Question for Steamboatin or other Southern Indiana Poker Players

[TomCollins]

Can you give me a listing of what games are usually spread on weekends at the casinos?

I wasn't sure if Grand Victoria, Argosy, or Belterra had poker rooms. (Grand Vic and Belterra?) I know about Caesars, but its a bit far.

[Alchemist]

[ QUOTE ]
Can you give me a listing of what games are usually spread on weekends at the casinos?

I wasn't sure if Grand Victoria, Argosy, or Belterra had poker rooms. (Grand Vic and Belterra?) I know about Caesars, but its a bit far.

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I haven't actually made it out to any yet but Belterra and Grand Vic both have poker rooms. Here's what Belterra had to say about theirs when I emailed them a little while back:

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Thanks for your interest in our new poker room.
Yes, we offer both 7-stud and Omaha in Hi/Lo ( and when we spread Omaha, it is nearly always a Hi/Lo format).
Now, for the less good news. Due to the massive popularity of Hold Em, we have not been having good luck in getting either game started on a regular basis. For the most part all of our tables are various limits of Texas Hold Em. We would absolutely love to spread a better variety of games, but we, of course, have to acede to the wishes of the players, and right now we have a severe lack of players for either Stud or Omaha.

The rake for all games is 10% with a $5 maximum.
Yes, there is a poker comp policy. For members of the Belterra Casino Champions club, "Live" poker play will be comped at the rate of $1 per hour of live play to a maximum of $7 per gaming(24 hours) day. So if you're planning on coming down to play, and you're not already a Champions Club member, be sure and stop by the Champions Club booth and sign up before you start playing.

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Hope this helps.

[MicroBob]

Argosy doesn't have a poker-room.
Grand Vic has a small room (I think it's 6 tables or something).

Belterra and Caesars rooms are better from what I've read here. (note - I haven't been to any of them...but I'm originally from the Cincy area so I like to keep up with what's happening up there).


Steam usually mentions playing 6/12 or 10/20 (with kill or half-kill) at Caesar's I think.
I suspect they spread much the same at Belterra but that's just a guess.

[pokerrookie]

[ QUOTE ]
Can you give me a listing of what games are usually spread on weekends at the casinos?

I wasn't sure if Grand Victoria, Argosy, or Belterra had poker rooms. (Grand Vic and Belterra?) I know about Caesars, but its a bit far.

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Was at Belterra this past Saturday. IIRC, there was 2/4 (3 tables), 3/6 (3 tables), 2/5 nl (400 max buy, 2 tables), 3/6 O8 full kill (1 table) and a couple of higher buy in 4/8 HE and 10/20 HE. Belterra has never spread the 6/12 when I have been there. I have also heard of them scheduling omaha for Sunday afternoons specifically, though I havent been there at that time.

Last I heard Argosy did not have poker. Grand Vic has it, though I have never been.

[TomCollins]

I should mention that I'm mostly interested in NL, but might bring friends who would probably be low stakes players.

Of the 3 Casino's in the Cincinnati Area, Argosy doesn't as of yet (though there is talk) have a poker room. The Casino itself is okay, but they don't try very hard. Their current slogan says it all: "We are the Closest".

Grand Vic's ... small ... and it sucks IMO. They don't treat the players very well AT all. Up until Belterra opened their room, they also charged you in addition to the rake, a fee per hour to play at their tables.

Also, if you get below 20 bucks and have NO more money left ... they make you leave the table to make room for another player, which means, you can't try to get your stake back, if you have a run of bad luck, and get down to the felt.

Belterra .. the BEST casino in the area, BAR none. It's always been a wonderful Casino, if for no other reason, is that they are the furthest from Cincinnati, and about 60 miles from Louisville, Ky.

Thus they have to try harder than the rest of the Casino's in the area.

Their Poker room is NO exception to this fact. They have 12 tables, and spread a multitude of games and levels of action. You sometimes have to wait a while for a table, but it's well worth the wait.

They are a class act Casino, and the same could be said for their poker room as well.

Last but not least, if you want to drive to it ... Caesars Indiana, around Louisville, Ky (about 20 miles from downtown Louisville).

It's an okay Casino, and their room is pretty good as well. It's much larger than any of the other's in the region, and the just expanded it as part of the WSOP circuit event.

For the 2005 LIPSTour WSOP Circuit Event (http://www.lipstour.com) we had 327 women show up to play in this No rebuy, NL event, which shocked the hell out of TPTB, since they have a hard time getting women to show up in their monthly rebuy ladies events (main reason IMO is, they are REBUYS ... and we women HATE rebuy events).

Also, in Ohio ... Charity poker is legal as well. It's called Las Vegas night, and if you check out the local paper, or places like CinWeekly.com (http://www.cinweekly.com) for Festivals, you can usually find a game.

There is also a few other orginizations as well, that put on Charity events, that have tournaments for large prizes, and live action play.

They are normally ran out of the Dayton, Ohio area and they are:

Dayton Charity Poker (http://www.daytoncharitypoker.com)

Which they will spread any game that they get a table filled with, but mostly they play 3/6 hold 'em.

and

Reeces Charity Events (http://www.reecesonline.com)

which run MAJOR big time tournaments, and spread a LOT of different types of games and levels at there events.

In fact, for the next two weeks, Reeces is running an event called OHIO TEXAS HOLDEM CHAMPIONSHIP DERBY event #3 (http://www.reeceslvs.com/store/application.php/tournament/show_tournament?tournament_id=34).

Click on the links for the details.

The way they run this one, is that they have one main event where you can win 10k for the grand prize, that is on Each Sunday night of that week they are running the event. The other nights, they run qualifier satelites to get into the Main event.

Max number of players is between 270 and 300 players, as the top 30 from each satelite session, qualify for the main event.

Hope that helps!

FYI ... The Reeces events will also be having on Friday Nights, Ladies night, where the women CAN play in a seperate event, and the men (and any woman who wants to) play in a different one.

I'll be playing this Friday at the Reeces event myself, most likely in the Ladies event, since there are fewer players in that one.

Thanks for the info CincyLady, I appreciate it. I just moved to Columbus and have been trying to figure out where I can go. I might head down to Belterra friday after Thanksgiving and check out the people in Dayton in the meantime.

[cardcounter0]

If you moved to Columbus, check out the classified ad section of the local newspaper. In the section under BINGO GAMES AND FUND RAISERS, you will see ads for "Las Vegas Nights". That is the local legal Columbus poker games. Usually 3/6, 5/10, and 10/20. $25 and $50 buy-in tourneys.

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the info CincyLady, I appreciate it. I just moved to Columbus and have been trying to figure out where I can go. I might head down to Belterra friday after Thanksgiving and check out the people in Dayton in the meantime.

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Your welcome. Since you now Live in Columbus, I can't remember how far you are from Detroit, but you might check out the 3 casinos there as well.

I've never played in their rooms up there, but did play in all 3 casino's (Slots and Blackjack, before I started playing poker) at one time.

I am not sure either, if all 3 casino's have poker rooms either.

If you come by the Reeces event in Dayton this Friday, I'll be the Lady with the White LIPSTour Polo Shirt, and (LipsTour) Dealer Hat on, in case you'd like to say hi.

You can also ask for Reece, and tell him 'Gabby' Sent you, and ask him to point me out to you.

If I'm there, he will point me out to you as well.

[steamboatin]

I haven't been to Grand Victoria since Beltterra opened their poker room but I am certain it is still the Pacific poker of B&M.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Poker room at Belterra. I haven't been since Caesar's expanded their room but I went every Friday for a decent stretch of time and probably will return. It is a three hour round trip and Caesar's IN is about a forty minute round trip.

I have never seen an Omaha game spread at Belterra but I haven't been for a while. If they start spreading Omaha on a regular basis, I'll go play. Like a previous poster said, it's mostly holdem but the games are usually good.

They have Starbucks and the Jeff Ruby steakhouse rocks.

Caesar's IN has 33 tables now that the WSOP is over, they 70 some tables setup during the WSOP Circuit event.

Caesar's is actually starting to spread some Omaha/8. I have played $10-20 Omaha with a half kill and 3-6 Omaha with a full kill but the games don't always go and they tend to break easily but they are sweet when they are running. They have always had a pot limit Omaha (high only) game that plays big, probably the biggest game there. Pot Limit Omaha goes every Wednesday stats about 11 AM and usully runs all night. It usually goes on Fridays also but Wednesdays are the most consistent.

Lots of limit holdem from $2-4 sometimes as high as $40-80. NL $1-2 blinds $100 minimum, 300 max and $2-5 blinds $200 minimum, no max buyin. Sometimes they spread a $5-10 blind NL but I don't know the buyins.

Caesar's IN has started some smaller tourneys but I don't have good information. I know there is an 11 AM monday that is inexpensive and something on Wednesday and I think Saturday but I have no details.

[TomCollins]

Wow, Caesars expanded? That was the first place I ever played, and wow what a POS it was back then. I remember the brush being incredibly rude to me, and it made me want to never go back to a casino. I had no idea how to get on a list, or what games were offered, and she seemed to take it out on me. And the noise of the slots was terrible. Glad to see its gotten better. I'm not sure I can convince my friends to make it that far (we probably would round trip it from Cincy.) They used to consider Belterra "real far", and thats about the halfway point to Caesars.

Thanks Steamboatin. I'll let you know if I head that way. I really want to see "the shirt".

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Caesar's IN has started some smaller tourneys but I don't have good information. I know there is an 11 AM monday that is inexpensive and something on Wednesday and I think Saturday but I have no details.

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Oh wow, I forgot about that!

Yes, on Saturdays, for between $200 and $250 Caesars Indiana runs a Tournament that's a Satelite into the WSOP Main Event.

More Details on their website here:

http://www.caesars.com/Caesars/Indiana/Casino/TableGames/Caesars_Poker.htm

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Daily Tournaments starting:
Monday's at 11 AM, 45+10 w/Rebuys
Wednesday's at 6 PM, 85+15 w/Rebuys
Saturday's at Noon, 200+20/250 Players
* If tournament is sold out, there will be 3 seats at the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event.



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You CAN call ahead to the casino and reserve your seat in the tournament with a credit card. Simply call the casino, and ask for the Poker Room, and they will tell you how to sign up.

The only thing I REALLY don't like about Caesars however, is that the Casino still treats their poker room, like it's the step child of the Casino, and by default, their players.

Unlike many other major Casinos with big poker rooms, they do not, and WILL not give you discounts on rooms based on your poker play, NOR will they comp you dinner at any of the resturants.

Only thing you get there for your play, is perhaps some free food at the snack bar.

I'm hoping that now that Harrahs' has bought them out, that this policy will change, once things switch over after Jan 1, 2006.

To prove a point, during the WSOP Circuit event, they were charging you $149.99 a night for a room, BEFORE taxes. The only way you could get the WSOP rate of $79.99 was if you were staying 7 days or more.

As for the Belterra, like I mentioned in my earlier post, they are indeed the Best Casino bar NONE in the area, and their poker room follows that quality of service.

I do believe that I have seen them playing Omaha in thier room there, but I'm not sure.

However, you can always call them ask for the Poker room, and see if they are doing so on a regular basis.

[Randy_Refeld]

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If you moved to Columbus, check out the classified ad section of the local newspaper. In the section under BINGO GAMES AND FUND RAISERS, you will see ads for "Las Vegas Nights". That is the local legal Columbus poker games. Usually 3/6, 5/10, and 10/20. $25 and $50 buy-in tourneys.

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I left Columbus so my info may be dated. There are often illegal ones mixed in with the legal ones. Also in these games it is common for the dealer to steal money from the pot (take the rake multiple times per hand).

[Chipr777]

I visited Beltara when I was working the Caesars event and wasn't impressed. If your looking for late night poker forget it. The room closes at 3am. On Sundays they last call at 11pm and like 2:30am all other nights. NO FREE DRINKS. They charge like $3 each.

[steamboatin]

I don't actually wear it out in public except on a bet or a dare. I wore it to the Horseshoe in Tunica once and I think that is the only time it has been out of the house.

[steamboatin]

No free drinks anywhere in Indiana, to my knowledge. You should make a post about your time at Caesar's IN and the WSOP. I would be interested in what you had to say and any good stories.

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I visited Beltara when I was working the Caesars event and wasn't impressed. If your looking for late night poker forget it. The room closes at 3am. On Sundays they last call at 11pm and like 2:30am all other nights. NO FREE DRINKS. They charge like $3 each.

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I'm just curious on where you live at. If Nevada or Atlantic City, then I understand why you would of expected free drinks.

Also, I'm not saying that Belterra is the BEST Casino on the Planet, just the best one (as far as how they treat their players) in the region.

They only opened the room about 3 months ago, and the only bad part about them, is there size (only 12 tables).

As far as there not being many players ... well, think about here. WSOP Circuit event ... the Poker Desert of Ohio/KY ... chance to play in a WSOP Circuit event ... which would YOU choose to play in, if you were us?

I mean we (locals) can go to the Belterra ANY day ... but to get a chance to play in a WSOP Circuit event?? Yep ... as for me I'm picking the trip to Caesars to Play in the WSOP Circuit events.

As far as Drinks being Free ... I asked about this once, and was told that it's illegal in Indiana by state law, to serve free drinks at a gambling establishment, otherwise they would do so.

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I haven't been to Grand Victoria since Beltterra opened their poker room but I am certain it is still the Pacific poker of B&M.

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What do you mean by 'Pacific Poker' ??

[MicroBob]

pacific poker is generally considered to be the crappiest of the online-poker sites.

pacific also has plenty of fish...but I think he's just saying that it's generally an annoying place to play.


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was told that it's illegal in Indiana by state law, to serve free drinks at a gambling establishment, otherwise they would do so.

[/ QUOTE ]


This is correct.
I was told this as far as 97 or 98 or so (I think) when I was semi-regularly playing blackjack at Argosy.
Indiana made it a law. Obviously the casinos would change it if they could.


Since you asked (and may not have seen his other thread) - Chipr777 is a floor/dealer at the Horseshoe in tunica.

I grew up and lived in the Cincy area...and currently live in the Memphis/Tunica area...so I'm familiar with the differences of these two regions.

The comps you get at the Horseshoe-tunica are incredible for those who are new to the scene.
If you're midwestern-poker experience has been in Indiana, Missouri, Iowa or Michigan then, for the most part, you're probably thinking the Horseshoe-Tunica is making a mistake when they just delivier to you a free sandwich and fries at the table and/or a free buffet-comp after only a couple hours of play (even if you are only playing 4/8 HE or 1/5 stud).

For me, it's a bit the opposite. Tunica has spoiled me. This is the area where I learned how to play poker.
when I travel elsewhere and they AREN'T just throwing comps at me I'm pretty disappointed and then have to remind myself that I'm not in Tunica anymore.

[cardcounter0]

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What do you mean by 'Pacific Poker' ??

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Of all the online poker sites, Pacific Poker is the slowest in regards to hands per hour, crappy old software, where you can only play one table. It is also the site with the most fishy gawd-awful players you have ever seen. But, since the site is so slow it is not worth your time to take the players money. Also, Pacific has slow week-long cashouts, and no type of bonus promotions.

I can recall at the Grand Vic, with the right dealers and the right combination of dealer changes, getting in a mind numbing 10 hands per hour at times (and then a 10 minute break to cool down). Add to that the old $5 seat charge, having to stand behind slot players with their buckets of coins at the cage, their crap $1 per hour good only at the snack bar, use-it-or-lose-it that day, comps -- and The Grand Vic is indeed The B&M version of Pacific Poker.

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I visited Beltara when I was working the Caesars event and wasn't impressed. If your looking for late night poker forget it. The room closes at 3am. On Sundays they last call at 11pm and like 2:30am all other nights. NO FREE DRINKS. They charge like $3 each.

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Well, the main reason they close the room at that time, is because they don't get enough players. If they had the players, they'd keep the room open.

As for last call, that too is dictated by Indiana State law.

Bellterra really is the Best Casino in the Region. I think their poker room is really great too, and will only get better as time progresses.