Card Rooms

Poker in Sweden has exploded in recent years. Judging by the enthusiastic response below from several managers involved with Casino Cosmopol, it's one of the best places to play when visiting Europe.

Gambling has an interesting history in Sweden. Back in the year 1020, so the legend goes, Sweden's King Olaf and Norway's King Olaf (no relation) rolled dice to decide ownership of a district. The Swedish Olaf rolled two 6s. The other king rolled a 6 on one die, but Norway Olaf's other die broke, showing a 7.

We've all read the book. The Bible of poker. The one, the only Super/System. We've watched him win WPT titles and his record-setting tenth WSOP bracelet. We've heard the stories that filter out of the Bellagio's "big game" where he holds court nearly every night of the week and we've all stopped and wondered at some point in our own poker lives what it must have been like to be a shotgun-carrying road gambler in 1950's Texas.

Pick of the month: Check out the new Green Valley Ranch! Station Casinos in Las Vegas recently opened a $110 million expansion at Green Valley Ranch, the property's third major expansion since opening in December 2001. A 50/50 joint venture between Station Casinos, Inc. and GCR Gaming, a company owned by the Greenspun family, Green Valley Ranch carries the distinction of being the first boutique luxury resort built off the Las Vegas Strip.

The start of gambling in Denmark predates even Columbus" fabled (and mostly mythical) voyage.

King Hans, who ruled from 1481 to 1513, was a gambling addict long before Gamblers Anonymous, and frequently took money from the royal treasury to pay his gambling debts. The 1700s saw the first deck of cards printed in Denmark; up until then, decks had to be imported from Belgium and France. In fact, the word "poker" may trace its roots to the Danish word pokker, meaning devil. Now, there's a comforting thought!

To me, online poker is a nice diversion. It is great to log on to play during those evenings when I am feeling too lazy to do housework. If I have been unable to get to the casino in some time and am itching to play some cards, a few taps of on my laptop will give me a chance to play competitive poker from my own home. I love to be able to steal a few moments from my busy schedule to jump into a cash game or tournament at any time of day or night. In my opinion, though, online poker will always pale in comparison to live action poker.

Fall in this part of the country is the start of Poker Season. Autumn always brings two major annual poker tournaments to NxNW country. This year, unfortunately, all the stars and moon lined-up in such a way as to create an eclipse. Two big, popular Fall tournaments are going rise and set at almost the same time.

WILDHORSE Resort & Casino, in Pendleton OR, gets underway November 8th and wraps-up November 18th. This is traditionally the biggest, best and richest poker storm of the season in NxNW country.

Hello! This is Steve Horton, prolific poker writer. I'm returning to this column, which will be covering poker in a different European country every issue. Once we finish with Europe, we'll hit the rest of the world before returning back to the United States.

Located on the shores of Lake Michigan in Gary, Indiana, The Majestic Star Casino epitomizes the essence of its name. Poker players are treated like royalty in this five star poker room.

Seneca Gaming & Entertainment (SG&E) has added eight tables to the poker room at Seneca Niagara Casino and Hotel. On Monday, October 2, 2006 at 2 p.m. SG&E hosted a Grand Opening Event and Ribbon Cutting on the Casino Concourse between the Poker Room entrance and the Bus Lobby. The opening came at the perfect time, as the Bad Beat Progressive Jackpot also began on this date.