Northern MN cardroom reviews

LA_Price · #1 01-04-2005, 04:26 PM

Northern MN cardrooms

I know there's a lot of 2+2er's that live in MN but i'm the only one i know of north of the cities so I thought i'd write up a little review of all the places to play if you ever come up north.

Black Bear Casino - Located about 20 minutes south of Duluth
just off I-35 they run a around a 6 table poker room and are open from 10 am to 4 am Monday to Friday and 24 hours on the weekends. They mostly play limit Texas Hold'em and stud although i've never seen them spread a stud game except as small tourney game. Limit's range from 2-4 to 15-30. the 10-20 goes on Tuesday's and thursday's and sometimes gets bumped up to a 15-30 game. They also have small buyin tourney's ($20) that run during the week starting at 10 on mondays, tuesdays and thursday's
i believe. They also hold a $55+1 rebuy No-limit hold'em and sundays. The last sunday of the month they bump it up $100 on the last sunday of every month. Most
of the dealers are pretty good and they run their room pretty well. Games are usually are usually loose passive but have on occasion gotten aggressive.

Fond du-luth- Located in downtown duluth on Superior street this is the place I play at the most. They run a 4 table card room with entirely limit Texas Hold'em. Limits
that usually go are 2-4 to 4-8 and they just recently started a 10-20 game that goes on wedneday's starting at six. They're open form 10am to 2am Monday to Friday
and 24 hours on the weekends. Dealers are usally good and games are usually loose and passive.

Grand Casino Hickley- This is the newest card room and the one know the least about. I've only been twice and it took me forever to find the room as it's tucked way in the
back of the casino in part of the hotel. As a result the traffic seemed rather low for this rather large casino. They have around 6 tables but the most I ever saw going was two. They spread mostly limit Hold'em from 2/4 to 5/10. They were trying to get and 4/8 Omaha Hi/Lo game going but never did but i was told that it has run on occasion.
Games were good and dealers were ok but were by far the worst out of the three rooms.

I know there's a room in northwest MN in Mahnomen but i've never been there. If someone who's been there want's to write a review and post it here that would be great. If you haveany question's about the rooms or if you're ever in town and want to know where to play drop me a pm.

Patrick del Poker Grande · #2 01-04-2005, 04:35 PM

Have you been to Turtle Lake, WI?

LA_Price · #3 01-04-2005, 04:43 PM

no but i've heard about the no-linmt game they have there. I just turned 21 a couple of months ago and haven't had the chance to check it out yet. I should probably mention too that fond du-luth is 21+ and the others are 18+.

ComboProf · #4 01-04-2005, 05:36 PM

Thanks so much for this post! Later this month I'll be driving from the U.P to Winnipeg and will probably over night near Duluth. I was going to travel all the way to Mahnomen (and may still) but I think Duluth will be better. By the way how long is the drive from Duluth to Winnipeg?

Patrick del Poker Grande · #5 01-04-2005, 05:47 PM

It's a long-ass drive. Where in the UP are you coming from?

ComboProf · #6 01-04-2005, 06:44 PM

I'm coming from Houghton.
It looks like 5 hours to Duluth and then 9 to Winnipeg
or 9 hours to Mahnomen and then 5 hours to Winnipeg.

Patrick del Poker Grande · #7 01-04-2005, 07:23 PM

I grew up in Superior and went to school at Tech. It took me almost exactly 4 hours to get home (in the west end of town) barring any slow-down like bad winter weather (good luck with that). Let's say 4:15 to 4:30 to get to the other side of Duluth. From there to Winnipeg, I'll accept 9 hours. I've never made the trip to Winnipeg, but I've been to International Falls and I seem to remember that being 7 hours. Then again, I guess you actually have to go quite a bit out of your way and go south on I-35 and catch something like US-52 west if you want to drive on decent roads. I'd say you'd be quite lucky to make it in 9 hours from Duluth, again with more delays for weather (good luck with that again).

ComboProf · #8 01-04-2005, 10:19 PM

Hmmmm..... Well I guess I could skip playing in Minnesota
and stop somewhere closer to Winnipeg, but that will force me to play in Winnipeg. Last time I was there they had exactly two tables running with 5-10 (CDN). On table was full of rocks the other was full of maniacs. Both very painfull.

Edge34 · #9 01-05-2005, 12:29 AM

The one up north in Mahnomen is Shooting Star Casino. Lst time I was there, admittedly about 2 years ago and right before the major poker boom, they had like 4 tables, all 1-2 and 2-4 hold 'em. Unless they've improved since then, it seems like its just a convenient place to go if you live up there. The dealers at the time weren't anything special and the games were hardly even filling up. Not bad, but not real good either.

Evans67 · #10 01-05-2005, 01:48 AM

The last time I was up there was late November. I have a friend thats a regular up there and I know all the dealers cuz there is only a few of em. It fills up on fri-sun. Its pretty easy money. Most people dont know what theyre doing but are looking for a good time. If you go there and see a kid wearing a royal flush jacket, say hi to him thats my friend.