A Touch of Class: The Tropicana Poker Club

The atmosphere is cool and collected, a sharp contrast to the bustling lights and sounds of the slot machines in the next room. But this sanctuary is pure poker – dark woods and deep greens reminiscent of an upscale club, highlighted by cut crystal and the plush seating that tells players they're not just anyplace.

This is how the game is played in the poker room at Atlantic City's Tropicana Casino and Resort, and in a word, it's luxurious. "Room" is actually a misnomer, since the area designated for poker includes two large spaces. The outside room features busy tables of up to 10 players, punctuated by televisions softly broadcasting news and sports at ceiling level. The inner room is enclosed with more wood and etched glass, and offers the same spacious seating but with a slightly more focused approach to the game.

Attentive dealers and floor personnel oversee games that run the gamut: seven-card stud (high or high-low), Texas hold'em, and Omaha (high or high-low). Betting limits start as low as $1 for the low-limit stud games, and can go as high as "no-limit." From structured to unstructured, and games with or without an ante, the Tropicana allows players to choose how they like to play.

Tournaments are held almost daily, and are open to any player. Buy-ins and entry fees vary. The daily tournament prize pool varies, with the top prize often exceeding $1,000. On a monthly basis, the Tropicana rewards its most frequent players with a freeroll invitational tournament – and a chance to win $1,000. Periodically, the casino also hosts the NJ State Poker Championship Series, with a prize pool of up to $100,000.

Poker players are also able to earn "perks," as the Tropicana consistently gives away gift shop discounts, dinners, shows, and even rooms.

To track playing time, and the subsequent comps, players are given a Poker Club photo identification card – the first of its kind in the nation. It's free of charge, and differs from the casino's Diamond Club player card for general gamblers. The Poker Club card provides its own distinct amenities. Players show the card and the dealer swipes it with an electronic device. The computers do the rest to ensure that players receive what their play earns.

Scott Griffin, the Tropicana's new poker manager, will be initiating some new promotions in the near future. As always, the 190-member poker room staff ensures that the area operates like clockwork, and makes every effort to be the friendliest and most accommodating anywhere. Complimentary drinks and dinner are served at the table, and the poker room is totally nonsmoking.

The Tropicana poker room is a 24-hour venue in which to play, and is often just as busy at night as it is during the daylight hours, and often more so.

And when players might want to take a break from poker, the Tropicana offers a 124,000-square-foot casino that is literally just a few steps away. In fact, the Tropicana – the largest hotel in the state of New Jersey – offers a complete entertainment experience. Headline entertainment, award-winning restaurants, lounges, gambling, specialty shops, and a health club and pool come together in one complex to create a complete and unique resort experience – with poker at its hub.

The casino itself offers a seemingly endless array of table games, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, mini-baccarat, craps, pai gow, pai gow poker, and sic bo. The Trop Turf Club features live simulcast racing from racetracks nationwide. Slot machines abound, from the value-priced 5-cent machines to the premium $100-a-pull machines.

When it's time to relax and unwind outside the poker room, players may enjoy the Tropicana's seven restaurants or three lounges. Restaurants include the casual dockside atmosphere of Pier 7, the elegant Il Verdi for gourmet Italian cuisine, and Wellington & Chan's for a steakhouse with Asian influences. Diamond Jim's Premium Place, an exclusive lounge for premium players, features an exquisite buffet that guests can enjoy at the bar or in the plush lounge areas. And the Top of the Trop offers a most breathtaking panoramic view of the city, along with jazz music and a variety of beverages.

All in all, the Tropicana is more than a poker club, but with poker at its heart and a staff committed to ensuring a player's good time, it's a great place for a game.