Poker News

Donna Blevins

This 21-table, non-smoking poker room overlooks Lake Michigan from the top deck of the Trump Indiana Casino river boat. A convenient open-air deck for smoke breaks is half a dozen paces from the room. The Casino is located in Buffington Harbor, in Gary, Indiana, a short, half hour’s drive from downtown Chicago.

Since we often approach poker room staff without introducing ourselves, we get a clearer view of how visitors are greeted. In this room, we were treated so well, we asked if someone had phoned ahead to tell them we were coming! The competent staff and dealers headed by poker manager, Greg Nichols, and assistant poker manager, Dominic Niro, made us feel right at home.

Just like many poker rooms, Texas Hold’em is the daily game of choice from low-limit to No-Limit. The No-Limit Hold’em games with $50 to $200 buyins (2 & 5 blinds) run almost 24-7. We found these No-Limit Hold’em games full of rip-roarin’ action from local and out-of-state players. Pot-Limit Omaha is often spread on the weekends.

On tournaments days Monday and Wednesday, as well as on Friday and Saturday, you’ll generally find $400 minimum to $1000 max buy-in No-Limit Hold’em with 5 & 10 blinds. On weekends, expect to see No- Limit with $1,000 minimum buy-in, no max, 10 & 25 blinds.

Since we play poker predominantly in the late evenings, we mostly came in contact with floor supervisors, Jeremy Smith and Nick Zacny, along with five dual rates (supervisors half the time, dealers half the time). Because of their competence and hospitality, the dual rates also deserve mention: Joe Schaefer, Will Chan, Amy Alvarez, Duane Moore, and Andrea Gentry. (Please forgive us if we missed a name or two!)

When we mentioned our approval of their zero tolerance . . . no smoking, no cursing, no abusive behavior by players, Ms Genry grinned and said, “You know, we allow no bad play. Well, we will probably let someone play a couple of bad cards . . . if, they are suited.”

Even though there is no eating in the poker room, the deli is conveniently located just outside the room. In fact, with the generous comp system, fifty cents an hour for lower limit games and $1 per hour for higher limits, we ate during play as well as took a sandwich to our room to split for breakfast. They just started 10-player, sit ‘n’ go tournaments on the weekends. For the $65 buy-in you receive 1000 chips, and the $3 dealer appreciation add-on gets you another 200. The top three players are paid: $250, $150, and $100.

We liked the playing structure of the sit ‘n’ go tournaments: the blinds went up every ten hands, rather than by time. When players take longer to make decisions, no one is penalized. The blind structure was also appealing, starting with 15-30, 30-60, 50-100 then 100-200. From there, 100 were added to the small blind each round rather than doubling the blinds. The blinds topped at 600- 1200, regardless of the length of play. Trump Indiana Casino’s poker hotel rate is only $44.40, seven days a week. You are only required to log two hours in the poker room to qualify for the rate. Make your own reservations at the hotel, check in, then play a couple of hours in the poker room. Ask a supervisor to call the hotel, and your rate will be adjusted.

They also have four televisions, two of which are large screens. As Andrea Gentry said, “You can play cards, and watch the Sox win!”

Remember, if you can’t raise, don’t call.

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