Poker News

Jan Fisher

Cherokee Casino - Living on Tulsa Time

There is a certain peaceful serenity among the people from the South. Seldom have I found that to be truer than during my two visits to Cherokee Casino in Catoosa, Okalahoma, which is located near Tulsa. I was eager to return to Cherokee to see if the incredible hospitality I experienced during my first visit was a fluke. It wasn’t! The staff all go out of their way to make sure that customers have a good time and are treated like royalty.

This trip involved conducting a ladies poker seminar with my business partner Linda Johnson. We arrived to a beautifully appointed seminar room complete with overhead camera, light luncheon buffet, drinks, and great poker decorations. After lunch, we gave general tips, told some stories, and answered some questions. From there, we had just long enough to get to our rooms and freshen up before the ladies $100+$20 nolimit hold’em event began.

Many of the 195 ladies who entered the tournament also attended the seminar we gave. It showed; they used the strategies we taught them. We don’t prefer giving a seminar and then going into battle against those exact people, but that’s just what we did. I kept advancing through the event, thinking how cool it would be to win this one, having just given the seminar and validating my words through my deeds. We got to two short tables and I was very happy with my play. I tried to make good reads, stayed away from coin-flips, and tried to always be the aggressor when entering a pot.

With14 players remaining, I had about $16,000 in chips, which was slightly below average. Coming back from break, I told Linda, “I am going to move all-in in the next three unopened pots.” I went from shortish stacks to one of the biggest with about $50,000! I never looked at my cards; I had a strategy and exploited it. It worked and I went to the final table as one of the chip leaders.

We did make a money deal with about six players remaining but continued to play for the bragging rights, the lovely trophy, and the WSOP seat donated by the casino. I opened up my play a bit and gambled in a few spots. I got lucky and amassed a big lead. I went on to win the event. I really felt good about it and was “in the zone” all day. It made me want to play more events, and so I shall.

The event paid $17,550 to 18 ladies. Thanks to Bobby Sadler, Rick O’Connell, Sal De Leone, and Tony Armstrong and the many other Cherokee employees for a great event. Jimmy Sommerfeld was his usual wonderful self as the tournament director and Scotty Nguyen was the host with the most. Scotty has all the charm of a dozen men and knows how to work a room!

I plan to return in August for the LPA Pro Poker Tour event and cocktail party. I invite you all to join me and in the meantime, check out their site at http://cherokeecasino.com/home/index.aspx and enjoy playing poker at one of the 36 tables, eating in one of their many restaurants, or staying in one of their luxurious rooms and suites. Moving right along….

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