Choctaw Casino in Durant, Okla., brings back the World Series of Poker Circuit on Jan. 2-20 as the series offers 55 events, including 12 ring events. Some are satellites into the $1 million guaranteed $1,675 main event. All ring events are no-limit hold’em with the exception of a $365 pot-limit Omaha event on Jan. 9. A ladies pendant event is among the non-ring events. Buy-ins for non-satellite, non-ring events begin at $125 with most ring events sporting $365 buy-ins.
DOWNSTREAM CASINO: The poker room has a number of activities going on, beginning with $150 (wild card), $400 (Super Bowl) hot seat drawings after every touchdown and field goal during the NFL playoffs. February 14-16 will see special events being offered including, on Feb. 15, a $200 buy-in Poker Manager’s Birthday Bounty Bash tournament with $5,000 added in bounties.
BOOT HILL CASINO: The bad-beat jackpot was nearly $200K at press time and requires quads beaten to win.
HARD ROCK OPEN: Congratulations goes to Noah Nodine of Norman, Okla., for winning the $1,090 main event at the Hard Rock Tulsa, pocketing $22,400.
KANSAS STAR CASINO: Three tables will be added to the poker room to bring the number available for play to 13. The room is featuring $3-6 limit hold’em on Wednesdays while Fridays feature $10-20 limit hold’em and a pot-limit Omaha-PLO/8 mixed game. A new tournament starting Jan. 17, and running every two weeks through March, is a $250 “Cash and Dash” event. Players can cash out from the tournament after an hour of play. The last remaining player wins the $1K prize pool.
HOLLYWOOD: There’s still no news on Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway’s tie-in to the second annual Hollywood Poker Open. I did, however, have the chance to play $1-$3 NLHE and it was a good experience with quality dealers. Thanks to tournament director Travis Burch for visiting with me.
AMERISTAR KANSAS CITY: With it having been at least four years since my last visit, I sat in on $3-$6 LHE cash game with a full kill and $4-$8 Omaha/8 with a half kill at the Ameristar Kansas City, Missouri’s 15-table poker room.
Poker room manager Ken Long and his staff were welcoming and took the time to visit with me about my experience. Dealers kept a comfortable game pace and the staff handled a couple of situations, including one that involved me, quite well.
— Email Robert Kelly at anteuprob@gmail.com.
