Costa Rica Casinos?

[Colima420]

I will be going to Costa Rica in about two weeks. Does anyone know if there are casinos there? And if so, do they have NL hold'em cash games running all the time? Do they have daily/weekly tournaments? What is the level of play?

Any info on casinos in Costa Rica or surrounding Central America areas is appreciated.

[shant]

If you have to play, play online. I think the biggest NL cash game that goes is at the Radisson and it's a $200 table. Also, one of our friends was robbed leaving a casino and most of the time the only games going are $20-40 buyin NL cash games.

[Iron]

I am also looking for more info on CR casinos, but can fill in some details for you. I have lived here just over one month so I am still feeling out places when I have time.

The Fiesta Casino, right across from the airport, has the nicest poker room of the ones I have seen. I just got a car here so I have only made it there once so far. On Wednesdays they have a $50 re-buy tournament with a $10K Guarantee. I skipped that and played the NL ring game with $3/$5 blinds that started with the busted out tournament players. Minimum buy-in was $100, but I am not sure of the maximum buy-in. I was initially told it was $400 but I am sure some players came into the game with more than that. Whatever it was, there was lots of money on the table and it played reasonably deep.

In San Jose, the Horseshoe Casino, right in the scummy part of downtown, has a $1/2 NL game with a $100 min, $400 max buy-in. I have played there quite a few times because it tends to have more players and play bigger than the Casino Europa, which has a $200 max buy-in. Games start at around 1 p.m. and often go to 3-4 a.m.. It seems like there is a hump around 11 p.m.... if the game keeps going past 11 p.m. it tends to run late. Don't walk anywhere outside the Horseshoe. Leave from the front door and take the taxi that is parked right in front.

Casino Europa, in the Radisson, has a decent sized poker room but never seems to have more than one $1/2 NL game when I have been there, and it tends to play small and conservative. I have been here a bunch of times, but have not been going since finding the other two casinos listed above.

The Ramada Herradura has a poker room as well. It is outside of San Jose in Cariari. I checked it out once so far as well, as I live nearby. Small buy-in re-buy tournament on Friday was ok for fun (my wife came and played). They spread a $1/2 NL game as well afterwards but I did not stick around for it.

Things can be a bit dodgy in CR, so you really should be taking a taxi to the door from your hotel and vice versa and not walking around at night around the casinos.... all of them but especially the Horseshoe. If you are staying two blocks away even, the $1 or $2 you spend on the taxi ride will be one of the best investments you can make.

I'd appreciate any info on bigger games that anyone might have, or other suggestions on what places I should check out.

[geormiet]

I think the fiesta casino has a 3/5 NL uncapped buyin that runs often. When I was there it was playing pretty small, average stacks in the 300-500 range.