CNE Card Room - Toronto

[RydenStoompala]

Last year it was jammed all the time. The 5-10 and the 10-20 games were both excellent. I ran into a few of my "colleagues" from surrounding area rooms like Brantford and Rama, and even one guy I have played with a few times out in Halifax. Many of the Ontario regulars try and make it down to the CNE because it is such a DonkFest. Some of the dealers from Brantford come down to play; it pays a lot of bills in September.

Your suited connectors and small pairs go way up in value. Keeping raising and play almost anything from the button...you will get odds on just about anything.

It was SMOKEY last year, and I don't speak Cantonese or Manadarin so I was not sure what some of the players were muttering about us, but I assume it wasn't nice since they were dropping boxes of reds like it was confetti.

Wait for the cards and pound. It's a lot of fun. See you there.

[Manimal]

What are the hours at the CNE?

Is it reasonable to think I could get in 4 hours before a 7:30 show at the Molson Amphitheatre?

Also, if someone wanted to provide any more details, that would be fantastic (admission fee, parking costs, wait times, quality of the dealers/floor, eating/drinking arrangements, etc.).

Thanks,
Matt

[Lawrence Ng]

I hope the PNE will have a cardroom too..if so I'm parking my butt there for 2 weeks. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Lawrence

[Hamish McBagpipe]

The hours are noon (I think) until six am the next morning (I'm positive about that).

First time admission is usually the CNE midway entrance fee which is like 6 or 7 bucks. But this year, since the casino is open 2 weeks before the regular CNE I don't know. But even previous years it was pay once and when you go the casino they give you a pass to get in anytime free. Same with parking.

I'd say the dealers are mixed. You get some totally new dealers or at least inexperience, but there are also a bunch of area dealers that are very good that they pull in.
The wait time is pretty bad. Expect a couple of hours at least during non-peak times. Even worse during the evening rush. There's no food or drink, if it is in the same building as last year, except crappy vendor stuff in the building. But the food building during the CNE has some decent stuff and there are the beer tents. None in the casino. I don't know what it will be like this year since it is opening early so they may move it back to the old building, shaped like a donut, where you can drink and eat in the middle.

Anyone been yet? It opened today and a few of us would like an update on the facilities.

[Soble]

Facilities are fine, no smoking which is GREAT, wait times were about 30 min in the afternoon, not long around 5/6 pm, and I think a bit longer at night. hours are 12 noon til 6 am. its free, you can get a VIP pass for free admission when the EX is on. plus free parking. food/drink prices are bad, $3.25 for pop, etc.

My one complaint is around 80% of the dealers are HORRIFIC. I mean, its only day 1 so hopefully things will improve, but most are so slow its very, very painful. Even worse, its as if they have never seen the game before. The players have to keep the action going and stay in turn, the dealers never know when the action has finished and they can turn some cards, a side pot or split pot is a hopeless case, they have to be told which hand is the winner, and if someone is new to the table or missed the blinds, they are lost. Again, its only day 1 so I'll refrain from using the word "unacceptable", but wow, I was not impressed!

On the bright side, my 98o from the BB took down top set of aces after I got to checkraise the flop and CAP the river THREE handed with the nuts!

[Wilbix]

What stakes are they spreading this year? And how much are they raking? Maybe it's time to quit the old summer job a month early and work a shift with hours more to my liking.

[Soble]

[ QUOTE ]
What stakes are they spreading this year? And how much are they raking? Maybe it's time to quit the old summer job a month early and work a shift with hours more to my liking.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just $5/10 and $10/20. Many ppl have requested $20/40 and NL but of course those pleas have been ignored. They rake 5% with $7.50 MAX at 5/10, $10 MAX at 10/20. They rake 98% on hotdog and pop sales [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Manimal]

Headed up yesterday...

Got there around 3:30, started playing at 5. Headed back after the concert at ~11, wait time was 2.5 hours for 5/10, 1.5 for 10/20.

Hours are noon-6am. No entrance fee, since the CNE is not open yet. Don't know much about parking on site, as I parked across the street at Ontario Place. It is offered, and they have LOTS of room.

For the VIP passes, they say you have to give the pit boss your ID and then play for 3 hours, then they give you the application to give to the pass-givers.

To kill the time, they have BJ, Spanish 21, Roulette, and a wheel. All games are pretty low limit - BJ and Spanish 21 span from 5-25, roulette is 1-10 on the inside numbers, 5-25 on the outside. They do offer multi-action blackjack if you're looking for something slightly bigger.

Dealers are definitely a mixed bag. I played for 1:45, there were only 2 dealers. The first one was excellent. Fast, error-free, called hands immediately and correctly. The second was significantly slower, flipped cards numerous times, and miscalled a couple hands, once trying to award the pot to the wrong player. Even after players told him where the pot was being shipped, he'd stare at the cards for ~15 seconds to double check.

The poker room has some limited food/drink - water, soda, coffee, and cold sandwiches. In the main casino, it's typical tourist trap type food, with the same prices - burgers, hot dogs, and fries for 3.50 and up. They DO have alcohol, though... a limited selection of both beer and booze.

[RydenStoompala]

Why would anyone within 20 minutes drive of River Rock want a dumpster like the CNE cardroom replicated in their neighborhood? We HAVE to play there, until the Jockey Club gets the super duper card room going up at Woodbine. Vancouverites have choices.

[ QUOTE ]
until the Jockey Club gets the super duper card room going up at Woodbine.

[/ QUOTE ]

Any idea where I can find more details on this?