A few weeks ago, I realized that it had been quite a while since I had left
home to play poker. Although I usually prefer staying home to traveling,
ever so often I get the urge to jump on a plane and just go some place.
I feel it helps my focus to be able to just be alone and think poker,
without the normal day to day distractions.
I guess that is one of the nicest things about playing poker for a living.
When we get tired of fixing things around the house or doing the
endless chores that our significant others ask us to do, we can easily
justify a little “business” trip. We can just pick up the latest edition of
Card Player and find where a tournament is being held. It is usually not
wise to say we are making this trip to try to improve our focus. People
just don’t understand that. It is best we explain that this “business” trip
is completely justified; because the buy-ins are perfect, the events are
our best games, and the structure is suited perfectly to our style of play.
So, a few weeks ago when this urge to get away, and maybe sharpen
my focus, came upon me, I picked up a copy of the Card Player. I noticed
the Peppermill in Reno was having a tournament. Reno has always been
one of my favorite places to play poker. I love the area! On the
occasions when I have attended either the Reno Hilton or the Peppermill
tournament, the employees and the staffs who run the poker room, have
always impressed me.
It just seems that everyone involved in poker up there, likes what they
are doing. Maybe, it’s the clean air. Both the side games and the
tournaments are run very efficiently. The people who live there, or live
close enough to attend these tournaments, are among the nicest people
I have ever played with.
Things just seem all together different in Reno. Players and dealers
appear to get along. Everyone seems to be enjoying himself. I have
rarely seen a player toss cards or make nasty remarks after busting
out. It’s as if they are politely excusing themselves from the table--
sometimes saying “nice hand” or “good luck”.
As it turned out, this last trip to Reno was no different than all the
others. It was a pure delight. To illustrate the different mind set that
exists in Reno from other places, let me just pass on something that
became evident to me one night.
This particular night, as I was playing, I glanced over to one side of the
card room where I saw a coat rack. I then looked around, and on the
other side of the room I saw another coat rack. Both coat racks were full
of coats. I took a quick count around the room where I guess there
were about 20 to 30 tables going. Some were tournament tables while
others were side-action or satellite tables.
About this time, a very lovely and efficient floor person named Jocelyn
Treadwell was walking by. I asked her if I could ask her a couple of
questions and she said sure. I began by asking, “Those are coat racks
for the customers, right?” “Yes.” was her reply. Then I asked, “You
mean people come in here in the morning and hang there coats up, and
when It’s time to go home, maybe hours later, they go over to the coat
rack and their coats are still there?” Again, she replied “Yes.” Then she
added, “I think we’ve lost one coat in the last ten years.” All I could
think of to say was “Wow!” I thought about some of the places that I
play, and knew you’d be lucky if the coat rack was still there. Forget
about the coats.
I am sure there are many, many card rooms and card clubs where you
could also leave your coat unattended for hours. It’s just that in most
cases, you would be looking at smaller clubs where almost everyone
knows each other. The above incident happened in the card room of a
large casino where there were several hundred people, many who did
not know each other.
Now please don’t think that I am saying other card rooms or casinos are
dangerous or unsafe places. Quite the contrary. I can’t think of one
place where I play where there is less than very good security.
Maybe the whole point of the column is to explain that as much as I love
Los Angeles, with all it’s variety of places to play poker, things to do and
great climate-- and as much as I also love Las Vegas with all the action
and excitement that only Vegas can generate—Reno, over the last few
years, has become a very special place for me. I see no reason to keep
such a great place to play poker a secret.
If you have a few days to spare and you need a change of scenery, head
for Reno. Here is a place where the pace may be slower, but the poker
is as fast as anywhere. It’s a place where the employees and players
are exceptionally nice. It may be just the place you’re looking for. Oh, by
the way the weather is usually great but it can get pretty cold at times
so bring some warm clothes. You can even take your most expensive
coat.
For what it's worth ...
home to play poker. Although I usually prefer staying home to traveling,
ever so often I get the urge to jump on a plane and just go some place.
I feel it helps my focus to be able to just be alone and think poker,
without the normal day to day distractions.
I guess that is one of the nicest things about playing poker for a living.
When we get tired of fixing things around the house or doing the
endless chores that our significant others ask us to do, we can easily
justify a little “business” trip. We can just pick up the latest edition of
Card Player and find where a tournament is being held. It is usually not
wise to say we are making this trip to try to improve our focus. People
just don’t understand that. It is best we explain that this “business” trip
is completely justified; because the buy-ins are perfect, the events are
our best games, and the structure is suited perfectly to our style of play.
So, a few weeks ago when this urge to get away, and maybe sharpen
my focus, came upon me, I picked up a copy of the Card Player. I noticed
the Peppermill in Reno was having a tournament. Reno has always been
one of my favorite places to play poker. I love the area! On the
occasions when I have attended either the Reno Hilton or the Peppermill
tournament, the employees and the staffs who run the poker room, have
always impressed me.
It just seems that everyone involved in poker up there, likes what they
are doing. Maybe, it’s the clean air. Both the side games and the
tournaments are run very efficiently. The people who live there, or live
close enough to attend these tournaments, are among the nicest people
I have ever played with.
Things just seem all together different in Reno. Players and dealers
appear to get along. Everyone seems to be enjoying himself. I have
rarely seen a player toss cards or make nasty remarks after busting
out. It’s as if they are politely excusing themselves from the table--
sometimes saying “nice hand” or “good luck”.
As it turned out, this last trip to Reno was no different than all the
others. It was a pure delight. To illustrate the different mind set that
exists in Reno from other places, let me just pass on something that
became evident to me one night.
This particular night, as I was playing, I glanced over to one side of the
card room where I saw a coat rack. I then looked around, and on the
other side of the room I saw another coat rack. Both coat racks were full
of coats. I took a quick count around the room where I guess there
were about 20 to 30 tables going. Some were tournament tables while
others were side-action or satellite tables.
About this time, a very lovely and efficient floor person named Jocelyn
Treadwell was walking by. I asked her if I could ask her a couple of
questions and she said sure. I began by asking, “Those are coat racks
for the customers, right?” “Yes.” was her reply. Then I asked, “You
mean people come in here in the morning and hang there coats up, and
when It’s time to go home, maybe hours later, they go over to the coat
rack and their coats are still there?” Again, she replied “Yes.” Then she
added, “I think we’ve lost one coat in the last ten years.” All I could
think of to say was “Wow!” I thought about some of the places that I
play, and knew you’d be lucky if the coat rack was still there. Forget
about the coats.
I am sure there are many, many card rooms and card clubs where you
could also leave your coat unattended for hours. It’s just that in most
cases, you would be looking at smaller clubs where almost everyone
knows each other. The above incident happened in the card room of a
large casino where there were several hundred people, many who did
not know each other.
Now please don’t think that I am saying other card rooms or casinos are
dangerous or unsafe places. Quite the contrary. I can’t think of one
place where I play where there is less than very good security.
Maybe the whole point of the column is to explain that as much as I love
Los Angeles, with all it’s variety of places to play poker, things to do and
great climate-- and as much as I also love Las Vegas with all the action
and excitement that only Vegas can generate—Reno, over the last few
years, has become a very special place for me. I see no reason to keep
such a great place to play poker a secret.
If you have a few days to spare and you need a change of scenery, head
for Reno. Here is a place where the pace may be slower, but the poker
is as fast as anywhere. It’s a place where the employees and players
are exceptionally nice. It may be just the place you’re looking for. Oh, by
the way the weather is usually great but it can get pretty cold at times
so bring some warm clothes. You can even take your most expensive
coat.
For what it's worth ...
A Coat Tail
By Vince Burgio
By Vince Burgio
