The poker scene in Reno has evolved over the years, nevertheless, you that it's always an ebb and flow as rooms open and close. Forty years ago there have been ten places you might play, nevertheless the rooms had only a few tables. Thirty years ago half the casinos in town thought that they had to get poker, so even tiny clubs just like the Onslow and Silver Spur had a game or two.
Reno poker hit its high reason for 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 around town, with busy rooms at Circus Circus, Peppermill, Harold's Club, Cal-Neva and Eldorado.
Today, because the pendulum swings back one other way, you can find just six poker rooms across the downtown area, seven once you count the Grand Sierra across highway 395. The Silver legacy offers Reno's only all-automated poker tables. Located on the North side from the casino floor, the poker room has PokerPro machines instead of live dealers. Games start at 6pm.
The Sands Regency carries 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 are offered for a long time played. The five remaining live poker rooms in Reno compete for hotel guests and local players and have a minimum of six tables.
Number Five ' Club Cal-Neva
The Club-Cal-Neva survived for decades inside the downtown area with no hotel. Now the club has a nice hotel attached, but the room, clientele, and ambiance have changed little. The room has six tables and will be offering bad-beat jackpots, four-of-a-kind and bonuses, and bonus tournament chips for each and every hour of live cash play.
The comp rate is $1 by the hour of live cash play and may even be utilized for property amenities as well as $10 tournament buy-ins. Room opens at 10am.
Number Four ' Eldorado
The Eldorado casino is sandwiched relating to the Silver Legacy and Circus Circus and it has an 11-table poker room. The room is well laid-out with plenty room involving the tables. Bonuses for four-of-a-kind and higher hands are paid on a daily basis and many types of games have a bad-beat jackpot drop. The room opens at 10am, but stays open until the games decrease.
$30 tournament players get a $10 bonus if they play in live games following your tournament. In addition, complimentary entry to a $2,000 added last-Friday in the month tournament can be obtained for 25-hours of play. The hourly comp rate for live play is $1.
Number Three ' Peppermill
The Peppermill is 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 within the room as does table-side dining. The hourly comp minute rates are $1.
Number Two ' Grand Sierra
The Grand Sierra poker room opens get more info at 9:30am and has 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 your first players in a $3-6 limit Hold'em game at 2pm is $20 in chips after couple of hours of live play. The hourly minute rates are $2.
Number One - Atlantis
The Atlantis has a good poker room with plush chairs and lots of TV's. The nine-table room opens at 9am and offers a free-spin bonus wheel for lucky seated players, high-hand payoffs, plus an aces-cracked bonus. In addition, a self-service soup and beverage bar is on hand.
The comp rate on the Atlantis runs $1 per hour for 10-a day in a week of play and $2 hourly for over a day of play, plus $1 cash back hourly. You can also turn in a tournament receipt for almost any play in Reno/Sparks and get a $10 bonus with one-hour of play.