Players have so many reasons to appreciate summer in New Mexico, including they’re not in hot ol’ Texas and cardrooms and tournaments abound in the Land of Enchantment.
The biggest limit hold’em games in New Mexico are weekly $20-$40 at Sandia and Buffalo Thunder. Sandia tournaments include $50 Thursdays, Play with the Big Dogs on Aug. 18 and Sizzlin’ Summer Thursdays beginning July 5.
Buffalo Thunder offers weekly $5-$10 pot-limit Omaha cash games (biggest action in the state) and the “House Full of Money Giveaway” that includes cash drawings nine times daily.
Albuquerque Hard Rock runs a weekly NLHE $5-$10 for high-stakes players, but the most popular local promo is “Deuces Never Loses,” where everyone wants to lose with pocket twos.
NLHE $5-$10 runs all summer at Inn of the Mountain Gods, as well as new live game spreads in hold’em and Omaha/8. Also, a full poker bar opens Fridays, Saturdays and holidays from 6 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Santa Ana Star hosts a $4-$8 Omaha/8 game every Sunday and the biggest weekday buy-in tournament in the state: the $100 Friday night event. This room also features high hands all day, a “Most Pots Won” promo, splash pots, Aces Cracked and a $5K-added tournament.
The poker room at Route 66 hosts the nationally televised Heartland Poker Tour (July 20-28), with the main event on July 29, as well as Actions Aces all summer.
With its World Series of Poker seat giveaways completed, Northern Edge starts an all-new tournament series for July and August. Details weren’t released by press time, so watch for the announcement or call the poker room for more information.
— Mary Bradley is Ante Up’s New Mexico Ambassador. Email her at anteupmary@gmail.com.
