A.C. Clark

by A.C. Clark

In north central Washington, the poker room at Okanogan Bingo Casino has been hosting a Thursday no limit Texas hold’em tournament series with its final tournament to be played on January 9th. I played in the last of the big Thursdays on January 3rd and was pleased with the rather new poker room and pleasant staff. In addition, there’s a fine group of locals who enjoy plenty of action on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. This small, but clean and spacious poker room is loaded with eager gamblers, ready to play. Any visitor can expect a steady game of $3-6 limit with no limit Texas hold’em tournaments on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 5 pm, and Saturdays at 11:30 am. The poker room is conveniently located in the bar and offers excellent service by a warm waitressing staff. I felt very welcome and enjoyed visiting with players and dealers. Anyone can order from the bar, and manager Tony Posey is poker knowledgeable, friendly, and very hardworking, helping behind the bar or dealing at a table. You can reach the poker room at 509.422.4646 or visit their website at www.colvillecasinos.com.

by A.C. Clark

The poker room at Tulalip Resort and Casino is hosting a November DEEP STACKS tournament on Sunday, November 25th at 11 am with thirty minute rounds and $50 bounties. Your $750 entry fee comes with a $20 food voucher good for the day of the tournament, and 25k in starting chips. Alternates and re-entries are allowed for the first four rounds. This is bound to be a beauty. There will be re-entries and alternates waiting to play. Many players will stay to play even bigger pots in Omaha hold’em.

 Snoqualmie Casino is offering a “Bounty” of Thanksgiving tournament on Friday, November 23rd at 10:30 am. For a $65 entry fee, each player gets 5k in starting chips, and a 15 minute blind structure. Alternates and late entries are allowed for the first four levels, and reentry is permitted. $500 will be added with $10 knockout bounties.

By A.C. Clark

Gaming has long been a Tulalip tribal tradition, so it only makes cents to construct a premier resort. Tulalip Resort Casino features every game imaginable in their 192,000 square-foot facility. There is high-stakes action and a championship poker room full of local players along with a trio of area pros, as well are frequent tournaments! Friday no limit hold’em tournaments have $500 added and begin at 7pm for a $77 buy-in. Sundays feature $65 buy-in no limit hold’em tournaments at noon - $500 added.

 One of Tulalip’s most exciting events is the Last Sunday of the Month. Buy-ins range from $125 to $750 (maybe even more) and offer some kind of special: bounties, hot seat drawings ($100 to five people during the first four rounds) and start an hour earlier at 11am. Seattle Pro Matt Affleck made the final table during August’s LSOM, cashing out for 7th on a brutal bad beat…a tired local with QJ called Matt’s pre flop AQ all-in. Matt was in command when the exhausted gambler with a sore back caught a Jack on the flop and won the hand. 193 players paid the $250 buy-in for a total prize pool of $41,425. One of the first guys out in the tournament, playing at my table, immediately rebought into the tournament and was one of the final four who decided to split the pot… lesson learned, it’s worth it to rebuy. (But I would have gone for the 11k first place prize!) Nice playin’, Matt, and keep up the good work. (Matt has been working out and has lost quite a bit of weight.)

by A.C. Clark

The Pacific Northwest is dominated by several major mountain ranges, and is home to lush, extensive forests and scenic views, although known for plentiful rainfall. Located on Fidalgo Island, Anacortes is homeport to the San Juan Islands. The city is conveniently located approximately halfway between Seattle and Vancouver B.C and home of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, which attracts thousands of visitors.

 In particular, Swinomish Casino & Lodge provides infinite opportunities to satisfy passions with unparalleled casino action, open 24 hours. Enjoy non-stop gaming excitement that features over 800 of the latest slots, Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Pai Gow, Poker, Keno, and Bingo. With 98 guest rooms, the newly-constructed lodge captures breathtaking views of Padilla Bay, Swinomish Channel, San Juan Islands, and Mount Baker. Rooms are furnished to capture the culture and natural beauty of this unique region. Local artwork, luxury bedding, stylish furnishings, and glass-enclosed showers ensure comfort and a pleasurable stay. Greeted with a personal note, this beautiful new resort is an enjoyable and affordable getaway.

by A.C. Clark

Oregon’s #1 gaming destination, proud to present the most diverse selection of gaming options in the Northwest, Spirit Mountain Casino has it all—hot and scintillating slots and tempting tables. From beginners to veterans, everyone can get lucky in Grand Ronde. Spirit Mountain’s Poker Room, with 15 tables open 24 hours a day, offers the best gaming experience in all the state. The action is hot and cards move fast in this laid-out Vegas-style poker room. They run Deep Stack tournaments and numerous No Limit Hold’em games. New daytime tournaments begin at 10:30 am with $100 added. Saturdays are your best bet with $500 added for a $40 buy-in with $20 re-buys and add-ons... might go late. Action starts at noon. Live it up and test your luck at the Northwest’s Premier Entertainment Destination during their Anniversary Series, which runs from October 24th to October 27th. It should be another great series of events.

by A. C. Clark

So you live in Vancouver B.C. (or are traveling on business…or pleasure) and want to play some poker? Take my advice and drive south on I-5 to the Anacortes exit (Highway 20) to experience the Swinomish Casino and now Lodge (more to come later about this extraordinary new property). Enjoy unparalleled Las Vegas style casino action and personal service from the most rewarding Player’s Club in the Pacific Northwest. Ideal for entertainment, weddings, meetings, and dining – two local favorites are the Two Salmon Café (full menu and buffet) and, for a more fine dining experience, 13moons offers outside seating with a spectacular view of Padilla Bay, Mt. Baker, Swinomish Channel, and the San Juan Islands. Fish is a must with hand-cut Alder wood grilled seafood, and don’t pass on the dessert, my favorite… best sundae ever! The poker room is small, but quaint, and conveniently located in the non-smoking section. Current action includes inexpensive ($20-$30 buy-ins and no re-buys) tournaments at 12:15 and 7:00 pm. In addition, play live to participate in the Poker Olympics, where players qualify through tracked-action with the top 50 players qualifying to buy into a $10,000 added Poker Tournament on September 9th at 3:00 pm.

by A. C. Clark
Plenty of poker is available in and around the Northwest. With Lucky Chance’s Battle of the Bay in the books, the best jackpots in the Bay Area are still Lucky Chance’s daily tournaments: $10k first place guarantee no-limit hold’em on Sundays, $3500 first place guarantees on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and $6k on Tuesdays through the month of July. Another California attraction is Bay 101, and their Bay 101 Open in August for eight consecutive days, the 20th- 27th.

by Andy Clark

All right, readers—I started this column in January, and since then have visited a number of casinos, resorts, and card rooms. Many of you have contacted me via email and asked my advice where to play in the Pacific Northwest. Well, here are my top picks for places to stay, visit, eat, enjoy, and play poker in and around my region: Northern Quest, Wildhorse, Tulalip, Snoqualmie, and Suquamish Clearwater, in no particular order. I pushed my luck at all five establishments and was nothing less than impressed with everything they had to offer.

by A.C. Clark  

"Early Saturday morning, I woke up refreshed and ready to go for the day. Why all this energy? Not a normal occurrence for me, especially on a day off. I started a pot of coffee, threw in a load of laundry, made a fire, sat down in my favorite chair, and decided to read a short, motivational book that had been sent to me in the mail. My life was about to change forever. Wow! What an inspiring read!

 212 The Extra Degree, by Sam Parker and Mac Anderson, intrigues the mind while making perfect sense. At the core is the notion that water is hot at 211 degrees. Then, at 212 degrees, it boils. With boiling water comes steam, and steam can power a locomotive. Think of that … what a statement. Just simply raising the temperature of water one extra degree means the difference between something that is very hot and something that generates enough force to power a machine. Point made: Small things can make major differences.

by A.C. Clark

Just east of Pendleton on I-84, a gem of a property stands alone in Eastern Oregon. Wildhorse Resort & Casino is possibly the Northwest’s finest: casino, hotel, golf course, food … this poker capital of the Pacific has it all.

 Poker at the Wildhorse Resort & Casino is your source for constant action. Players can enjoy daily low buy-in tournaments, weekly player tournaments, and serious Northwest players are well aware of Wildhorse’s three annual poker tournaments: the Spring Poker Round-Up, April 12-22, the Summer Poker Rodeo, July 18-22, and the Fall Poker Round-Up, November 7-18.