[Tom Bayes]

I live about 1 hour from Metropolis and a little over 2 from Casino Aztar Evansville.

The poker room at Harrah's Metropolis is only about a month old and has only 4 tables. I've played there 3 times. Each time they have spread $4/$8 limit holdem. My first two trips they had 3 tables of $4/$8 and one NL table ($2/$5 blinds, no max buy-in, most people bought in for several hundred). The last time they had no NL game, but a $5/$10 limit game instead. I've heard that they have also spread a $1/$2 baby NL game on some days. I have no idea what they will have this coming Sunday. I am almost positive there will be no game lower than $4/$8. Room opens at noon and the waits can be long and Harrah's provides nowhere to wait, just a pager so you can go waste money on craps or BJ or whatever.

I haven't been to Evansville in several months, so this info could be garbage. They have 9 tables. The last time I was there, they spread $5/$10 and $10/$20/$30 ($30 on river) limit holdem games and a $2/$5 NL game with $100 min/$300 max buy-in. Someone told me they've raised the max to $500. I've never seen a holdem game below $5/$10 offered in Evansville. They do usually have 1 or 2 tables of 1-5 stud if your brother wants to play with 85-year old women.

If someone who has been to Aztar Evansville has more recent info, hopefully they will post. I'd guess Aztar would be better for the size NL game you want and that your brother is SOL for a $2/$4 game. If the $2/$4 game is crucial, then you will probably have to go to Tunica (I think the Grand or Sams Town has it) or Casino Aztar Misery in Carutherville in the bootheel of Missouri, if you really want to go to a sad little redneck boat in a nothing-to-do place. They usually have a $2/$4 or $3/$6 game going. I actually went to Aztar Misery last weekend for my first time at $10/$20 (not very tough). No NL at Aztar Misery.