UK cardrooms

[Zele]

Hi, folks. Can anyone recommend a place to play live poker in London/Glasgow/Edinburgh? I'll only be there for a week (yes, a real whirlwind tour), but I'd really like to play while I'm in the area.

[Sheriff Fatman]

Hi Zele

The Grosvenor Victoria casino is the main London cardroom. There is also another cardroom called Gutshot in the city.

There are casinos with cardrooms in both Glasgow and Edinburgh. You can find details, including addresses and contact numbers here. (http://www.pokerineurope.com/pokerclubs/index.php)

A couple of points to be aware of:

1) You have to apply for membership of a UK casino 24 hours before you are allowed to play. You therefore need to ensure you've faxed an application to them ahead of your visit. You will then be asked for some form of ID on your first visit to the casino. (NB: This doesn't apply at Gutshot - you can turn up there with your ID and play straight away).

2) Don't expect to find any limit games available. All cash games are Pot Limit in the UK.

3) There are relatively few games with dealers available. Be prepared for a self-dealt game/tournament.

Sheriff

[steveclaz]

Just to note that the Gutshot (http://www.gutshot.co.uk) in London doesn't require the usual "sign up 24 hours beforehand" shenanigans. You can waltz right in with ID and begin playing straight away.

[Sheriff Fatman]

Thanks, that's far clearer than the section of my post which said exactly the same thing!

Sheriff

[daveymck]

Gutshot is holding a week of larger tournaments I think in two weeks time so check whats on before you go.

Tues night and Friday night need to get there around 7 in ensure a place in the tournament.

Cash games tend to get going around 10ish dependant on how quick people get knocked out of the tournie.

The £10 NL rebuys are a decent tournies.

If you are wanting larger cash games then the vic will be better.

[daveymck]

I think (but maybe wrong) that once you join one casino you become a memeber in all in the group, but check on that when you apply.

[Sheriff Fatman]

[ QUOTE ]
I think (but maybe wrong) that once you join one casino you become a memeber in all in the group, but check on that when you apply.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure this is entirely accurate, Dave. I was initially a member of Grosvenor in Leeds but still sent (as a precaution) a new application form before my first trip to Luton.

When I arrived at Luton for the first time I had to fill out another form, even though they'd identified me from my name and date of birth that I was a member at Leeds. I didn't get asked for ID but this was only because they had my Leeds photo available on the screen.

I would guess that some casinos might applies the rules more strictly than others so I would suggest to our US visitor that its worth at least phoning each of the places you plan to visit and establishing exactly what's required.

FWIW, the 24 hour rule is the most irritating thing in the world but our government apparently feels the need to protect us from ourselves!

Sheriff

[daveymck]

Well hopefuly this will change when the new gambling act becomes law, whenever that happens to be.

I have only been to a casino once and got signed in by a member on that occasion, not sure if that is easy to do at all places.

[cornell2005]

im going to check out these as well. just arrived in london 3 days ago. any idea of the size cash games they spread in each of these?

[Zele]

Thanks much for the replies, guys. Looking forward to it, and to brushing up my pot-limit skills. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[daveymck]

Gutshots website is;

www.gutshot.co.uk (http://www.gutshot.co.uk)

Click on the live cardroom link and get the tournie schedule, is a tournament most nights except Thursdays. Some on Saturday and Sunday during the day as well. Thursdays the cash games get going earlier and there tend to be a few SNG's as well.

Also the Gutshot has a interent room with access to all the major (and some minor) online sites.

They also tend to get a £25 Pot Limit game going every night and sometime a £50 or £100 Pot Limit/Dealers Choice game dpendant on whos around.

The Vic I think has a tournie on sunday and monday and has casg games at a higher buy in (£50 and above) and from what I understand is mainly Pot Limit Holdem and Omaha probably a dealers choice as appropriate as well.

If you want a good fun night playing relaxed cards in a releaxed atmosphere goto the gutshot if you want a more serious game goto the vic.

The Festival at the Gutshot is next week so the normal action wont be happening.