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Breezing through Sarasota
by TylerDurden
on 09/28/2007.
TylerDurden
has played this room first time.
| Average rating (1-5 chips; 5=best): |
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| Overall Impressions |
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This room is easily the nicest I've been to in Florida (admittedly, some of my comparison rooms are from 4 years ago, and have been remodeled). The rake is competitive (not saying much, as Florida rakes are high), and they do one nice thing I've never seen a poker room do -- the rake is nominally 10% to $5, taken in 50¢, with a $1 jackpot. However, the jackpot is taken in 2 parts, 50¢ at $10, and 50¢ at $20. At those rake limits, ONLY 50¢ is taken, not the whole $1 (so, for example, at $20, the rake is $1 in the slot and $1 in the jackpot). Game limits offered are odd -- $2 straight limit, and $3-$5 ($2 and $3 blinds) limit holdem, $2-5 stud and stud/8 with a 50¢ ante, $3-$5 limit Omaha and Omaha/8, and no limit holdem at $1-$2 and $2-$3 blinds ($60 and $100 buyin, respectively).
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| Atmosphere |
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This room is, without a doubt, one of the nicest poker rooms I've ever played in -- the only one I can think of that's nicer is Harrahs in New Orleans (which I visited about 7 years ago, so it may have changed). Admittedly, I've never played at Bellagio, but you get the idea. It's high-ceilinged, with plenty of space between tables, and multiple types of chairs (high backed wtith firm padding, and low-backed with softer padding). The decor is wonderful, with chandeliers for lighting, and flatscreen TV's showing greyhound racing simulcasts and a live feed from the local track. The tables are all covered in a dark beige felt, with a betting circle, and the room's mascot (who also appears on the chips, see the picture below) silkscreened on the cover. The overall impression was that of luxury.
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| Dealers |
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All the dealers I met were friendly and competent. My one complaint would be the way they pitch the cards; they all seemed to fall into the "high up, near the dealer's chest" school of thought for how to pitch hole cards, which IMO is less efficient than having hands low down near the table. It also raises the risk of flashed cards, but as I wasn't sitting in the 1 or 10 seat, I didn't get a chance to see if any cards were flashed.
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| Food and Drink |
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There was a cocktail waitress walking through the room, although she passed my table once every 45 minutes or so. Drink prices seemed to be about average. There is no food service in the room (yay or boo, depending on your opinion), and the track near the poker room seemed to have limited options -- popcorn and hot dogs. On Fridays, the track currently has a promotion for 50¢ hot dogs, sodas, and draught beers.
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| Wait Time/Overall Service |
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The waitlist is maintained behind a counter in the front of the room; the list is managed by hand, and I heard them call for players multiple times before removing them from the list. I was at the room at 1PM (when it opens -- hours are 1PM to 1AM), so I did not have to wait for a table. When I left at 2:30, there were 2-3 names on every list.
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| Comps |
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No comps, but there are a variety of jackpots and promotions. All games have a high hand jackpot (quad deuces or better in stud and holdem, steel wheel or better in Omaha. Both cards must play in holdem), with a printed sheet at the front desk showing the current jackpots. When I was there, they ranged from $39 for a steel wheel in Omaha to $4396 for a royal in clubs in holdem. On the first hand of the day, one player at my table hit quad 10's for $100, and it took a while -- about half an hour, the dealer indicated it might be due to getting the room up and running -- for the paperwork to arrive. He was paid off in chips.
In addition to the high hand jackpot, every Friday, any player dealt a flush (just a flush, not flush or higher) gets a "rack attack ticket." Then, at 4PM, 6PM, 8PM, 10PM, and midnight, two tickets are drawn, and those two players compete to rack as many chips as they can in 60 seconds, while blindfolded. The player with more chips gets to keep what they rack, the loser gets 1/2 of their rack.
As well, on Mondays, they hold Monday Night Football squares. Starting at 6PM, any flush gets you a square on their board. When all 100 squares are awarded, or at the end of the 1st quarter, the numbers are drawn. At the end of each quarter, the player who's numbers come up wins $100, and if your number comes up at the end of the game (4th quarter or overtime), you win $200.
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