I’ve been playing on Borgatapoker.com for several months now. I’ve always played the same way, sitting in my house on my office chair in front of my laptop. I’ve begun to realize that when it comes to playing, that’s the old-fashioned way. So last week I decided to shake things up a bit and do all my playing on my cell phone. I do everything else with my cell phone so why not poker? But sitting at home on my couch with my phone wasn’t enough for my experiment, so here’s what I did. I played a couple of cash games and a tournament starting at the physical address of the Borgata casino and played all the way to my home in central New Jersey. I want to stress that I was a passenger in the car because responsible gaming also means safe gaming – somebody should trademark that. Let’s take a ride.
I fired up my Borgata poker app when I first hit the hallway off the gaming floor leading to the parking garage. I passed those great smelling bakeries and the gift shop which led to Parking Level 1. Being a new player on my cell phone, I figured I would start with a micro stakes game just to get used to the features on my mobile device. I was also curious to see the reception my cell phone had with the app since I would be traveling through the desolate Pine Barrens. I have to tell you right now, the Borgata app performed perfectly and didn’t miss a single card that was dealt.
I settled myself into the passenger seat and began to play. The first sign I noticed along the highway was one indicating that I was near Batsto Village. For those not familiar with the surrounding towns of Atlantic City, Batsto was famous for the iron forges which created most of the weapons and artillery for the colonies during the American Revolution. The forges are silent now and apparently the only thing on fire near Batsto was me. I had won three of my last four hands in the game and and had been thinking this app was the greatest app of all time.
My luck continued when I hit Mullica Township, named after Finnish born Eric Pålsson Mullica, who settled the area in 1635. After that was Hammonton. Most people know Hammonton as the blueberry capital world with such hometown luminaries as Jill Biden, wife of VP Joe Biden, and Judge Nelson Johnson, whose book Boardwalk Empire became the inspiration for the HBO series of the same name. But for me, Hammonton is the place where I was dealt my best poker hand ever.
My hole cards were an ace of hearts and a Jack of diamonds and the flop was an ace of spades, an ace of diamonds and a Jack of hearts. The turn was a four of diamonds, and the river was a four of clubs. I drove through Hammonton thinking this was the greatest place on the planet.
When I reached the sign that said Wharton State Park, I decided to try my hand at a tournament on my mobile phone. Again, for those of you not familiar with the area, Wharton State Park is in the heart of the Pine Barrens which, legend has it, is the home of the famous New Jersey legend, the Jersey Devil. According to the folklore, in 1735, Mother Leeds cursed her 13th child causing it to turn into a hideous beast which has been haunting this area ever since.
While playing my tournament through these woods I found that players should be on the lookout for one other thing. A werewolf. Or more importantly, a player named Werewolf13 because he (or she) played brilliantly during my tournament. Going confidently all in with my pair of Kings and tens, Werewolf13 made short work of me with three Queens. I finished the tournament placing in the low 20s and out of the money. So it was back to the cash games for me.
I continued playing through the towns of South Jersey. Through the villages of Tabernacle. Past the famous wine bottle at the Renault Winery, through Pemberton, around the Red Lion circle, and almost stopped at the Vincentown diner with their tempting offer of Jersey Peach Cheesecake, which they have illuminated on their sign.But I continued home to Hamilton Township, New Jersey, playing on BorgataPoker.com the entire way.
Doing House of Cards® I have had to read commercials about online casinos and how you can play anywhere in New Jersey, but until this road trip they were just words on the paper. From the Borgata itself on the Atlantic ocean, through the small communities of New Jersey, past farms and through the Pine Barrens themselves, I saw how players throughout the state can be connected and enjoy everything Borgata has to offer. With the Borgata Poker Open upon us, I hope to be playing some of the people that made my road trip so memorable.
About the Author
Dave Weischadle is co-host of the syndicated radio talk show House of Cards® and anchor of the House of Cards® Gaming Report. Dave, an attorney, is a member of the Gaming Law Division of the New Jersey State Bar and is a member of the Entertainment and Sports Law section of the New York State Bar association.