Cordova Restaurant Casino is reintroducing itself to the Northern California poker community, and it’s doing it in grand fashion by hosting an Ante Up Poker Tour championship that’s going to put someone on the cover of Ante Up for just $220.
"This event for us is a way to tell everyone that we are back,” said Robert Ketchum, poker director at Cordova Casino in Rancho Cordova, just east of Sacramento. "I think most poker players look for the ‘most bang for your buck’ and that’s exactly what we are doing with this tournament. We want to give our poker-playing customers the opportunity to enjoy and fully play a game and have a pretty decent potential prize pool without completely breaking their wallets."
The Cordova Casino Ante Up Championship will be just the one main event as it kicks off the 2014 Ante Up Poker Tour season, and features two starting flights on Feb. 15 (10 a.m. and 7 p.m.). Players who advance to Day 2 will resume at noon on Feb. 16, with the champion earning cash, a seat in the Ante Up World Championship Main Event, a personalized AUPT champion’s jacket and his or her picture on the cover of the March issue of Ante Up.
Players will start with 8,000 units, and can get an additional 2,000 by registering before Feb. 1 and 2,000 more for a $10 dealer appreciation. Levels will be 20 minutes for the first three rounds, and 30 minutes for all remaining levels. Re-entry and late entry are offered.
Before or after the tournament, cash games expected to run include $1-$2 no-limit, $1-$3 no-limit and $2-$5 no-limit.
"Our poker room is on a lower level away from the carnival games," Ketchum said. "TVs surround the poker tables for players to enjoy their favorite sporting events. Our poker room has a very comfortable and relaxing feel to play poker."
Cordova Restaurant Casino features a luxury lodge-like motif with a stylish decor sure to make all entrants comfortable while they play. The smoke-free casino features an elegant restaurant and bar, with a menu that ranges from ribeyes to quesadillas to Asian, and regular happy hours. Several major hotel chains have locations nearby. Two (Residence Inn and Hyatt Place) are offering discounted rates for players who mention Cordova Casino when booking.
Ketchum is looking forward to reintroducing the cardroom to players in the Sacramento area and beyond.
"Players can expect a consistency and loyalty that we have not displayed before," Ketchum said. "We are guaranteeing that we will provide an outstanding atmosphere with knowledgeable dealers and staff. For the start of this process, we will not be promotion heavy, but with what we do, we will guarantee its stability. We will also make every guest feel comfortable to play here at all hours of the day and night. We have, hands down, the best cardroom facility in all of Sacramento and it is time to fill it up.”"
Cordova Restaurant Casino’s sister property, 101 Casino in Petaluma, just north of San Francisco, will host an Ante Up Poker Tour championship event in April.
