked like it would be really huge once it is finished. Perhaps there will be more eateries there then.
Just now we were not thrilled with the food choices. We went out twice, once to Peter Pause, just down the street across from the entrance to Union College and then on the way home we stopped at Riccitello's , an old fashioned Italian place built into a house.
Peter Pause was great food at reasonable prices. I loved the homemade corned beef hash that had very little potato. Elizabeth did not like it. I ate hers. The atmosphere was of a locals diner.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g48572-d1115373-Reviews-Peter_Pause_Restaurant-Schenectady_New_York.html
The service was good. They only took cash.
We stopped for lunch at Riccitello's and I ate their chili and some streamed clams. Elizabeth had eggplant parm and it was made there and delicious. No frozen patties. The chili was great for me, but would be too spicy for many eaters. It all did well with my sugar numbers.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g48572-d420280-Reviews-John_Riccitello_Restaurant-Schenectady_New_York.html
The bar was attached close enough to hear the conversation. The bartender (owner?) had been interviewed by Channel 6, but the piece had not run. They wanted to know how the casino had impacted their business, and he was very positive. He said they were swamped on weekends, and speculated that the poor food choices at Rivers was one reason.
We did have a good meal for a decent price at the Asian place at Rivers called Mian.
https://riverscasinoandresort.com/dining/mian/
The accommodated my no carb diet with broccoli and no rice in a veggie pork dish, but I wondered if the sauce had added sugar. On the side I got a plate of Chinese greens that were great. I could eat two of those and be on diet and be satisfied. Elizabeth had a Pad Thai dish and brought half home. It was good. Nice to have refrigerators in the room.
https://riverscasinoandresort.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/New-Mian-Menu-sm-2.pdf
We had planned to go out for supper, but Elizabeth tired out and wanted to stay. I was happy. I got more poker. At the end of the night I was up just $5 in that 3-6 session, and I wondered why given the competition.
In the casino I could not find the slot I had liked last visit, something with a Diamond Dragon theme. I kept looking. Mostly I played the 9/5 DDB and Elizabeth played an 8/5 JOB 5 hand game in nickels. I sure with there was just one full pay machine to keep my happy when the poker was not appealing.
This morning there was one 1-2 NL game in session and the faces all looked like serious players. So, I went to the VP and was happy that I did.
Tonight from 5- midnight the same high hand awards apply, so there would probably be another 3-6 game if they get enough players. I would have been too tired, unless I had napped at the room. They did extend our check out until 1PM. They seem very easy about that.
I came home, unpacked and slept for 3 hours. I guess I did not rest well in the night.
All it all it was a great little trip. It reminded me of Vegas years ago when comps were easier and there were few limitations. Elizabeth would go back as well. She was happy reading in the lounge and drinking free coffee, and in playing a few dollars in the slots.
It us just a 40 minute drive from our house, so next spring I can go just when the 3-6 game is working. If they keep the high hand going, I think the 3-6 game will keep going. It is hard to know why it does not attract players. All at our table agreed that we could never make money at the 2-4 games at Turning Stone. Too many tight players and too high rakes.
Elizabeth and I have been experimenting with trying to get the vacation-away experience without going so far away from home. It seems to be working. We agreed that we felt away from home just to be in this new place and exploring restaurants and such.
Sunset over the river at Rivers.
1 comment:
Sounds like you both had a good time. Nice.
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