Poker News

Byron Liggett

Carson City, the capitol of Nevada, was named after Christopher “Kit” Carson, famous frontiersman and scout in the 1840s. When gold and silver was discovered around Virginia City, in the mountains high above the capitol, Carson City became a freight center for the mines and miners. Poker has been a popular pastime in the state capitol ever since.

Draw Poker was a popular pastime in the towns and mining camps of the West. One player who came to Nevada to strike it rich as a prospector, but ended up writing for the Territorial Enterprise to make ends meet, was Mark Twain. He loved the game.

Today, Mark Twain is gone and so, too, may be Draw Poker. Nevertheless, Hold’em Poker is alive and well in Carson City.

The RED DOG Poker Palace recently opened in the Pinon Plaza Resort in east Carson, on Hwy. 50. It’s the classic small, neighborhood poker room. The staff is hometown friendly, the games are socially friendly, and the limits are low ‘n friendly.

At Red Dog most of the players are local mutts. It’s popular with Carson City’s poker pack when they want to scratch an itch and sniff some flops.

The Red Dog Poker Palace is in very good hands. Kennel Keeper Marie Gabert is one of the most decorated pooches in poker. She’s been a World Champ and has taken “Best All Round Player” four times!

A pure poker pedigree, Marie is a star of “Poker Beat”, a new weekly show that just premiered on cable TV coast-to-coast. So, the next time you’re in heat for Hold’em, see Marie; she’ll put you in a game and sell you some kibbles ‘n bits.

If your fantasy is to get lost on a tropical island where you compete for treasure, Carson City has you covered. The CASINO FANDANGO is a hot ‘n sexy escape. If you can’t have fun here, you’re dead. The Fandango is Margaritaville with poker. The poker room is a quite, comfortable, spacious sanctuary. The tables are large, the lighting is right; the chairs are plush and adjustable. If Jimmy Buffet played poker here he’d have to write a song, because this is the perfect place “to open a pop top and blow out your flip flop”. Like a beach bathing beauty knows her tan line, Poker Manager Victor Kurlytis understands what poker players want - Action! He makes sure there’s plenty of it on tap.

Every Monday and Thursday at 7pm he kicks-off a smash-mouth $60+5 No Limit Hold’em contest. Tuesdays at 2pm, it’s the same game with a $40+5 buyin. Sunday, the Sabbath, features $25+5 No Limit Holy Hold’em. Services are start at 11am. “Come and prey… or be preyed upon,” Reverend Victor says with a big grin. Of course, there’s plenty of live action too. And, when you get hungry, there’s the “Rum Jungle Buffet”. They say the food is so good some people gointo the Jungle and never return!

The CARSON VALLEY INN, just minutes from the Capitol, is famous for its fine food, exquisite rooms, and spectacular views. This year, a poker room was added and they found an experienced manager, Rick Allegrini, to run it. He’s well known to players throughout northern Nevada.

Ranger Rick runs $15, one-hour Hold’em shootouts daily. Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6pm he spreads $25 buyin Hold’em competitions.

Clearly, poker is alive and well in Carson City.

Filed under: Poker News