Portland OR Poker Scene?

[frommagio]

Hey folks. I'll be spending a week in Portland OR later this month, and wanted to understand the Portland poker scene. I'm especially interested in $1-2 NL in casinos, local NL tournaments or ring games, but perhaps some limit as well. If I could find stud hilo, I'd be in heaven - but I know better than to even ask for that. After searching these boards, I have a few questions:

- What are the closest casinos to Portland? Avoiding lots of travel is best, but I'll do what I have to do.
- Which casinos are most likely to have a reasonable number of tables going without an awful wait?
- I gather that all the reachable casinos have horrendous rakes; is that correct?
- It doesn't appear that $1-2 is spread anywhere in the nearby casinos, just $2-5; is that correct?

- And finally - It seems that Portland has a lot of poker happening in clubs, bars, etc. Is that an easy scene to get into? Could I maybe find $1-2 rings, or reasonably low entry fee tourneys in the local poker scene? Maybe the local scene is the way to go.

Thanks in advance to you Portland guys.

[habsfanca11]

Closest NL to Portland is Spirit Mountain Casino. It's a minimum of 1.5 hrs away (or at least that's how long it takes me and I might be taking the wrong roads). I don't play NL so you won't get a lot of detail from me. Check the Spirit Mountain website. Nearest Limit is La Center which is about 40 mins. from Portalnd. La Center has 2 card rooms - New Frontier and Chips. Chips has 6 tables (I think) and Frontier has 7. I really only play at Frontier. Limit only, 3/6, 4/8 and 10/20. 2 of each with the extra table where the highest demand is (normally either 3/6 or 4/8). Frontier is a very decent place to play. Depending upon times wait could be greater than an hour. The bar scene is not for money, but points. In my opinion a wast of time. Some basic info. to get you started, hope it helps. Cheers.

[Hoss1193]

Has the LaCenter Chips expanded? Last (and only) time I played there, they had only 2 or 3 tables, but that was almost 2 years ago.

I would echo that between the two, New Frontier is by far the better place to play in terms of atmosphere & game selection.

And btw, depending on where you are coming from in Portland and time of day (i.e., traffic on I-5), you could conceivably be in La Center quicker than 40 min. When I go there, I'm typically driving in from the northern side (near Univ of Portland), and it takes me 25-30 min. Obviously, if someone is driving from, say, Milwaukie, it'll be a lot longer.

[PSW]

I am curious about the impact of the lack of NL in WA casinos on the limit game. Does having no 2-5 NL game make the 10-20 game better? Do fish go to the NL game when it is available? Are 10-20 games tighter in places where NL is run side by side w/ limit?

I only have experience w/ the Last Frontier. How does Spirit Mt's 10-20 limit game compare to Last Frontier?

Thanks,

psw

[habsfanca11]

Hoss, my memry isn't the greatest. I've played at Chips twice and both over a year ago. I don't think thet have expanded but just rearranged the room to accomodate more tables. I think they had at least 4 and possibly 5, but as I said, my memory wasn't the greatest.

Of note, talk at the Frontier is that they will be adding 3 tables to the Phoenix. Talking with Jason the poker room manager and he mentioned that he might try and spread a 5/10 game there that would likely feed the 10/20 game at the Frontier. FYI.

[Ethan G]

Hi PSW,

I have played 10-20 at both Spirit and La Center, although much more at La Center. La Center seemed a bit looser and far more aggressive, although Spirit was plenty loose. YMMV.

I played 15-30 at the Bellagio, and was wishing I was back home at the Frontier. I sometimes wonder if there is a better middle limit game on the planet.

Best wishes,
Ethan

[habsfanca11]

Ethan, care to out yourself? I'm a weekend regular at 3/6 & 4/8. I'll say Hi next time I'm in if you care to reveal yourself?

[Ethan G]

Hi Habsfan (Montreal Canadiens?)

I guess the best way to do this would be to PM you the next time I go up. I haven't had the time to play more than once or twice a month lately.

Later,
Ethan

[stabn]

[ QUOTE ]
I am curious about the impact of the lack of NL in WA casinos on the limit game. Does having no 2-5 NL game make the 10-20 game better? Do fish go to the NL game when it is available? Are 10-20 games tighter in places where NL is run side by side w/ limit?

I only have experience w/ the Last Frontier. How does Spirit Mt's 10-20 limit game compare to Last Frontier?

Thanks,

psw

[/ QUOTE ]

State law is $25 max bet, $500 max bet at tribal casinos.

[Humble Pie]

La Center is easy $! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]