I Am a Borg-Hatah

My sister wasn't thrilled with the idea of meeting 'some guy off the internet' and depending on him for a ride.  I told her it wasn't some random guy off the internet, it was Wolfie!  Funny thing is I'd never trust ANY guy I'd chatted with online and yet for some reason I have total trust in all you crazy poker bloggers.  And it worked out great.  Wolfie arrived just as I walked out of The Philly airport and we headed to Ocean City for pizza.   As we were driving for like and hour the scenery became a little suspect and I thought "this is a good place for a murder" yet I'm happy to report that Wolfie isn't a serial killer.  We had the best pizza and the Ocean City boardwalk and beach were beautiful.

As we headed to Atlantic City Wolfie came up with an idea.  He said rather than try to register for my Borgata tourney in the morning (it started at noon the next day) he said he'd drop me off at the Borgata now.  I could get my players card and register for my tourney while he waited in the car and then he'd drive me to Harrah's for check in afterwards.  Sahweet!  Sounded like a great plan to me. 

I got to the Borgata and went to get my players card.  That's when all the fun started.  The wouldn't accept my Massachusetts Department of Motor Vehicles Identification Card.  It's an ID card exactly like a drivers license and it has no expiration date.  It had been accepted in Vegas, in Foxwoods, at Harrah's.  Hell even the TSA at the airport accepted it as a valid ID.  But not the Borgata!  The woman at the desk told me that the new Mass ID cards had expiration dates and they were no longer accepting these ones.  I had no idea!  I mean how could I?  Mine didn't have an expiration date so I never thought to randomly check it out.  I explained to her that I needed the players card to play in the WPT event tomorrow and could she get her manager.

The manager came by and told me the same exact thing.  OMFG.  I told him that I'd just flown in specifically to play at the Borgata Poker Open and I had other ID.  Besides, the one I showed him was valid and not expired.  The man had no pity.  He showed me a "book" that had pictures of acceptable ID and in the Massachusetts chapter of the book the ID looked different than mine and had an expiration date.

This just couldn't be!  How about if I have documents faxed to you I asked.  I could get copies of my my social security card, my tax return... No was the answer.  Talk about frustration.

Now before we go any further, you'll notice that I was staying at Harrah's and not the Borgata.  Why you ask?  Borgata was giving great rates for tourney players - only $79 per night was the rate I was quoted for a beauty of a room.  I was in!  I called them to reserve a room for two nights.  I booked it and after it was booked the woman casually told me that their new rule is to hold a security fee during your stay.  No problem.....Foxwoods did that too.  They held $50 and credited back within 48 hours of check out.

I asked how much and was told $300!  $300 for a security fee on a room that costs $79 per night?  She said the new security fee is $150 per night and since I'm staying two nights....

Seemed high to me but whatever, I'd get it back soon enough...or so I thought.

I told her that was fine and then as an afterthought asked when I'd get the money credited back.  I was told she wasn't sure but sometimes it took several weeks.

SEVERAL WEEKS!

Um no.  I told her not to process the room reservation after all and she was like "too late!  it's already done but if you cancel now you'll get your money back in 48 hrs.  Yet I couldn't get my security fee back in 48 hours......I just don't get it.

Anyway back to Harrah's.  The room was beautiful and it cost only $59 per night.  Plus the best part is it was right next to the poker room!  When I came down from my room and exited the elevator, the poker room was like 2.5 steps away.  Nice!

I was frustrated at the situation with Borg but hadn't given up yet.  I checked in, went up to my room and after I took a shower I decided to call the fuckers.  I was on hold for a while and finally got transferred to a manager of "My Borgata" which is the players card thingy.

I explained my situation in detail but the guy was impatient and had a heart of stone.  He said he couldn't do anything for me and didn't have time for this.  Then he told me they never should've transferred this call to him and HE HUNG UP THE PHONE.  Can you imagine?  That's customer service for you.

Meanwhile Wolfie, the degenerate gambler that he is, was already down in the poker room.  I was ready to head down myself when I got a text from him saying that the bad beat was hit at Showboat.  There are 4 casinos that participate in this (including harrahs) and when one hits ALL THE PEOPLE SITTING AT A POKER TABLE GET A PIECE OF THE PRIZE.  I missed it by talking on the phone with Borgata but Wolfie got his piece!  He got $464 for his trouble.  VN!

I got to the poker room about 10 minutes later and as soon as I stepped in a bunch of people asked me "Are you the one who flew in from Boston but can't play at the Borgata?"

Grrrrr.....yeah that's me.  Wolfie (while wearing a big white floppy hat with a hawaiin blue band around it) was talking and tweeting up a storm about it.  The tweeting almost worked as AlCantHang replied that he was out of town but if he weren't he could've fixed things for me.  Booooo.

I am so disappointed I don't have the words to convey how upset I was, but I do believe in karma and what is meant to be is meant to be.  I enjoyed my time at harrah's and never left a poker session down the entire time I was there.  It wasn't the big hit I was travelling for but I had fun and made money.  And got free drinks!  Did you know you could request either Grey Goose or Ketel One vodka at Harrah's?

Borgata will NEVER have an opportunity to get my business again;  neither my poker playing or lodging business.  Effff them.

I just realized this post has zero poker content even though all I did was play poker FOR THREE DAYS. No shopping, no nothing. Poker playing, eating and sleeping. That's it. Even the eating and the sleeping were both at a bare minimum.

Next post will be about how I....

Played smart.

Josie