Arizona Card Rooms
 

I am in Arizona for the summer, and have found 2 casinos each with around 45 tables at them about 30 minutes from where I am staying. I have never played live, just on the internet. I am eager to go sit at a table and let it hang out. I have done well online, and I want to see how I do in live play. If anyone has any experiece in these 2 casinos, please let me know. (Casino Arizona and Gile River Casino) Also, if anyone has any advice for me, shoot...

Re: Arizona Card Rooms
 

CA is good. last time I was gila river their were only 10 tables or so

Re: Arizona Card Rooms
 

There are 3 real rooms here in the valey.

CA which is one of the largest in the US. They speard a lot of games, more than anyone in the area. BTW they have more 45 tables. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Gila River, never played there, I will some day...

Fort McDowell is the second room the area. They have ~40 tables.

The primary games in these rooms are 3/6, 4/8 and 2 or 5 to 150. They will also spread 6/12 at both. At CA you can play quite a bit higher, as far as the state max of 75/150. They also spread O8, 7stud and 7stud h/l, and the 75/150 mixed.

Positives and negitives:

CA...

CA has a lot of tables and a lot of players. This is both a positive and a negitive. Many times even on a week night you are going to waiting 30+ mins to get any seat, you can wait 60+ on a weekend for a popular limit.

CA has the best and cheapest food. Service is OK, some days fast and friendly, some days not so fast and friendly.

CA has anal security. Forget about bringing a bottle of water in, or a pocket knife and expect if you look the least bit out of the norm to have things like a backpak searched. On a good day you will never notice them, but if they have a burr up their rear end...

CA has a larger drop than the Fort. I am not sure about the high stackes (haven't played in them in a while) but there is a rumor that they have the time charge back again in addition to the drop...

CA really has no comp system in place. Somethings they will give their regulars tickets to events, but it is stricky based on who you know.

CA has the typical range of players, some of the best some of the worst and a lot in the middle.

CA has some of the best MTT in the area. They have a fairly good structure and regularly run $100+ buyin tournaments and special on the weekends. They are hosting the AZ state championship in Aug for a cool $50K gran. for first.

The Fort...

It is a little further than CA, but frankly it seems like a lot but it isnt. It takes less than 15 mins to drive from the 101 and Shea to the fort.

The Fort has a comp system in place that pays you $1/hr that you play. It is enough to buy dinner after a session.

The Fort has the lowest drop.

Food and service is excellent, if more costly, but your players card will take care of most (if not all) of that. Not too mention they have the hottest servers.

You will always be able to find a seat for 3/6 or 4/8, but depending on the time and day, you may or not find a 2-150 or 6/12 game. Most weekends you will find both running and ripe for the picking, but you can not absolutely count on them running.

They have a twice daily MTT ($30 rebuy) that is nice. I play it 3 or 4 times a month and generally win one or two a month.

The dealers and floor are excellent! There are always a couple of rough spots but by far they the best in the area. I play enough at CA that the desk and dealers should know my name by now, yet the only dealers that even bother to say "Hi" are the ones I play at the Fort when they get off shift from CA.

Re: Arizona Card Rooms
 

Sorry to bump up an old thread, but I'm in Arizona and had a quick question. I was wondering about the NL games at any of the casinos (both quality and type). I saw the 5-150 game at Casino Arizona and it seemed like quite a high buy in average. Are there any of these kind of games at the Fort. I saw you mention a 2-150 game. What kind of blinds does that have and how does it play? Thanks in advance.

Re: Arizona Card Rooms
 

Anybody have anything to say about Gila River's card room? I'll be spending a few days in Chandler, so it looks like this would be my best bet to get to a game quick. I'm looking for something like 6/12 to 10/20.

Re: Arizona Card Rooms
 

[ QUOTE ]
CA has anal security. Forget about bringing a bottle of water in, or a pocket knife and expect if you look the least bit out of the norm to have things like a backpack searched. On a good day you will never notice them, but if they have a burr up their rear end...

CA has a larger drop than the Fort. I am not sure about the high stackes (haven't played in them in a while) but there is a rumor that they have the time charge back again in addition to the drop...

[/ QUOTE ]

Only those who bring items that shouldn't be in a card room in the first place, or act out of line have to worry about the security at CA. They are efficient and polite when warranted.

But your statement about time & drop is wrong. The time charge has always been at the larger limit tables as long as I have been going to Casino Arizona (2 years now whenever I'm in town). If my memory is correct, there is no jackpot drop on tables above 10/20 (or is it 9/18? I forgot).

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Re: Arizona Card Rooms
 

Just got back from the Phoenix area last week. I like Casino Arizona for their pokerroom. (although the casino itself is nothing more than a circus tent!) The only issue I had was the bad beat jackpot... the small blind is taken instantly and put into the slot, whether or not there is even a rake! A lot of times, at the 3-6 level, the small blind forgets that he/she was the small blind and tries to put $3 instead of $2 to call... Just relax and sit down to a $3-6 game if its your first B&M experience. The dealers seemed real friendly, and I'm sure they'd be willing to help you out. (especially if you throw them a buck or 2 a pot, since they keep their own tips) Side note if you decide to play blackjack as well: dealers there get to keep their own tokes also, which is rare for most of the country. Don't feel shy about throwing them in the game if they're entertaining/extra friendly...

Re: Arizona Card Rooms
 

What about Cliff Castle? I am staying there one night in early September. If I remember correctly Fleicia Lee said sucked. I am only there for one night and mostly because it was much less expensive than a room in Sedona but I do want to sneak in a little poker.

Re: Arizona Card Rooms
 

[ QUOTE ]
since they keep their own tips

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually at CA they pay a very high percentage of their tips to the house. Their net take home pay therefore really sucks... its a horrible job.

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Re: Arizona Card Rooms
 

The guys at Bucky's said it's still very anal and uptight at Cliff Castle.

Now that I've gotten used to the ridiculous rules at Indian casinos, I'm a little more forgiving than I used to be, but I still thought it was a waste of a beautiful poker room. I prefer Bucky's anyday.

I still won't enter CAZ. No way, no how. At Rio, a lot of the bigger names who keep a residence in Scottsdale told me even more horror stories than the whole IWTSTH debacle.

No thanks.

Felicia [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
www.felicialee.net