Had an interesting day yesterday at Seneca casino in Niagara Falls NY. I live in Ontario about 40 minutes from the casino and they were having a free ham promotion so after doing a few errands my wife and I headed down about 3:00 pm.
The two casinos in Niagara Falls Ontario do not interest me in the least so I always go to Seneca even with the exchange and potential border crossing hassles.
(Side note: When heading into the US you just cross the peace bridge, drive up to the booth and after interogation you are on your way, however when heading back to Canada you must pay a $3.00 toll as you leave.)
Anyway we get to the casino about 3:45 and are lucky to catch a guy just leaving in a prime parking spot.
(Another side note: Parking is free here but can cost you $5 to $10 at the casinos on the Canadian side, can you say ripoff?)

The walk to the casino from the parking garage takes you up some stairs and through a door to a long hallway that spans the street below. There is a promotions booth at the end of this walkway and I would guess it is about the length of 1 1/2 football fields. The line up for the free ham stretched the entire length and continued just outside the door when we got there.

Since we both use the same players card with my wifes name on it(Terry) and you have to show your card and some form of ID she was the lucky one to stand in line while I went to exchange some money. ( $360.American for $400 Canadian) I was surprised that they offered her the ham or $15 in slot dollars. She took the ham and once she got the voucher I took it down the stairs and out the door to a tent where there were six or seven people handing these hams out.
There was a tractor trailer chock full of hams. I made the walk back to the car and then realized why they offered the tokens. The border folk don't like you bringing meat or flowers etc. across the border. Oh well we will deal with that later.

I head to the poker room and Terry goes to the slots and plays for an hour or so then heads to the poker room and plays some 2-4 limit. She is actually pretty good at hold-em and we spend the next 5-6 hours going up and down and finally leave the room around midnight.

The dealers were all talking about and incident the night before when a regular to the casino was at a blackjack table arguing with his girlfriend who was the dealer. The table had no players and apparently these two had been dating for some time. He had become smitten with her and left his wife and she did the same but now she had decided that the affair was over. This was apparently to much for him to handle and he pulled a pistol out of his jacket and blew a hole in his chest. He died on the way to the hospital. He owned a local funeral home and according to another guy at my table who says he knew this guy this version was for the media etc. and the fact is he was depressed over the split up but moreso over the losses he had incurred over his gambling addiction and between the two he decided that enough was enough. he leaves behind three kids. Sad

I have been wanting to try video poker but there are so many varieties I dont know which to play so I decide on a simple jacks or better. This is a 25c machine and I assume like any other machine it is best to play full coin so that is what I do. I managed to get the credits up to 925 so I cashed out.
I was having a hard time deciding what to keep when say for instance there was a Kh Jh 8d 8s 2h dealt to me. Do I keep the 8's or keep the K J? Or As Ah 10s 8s 3s do I keep the flush draw or the Aces. How about 10d Ad Jd Qs Qh? there were a lot more but you get the idea.

We finally leave about 1:30am and are shocked to see snow all over the place. The border crossing went ok. When he asked if I had purchased anything I could honestly say no and thankfully he didn't ask about gifts. The drive home was treacherous as the blowing snow made visibility very poor and they even had the OPP (Ontario provincial police)drive across the lanes when you got to the skyway bridge in St. Catherines and keep you at 30 kilometers an hour. We got home around 2:45 and watched survivor (I had taped it) and went to bed.
Happy Easter to everyone.

Well, you beat me to the report!

I , too, got my ham yesterday. My girlfriend and I got there about 4:30 pm.

It was so strange to see all these people walking through the casino carrying clear plastic bags with 10 lb hams in them. At least I didn't see anyone sitting at a machine or table cradling their free meat.

Rukidding, I'm sure I must have passed you several times, as I walked past the poker room. I would have arranged for one of us to wear a white carnation or a red rose or something, but I was not sure if I'd actually get out of work or not.

I was also surprised about the slot dollars, but took the ham. How long would $15 last - at least with the ham there will be leftovers!

I didn't hear about the shooting until reading the newspaper this morning. Too sad but interesting to see the details. I am surprised you don't hear about that sort of thing more often in Vegas - but maybe the Nevada casinos have more media control.

We left about 9 pm and heading west, did not encounter much snow. But we sure did on the way over in the afternoon. At least the cold temperatures meant no worries about the ham in the trunk!

And, for someone who does not know vp, you did MUCH better than I did last night. I could not win ANYthing, on any game. Lasted about 45 minutes on a nickel multistrike, and that was the longest play I got. Oh well. So I brought home a ham that cost about 100% more than retail cost. At least there will be leftovers!

And - about the Canadian casinos. Fallsview used to allow free parking with a players card, I hope that has not changed. I haven't been there in about a year.

It sounds like a good trip. Most 25 cent players are pretty elated to cash out 925 credits. Whatever decisions you made must have been the right ones.

Basically, If you get a pair of jacks or higher, you keep them. The exceptions would be a 4 card straight flush or a 4 card royal.
If you have a pair of 10s or lower, you only sacrafice them for a 3 card royal or 4 card flush.
If you have 2 suited high cards, you would only sacrifice them for a 3 card straigh flush where both missing cards can fit on either end, or you could work the two suited high cards into a 4 card straight.
3 unsuited high cards are better than 2 unsuited high cards, and you can sacrafice them for a 3 card straigh flush that you can fill in either end, or use the 3 high cards in a straight.

That's just the very basics. In the more advance strategies, most of the exceptions are which two high cards to hold. I usually tell beginners these 3 rules.
1. You usually don't throw away money unless there is a big banana in reach.
2. You NEVER hold a kicker as you might in live poker.
3. 4 card flush beats a low pair.

Again, whatever you did must have been right at the time. Congrats and enjoy that easter ham!

WTG Kes, I'm glad you got out of work to get a comp ham. If you moved out here to Las Vegas, you would have a great time scooping up all of the offers.

Congrats on doing so well at VP!

From your examples above:

Hand 1 - Hold the eights - go for 3 or 4 of a kind

Hand 2 - Hold the Aces - you're already a winner with this hand - no sense throwing away a sure thing to go for a flush - you can improve to 3 or 4 of a kind

Hand 3 - Hold the Queens - you're already a winner - you can improve to 3 or 4 of a kind

Thanks to all for your advice and guidance. Even though I had started with $100 I was very happy about doubling up. Beginners luck I guess. One time I had nothing on the board so didn't keep anything and hit deal and 4 tens came up.
I do know the guy next to me jumped into my seat as soon as I got up.
It reminds me of my first time at the racetrack. I just went by the look of the horse and the name and left a winner. It has only been since I learned to read a racing form and became more knowledgeable that I haven't done so good

Kes Sorry about your bad luck. Your probably right. We may have passed at one time or another during the evening. You were probably standing in line about the same time as Terry.
You didn't happen to go to the buffet did you? It was closed for awhile and reopened 2 days ago. I didn't really see a difference and if anything it didn't seem as good.
It is free to park at Fallsview if you get a players card and show it upon leaving.

Thanks again Joe and Mike for your explanations.

Yes, we did go to the buffet. No difference from the diners point of view, as far as food selection, but they put in new food heaters. The only real difference I saw was the pizzas and strombolis. Displayed on stone surfaces that were heated, keeping the crust crispy and the cheese melty.

Did you by any chance try multiplay nickel poker? A gentleman sat down next to me who obviously knew poker terms, but he asked my advice a few times - like, "do I hold the kicker?"

One other thing about this trip. My gf and I were on the upper level, and when the server came around we asked for lemon drop martinis. She said rather apologetically "what is in that? There's no bartender on this level." We quickly changed to cosmos which she had no problem in making.

I think the servers there must be making the drinks frequently. I remember one saying Dirty martini? that's the one with the olives, right?

Kes
No, I only played the quarter machine.

One last question. You didn't happen to be wearing a grey pantsuit were you?

This is so funny!

No, I was wearing black pants and a flowered top.

Who was the grey pantsuit?

We will certainly have to set a date in the future, and you and Terry and I will all wear white carnations or some such thing.

lol
I only ask because Terry was talking to a lady at the buffet and she said she and her girlfriend had come for a free ham.

So - did you cook your ham? We did yesterday, and it was an excellent quality ham, I was quite surprised.

Genuine Virginia pit smoked ham. Yum.

Very nice perk - much better than a crockpot!

I have been waiting to hear how Easter dinner went ... when do I show up for leftovers?

Call when you land and I'll be there! I've already put a big chunk in the freezer, complete with a bit of the nectarine-ginger- brown sugar glaze.

WOW, this is like a 2fer coupon! Two trip reports in one post....kewl!

rukiding
Well this is how it all starts! You dabble, you ask a few questions, and next thing you know, your sitting at a VP machine for hours on end! LOL JOB, is probably the best machine to learn on. Once you have that down, what normally happens is you get a little boared, and look for something with more wow-factor when you get a 4ofakind.
I know many will disagree here, but another easy one to learn is dueces, but the basics are best learned on JOB.
Sounds like you picked up a good perk with the ham! It sounds much better then Hooter chocolates!LOL
Thanks for the report, and glad you made it back home safe and secure with that ham!

Kes,
Free food always tastes better! It's a solgan I swear by!
I get a chuckle out of some of the casino giveaways. But in reality, we play for meat all the time at some of our local clubs. A lot of my small victorys are in our freezer right now!
I'm guessing it was a 10 lb ham, bone in?

You didn't mention how the GF did? Does she still have a desire to go back again?

I'm glad it was a quality ham. I was worried that it might be a country ham. Somwtimes it's hard to prepare those correct, and many people still don't like them.

There was an excellent Easter dinner at Dan Marino's inside Hooters. Prime rib and all you can eat ribs. The company was the best part. Dag was so cute in his little bunny outfit. We were a little wild so we had to sit and eat in the kitchen near the dishwashers.

Hey, JMT - in NYC some restaurants charge you extra to eat in the kitchen. But its usually where you can watch the chef, not the dishwashers.

Lee, it was an 8 lb boneless pit smoked Gwaltney ham, very lean, not too smoky or salty. Now its about 6 lbs of leftovers in the freezer and the fridge!

As far as gambling, we played a few hours and she was only down $12, she was pretty pleased about that. She is actually returning there tomorrow - she her her hubby are leaving the teenager with grandma in Buffalo and going overnight.

JMT, you are right about country hams. Aren't those the kind that you really need to soak to reduce the saltyness?

Now I don't suppose you have any photos, from Easter dinner, do you? Probably not, you are so discreet!

What happens in Hooters, doesn't really mix well with the rest of humanity. Actually, any place that has a combination Keno Parlor/Wedding Chapel shouldn't try to blend in with society.

Keno Parlor/wedding chapel? ROMFLOL - or one of those abbreviations that means I almost had my coffee spurting out of my nose!

Reminds me of a store that David took a picture of out here, in some little town. Sign in the window said "Bait - Ammo - Wedding Gifts."

Hmm. Maybe for some of you Texans that doesn't seem so strange.

Keno Parlor/Wedding Chapel. My kind of wedding, That gives you something to hope for.

Well Lee at least I would eat the Hooters chocolates.
Our ham is in the freezer with the turkey we got at Thanksgiving. I'm sure they will be very comfortable together with some leftovers from one of the christmas's past. Now if I could only find that damn crockpot. lol

I went last night for a poker tournament and while I was waiting I played on a jacks or better. I didn't do so well this time but one hand was the Js, Qs, Ks, and As. I hit deal and the 10c popped up. It gave me a quick start seeing black ten but it lasted about 1 nanosecond.
I can see the attraction of these games though.

Kes and I will meet up one day and play some tag team video poker. She will be the coach and I will be the grunt.

Oh, lord - I am willing, but we better get Daisy or somebody out here on a plane pretty quick! I still think of myself as a beginner, still some hands that I think -- okay, now do I hold for the flush or go for the straight flush?

Your freezer sounds like my freezer. I just threw out at 2 or 3 year old frozen turkey, couldn't be bothered to even see if it was good for soup. That one was free from a supermarket.