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FINDING FRIENDLY POKER GAMES - Part 2

Las Vegas

Las Vegas has dozens of cardrooms to choose from, and almost every one of them has something about it that’s distinctive. Check the ads in the freebie magazines for special promotions or just take a peek into the room at the casino where you’re staying to see if they’re doing anything that catches your fancy. The poker rooms mentioned below all responded to my fax.

The MGM Grand offers daily classes in 7-card stud and hold’ern. Limits go as low as $1-$4 for stud. Beginners can qualify for comps to the MGM’s buffet and the casino rate on hotel rooms (a substantial savings that poker players can often secure with relative ease). The MGM may be the biggest hoteL/casino in the world, but it’s going for the rustic feel when it comes to its poker room. Poker room manager Mark Jacobs says, “Playing poker here at the MGM Grand is just like playing at the kitchen table—without the salt and pepper shakers.”

Luxor has a particularly good deal on its complimentary lessons (11 am. and 7 p.m. Mon.-Fri.): all participants get a free logo baseball cap. After the class, a special $1-$2 game is initiated to get the new players cozy under live playing conditions. It’s pretty amazing when you think about it—you’re playing for the same stakes you play for in your Tuesday-night game in one of Las Vegas’ most spectacular megaresorts.

Texas Station, a one-year-old casino located in North Las Vegas, has lessons Monday thru Friday and limits as low as $1-$3 on its hold’em games. Players are treated to a free buffet in the poker room every day at noon and 6 p.m. Santa Fe, another North Las Vegas casino, provides anyone who plays for three hours with a meal comp worth $7.50 in any restaurant. Players get free donuts in the morning and snacks in the afternoon and evening.

Bourbon Street also extends meal comps for three hours of play. The casino offers 30-minute beginner classes (around noon each day) that address the basics of both open play and tournaments.

Atlantic City The dominant game in all the Atlantic City rooms is 7-card stud. The lowest limits are usually $1-$5. Caesars, Bally’s Park Place, The Grand, TropWorld, and Mew Griffin’s Resorts all responded to my fax to suggest that the friendly atmosphere makes their rooms a good alternative to bucking the big room at the Taj.

Like many aspects of Atlantic City gambling, differences between the casino cardrooms aren’t readily discernible. Caesars indicated that it plans to expand its “Learning from Legends” gambling instruction program to include poker; beginners can learn by playing with funny money for 15- to 20-minute sessions. Limits at Resorts are sometimes as low as $1-$3.