Casino Chip of the Day
October 14th, 2013 at 7:01:05 AM
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Quote: DocDoesn't sound much like a place for high rollers. What's the max wager for blackjack? Seems as if "black chip" players might be shoving a lot of chips around.
I don't remember the max bet. At many of the card clubs outside of LA and San Jose it's quite low - $100 or $200. Still, that's a lot of chips to push around. I get the feeling that at many of these places that have games other than poker, the primary purpose of these games is to kill time while on the list for a seat at a poker table. Of course, with $0.10 and $0.25 chips in play, poker at 19th hole is also not a big money game...
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 14th, 2013 at 4:48:08 PM
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Player banking is offered at just about every club in California since games (except slots covered by tribal compact with the governor) have to be "Player vs. player". Most players are not capitalized to take advantage of the opportunity, especially since the corporate, "player" will stake a bet against you as well. You will see a "Deal One/Deal Two" lammer or mat indicating who is banking, and how many hands before they have to pass the option to the next position. Also, some joints offer "Corporate Cover", where the player who chooses to bank doesn't have to cover 100% of the action. The "corporation" will cover the balance (priority of payouts gives the corporation incentive to provide this service). Interestingly, most players do not want to play against a "banking" player, and will wait until the corporation's turn before wagering.
Low maximum wagers help to defray the risk, but if players want to increase their wager over the posted limit, it is common for the table layout to allow multiple bets at each seating position (each with their own ante, of course). This works out well for the most part, but I have seen disputes during busy periods where a standing player, placing wagers on multiple tables, loses track of them.
Low maximum wagers help to defray the risk, but if players want to increase their wager over the posted limit, it is common for the table layout to allow multiple bets at each seating position (each with their own ante, of course). This works out well for the most part, but I have seen disputes during busy periods where a standing player, placing wagers on multiple tables, loses track of them.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 14th, 2013 at 5:07:00 PM
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Welcome back to the thread, Ayecarumba! This really was turning into just an rdw4potus & Doc conversation. Yours is the first post in five days from anyone else, and you had some good input for us.
I know that when I played in a couple of clubs back in 2003, one of my colleagues banked a few blackjack hands. That's how I knew it could be done, but I wasn't sure how universal it is or what the rules might be.
I know that when I played in a couple of clubs back in 2003, one of my colleagues banked a few blackjack hands. That's how I knew it could be done, but I wasn't sure how universal it is or what the rules might be.
October 14th, 2013 at 8:41:17 PM
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State: California
City: Clovis
Casino: 500 Club
Today's chip of the day comes from the 500 Club casino in Clovis, CA. Clovis is a suburb of Fresno, which is on US 99 in Central CA. The 500 Club has about 12 poker tables, 1 UTH table, and 1 PGP table. Casino City's entry for the casino is nonsense, and contains a terribly inaccurate table count and no size info.
500 club is a fun place. It's a bar & grill, with a pretty big card room in the back. It was a little odd walking in. Parking is on the side of the building on the street, and the entrance to the card club is through the bar (or via the patio, which was closed). I parked, walked into the bar, and saw no cardroom. I cocked my head to the side and looked at the bartender. She just laughed & said "just keep walking, hun. It's back there."
Here's a pic of the 500 club.
I played PGP at the 500 club. PGP games in California move at a very fast pace. Many clubs don't even bother to allow the player to set their hand and just assume that the houseway will be used. At 500 club, players can set their hands but everyone was lightening quick. I don't think the slow-peeling/pinching reveal would be tolerated by the other players.
My chip is the sun mold, produced by the Blue Chip company. The chip is red, which is very rare for a California card club, and has blue and white inserts. One of the really fun things about these card clubs is the array of chips in play. 500 Club has: $0.25, $0.50, $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $10, $20, $25, and $100 chips. While the $5 chip is the normal red color, the other chips are uniquely colored. $1 is blue, $25 is gunmetal, $2 is green, $100 is white...
City: Clovis
Casino: 500 Club
Today's chip of the day comes from the 500 Club casino in Clovis, CA. Clovis is a suburb of Fresno, which is on US 99 in Central CA. The 500 Club has about 12 poker tables, 1 UTH table, and 1 PGP table. Casino City's entry for the casino is nonsense, and contains a terribly inaccurate table count and no size info.
500 club is a fun place. It's a bar & grill, with a pretty big card room in the back. It was a little odd walking in. Parking is on the side of the building on the street, and the entrance to the card club is through the bar (or via the patio, which was closed). I parked, walked into the bar, and saw no cardroom. I cocked my head to the side and looked at the bartender. She just laughed & said "just keep walking, hun. It's back there."
Here's a pic of the 500 club.
I played PGP at the 500 club. PGP games in California move at a very fast pace. Many clubs don't even bother to allow the player to set their hand and just assume that the houseway will be used. At 500 club, players can set their hands but everyone was lightening quick. I don't think the slow-peeling/pinching reveal would be tolerated by the other players.
My chip is the sun mold, produced by the Blue Chip company. The chip is red, which is very rare for a California card club, and has blue and white inserts. One of the really fun things about these card clubs is the array of chips in play. 500 Club has: $0.25, $0.50, $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $10, $20, $25, and $100 chips. While the $5 chip is the normal red color, the other chips are uniquely colored. $1 is blue, $25 is gunmetal, $2 is green, $100 is white...
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 15th, 2013 at 2:35:47 PM
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So what the heck is that structure shown on the chip? It doesn't look at all like the building in your photo of the 500 Club. I even was nerdy enough to go to Google Maps Street View and look at the side of the building. Nope, doesn't look like the chip at all.
Any ideas?
Any ideas?
October 15th, 2013 at 3:39:55 PM
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Where does the name "500 Club" come from? Is it an address?
The only thing I know about Clovis is that they grow "Pluots" there. A cross between a plum and an apricot.
The only thing I know about Clovis is that they grow "Pluots" there. A cross between a plum and an apricot.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 15th, 2013 at 4:00:20 PM
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Quote: AyecarumbaWhere does the name "500 Club" come from? Is it an address?
The only thing I know about Clovis is that they grow "Pluots" there. A cross between a plum and an apricot.
I think it is an address. The building in the picture is at 5th & Clovis Rd. I think that address would have been 500 Clovis. That is also the facility that I visited when I collected the chip. In researching this question, it looks like the casino has moved and is now a part of a strip mall at 771 W Shaw ave.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 15th, 2013 at 4:24:52 PM
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Quote: DocSo what the heck is that structure shown on the chip? It doesn't look at all like the building in your photo of the 500 Club. I even was nerdy enough to go to Google Maps Street View and look at the side of the building. Nope, doesn't look like the chip at all.
Any ideas?
I believe the structures pictured on the chip are the old buildings that used to be at the former 500 Clovis Ave. address. The "corner" building in Rdw's photo, appears to be the structure on the right side of the row in the view portrayed on the chip. I assume the other structures have been torn down, since there is now a parking lot where the middle structure used to be.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 15th, 2013 at 8:03:27 PM
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State: California
City: San Bruno
Casino: Artichoke Joe's
Today's chip of the day come's from Artichoke Joe's card club in San Bruno, CA. San Bruno is a rare working class city in the Western Bay Area, between San Francisco and San Jose. San Francisco International Airport is in San Bruno, and Artichoke Joe's is only a few hundred feet from the airport's property. I guess in that way, it's sort of like Rivers in IL. Artichoke Joe's has a 20,000 sqft gaming floor and 33 table and poker games. The casino has PGP and California BJ in addition to poker. Casino City's table count and/or game count are woefully off. 33 tables sounds about right, in which case they're vastly overstating the non-poker game count.
Artichoke Joe's has a pretty succinct and interesting history on their website:
Artichoke Joe's has been a family founded and family owned business since 1916. The one-room Joe's Pool Parlor switched names to Artichoke Joe's in 1921, becoming a permanent fixture in San Bruno sporting life. Joseph Sammut opened his pool parlor and phone exchange in Al LoReaux's former plumbing shop. Most calls concerned horse races. Joe accepted any wager, no matter how large. Asked how he would pay off if he lost a big bet, he replied, "In artichoke leaves," hence the name. Still owned by the Sammut family, Artichoke Joe's is one of the city's oldest businesses. source
I wasn't sure what to do for the picture here. I didn't want to post 3 images, but the property has 3 distinct sides. There's the fancy "front" entrance that nobody uses, the side along the street, and the plain but used backdoor facing the parking lot.
I played BJ at Artichoke Joe's. It was a fast and fun game. The crowd was not as rough as the neighborhood, but it sure wasn't the same group as some of the other Bay Area clubs pull in. While I was enjoying my BJ session, a slow roll after a check raise almost caused a fist fight at one of the poker tables. Still, the stakes are stratospheric. In fact, the non-poker games have no set maximum limit. They're constrained only by the bet booking ability of the corporate player.
My chip from Artichoke Joe's is a Chipco product (according to the MOGH). It's very old - maybe Chipco made chips in this style back in the day? The chips at Artichoke Joe's come in a variety of denominations: $0.25, $0.50, $1, $2, $3, $5, $20, $100, $1000, and $5000. Yes, no $25 or $500 chips. Gotta respect a 30 table poker room that puts both $0.25 and $5000 chips in play.
City: San Bruno
Casino: Artichoke Joe's
Today's chip of the day come's from Artichoke Joe's card club in San Bruno, CA. San Bruno is a rare working class city in the Western Bay Area, between San Francisco and San Jose. San Francisco International Airport is in San Bruno, and Artichoke Joe's is only a few hundred feet from the airport's property. I guess in that way, it's sort of like Rivers in IL. Artichoke Joe's has a 20,000 sqft gaming floor and 33 table and poker games. The casino has PGP and California BJ in addition to poker. Casino City's table count and/or game count are woefully off. 33 tables sounds about right, in which case they're vastly overstating the non-poker game count.
Artichoke Joe's has a pretty succinct and interesting history on their website:
Artichoke Joe's has been a family founded and family owned business since 1916. The one-room Joe's Pool Parlor switched names to Artichoke Joe's in 1921, becoming a permanent fixture in San Bruno sporting life. Joseph Sammut opened his pool parlor and phone exchange in Al LoReaux's former plumbing shop. Most calls concerned horse races. Joe accepted any wager, no matter how large. Asked how he would pay off if he lost a big bet, he replied, "In artichoke leaves," hence the name. Still owned by the Sammut family, Artichoke Joe's is one of the city's oldest businesses. source
I wasn't sure what to do for the picture here. I didn't want to post 3 images, but the property has 3 distinct sides. There's the fancy "front" entrance that nobody uses, the side along the street, and the plain but used backdoor facing the parking lot.
I played BJ at Artichoke Joe's. It was a fast and fun game. The crowd was not as rough as the neighborhood, but it sure wasn't the same group as some of the other Bay Area clubs pull in. While I was enjoying my BJ session, a slow roll after a check raise almost caused a fist fight at one of the poker tables. Still, the stakes are stratospheric. In fact, the non-poker games have no set maximum limit. They're constrained only by the bet booking ability of the corporate player.
My chip from Artichoke Joe's is a Chipco product (according to the MOGH). It's very old - maybe Chipco made chips in this style back in the day? The chips at Artichoke Joe's come in a variety of denominations: $0.25, $0.50, $1, $2, $3, $5, $20, $100, $1000, and $5000. Yes, no $25 or $500 chips. Gotta respect a 30 table poker room that puts both $0.25 and $5000 chips in play.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 16th, 2013 at 7:23:34 PM
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State: California
City: Delano
Casino: Aviator
Today's chip of the day comes from the Aviator card club in Delano, CA. Delano is about half way between Visalia and Bakersfield on CA99. The facility has 20 table and poker games on a 14,000 sqft gaming floor.
Aviator has a really awesomely well-done theme. Or, maybe pair of themes. It's very modern and shiny, and it also has lots and lots of aviation-related touches. Walking into Aviator was like walking into the best possible interpretation of a USAF O-club in 1955. I really wish there were pictures of the inside available online. Here's a picture of the outside.
I played PGP at Aviator. The joker is fully wild. That condition is rare, even in CA, and this is only 1 of 2 places outside of the LA area where I've seen that rule in play. I tried to practice with it before making this trip, but I still missed some easy plays during this session. I think I played 2233*xx as 2233x/*x rather than 22*xx/33. There was a guy at the table with me, and he finally got so frustrated that he'd say "OK, kid. Do you have the joker?" and then force his way into setting my hand if I did. Dude was pretty excitable, which was sort of odd/scary since he was just so big. 6'8" and 350 of muscle, easy. Made my 6'4" 250 of other-than-muscle seem absolutely puny. The dealer and corporate player were just laughing at us/me the whole time. Unfortunately, no matter what my friend and I tried, I/we couldn't win. I think his hands did better than mine, but it wasn't pretty.
Here's my chip from the Aviator. The MOGH lists it as a "Flying A." It looks a lot like the B&G sample "premium chip" on their website, but the design is not quite an exact match. Still, B&G seems the most likely designer. Aviator has a somewhat more "normal" array of chips than the last couple card clubs did. They have: $0.50, $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $25, $100, and $500. So, pretty standard denominations - in pretty standard colors, too - with the addition of $3 (orange) and $4 (brown) chips.
City: Delano
Casino: Aviator
Today's chip of the day comes from the Aviator card club in Delano, CA. Delano is about half way between Visalia and Bakersfield on CA99. The facility has 20 table and poker games on a 14,000 sqft gaming floor.
Aviator has a really awesomely well-done theme. Or, maybe pair of themes. It's very modern and shiny, and it also has lots and lots of aviation-related touches. Walking into Aviator was like walking into the best possible interpretation of a USAF O-club in 1955. I really wish there were pictures of the inside available online. Here's a picture of the outside.
I played PGP at Aviator. The joker is fully wild. That condition is rare, even in CA, and this is only 1 of 2 places outside of the LA area where I've seen that rule in play. I tried to practice with it before making this trip, but I still missed some easy plays during this session. I think I played 2233*xx as 2233x/*x rather than 22*xx/33. There was a guy at the table with me, and he finally got so frustrated that he'd say "OK, kid. Do you have the joker?" and then force his way into setting my hand if I did. Dude was pretty excitable, which was sort of odd/scary since he was just so big. 6'8" and 350 of muscle, easy. Made my 6'4" 250 of other-than-muscle seem absolutely puny. The dealer and corporate player were just laughing at us/me the whole time. Unfortunately, no matter what my friend and I tried, I/we couldn't win. I think his hands did better than mine, but it wasn't pretty.
Here's my chip from the Aviator. The MOGH lists it as a "Flying A." It looks a lot like the B&G sample "premium chip" on their website, but the design is not quite an exact match. Still, B&G seems the most likely designer. Aviator has a somewhat more "normal" array of chips than the last couple card clubs did. They have: $0.50, $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $25, $100, and $500. So, pretty standard denominations - in pretty standard colors, too - with the addition of $3 (orange) and $4 (brown) chips.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 16th, 2013 at 9:16:04 PM
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I just saw an episode of "American Pickers" where they purchased an old gas pump with the "Flying A" brand logo on it. They mentioned that this brand was once quite famous.
(image from cartype.com)
(image from cartype.com)
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 17th, 2013 at 8:13:45 PM
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State: California
City: Salinas
Casino: Bankers
Today's chip of the day comes from the Bankers card club in Salinas, CA. Salinas is on US 101 in Monterrey County, just East of Monterrey Bay. Bankers has about 10 tables, and a very small floor. There's a PGP table, a 3CP table, 2 BJ tables, 3 or 4 poker tables for cash games, and a poker tourney area. Based on what I saw during the evening I visited, Bankers is rare for a small room in that they keep the cash games going even during tournaments. Sure, interest in the ring games wanes during tournaments, but it's not a situation where players need to wait for tourney bust-outs in order to participate in a cash game.
Bankers is not at all a pretty place, inside or out. Here's a picture of the property from the side opposite the parking area & facing the street (I think this is nominally the "front" of the building):
I played 3CP at Bankers. That wasn't my first choice, but the PGP and BJ games were full. I played a few hands, I lost a few dollars, and I left with my chip. The people at the 3CP table were telling me that Bankers is the class of the area poker rooms in terms of player quality. I'm not sure if that was local/homer bravado, or if it's true. Bankers is not as pretty as some of the other rooms, but I could see it bringing in a good variety of competent players.
In another thread, one of our esteemed admins professed a disdain for the Strip because those places are not what casinos should be - they're malls, fancy restaurants, world class hotels, spas...oh, yeah, and over here is a room with some slots and stuff. I tend to agree with that feeling. But I think that many card clubs in CA take things too far the other way. Bankers is one of those. This is a BO-filled room with 80 dudes playing cards. No more, no less. There's a vending machine in the corner, and sometimes hotdogs are served.
My chip from Bankers is another Sunfly mold from the Blue Chip company. Yellow seems to be the most common color of $5 chip in California. Many are red, some are green, or blue, or brown; but I think a plurality are yellow. Here are the chip denominations at Bankers: $1, $2, $3, $5, and $20 chips are available. I really don't play much poker...are the $3 and $4 chips at these casinos actually put in play on 1/3 NL and $2/4 or $4/8 games? Or are they just there to be dropped as the rake?
City: Salinas
Casino: Bankers
Today's chip of the day comes from the Bankers card club in Salinas, CA. Salinas is on US 101 in Monterrey County, just East of Monterrey Bay. Bankers has about 10 tables, and a very small floor. There's a PGP table, a 3CP table, 2 BJ tables, 3 or 4 poker tables for cash games, and a poker tourney area. Based on what I saw during the evening I visited, Bankers is rare for a small room in that they keep the cash games going even during tournaments. Sure, interest in the ring games wanes during tournaments, but it's not a situation where players need to wait for tourney bust-outs in order to participate in a cash game.
Bankers is not at all a pretty place, inside or out. Here's a picture of the property from the side opposite the parking area & facing the street (I think this is nominally the "front" of the building):
I played 3CP at Bankers. That wasn't my first choice, but the PGP and BJ games were full. I played a few hands, I lost a few dollars, and I left with my chip. The people at the 3CP table were telling me that Bankers is the class of the area poker rooms in terms of player quality. I'm not sure if that was local/homer bravado, or if it's true. Bankers is not as pretty as some of the other rooms, but I could see it bringing in a good variety of competent players.
In another thread, one of our esteemed admins professed a disdain for the Strip because those places are not what casinos should be - they're malls, fancy restaurants, world class hotels, spas...oh, yeah, and over here is a room with some slots and stuff. I tend to agree with that feeling. But I think that many card clubs in CA take things too far the other way. Bankers is one of those. This is a BO-filled room with 80 dudes playing cards. No more, no less. There's a vending machine in the corner, and sometimes hotdogs are served.
My chip from Bankers is another Sunfly mold from the Blue Chip company. Yellow seems to be the most common color of $5 chip in California. Many are red, some are green, or blue, or brown; but I think a plurality are yellow. Here are the chip denominations at Bankers: $1, $2, $3, $5, and $20 chips are available. I really don't play much poker...are the $3 and $4 chips at these casinos actually put in play on 1/3 NL and $2/4 or $4/8 games? Or are they just there to be dropped as the rake?
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 17th, 2013 at 8:46:07 PM
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Quote: rdw4potus
My chip from Bankers is another Sunfly mold from the Blue Chip company. Yellow seems to be the most common color of $5 chip in California. Many are red, some are green, or blue, or brown; but I think a plurality are yellow. Here are the chip denominations at Bankers: $1, $2, $3, $5, and $20 chips are available. I really don't play much poker...are the $3 and $4 chips at these casinos actually put in play on 1/3 NL and $2/4 or $4/8 games? Or are they just there to be dropped as the rake?
They're unlikely actually played. $3 and $4 chips are usually "drop" chips. I know that Horseshoe Tunica uses a $4 drop chip when the rake is maxed out. I have played with $2 chips before, but not $3 or $4.
October 17th, 2013 at 8:49:51 PM
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Quote: AyecarumbaI just saw an episode of "American Pickers" where they purchased an old gas pump with the "Flying A" brand logo on it. They mentioned that this brand was once quite famous.
Royal Petroleum now uses the Flying A logo.
October 18th, 2013 at 8:14:02 PM
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State: California
City: San Jose
Casino: Bay 101
Today's chip of the day comes from the Bay 101 card club in San Jose, CA. Bay 101 is quite large, with roughly 80 tables on a 72,000 sqft floor. It's pretty upscale and spacious.
I haven't talked much yet about the trips on which I collected these chips. I snagged most of them over a 5 day period in which I flew to LA, drove to San Jose, cut over to CA-99, drove down to San Diego, drove back to LA, flew to SFO, and did a loop from the Bay Area to Sacramento and back. This was one of the sillier routes I've ever taken, though there were some work reasons for being where I was when I was. I was pretty out of it for most of my time in central CA and the San Jose area, but I crossed a guy who was much worse off than I was. As I entered Bay 101, they were throwing a guy out because the casino has a strict rule and "(a person) can only be on the premises for 72 consecutive hours." 72 HOURS is how long this guy had been gambling before the house threw him out.
Here's a picture of Bay 101's entrance:
I played pai gow tiles at Bay 101. I'm really not sure why tiles is OK if real roulette and real craps aren't, but I guess that's how CA laws work. This was my first time playing tiles. It wasn't a total loss, but it didn't go well. I was alone at the tiles table, which was good because then the dealers could help me. Most of the rest of the club was packed, and the stakes were crazy. $20 is the highest chip denomination, but people were easily betting $1000 on BJ and PGP. I don't think I've ever seen that many chips being pushed back and forth before. I mean, I've played with guys betting thousands per hand (one of the side-effects of a $25-$5,000 table...), but never with people betting 50 chips per hand. That just looked unpleasant.
My chip from Bay 101 is a yellow Bud Jones. I'm a big fan of the random dolphin images on the chip. The chip has a glitter ring that we've seen a couple times before. Hacienda's chip has one for sure...
City: San Jose
Casino: Bay 101
Today's chip of the day comes from the Bay 101 card club in San Jose, CA. Bay 101 is quite large, with roughly 80 tables on a 72,000 sqft floor. It's pretty upscale and spacious.
I haven't talked much yet about the trips on which I collected these chips. I snagged most of them over a 5 day period in which I flew to LA, drove to San Jose, cut over to CA-99, drove down to San Diego, drove back to LA, flew to SFO, and did a loop from the Bay Area to Sacramento and back. This was one of the sillier routes I've ever taken, though there were some work reasons for being where I was when I was. I was pretty out of it for most of my time in central CA and the San Jose area, but I crossed a guy who was much worse off than I was. As I entered Bay 101, they were throwing a guy out because the casino has a strict rule and "(a person) can only be on the premises for 72 consecutive hours." 72 HOURS is how long this guy had been gambling before the house threw him out.
Here's a picture of Bay 101's entrance:
I played pai gow tiles at Bay 101. I'm really not sure why tiles is OK if real roulette and real craps aren't, but I guess that's how CA laws work. This was my first time playing tiles. It wasn't a total loss, but it didn't go well. I was alone at the tiles table, which was good because then the dealers could help me. Most of the rest of the club was packed, and the stakes were crazy. $20 is the highest chip denomination, but people were easily betting $1000 on BJ and PGP. I don't think I've ever seen that many chips being pushed back and forth before. I mean, I've played with guys betting thousands per hand (one of the side-effects of a $25-$5,000 table...), but never with people betting 50 chips per hand. That just looked unpleasant.
My chip from Bay 101 is a yellow Bud Jones. I'm a big fan of the random dolphin images on the chip. The chip has a glitter ring that we've seen a couple times before. Hacienda's chip has one for sure...
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 18th, 2013 at 9:08:54 PM
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How do you (anybody, I guess), as a collector, feel about non-standard designs on chips? Would you try to collect the "default" style, whichever one was in best condition, or the version that you personally favored?
I was over at The Palms recently and, as a very fast PGP setter who gets bored easily, spent a lot of time playing with my chips. I noticed that, of the amount I had on hand, there were at least 15 different 5$ chips, introduced for holidays, sporting events, new bars, etc. Frankly, I spent more time and attention studying the chips than on the game itself. Couldn't get this thread out of my head afterwards.
I was over at The Palms recently and, as a very fast PGP setter who gets bored easily, spent a lot of time playing with my chips. I noticed that, of the amount I had on hand, there were at least 15 different 5$ chips, introduced for holidays, sporting events, new bars, etc. Frankly, I spent more time and attention studying the chips than on the game itself. Couldn't get this thread out of my head afterwards.
October 18th, 2013 at 9:18:18 PM
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Quote: VenthusHow do you (anybody, I guess), as a collector, feel about non-standard designs on chips? Would you try to collect the "default" style, whichever one was in best condition, or the version that you personally favored?
I think that both rdw4potus and I prefer the non-commemorative chips. That's usually an easier objective for me, since there are not very many commemorative $1 chips. On the other hand, if they do use a commemorative $1 chip, that's typically the only $1 chip in play, so I don't have any choice. For the $5 chips, they often have a mix in play together -- very similar chips but with different images on the center inlays.
Quote: VenthusCouldn't get this thread out of my head afterwards.
Now maybe you understand why chip collectors may have difficulty focusing on the important parts of the game!
October 19th, 2013 at 11:25:27 AM
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Quote: VenthusHow do you (anybody, I guess), as a collector, feel about non-standard designs on chips? Would you try to collect the "default" style, whichever one was in best condition, or the version that you personally favored?
I was over at The Palms recently and, as a very fast PGP setter who gets bored easily, spent a lot of time playing with my chips. I noticed that, of the amount I had on hand, there were at least 15 different 5$ chips, introduced for holidays, sporting events, new bars, etc. Frankly, I spent more time and attention studying the chips than on the game itself. Couldn't get this thread out of my head afterwards.
Like Doc, my preference is to collect the "default" style of chip. If I'm actually at a property during the event that is celebrated by a commemorative chip, I'll collect that chip too. As an example, I was at Canterbury Park for their card club's 10th anniversary celebration. Those chips aren't a part of my standard collection, but I keep them anyway.
I'm not sure that there even is a "default" $5 chip at Palms. Same with Hooters. So in both cases, I reverted to looking for the chip in the best condition. I've found a couple places that have 2 "default" chips. Most recently, the Isle in Cape Girardeau, MO had two totally different non-commemorative chips in play. I grabbed one of each. That's a pretty new casino, so I really don't know why they have two sets of chips in play. I could see if one was the backup set, but then they wouldn't/shouldn't be intermingled with the primary set.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 19th, 2013 at 12:10:37 PM
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Quote: VenthusHow do you (anybody, I guess), as a collector, feel about non-standard designs on chips? Would you try to collect the "default" style, whichever one was in best condition, or the version that you personally favored?
I was over at The Palms recently and, as a very fast PGP setter who gets bored easily, spent a lot of time playing with my chips. I noticed that, of the amount I had on hand, there were at least 15 different 5$ chips, introduced for holidays, sporting events, new bars, etc. Frankly, I spent more time and attention studying the chips than on the game itself. Couldn't get this thread out of my head afterwards.
The primary reason for the variety of inserts is to stoke the collector's market. It cost's much less than a $1 each for a joint like the Palms to produce a limited run of $5 chip designs. Like sports cards, there is something for everyone at every price point, so I appreciate the variety. There are often $25 "limited edition" chips, and sometimes even $100 chips (encouraging a collector to go for the series). Every chip that is collected rather than cashed is straight up profit for the house.
I can only afford to put in $1 toward each chip, so I look for the newest one I can find. If a joint offers a "special edition" at the $1 level, I'll get that one too. I look at it as one of the best values for a souvenir available. A deck of cards or pair of dice in the gift shop will cost you as much or more. Even a couple of post cards will run you as much.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 19th, 2013 at 2:09:26 PM
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Quote: rdw4potusLike Doc, my preference is to collect the "default" style of chip.
I am the same way. I only have three "specialized" chips (besides Margaritaville); "Rack Pack" from Hooters, "La Cage" from the Riviera, and "Playboy Club" from the Palms. (I think the Riviera was the only one where I wasn't given a choice.)
October 19th, 2013 at 7:47:53 PM
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State: California
City: Bell Gardens
Casino: Bicycle
Today's chip of the day comes from the Bicycle card club in Bell Gardens, CA. Bell Gardens is a Los Angeles suburb, and Bicycle is one of the premier card clubs in that market. Bicycle has 190 tables on a 125,000 sqft gaming floor.
I find Bicycle's layout confusing. It's pretty much a big square, but there are different sections for poker and table games, and for low and high limit games. And baccarat and PGP have their own areas. The first time I visited, I was in a big hurry and couldn't even find the non-poker games. I bought my chip off a guy in the cashier line. I've since been back a couple times, and I've played table games both times.
Bicycle's logo is quite iconic. I can't find a good picture of the full building or of the sign on the street, but here's a picture of the sign over the entrance:
My chip from Bicycle is a Bud Jones product. It's quite similar to yesterday's chip from Bay 101, but with a different edge pattern. Bicycle has an interesting array of chips. There are Paulsons molded with the Bicycle name, chipcos, Bud Joneses, and Paulson IHCs. The high-denomination chips are IHCs with holograms in the center - that's kind of cool.
City: Bell Gardens
Casino: Bicycle
Today's chip of the day comes from the Bicycle card club in Bell Gardens, CA. Bell Gardens is a Los Angeles suburb, and Bicycle is one of the premier card clubs in that market. Bicycle has 190 tables on a 125,000 sqft gaming floor.
I find Bicycle's layout confusing. It's pretty much a big square, but there are different sections for poker and table games, and for low and high limit games. And baccarat and PGP have their own areas. The first time I visited, I was in a big hurry and couldn't even find the non-poker games. I bought my chip off a guy in the cashier line. I've since been back a couple times, and I've played table games both times.
Bicycle's logo is quite iconic. I can't find a good picture of the full building or of the sign on the street, but here's a picture of the sign over the entrance:
My chip from Bicycle is a Bud Jones product. It's quite similar to yesterday's chip from Bay 101, but with a different edge pattern. Bicycle has an interesting array of chips. There are Paulsons molded with the Bicycle name, chipcos, Bud Joneses, and Paulson IHCs. The high-denomination chips are IHCs with holograms in the center - that's kind of cool.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 20th, 2013 at 4:32:50 PM
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I recall that the club and the city it is located in had some trouble with the law a few years ago. It doesn't appear to have put much of a damper on the casino activity though.
There were also some big winners at the Bike who were followed home and robbed. But I don't know if that is so different from other places.
There were also some big winners at the Bike who were followed home and robbed. But I don't know if that is so different from other places.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 20th, 2013 at 5:17:39 PM
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Quote: AyecarumbaI recall that the club and the city it is located in had some trouble with the law a few years ago. It doesn't appear to have put much of a damper on the casino activity though.
There were also some big winners at the Bike who were followed home and robbed. But I don't know if that is so different from other places.
I can certainly see how that could happen. The main cashier is very near the front door, which leads directly to the parkinglot. So anyone watching would have a very easy path to follow someone off of the property. I'm not sure about following someone home in LA traffic, but the on-property part would be pretty easy.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 20th, 2013 at 7:21:10 PM
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Quote: Ayecarumba... There are often $25 "limited edition" chips, and sometimes even $100 chips (encouraging a collector to go for the series).
Would it surprise you to hear that I have never even felt the draw of such an encouragement? One benefit of being a cheapskate, I suppose. The $1 chips serve my interests quite nicely.
;-)
October 20th, 2013 at 7:39:43 PM
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State: California
City: Tuolumne
Casino: Black Oak
Today's chip of the day comes from the Black Oak casino in Tuolumne, CA. Tuolumne is very near the border of Yosemite National Park, between Sonora Pass (CA-108) and Tioga Pass (CA-120). The casino is slightly north of town. Black Oak has 1,200 slots and 24 tables on a 65,000 sqft gaming floor. The casino is owned by the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians. The MOGH lists an opening date of 2001, with a grand opening in 2005. I'm not sure what happened during the pre-grand years. I do think the facility has been renovated and expanded, maybe that's what opened in 2005? I've been to Black Oak twice. Frustratingly, I was so tired on my first visit that I neglected to actually keep a chip and I was several hundred miles away (NOT the same night) when I realized what'd happened. So I returned about a year later and collected a chip at that time.
Black Oak is in a very beautiful area. It's just a couple miles from Yosemite, and it's not like the awesomeness ends at the park border. Here's a picture of the casino at what I think is sunrise (the picture is facing due east, I think):
I played Pai Gow Poker at Black Oak - both times, even! The game was fast and well-dealt, with a partially-wild joker. Black Oak also has the only Texas Hold'em Bonus game that I've seen in CA. I'm not sure if that game is in other houses that I haven't been to, but UTH is by far the more popular option in CA.
My chip from Black Oak is a Chipco product. It's one of the few commemorative chips in my collection. At the time I visited, in October of 2011, the 2011-series 10 year anniversary chip was the only one in play. I'm not sure if they've now re-introduced the standard chip, which the MOGH suggests does exist, or if this is a permanent change to the new chip which happens to be a 10th anniversary chip.
City: Tuolumne
Casino: Black Oak
Today's chip of the day comes from the Black Oak casino in Tuolumne, CA. Tuolumne is very near the border of Yosemite National Park, between Sonora Pass (CA-108) and Tioga Pass (CA-120). The casino is slightly north of town. Black Oak has 1,200 slots and 24 tables on a 65,000 sqft gaming floor. The casino is owned by the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians. The MOGH lists an opening date of 2001, with a grand opening in 2005. I'm not sure what happened during the pre-grand years. I do think the facility has been renovated and expanded, maybe that's what opened in 2005? I've been to Black Oak twice. Frustratingly, I was so tired on my first visit that I neglected to actually keep a chip and I was several hundred miles away (NOT the same night) when I realized what'd happened. So I returned about a year later and collected a chip at that time.
Black Oak is in a very beautiful area. It's just a couple miles from Yosemite, and it's not like the awesomeness ends at the park border. Here's a picture of the casino at what I think is sunrise (the picture is facing due east, I think):
I played Pai Gow Poker at Black Oak - both times, even! The game was fast and well-dealt, with a partially-wild joker. Black Oak also has the only Texas Hold'em Bonus game that I've seen in CA. I'm not sure if that game is in other houses that I haven't been to, but UTH is by far the more popular option in CA.
My chip from Black Oak is a Chipco product. It's one of the few commemorative chips in my collection. At the time I visited, in October of 2011, the 2011-series 10 year anniversary chip was the only one in play. I'm not sure if they've now re-introduced the standard chip, which the MOGH suggests does exist, or if this is a permanent change to the new chip which happens to be a 10th anniversary chip.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 21st, 2013 at 12:30:51 PM
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Quote: AyecarumbaI recall that the club and the city it is located in had some trouble with the law a few years ago. It doesn't appear to have put much of a damper on the casino activity though.
There were also some big winners at the Bike who were followed home and robbed. But I don't know if that is so different from other places.
You may be thinking of the City of Bell, not Bell Gardens. Bell was paying all of their officials obscene amounts of money and establishing councils, boards, etc that would hold one 2 minute meeting every year just so they could pay themselves an extra $30,000 a year as members of the board, etc.
As far as people being followed home from the casino, LA is a terrible terrible terrible place to live. No one who lives in this area bats an eye hearing that story.
Vote for Nobody 2020!
October 21st, 2013 at 7:24:55 PM
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State: California
City: Cameron Park
Casino: Black Sheep
Today's chip of the day comes from the Black Sheep card club in Cameron Park, CA. Cameron Park is east of Sacramento on US 50. Black Sheep is very small - 3,000 square feet & 3 poker tables. The card club is in a strip mall between a liquor store & deli and a dental office.
Here's a picture of the property:
I rarely play poker, and I was hoping to avoid it at Black Sheep. I asked for a chip at the cage, and they told me they don't give out souvenirs. So they put me on the list for each table (1/2 NL, 1/2 PL, and Omaha H/L). But nobody left. After about an hour, the cashier looked at me, winked, and said "maybe you should buy a rack of chips so you're all ready to go when a spot opens up?" So I did that, picked out my souvenir, and then returned and said "I'm so sorry. I just can't wait this long. Can I sell these back?" I thought that was decent of her - I don't think either of us realized how long it'd take for any seat to open up.
My chip from Black Sheep is a very deep red color. The MOGH lists it as "Triclub." I'm not sure what that is, but it looks a lot like a Paulson chip with clubs and triangles and not hats & canes.
City: Cameron Park
Casino: Black Sheep
Today's chip of the day comes from the Black Sheep card club in Cameron Park, CA. Cameron Park is east of Sacramento on US 50. Black Sheep is very small - 3,000 square feet & 3 poker tables. The card club is in a strip mall between a liquor store & deli and a dental office.
Here's a picture of the property:
I rarely play poker, and I was hoping to avoid it at Black Sheep. I asked for a chip at the cage, and they told me they don't give out souvenirs. So they put me on the list for each table (1/2 NL, 1/2 PL, and Omaha H/L). But nobody left. After about an hour, the cashier looked at me, winked, and said "maybe you should buy a rack of chips so you're all ready to go when a spot opens up?" So I did that, picked out my souvenir, and then returned and said "I'm so sorry. I just can't wait this long. Can I sell these back?" I thought that was decent of her - I don't think either of us realized how long it'd take for any seat to open up.
My chip from Black Sheep is a very deep red color. The MOGH lists it as "Triclub." I'm not sure what that is, but it looks a lot like a Paulson chip with clubs and triangles and not hats & canes.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 21st, 2013 at 9:54:07 PM
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Quote: rdw4potusState: California
City: Cameron Park
Casino: Black Sheep
The MOGH lists it as "Triclub." I'm not sure what that is, but it looks a lot like a Paulson chip with clubs and triangles and not hats & canes.
"Triclub" = TRIangles + CLUBs.
I like this chip. At the very least, it is red.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 21st, 2013 at 10:15:10 PM
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Quote: bigfoot66You may be thinking of the City of Bell, not Bell Gardens. Bell was paying all of their officials obscene amounts of money and establishing councils, boards, etc that would hold one 2 minute meeting every year just so they could pay themselves an extra $30,000 a year as members of the board, etc.
As far as people being followed home from the casino, LA is a terrible terrible terrible place to live. No one who lives in this area bats an eye hearing that story.
Actually, the U.S. Government seized a controlling interest in the Bicycle Club in 1990 as a penalty for the loan sharking, and drug money laundering convictions of one of the founding partners. The feds ended up running the club for almost a decade before turning it over to a new ownership group. The Bell Gardens City Council then tried to muscle the new ownership group, claiming that a gaming license was never issued. It got ugly, with the new ownership group threatening to just close the club (and cut the city out of millions in tax revenue). With so much on the line, both sides eventually came to their senses and worked it out.
The city of Bell is a different animal. The former city council members are going to court now regarding a variety of charges, including padding their salaries to the tune of millions... The alleged ringleader, the former Mayor, just plead out of an extended jail sentence, and is expected to throw the others under the bus soon.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 22nd, 2013 at 11:31:10 AM
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Quote: AyecarumbaActually, the U.S. Government seized a controlling interest in the Bicycle Club in 1990 as a penalty for the loan sharking, and drug money laundering convictions of one of the founding partners. The feds ended up running the club for almost a decade before turning it over to a new ownership group. The Bell Gardens City Council then tried to muscle the new ownership group, claiming that a gaming license was never issued. It got ugly, with the new ownership group threatening to just close the club (and cut the city out of millions in tax revenue). With so much on the line, both sides eventually came to their senses and worked it out.
The city of Bell is a different animal. The former city council members are going to court now regarding a variety of charges, including padding their salaries to the tune of millions... The alleged ringleader, the former Mayor, just plead out of an extended jail sentence, and is expected to throw the others under the bus soon.
Fair enough. I have been following gaming news for at least the last 10 years in SoCal and there has been little news about the Bike in that time. When you said "a few years ago" in your original post I did not realize that you were refering to a time before the 1st Iraq war.
Vote for Nobody 2020!
October 22nd, 2013 at 5:07:32 PM
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Quote: bigfoot66Quote: AyecarumbaActually, the U.S. Government seized a controlling interest in the Bicycle Club in 1990 as a penalty for the loan sharking, and drug money laundering convictions of one of the founding partners. The feds ended up running the club for almost a decade before turning it over to a new ownership group. The Bell Gardens City Council then tried to muscle the new ownership group, claiming that a gaming license was never issued. It got ugly, with the new ownership group threatening to just close the club (and cut the city out of millions in tax revenue). With so much on the line, both sides eventually came to their senses and worked it out.
The city of Bell is a different animal. The former city council members are going to court now regarding a variety of charges, including padding their salaries to the tune of millions... The alleged ringleader, the former Mayor, just plead out of an extended jail sentence, and is expected to throw the others under the bus soon.
Fair enough. I have been following gaming news for at least the last 10 years in SoCal and there has been little news about the Bike in that time. When you said "a few years ago" in your original post I did not realize that you were refering to a time before the 1st Iraq war.
Hehe... I am still writing 1987 on my checks....
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 22nd, 2013 at 7:44:36 PM
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State: California
City: Pacheco
Casino: California Grand
Today's chip of the day comes from the California Grand card club in Pacheco, CA. Pacheco is near Concord, East of Oakland. California Grand has about 20 tables, mostly poker but also 2 BJ tables and 2 PGP tables. California Grand looks a lot like a big box pharmacy. Tell me this doesn't look like a CVS:
I played BJ at California Grand. The layout was very busy, with spaces for multiple players per spot and a couple bonus bets as well. The table was full, but not so full that anyone was back-betting. I got the feeling that they were testing out the side bets - the dealer and corporate player were fighting and complaining about payouts and rules. This was one of the very few times when I saw that relationship be anything but flawless.
My chip from California Grand is a Bud Jones with a metallic center. It's very similar to the chips from Harrah's Marina and Sands Regency. I like these chips. They're fun to shuffle & stack, and they kind of clink off of each other; but, they don't show much wear.
City: Pacheco
Casino: California Grand
Today's chip of the day comes from the California Grand card club in Pacheco, CA. Pacheco is near Concord, East of Oakland. California Grand has about 20 tables, mostly poker but also 2 BJ tables and 2 PGP tables. California Grand looks a lot like a big box pharmacy. Tell me this doesn't look like a CVS:
I played BJ at California Grand. The layout was very busy, with spaces for multiple players per spot and a couple bonus bets as well. The table was full, but not so full that anyone was back-betting. I got the feeling that they were testing out the side bets - the dealer and corporate player were fighting and complaining about payouts and rules. This was one of the very few times when I saw that relationship be anything but flawless.
My chip from California Grand is a Bud Jones with a metallic center. It's very similar to the chips from Harrah's Marina and Sands Regency. I like these chips. They're fun to shuffle & stack, and they kind of clink off of each other; but, they don't show much wear.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 23rd, 2013 at 3:46:20 PM
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Quote: AyecarumbaHehe... I am still writing 1987 on my checks....
The fact that you refer to writing checks supports your story ;)
Vote for Nobody 2020!
October 23rd, 2013 at 6:38:21 PM
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State: California
City: Stockton
Casino: Cameo Club
Today's chip of the day comes from the Cameo Club in Stockton, CA. Stockton is a commercial and industrial hub with a population of about 300,000. It's on the San Joaquin River, and there's a large port and rail terminal. It's also where I-5 and CA-99 run close enough together that they're both in town. The Cameo Club is pretty small - 2,000 sqft and 10 tables, mostly poker but also BJ, 3CP, and PGP.
Cameo Club is perhaps most famous for an unfortunate viral story regarding the restaurant. Turns out a server listed the "customer" on a tab as "fat girls" and that caused an uproar. When I looked for pictures of the casino, 99% of what I found were pics of the check and pics of the girls. I did find this cute pic of the sign:
I played blackjack at Cameo Club. It's a 21st Century BJ game. They really want the game to move fast. I'm a pretty quick basic strategy player, and I couldn't keep up with the dealer's desired pace. After a few hands, we were mutually frustrated (to the amusement of the corporate player) and I left.
My chip from Cameo Club is a Paulson RHC. It's red, and it features a globe that's centered roughly on the Caribbean. I'm not sure of the reason for that.
City: Stockton
Casino: Cameo Club
Today's chip of the day comes from the Cameo Club in Stockton, CA. Stockton is a commercial and industrial hub with a population of about 300,000. It's on the San Joaquin River, and there's a large port and rail terminal. It's also where I-5 and CA-99 run close enough together that they're both in town. The Cameo Club is pretty small - 2,000 sqft and 10 tables, mostly poker but also BJ, 3CP, and PGP.
Cameo Club is perhaps most famous for an unfortunate viral story regarding the restaurant. Turns out a server listed the "customer" on a tab as "fat girls" and that caused an uproar. When I looked for pictures of the casino, 99% of what I found were pics of the check and pics of the girls. I did find this cute pic of the sign:
I played blackjack at Cameo Club. It's a 21st Century BJ game. They really want the game to move fast. I'm a pretty quick basic strategy player, and I couldn't keep up with the dealer's desired pace. After a few hands, we were mutually frustrated (to the amusement of the corporate player) and I left.
My chip from Cameo Club is a Paulson RHC. It's red, and it features a globe that's centered roughly on the Caribbean. I'm not sure of the reason for that.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 23rd, 2013 at 7:05:18 PM
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Quote: rdw4potusIt's red, and it features a globe that's centered roughly on the Caribbean. I'm not sure of the reason for that.
My first thought was that the club might be owned by a company that owns/operates some casinos in the Caribbean. Unfortunately, their web site isn't too helpful in identifying the ownership. The "Contact us" link takes you to a page with the phone number and web link for a Problem Gambling hot line.
October 23rd, 2013 at 10:05:20 PM
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The city of Stockton filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy in 2012. Perhaps the speed of the games is related to the casino's desire to be a good citizen, and get as much of the player's moola into the tax coffers as possible.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 23rd, 2013 at 10:08:41 PM
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Quote: bigfoot66The fact that you refer to writing checks supports your story ;)
Hehe... I think I still have 22c stamps too.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 24th, 2013 at 8:49:13 PM
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State: California
City: Sacramento
Casino: Capitol
Today's chip of the day comes from the Capitol casino in Sacramento, CA. Capitol casino is in central Sacramento. It's North of US50, South of the American River, East of I-5, and West of CA-99. The casino has about 15 tables in total, including blackjack, pai gow poker, pai gow tiles, baccarat, and UTH in addition to the standard poker games.
Capitol casino fits one of my favorite models for California card clubs. It's a bar and restaurant with a card club in the back/side. Here's a picture of the property:
My chip from the Capitol casino is a yellow Paulson RHC. With the blue and pink inserts, it really reminds me of Easter.
City: Sacramento
Casino: Capitol
Today's chip of the day comes from the Capitol casino in Sacramento, CA. Capitol casino is in central Sacramento. It's North of US50, South of the American River, East of I-5, and West of CA-99. The casino has about 15 tables in total, including blackjack, pai gow poker, pai gow tiles, baccarat, and UTH in addition to the standard poker games.
Capitol casino fits one of my favorite models for California card clubs. It's a bar and restaurant with a card club in the back/side. Here's a picture of the property:
My chip from the Capitol casino is a yellow Paulson RHC. With the blue and pink inserts, it really reminds me of Easter.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 24th, 2013 at 9:47:32 PM
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Are images of the California State Capitol building public domain? I wonder if the casino has to pay royalties for using the picture on their chip?
Where is the parking for this joint? Do you have to pay to park?
Where is the parking for this joint? Do you have to pay to park?
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 25th, 2013 at 6:52:11 PM
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Quote: AyecarumbaAre images of the California State Capitol building public domain? I wonder if the casino has to pay royalties for using the picture on their chip?
Where is the parking for this joint? Do you have to pay to park?
IIRC, there was a sign for valet parking, but the valet was closed when I visited. I was there on a sunday afternoon, so I just parked on the street. I'm not sure how the picture thing works.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 25th, 2013 at 7:18:00 PM
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State: California
City: Livermore
Casino: Casino 580
Today's chip of the day comes from Casino 580 in Livermore, CA. Livermore is in the easternmost part of the Bay Area, and is right on I-580 which is where the casino's name comes from. The city is not glitzy like the western Bay Area cities, but the casino is pretty amazing. Casino 580 has about 20 tables, and the worst CasinoCity entry I've ever seen - it's just simply for the wrong casino. Casino 580 has BJ, PGP, and bacc for nose-bleed stakes as well as several poker tables. I honestly had no idea how to collect a $5 chip here. BJ was $50, PGP and bacc were $100 minimums. I finally got a seat at a BJ table, and asked for $25 in $5 chips when I bought in. Livermore is not a particularly upscale place, but no patrons seemed to be having any issue funding their play at these stakes. The casino is very fun and hip and modern. If the Cosmopolitan just had tables and was smoke-free, it'd be a lot like Casino 580.
Here's a picture of the outside of the property:
My chip from Casino 580 is a Bud Jones product. I'm not sure how to describe the color. It's nominally "red," but it's more like pink with burgundy highlights. As if it wasn't already obvious enough that the casino's name was derived from the name of the area's interstate highway, the chip features "casino 580" on an interstate highway sign.
City: Livermore
Casino: Casino 580
Today's chip of the day comes from Casino 580 in Livermore, CA. Livermore is in the easternmost part of the Bay Area, and is right on I-580 which is where the casino's name comes from. The city is not glitzy like the western Bay Area cities, but the casino is pretty amazing. Casino 580 has about 20 tables, and the worst CasinoCity entry I've ever seen - it's just simply for the wrong casino. Casino 580 has BJ, PGP, and bacc for nose-bleed stakes as well as several poker tables. I honestly had no idea how to collect a $5 chip here. BJ was $50, PGP and bacc were $100 minimums. I finally got a seat at a BJ table, and asked for $25 in $5 chips when I bought in. Livermore is not a particularly upscale place, but no patrons seemed to be having any issue funding their play at these stakes. The casino is very fun and hip and modern. If the Cosmopolitan just had tables and was smoke-free, it'd be a lot like Casino 580.
Here's a picture of the outside of the property:
My chip from Casino 580 is a Bud Jones product. I'm not sure how to describe the color. It's nominally "red," but it's more like pink with burgundy highlights. As if it wasn't already obvious enough that the casino's name was derived from the name of the area's interstate highway, the chip features "casino 580" on an interstate highway sign.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 26th, 2013 at 9:52:52 PM
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State: California
City: Manteca
Casino: Casino Real
Today's chip of the day comes from the Casino Real in Manteca, CA. I wasn't sure whether to put this in the "C"s or in the "R"s. I've determined that Real can't stand alone, which means that the word Casino needs to be in the name. Manteca is between Stockton and Modesto on CA-99. It feels a lot like a suburb, but there's no larger city directly adjacent to town. Casino Real has about 10 tables. There's blackjack, 3cp, bacc, and UTH in addition to poker. It is quite literally in a strip mall. Here's a picture:
I played UTH at Casino Real. I didn't win a single hand. The dealer seemed to really feel terrible about that. As she was taking the last of my money, she gave me the same look I'd have expected if she'd just accidentally stomped on my kitten. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that. Premium hands just losing. And losing. And losing. It was a great game - well dealt, with a very friendly (and hot) dealer and corporate player - but my variance was horrible.
My chip from Casino Real is a Paulson H&C. It's green. Oddly, the $25 chip is red. And, the $100 chip is white while the $1 chip is yellow.
City: Manteca
Casino: Casino Real
Today's chip of the day comes from the Casino Real in Manteca, CA. I wasn't sure whether to put this in the "C"s or in the "R"s. I've determined that Real can't stand alone, which means that the word Casino needs to be in the name. Manteca is between Stockton and Modesto on CA-99. It feels a lot like a suburb, but there's no larger city directly adjacent to town. Casino Real has about 10 tables. There's blackjack, 3cp, bacc, and UTH in addition to poker. It is quite literally in a strip mall. Here's a picture:
I played UTH at Casino Real. I didn't win a single hand. The dealer seemed to really feel terrible about that. As she was taking the last of my money, she gave me the same look I'd have expected if she'd just accidentally stomped on my kitten. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that. Premium hands just losing. And losing. And losing. It was a great game - well dealt, with a very friendly (and hot) dealer and corporate player - but my variance was horrible.
My chip from Casino Real is a Paulson H&C. It's green. Oddly, the $25 chip is red. And, the $100 chip is white while the $1 chip is yellow.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 27th, 2013 at 6:25:58 AM
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In previous posts, I have noted that not only is it cheaper for me to collect $1 chips than $5 chips, but also I feel that my display of $1 chips (shown most recently here) is more colorful than a display of all $5 chips. Maybe that isn't the case if California card rooms provide this extreme diversity of chip colors!
October 27th, 2013 at 5:23:41 PM
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Quote: rdw4potusState: California
City: Livermore
Casino: Casino 580
Today's chip of the day comes from Casino 580 in Livermore, CA. Livermore is in the easternmost part of the Bay Area, and is right on I-580 which is where the casino's name comes from. The city is not glitzy like the western Bay Area cities, but the casino is pretty amazing. Casino 580 has about 20 tables, and the worst CasinoCity entry I've ever seen - it's just simply for the wrong casino. Casino 580 has BJ, PGP, and bacc for nose-bleed stakes as well as several poker tables. I honestly had no idea how to collect a $5 chip here. BJ was $50, PGP and bacc were $100 minimums. I finally got a seat at a BJ table, and asked for $25 in $5 chips when I bought in. Livermore is not a particularly upscale place, but no patrons seemed to be having any issue funding their play at these stakes. The casino is very fun and hip and modern. If the Cosmopolitan just had tables and was smoke-free, it'd be a lot like Casino 580.
Here's a picture of the outside of the property:
The building looks like a library.
Do you recall the stakes at the poker tables? With the BJ starting at $50, it sounds pretty high fallutin...
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 27th, 2013 at 5:27:54 PM
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Quote: rdw4potusState: California
City: Manteca
Casino: Casino Real
What is the design in the inset supposed to be? It looks like a table cloth.
Also, on the image on the right, there appear to be some writing at the ten-o'clock position. Any idea what it says?
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 27th, 2013 at 6:07:11 PM
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Quote: AyecarumbaQuote: rdw4potusState: California
City: Livermore
Casino: Casino 580
Today's chip of the day comes from Casino 580 in Livermore, CA. Livermore is in the easternmost part of the Bay Area, and is right on I-580 which is where the casino's name comes from. The city is not glitzy like the western Bay Area cities, but the casino is pretty amazing. Casino 580 has about 20 tables, and the worst CasinoCity entry I've ever seen - it's just simply for the wrong casino. Casino 580 has BJ, PGP, and bacc for nose-bleed stakes as well as several poker tables. I honestly had no idea how to collect a $5 chip here. BJ was $50, PGP and bacc were $100 minimums. I finally got a seat at a BJ table, and asked for $25 in $5 chips when I bought in. Livermore is not a particularly upscale place, but no patrons seemed to be having any issue funding their play at these stakes. The casino is very fun and hip and modern. If the Cosmopolitan just had tables and was smoke-free, it'd be a lot like Casino 580.
Here's a picture of the outside of the property:
The building looks like a library.
Do you recall the stakes at the poker tables? With the BJ starting at $50, it sounds pretty high fallutin...
I didn't even look at the poker boards. I probably should have - that might have been the cheapest way to play and get my chip!
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 27th, 2013 at 6:46:05 PM
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State: California
City: Sacramento
Casino: Casino Royale
Today's chip of the day comes from the Casino Royale in Sacramento, CA. Casino Royale is across the American River from the Capitol Casino in central Sacramento. Casino Royale has 11 tables, including poker, blackjack, PGP, and UTH.
Here's a picture of the property.
I played BJ at Casino Royale. I'd wanted to play PGP, but that table was full. There was only one person playing BJ, so I joined her instead. I'm not sure what to think about the situation at the table. The other player was brand new to the game. It was a $5 table with a $1 ante, so playing was already a questionable idea. The area has plenty of tribal casinos with free BJ tables to learn on. Anyway, the girl was asking the corporate player for advice and he was going through all the usual terrible advice (play like the dealer, play like the dealer has a 10 under, stand - don't beat yourself). I suppose that's no worse than a dealer giving that bad advice - and we've all heard that - but this felt different. I think it's because the whole point is for that player to bank the game; all he does is settle the financial results of every hand, and his advice swung those results in his favor more than the correct advice would have. For my part, I tried to give the right advice while I was at the table. But, I didn't stay too long at a table with a $1 ante...
My chip from Casino Royale is a Chipco product. There's a lot of wear. There are supposed to be 4 sets of 2 red lines/marks around the perimeter of the chip, but they're about half worn off - especially on the second image.
City: Sacramento
Casino: Casino Royale
Today's chip of the day comes from the Casino Royale in Sacramento, CA. Casino Royale is across the American River from the Capitol Casino in central Sacramento. Casino Royale has 11 tables, including poker, blackjack, PGP, and UTH.
Here's a picture of the property.
I played BJ at Casino Royale. I'd wanted to play PGP, but that table was full. There was only one person playing BJ, so I joined her instead. I'm not sure what to think about the situation at the table. The other player was brand new to the game. It was a $5 table with a $1 ante, so playing was already a questionable idea. The area has plenty of tribal casinos with free BJ tables to learn on. Anyway, the girl was asking the corporate player for advice and he was going through all the usual terrible advice (play like the dealer, play like the dealer has a 10 under, stand - don't beat yourself). I suppose that's no worse than a dealer giving that bad advice - and we've all heard that - but this felt different. I think it's because the whole point is for that player to bank the game; all he does is settle the financial results of every hand, and his advice swung those results in his favor more than the correct advice would have. For my part, I tried to give the right advice while I was at the table. But, I didn't stay too long at a table with a $1 ante...
My chip from Casino Royale is a Chipco product. There's a lot of wear. There are supposed to be 4 sets of 2 red lines/marks around the perimeter of the chip, but they're about half worn off - especially on the second image.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
October 28th, 2013 at 10:01:12 AM
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Is there a "rule" about adding an "e" to the end of a word, affecting the way a prior vowel is pronounced? If so, is the proper pronunciation, "roy-ALE", with the "a" pronounced like the "a" in "ape"?
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
October 28th, 2013 at 11:46:45 AM
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My guess is that all of the casinos named Casino Royale have stolen the name from Ian Flemings first James Bond story. In that one, the casino was located in the fictional town of Royale-les-Eaux in northern France. With a French origin, that "Royale" is pronounced in English, and even by us Amurricuns, with emphasis on the last syllable and rhyming with "pal".
October 28th, 2013 at 7:26:05 PM
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State: California
City: Grover Beach
Casino: Central Coast
Today's chip of the day is from the Central Coast card club in Grover Beach, CA. Grover Beach is at the southern end of San Luis Obispo County. It's about half way between LA and San Jose, right on the coast. The city is named for a real actual beach. The card club is one of two sister properties with the same name. Both are tiny. This one has 2 poker tables. The facility has limited hours and usually runs a tourney on one or both tables, and a cash game either after consolidation or on the second table. At the time I visited, a tourney had just started so I didn't have the opportunity to even pretend to want to play. I just bought a chip and headed back out on the road.
Here's a picture of the casino from the road:
My chip from Central Coast Grover Beach is a Paulson H&C. The MOGH calls this color Mustard. I don't see enough yellow in the chip for that. It's more like sand or khaki. There are 3 sets of two inserts in lime green and graphite. Surfing is a big deal in the area, and the chip features an image of a very large wave.
City: Grover Beach
Casino: Central Coast
Today's chip of the day is from the Central Coast card club in Grover Beach, CA. Grover Beach is at the southern end of San Luis Obispo County. It's about half way between LA and San Jose, right on the coast. The city is named for a real actual beach. The card club is one of two sister properties with the same name. Both are tiny. This one has 2 poker tables. The facility has limited hours and usually runs a tourney on one or both tables, and a cash game either after consolidation or on the second table. At the time I visited, a tourney had just started so I didn't have the opportunity to even pretend to want to play. I just bought a chip and headed back out on the road.
Here's a picture of the casino from the road:
My chip from Central Coast Grover Beach is a Paulson H&C. The MOGH calls this color Mustard. I don't see enough yellow in the chip for that. It's more like sand or khaki. There are 3 sets of two inserts in lime green and graphite. Surfing is a big deal in the area, and the chip features an image of a very large wave.
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
