This is a room designed to play poker in. It's just too bad it's so out of the way--although in many ways it's also very convenient. Walking form the Strip on Rue de Monte Carlo, as you turn toward the casino entrance, the firt door you go in, the poker room is right there. (Which means I don't know how far it is from the garage.) It's right next to restrooms. But it looks like it's also at the south end of the casino floor, and very away from foot traffic. It has to be a "destination." But what a destination. With 8 (I think) tables, they are arranged comfortably. The room itself shows off a lot of wood in rk finishes, very elegant looking. In-between the wall columns are large poker-themed paintings. Four very large TV screens are very evident, one in each corner of the room, all large enough to be seen fairly easily even from the other side of the room. The tables use a purple felt. I experienced one with old felt and one with new felt. The tables also have a racetrack, either wood or fake wood. Strangely, drink cups are embedded in the racetracks, but 8 at a table, which means that they are staggered compared to the seats. The seats themselves are well padded and quite comfortable. It looks like lots of folks knew one another. I'm not sure if that meant groups of hotel guests were there together or it had lots of regulars. I suspect a bit of both. Overall, the room felt very comfortable. It's definitely not a "marquee" poker room by any stretch of the imagination, but everyone was so welcoming, even though I'd never been there before, it was almost like going home again.
At least in the $2-$6 game, soft, soft, soft. It's a value bettors paradise, although at one point a player sat down who I'd played with earlier in the day at another property, an over-aggro FPS guy. Many players paid off when obvious big hands hit on the turn or river. And I heard more than once the words I love to hear on the river, especially when I'm doing the betting: "I just have to see it."
Dealers seemed generally competent and friendly. I spotted no obvious mistakes, and mechanics all looked good. All ran the game well, were verbal about action, and kept the game moving. All but one were very friend;y, and the exception seemed almost like a curmudgeon act, as he bantered with players who gave as good as they got.
Never got a drink of any sort. Don't even remember how often waitresses came around.
Management does well with what it has. No Bravo. No electronic lists. No game displays. It's about as old fashioned as it gets. Yet management is friendly and knowledgeable. I made a comment about the short $2-$6 game I was seated at and the comment was "Oh, it'll fill up soon." There's never been a room I've visited where that isn't a standard line when seated at a short game, no matter how big or small the room, no matter what time of day or day of week. When we got shorter and play stopped at 4, management was right there to get us to the last running game. Management also knows the benefit that Bravo will give them, and act like they have been waiting patiently for something to come that they have no control over.
No known comps. Was not told of any. Because Bravo system is not yet active, no swiping of mLife cards takes place, so no hours are tracked. No one made mention of any promos.
