Hidden Poker Room Gems Across the U.S.

My 2012 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is over. The summer could have been better, but it definitely could have been worse. With a different schedule this year, I ended up playing in only eight bracelet events. I cashed in two tournaments: a 52nd-place finish in a $1,500 no-limit hold’em event and 497th place in the $10,000 main event. Although it was a profitable summer, I did not reach my ultimate goal of winning a WSOP bracelet.

Nevertheless, now that my 2012 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is complete, I am looking forward to spending quality time with my family and rejuvenating after a long, stressful summer in Las Vegas.

However, poker is never far from my mind. In between taking my kids to summer camp, swimming with them in the neighborhood pool and driving to the local ice cream shop, I begin to figure out my poker schedule for the rest of 2012. I peruse through the WSOP, World Poker Tour (WPT) and Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) schedules to determine the best possible combination of events based on my family and business/media commitments.

As I devise my second-half of the year schedule, I am reminded of a few places across the country that I find to be hidden gems for one reason or another. Let me share some of them with you that are located in different areas of the United States.

East Coast: Turning Stone Resort and Casino, Verona, NY

Having played on the East Coast for the majority of my career, I am very familiar with most of the casinos in this area. I grew up honing my skills at Foxwoods Resort Casino and in the poker rooms down in Atlantic City. However, recently I visited Turning Stone Resort and Casino and was pleasantly surprised. Conveniently located directly off the highway (which is not often the case), this casino is owned and operated by the Oneida Indian Nation. Not only does it have poker tournaments with great structures, Turning Stone also has comfortable onsite accommodations, high-class entertainment and an award-winning spa. Finally, if you are a golf fanatic like me, Turning Stone has five golf courses, one that was a former PGA tour stop. As for poker, the 18-year-old age limit assures the room will always be buzzing, especially during their Empire State Hold’em Championships held every summer.

South: Beau Rivage Resort and Casino, Biloxi, Mississippi

Recently, the state of Florida has been booming with poker since its new legislation went into effect on July 1, 2010. Each respective tour has jumped aboard the Florida bandwagon, adding at least one stop to its schedule. However, many of the poker events are located within rundown racetracks with no adjacent hotel accommodations.

For me, the poker room jewel in the South is the Beau Rivage. Formerly a WPT tour stop, the MGM owned property is a beautiful casino with a stellar poker room. Think of the Bellagio of the South (In fact, Steve Wynn almost named the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Beau Rivage). Having suffered through the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina (you can still see reminders of the hurricane even today), the Beau Rivage was one of the first casinos to re-open back in 2006. Since then, the poker room has flourished, especially during its Gulf Coast Championship held around Labor Day every year. In addition to poker, this property is filled with top-notch amenities, including the number-one golf course, according to GolfWeek, in Mississippi – Fallen Oak.

West Coast: Golden Gates Casino, Black Hawk, Colorado

Of course, the west coast is known for its poker. In the past, Los Angeles has been dubbed as the poker capital of the world and Las Vegas is…well, Las Vegas. However, there is a small town in the Colorado Mountains that many outside of Denver may not know about.

Beginning with the state’s casino initiative in 1990’s, Black Hawk, Colorado has grown to almost 20 casinos with a handful of them offering non-stop poker action. About an hour drive from Denver, this former mining town established during the gold rush reminds you of an old gambling town of the 1800’s. Within this cluster of casinos, Golden Gates Casino has developed the biggest poker tournaments in the area.

“We are always listening to player feedback about what they would like to see in our tournaments and in the room. We take pride in delivering exceptional service and a fun, comfortable experience,” states Joey Macaluso, Golden Gates Casino Poker Room Manager. Golden Gates definitely listened and became part of one of the biggest stories of 2011, when its September 2011 HPT tournament garnered a prize pool of over $1 million. The prize pools have continued to grow as the April 2012 HPT event topped $1.2 million and the September 2012 is expected to break the $1 million barrier once again. On your days off, you can go play golf (did I mention I like playing golf) at several nearby golf courses (My recommendation: Fossil Trace Golf Club in Golden, Colorado).

Midwest: Horseshoe Casino, Hammond, Indiana

With the HPT and WSOP Circuit tours growing in popularity, the Midwest poker rooms have become widespread in recent years. Poker rooms near the Chicago area in neighboring Indiana have exploded with the busiest room clearly being the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond. While the other locations I have discussed in this column have had other attractions besides poker, Horseshoe Hammond is chosen for only one reason…poker.

With the property located in a questionable area, there are no hotels nearby and nothing to do outside of poker. However, the casino adds multiple free seats into many of its tournaments, increasing the prizepool and consistently attracting the biggest fields on the circuit. Last October, Horseshoe Hammond produced the largest field in WSOP Circuit history. The first event (a $350 re-entry) had a record 3,001 players, creating a prize pool of nearly $875,000 and a first prize of $124,438. Not to be out done, the $1600 main event (which had a $1.5 million guarantee) shattered all records with 1,615 entrants, a $2.35 million prize pool and first prize of $393,584. Overall, this venue has some of the largest fields outside of the WSOP in Las Vegas and players flock from across the country to play in these record setting fields.

As you consider new venues to play across the United States, consider one of these aforementioned locations. Good luck at the tables during the second half of 2012. I hope to see you at one of these locations. ♠

Bernard Lee is the co-host of ESPN Inside Deal, weekly poker columnist for the Boston Herald, ESPN.com, author of “The Final Table, Volume I and II” and radio host of “The Bernard Lee Poker Show,” which can be found on RoundersRadio.com or via podcast on iTunes. Follow Bernard Lee on Twitter: @BernardLeePoker or visit him at www.BernardLeePoker.com.