'I Have Been to Poker Heaven and its Name is Costa Rica!' By Jan Fisher

The quote in this article's title came from world-class poker player Diego Cordovez. Of course, he was referring to his experience at Casinos Europa in San Jose, Costa Rica, and the wonderful hospitality he received during one of his recent visits. He experienced firsthand the $10 buy-in, $40,000-guaranteed tournament frenzy, and enjoyed one of the most beautifully picturesque spots in the world. A tourist's and poker player's dream location, it is a must-see for the traveler and player in each of us.

Poker has been popular in Costa Rica for many years. Recently, it has experienced a growth spurt due to the popularity of Casinos Europa's "Celebrity" tournaments, which are run three times a year. They have been organized by Casinos Europa's Director General Nick Gullo and Chief Financial Officer Herman Lang. Popular in both casino and poker circles, Gullo has grown the game of poker at Casinos Europa by enticing players from the United States and other countries to spend some serious time there. A five-table operation runs throughout the year featuring $4-$8 and $10-$20 Omaha eight-or-better/hold'em mixed games, and either a no-limit or pot-limit hold'em game. During tournaments, the number of tables increases to about 40. The upcoming Costa Rica Classic, scheduled for Oct. 13-19, promises to be a very big tournament. Its final event will be filmed as part of the World Poker Tour.

Casinos Europa is a charter member of the World Poker Tour. By joining this elite group of major poker tournaments, it has put itself on the poker world map. The WPT events will be aired internationally on a series of TV shows starting in early 2003, and this tropical paradise will receive even more worldwide exposure as a wonderful destination for family vacations.

Costa Rica is known for its friendly people and laid-back way of life. Many players return again and again to enjoy the poker and cultural experience. The cardroom is a well-run, no-abuse-tolerated facility, complete with a tranquil waterfall, and the tournaments are nonsmoking. Starting with the October event, the side action also will be smoke-free during tournament time. This is a very big step for a Latin American country, where smokers greatly outnumber nonsmokers. Gullo explained the nonsmoking decision, saying, "We want to make the environment player-friendly for our neighbors who choose to accept our hospitality."

Visitors have a plethora of tourist options to enjoy, and a tour desk is located outside the tournament area for making tour arrangements. Activities include visits to local restaurants, butterfly farms, waterfalls with lush landscapes, active and inactive volcanoes, and banana and coffee plantations, as well as white-water rafting, shopping tours, canopy tours, gondola rides through the rain forest, deep-sea fishing, and surfing in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In fact, both coasts can easily be visited on the same day, which is a unique feature for any country.

During Casinos Europa's major tournaments, the cardroom is relocated to the convention area of the Radisson Hotel, just upstairs from the regular casino. Kiosks are set up to provide travelers and locals snacks and drinks, cigars (for smoking away from the cardroom), tourist information, and other services. The hotel is second to none in terms of cleanliness, and the restrooms are stocked better than most people's home bathrooms. Attendants are available around-the-clock to maintain a high level of service, whether it be cleaning, serving cocktails, or taking and delivering food orders. During these major tournaments, many dealers and support staff come from the United States to work, as they too have fallen in love with Costa Rica and Casinos Europa.

Casinos Europa has a very professional support staff that has helped ensure the success of its tournaments. Marketing Director Janine Gullo assists players with their travel plans by helping with room reservations, airport transfers, and a slew of other services. She also is available to answer any questions visitors may have while they are in Costa Rica. Tournament Director Dave Lamb has done a great job of not only running the tournaments efficiently and effectively, but implementing Tournament Directors Association (TDA) rules to ensure continuity between events in the United States and those at Casinos Europa. Lamb commented, "Costa Rica offers players a great time. My yearly schedule starts with Casinos Europa, and all other events are booked around it. It is a place where you can vacation every day, play poker every night, and feel genuinely at home all the time." Linda Johnson, the "first lady of poker," hosts each of the events and raves about the warm, friendly atmosphere of the culture and its people. "I have hosted 10 tournaments in Costa Rica and enjoyed each one of them. It is fun to introduce visitors to the beauty and hospitality of Costa Rica."

Casino owner and avid poker player Luis Milanes is the ultimate host, seeing to it that nothing is left to chance. His standards of excellence are extraordinary.

The next time you have travel plans and are looking for something different, or want to relive the great time you had there before, check out Casinos Europa and the wild poker played there. You won't be disappointed. In addition, while you are there, be sure to stop and smell the roses.