Poker News

Byron Liggett

“Las Vegas of the Northwest” is how one visitor described the MUCKLESHOOT Casino, between Tacoma and Seattle. The largest casino in the NW, it is a handsome, modern, spacious property offering more than 70 table games, over 2,000 machine, keno, poker and Big Name entertainment.

Already a NW poker power with a large, luxurious, very professional room, Poker Manager Dennis Willits is preparing to nearly double the size of his operation, bringing the number of tables to over 35! “We are it for live action and tournaments,” he explained.

A key reason for the overwhelming popularity of poker at the Muckleshoot is the frequent, generous promotions. One player quipped, “They give away so much money and chances to win money, I feel like I’m losing if I’m not playing here!” In the constellation of poker planets found around the Greater Seattle Galaxy, the NORTHSTAR Casino, near SeaTac, shines brightly. A popular nightclub featuring live music and dancing, it’s a favorite launch pad for an evening in Heaven.

The Northstar is hot with poker activity. Every Poker Astronaut who thinks they’ve got the Right Stuff comes here to land a hand. They just hope they don’t get beamed-up early, or get a hole in their space suit and get sucked into oblivion.

One of the Grande Dames of Seattle poker is DIAMOND LIL’S, in Renton. Beautifully dressed in glass, gold brass, brick, and wood, Lady Lil’s has long been a favorite flop house for the Hold’em homeless.

The Northwest is Hold’em Country. They were playing it at Lil’s long before Nevada and California discovered it. If you’re looking for action, you’ll get satisfaction at Diamond Lil’s. In north Seattle, one of the most popular poker places is PARKER’S Casino. Head Poker Attendant, Charles Li, will show you where to park. Whether you just want a low-limit tune-up, or you’re looking for a major chip overhaul, Parker’s is a full service dealer. Next time you think you need to look under your Hold’em hood, take it to the boys at Parker’s. Whether they fix your flop or not, you won’t find a finer, friendlier bunch.

Everett, about 50 miles north of Seattle, is a poker town and the NEW GROVE Casino is a favorite flop forest inhabited by Hold’em and Omaha players. They’re all here, the good, the bad and the ugly. Ollie is the poker manager and you’ll probably find Kukla and Fran in a game. If not, you can be sure Steve Schechter is there. They say he was there first and they built the room around him! Owner John Leeper, Keeper of the Grove, will show you they way to the river, but you’ll probably need a boat when you get there. Omaha Hi-Low was ‘invented’ in Washington some years ago. It’s a game for poker psychotics. Players don’t know where they are, or where they are going, and they don’t care who they hurt along the way.

The ROYAL Casino is popular with Everett’s Knights of the Green Cloth. Here the Lords and Ladies of Poker gather for The Games. Keep in mind that when it comes to Card Combat, the weaker sex is anyone with the second-best hand. A lot of Everett poker players take the IRON HORSE Casino to Pokerville. According to Iron Horse Conductor Steve Scot, a lot of players ride the Hold’em Express all the way to The River of No Return!

Patriotic poker players play at the GREAT AMERICAN Casinos in Everett and Tukwila. They’ve got a loyal following. The slogan of Great American poker players is, “One for all and all for one!”

Filed under: Poker News