The poker scene in Reno has changed over time, nevertheless, you it is always an change as rooms open and close. Forty years ago there were ten places you could play, but the rooms had only a few tables. Thirty years ago half the casinos in the city thought they had to get poker, so even tiny clubs such as the Onslow and Silver Spur were built with a game or two.
Reno poker hit its high point in the late 1980's when WSOP bracelet winners like Hans 'Tuna' Lund, Freddie Deeb, Russ Hamilton, and Ray Zee played in the best rooms in the city (Harrah's, Flamingo Hilton, Reno Hilton). The games were great across town, with busy rooms at Circus Circus, Peppermill, Harold's Club, Cal-Neva and Eldorado.
Today, since the pendulum swings back one other way, you'll find just six poker rooms across the downtown area, seven once you count the Grand Sierra across highway 395. The Silver legacy offers Reno's only all-automated poker tables. Located on the North side with the casino floor, the poker site has PokerPro machines rather than live dealers. Games start at 6pm.
The Sands Regency includes a small, three-table room that serves hotel guests. The room opens at 10am, but games don't always get cranked-up immediately. Comps can be obtained for a long time played. The five remaining live poker rooms in Reno compete for hotel guests and local players this will let you a minimum of six tables.
Number Five ' Club Cal-Neva
The Club-Cal-Neva survived for years within the downtown area with no hotel. Now the club features a nice hotel attached, though the room, clientele, and ambiance have changed little. The room has six tables and offers bad-beat jackpots, four-of-a-kind and higher bonuses, and bonus tournament chips for each hour of live cash play.
The comp rate is $1 each hour of live cash play and may even provide for property amenities as well as $10 tournament buy-ins. Room opens at 10am.
Number Four ' Eldorado
The Eldorado casino is sandwiched between the Silver Legacy and Circus Circus and has an 11-table poker room. The room is well laid-out with plenty of room between your tables. Bonuses for four-of-a-kind and better hands are paid every day and all sorts of games have a bad-beat jackpot drop. The room opens at 10am, but stays open before the games drop.
$30 tournament players get a $10 bonus when they play in live games after the tournament. In addition, complimentary entry to a $2,000 added last-Friday in the month tournament are available for 25-hours of play. The hourly comp rate for live play is $1.
Number Three ' Peppermill
The Peppermill will be the nicest poker site in Northern Nevada, with 25 TV's and 19 tables. A complimentary, self-service beverage, soup, and sandwich station keeps players within the room as does table-side dining. The hourly comp rates are $1.
Number Two ' Grand Sierra
The Grand Sierra poker network opens at 9:30am and contains 7 tables available. Seated players have a chance to win $50 for aces cracked, Sunday through Thursday. There are a number of nice complimentary bonuses including a player's buffet offered daily for live game players.
A limit game starter special for that first players in a $3-6 limit Hold'em game at 2pm is $20 in chips after two hours of live play. The hourly rates are $2.
Number One - Atlantis
The Atlantis includes a pleasant poker site with plush chairs and many TV's. The nine-table room opens at 9am and will be offering a free-spin bonus wheel for lucky seated players, high-hand read more payoffs, plus an aces-cracked bonus. In addition, a self-service soup and beverage bar is available.
The comp rate with the Atlantis runs $1 per hour for 10-twenty four hours inside a week of play and $2 by the hour for more than one day of play, plus $1 cash return by the hour. You can also turn in a tournament receipt for almost any play in Reno/Sparks and get a $10 bonus with one-hour of play.