The poker scene in Reno is different over time, but you that it is always an change as rooms open and close. Forty years ago there was ten places you might play, however the rooms had just a couple of tables. Thirty years ago half the casinos in the city thought that they to own poker, so even tiny clubs such as the Onslow and Silver Spur were built with 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 very best rooms in town (Harrah's, Flamingo Hilton, Reno Hilton). The games were great all over 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'll find just six poker rooms round 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 network has PokerPro machines rather than 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 can be found all night played. The five remaining live poker rooms in Reno compete for hotel guests and local players and also have a minimum of six tables.
Number Five ' Club Cal-Neva
The Club-Cal-Neva survived for years inside downtown area with out a hotel. Now the club features a nice hotel attached, but the room, clientele, and ambiance have changed little. The room has six tables while offering bad-beat jackpots, four-of-a-kind and higher bonuses, and bonus tournament chips for each hour of live cash play.
The comp rates are $1 hourly of live cash play and may provide for property amenities along with $10 tournament buy-ins. Room opens at 10am.
Number Four ' Eldorado
The Eldorado casino is sandwiched between your Silver Legacy and Circus Circus and has an 11-table poker network. The room check here is well laid-out with lots of room between the tables. Bonuses for four-of-a-kind far better hands are paid daily and all sorts of games please take a bad-beat jackpot drop. The room opens at 10am, but stays open before games drop.
$30 tournament players be given a $10 bonus if they play in live games as soon as the tournament. In addition, complimentary entry to a $2,000 added last-Friday of 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 may be the nicest poker room in Northern Nevada, with 25 TV's and 19 tables. A complimentary, self-service beverage, soup, and sandwich station keeps players inside 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 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 inside 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 a lot of TV's. The nine-table room opens at 9am while offering a free-spin bonus wheel for lucky seated players, high-hand payoffs, with an aces-cracked bonus. In addition, a self-service soup and beverage bar is available.
The comp rate with the Atlantis runs $1 each hour for 10-24 hours in the week of play and $2 per hour for upwards of 24 hours of play, plus $1 money back per hour. You can also turn in the tournament receipt for any play in Reno/Sparks and acquire a $10 bonus with one-hour of play.