My job with Poker Player Newspaper requires traveling to hundreds of poker rooms across 15 states and Canada. Recently I drove to Oklahoma, traveling southbound on U.S. 55, a nostalgic route that runs parallel to old Route 66.
At the onset of the trip, I was surprised to discover that Oklahoma was not as far from the upper Midwest as I first thought. Tulsa, OK is 691 miles from Chicago, which is comparable to the distance between Detroit, MI and Minneapolis, MN-a 10-hour drive for either trip.
Steadily burning the miles, Wisconsin then Illinois rapidly disappeared in my rear view mirror as I traversed the bridge over the Mississippi River into Missouri. I spotted the St. Louis Arch looming on the horizon, guiding me to the first stop on my journey, Lumiere Place.
I received plenty of reader correspondence about this newly-opened casino, and was anxious to see it myself. Using the arch as a reference point, it was easy to navigate through St. Louis' downtown historical district right to the entrance of the casino, no GPS required. Missouri readers, you are 100 percent correct; Lumiere Place is quite exceptional, and a definite "must see." This latest addition to St. Louis area casino destinations has a definite city sleek and chic vibe to it, in an upscale, ultra-modern atmosphere. Numerous amenities include a lush 13-table poker room, full casino action, intimate cocktail lounges, a delectable array of dining options including a gourmet hamburger bar serving up a nice selection of gourmet Kobe beef burgers, and my favorite find, self-serve espresso and latte at the complimentary beverage bar.
The only drawback was that due to Missouri gaming laws, betting caps of $500 per person is allowed in two-hour increments. Entry into this and all Missouri casinos is prohibited without a obtaining a players card, and a photo ID is required to obtain a player's card. Advance preparation will prevent you from taking an unwanted trip back to your vehicle to procure proper identification. Also, the betting limit of $500 is a bit restrictive; hopefully these laws will change in the future.
After reinforcing myself with some St. Louis style bar-b-que, I was ready to hit the road to my next stop, the Oklahoma State Championships of Poker at the Cherokee Casino in Tulsa.
In a world where casinos oftentimes view their poker rooms as a low profit center, a marketing tool, or even worse, a necessary evil, the casinos in Oklahoma were a breath of fresh air. I have grown accustomed to, and even expect, over the top decor and ambience, or surroundings that would rival a theme park. On this trip I discovered the single most important factor that makes Oklahoma casinos so outstanding: the central theme here is simply great poker.
This is not to undermine the fact that the amenities and facilities are anything but first class; however, the focus is less on gimmicks and more on the game of poker and the players. Oklahoma card rooms are to poker what Lambeau Field is to football, or Yankee Stadium is to baseball.
A sizable representation of the players seated at the tables, whether in tournaments or cash games are Texans, the guys who invented the game to begin with. That's because Oklahoma borders Texas, and is the closest legal outlet for gaming. "You gotta dance with the one what brung ya." Texas Hold'em got its name for a reason, and nothing compares to the experience of playing it in this part of the country. To be continued ...
