The poker scene in Reno has evolved through the years, but you that it is always an change as rooms enter and exit. Forty years ago there have been ten places you could play, nevertheless the rooms had only a few tables. Thirty years ago half the casinos in town thought they had to possess poker, so even tiny clubs such as the Onslow and Silver Spur stood a game or two.
Reno poker hit its high part of the late 1980's when WSOP bracelet winners like Hans 'Tuna' Lund, Freddie Deeb, Russ Hamilton, and Ray Zee played in the top rooms in the city (Harrah's, Flamingo Hilton, Reno Hilton). The games were great across town, with busy rooms at Circus Circus, Peppermill, Harold's Club, Cal-Neva and Eldorado.
Today, as the pendulum swings back another way, you can find just six poker rooms throughout the downtown area, seven when you count the Grand Sierra across highway 395. The Silver legacy offers Reno's only all-automated poker tables. Located on the North side of the casino floor, the poker room has PokerPro machines rather than live dealers. Games start at 6pm.
The Sands Regency features a small, three-table room that serves hotel guests. The room opens at 10am, but games don't always get cranked-up straight away. Comps can be obtained for a long time played. The five remaining live poker rooms in Reno compete for hotel guests and local players and have a the least six tables.
Number Five ' Club Cal-Neva
The Club-Cal-Neva survived for a long time inside the downtown area with out a hotel. Now the club features a nice hotel attached, nevertheless the room, clientele, and ambiance have changed little. The room has six tables and provides bad-beat jackpots, four-of-a-kind and bonuses, and bonus tournament chips for each and every hour of live cash play.
The comp minute rates are $1 hourly of live cash play and may be used for property amenities as well as $10 tournament buy-ins. Room opens at 10am.
Number Four ' Eldorado
The Eldorado casino is sandwiched between your Silver Legacy and Circus Circus and it has an 11-table poker room. The room is well laid-out with plenty room between your tables. Bonuses for four-of-a-kind and better hands are paid each day and all games please take a bad-beat jackpot drop. The more info room opens at 10am, but stays open before the games go down.
$30 tournament players obtain a $10 bonus when they play in live games after the tournament. In addition, complimentary entry to a $2,000 added last-Friday with the month tournament are offered for 25-hours of play. The hourly comp rate for live play is $1.
Number Three ' Peppermill
The Peppermill could be the nicest poker site in Northern Nevada, with 25 TV's and 19 tables. A complimentary, self-service beverage, soup, and sandwich station keeps players in the room along with table-side dining. The hourly comp rates are $1.
Number Two ' Grand Sierra
The Grand Sierra poker site opens at 9:30am and possesses 7 tables available. Seated players have a chance to win $50 for aces cracked, Sunday through Thursday. There are a number of nice complimentary bonuses including a player's buffet offered daily for live game players.
A limit game starter special for that first players in a very $3-6 limit Hold'em game at 2pm is $20 in chips after 2 hours of live play. The hourly rates are $2.
Number One - Atlantis
The Atlantis includes a good poker network with plush chairs and lots of TV's. The nine-table room opens at 9am and will be offering a free-spin bonus wheel for lucky seated players, high-hand payoffs, and an aces-cracked bonus. In addition, a self-service soup and beverage bar is readily available.
The comp rate with the Atlantis runs $1 each hour for 10-24 hours inside a week of play and $2 per hour for more than a day of play, plus $1 cash back each hour. You can also turn in the tournament receipt for virtually any play in Reno/Sparks and get a $10 bonus with one-hour of play.