Central OH Card Room Review

**dyehard** · 05-06-2011 01:45 PM

I thought I would create a thread to review all of the local card rooms. I have only played at two and have limited experience at one of them. Please feel free to add your thoughts, knowledge and experience, and I, or any willing Mod, will update the second post.

**dyehard** · 05-06-2011 01:45 PM

Gemini - http://www.geminiplayersclub.com/ By far the largest room in central Ohio with the most tables going at any time. Gemini is the only club to open at noon during the week. They will spread any game with enough interest. A $1/3 NL game will always be going at any given time. They have had $1/2 NL and $3/6 Limit games running on a fairly consistent basis.

This club is notorious for have loose and wild action with big stacks in front of many players. Although, players with deep pockets aren't necessarily a sign of a good player.

Safety has always been a concern of players unfamiliar to this room. However, I have never felt uneasy or fearful at any time. They also employ a Security Guard.

Other Activities - billiards, ping pong, video game system.

Columbus Sports Club - http://www.columbussportsclub.com/ CSC is an active sponsor and participator at BBP. They have a great room appearance wise. The room is well lit and clean. Like all other rooms, they have multiple flat screens including the one that attempts to behead all players who register or cash in/out at the cage.

The cash game players here, in general, seem to be a little more poker savvy. You'll find a tighter players here who tend not to gamble as much as those found at the Gemini. Their typical game is $1/2 NL. The biggest drawback is the lack of games/players you will find. In my limited experience playing at CSC, I have never seen a 2nd table opened up. Again, my experience has been limited to the late night hours.

Other Activities - video game system, poker library.

Lucky Dog Real Deal - http://luckydogrealdeal.com/index.html Lucky Dog is one of the newest clubs to open and it is located on the Southend off of 270 and 23 South. This club has the nicest tables bar none. They feature $1/2 NL and tournaments on the weekends. During my one and only session there, I experienced some of the weakest play. Lucky Dog made a run to a nearby fast food restaurant and bought sandwiches for all the players late that evening.

Other Activities - Skill Games (slots).

The Bicycle Club - http://www.thecycleclub.org/ The Bike is a small but nice club located in Westerville. They have daily tournaments which includes a "team/doubles" tournament on Tuesday nights. They host the only $.50/$1 NL game that I know of. Although, I was very surprised with the level of play. Most players were just as competent as most $1/2 or $1/3 players. My biggest disappointment is that they do not offer free snacks and drinks. However, soda and water can be purchased for $1. I did see one person come to the club prepared with a cooler and beverages he brought from outside the club.

Other Activities - none

**CSuave** · 05-06-2011 02:02 PM

Here is a posting I did back in January on another forum:

So Gemini has undergone a slight revamping. They are now running 1/2 tables along side the 1/3s. The 1/2s are max 200 buy in. Also check out their site as they have additional info on the 1/2 tables which make them interesting. Untitled

The new SPC club on the far east side is now up and running seven days a week. Have heard they have some very good 2/5 and occasionally 5/5 NL games. Their site is www.spcpoker.com.

Buckeye Card Club in Pickerington going strong. They have brought back their Qualifier tournaments on Sunday again for this quarter. The 1/2 NL and 10/20 LHE continue to draw.

Platinum Players seems to actually be picking up a little business these days. They have some type of internet cubicles set up for what they call "Sweepstakes". I personally am not familiar with the machines or their operations but maybe someone out they knows of them and likes to play them. Their poker continues to go strong and they appear to be getting NL games off much more frequently. Please note they have a new web address : The Platinum Players Club | Grove City & Columbus, Ohio's Premier Poker Club

Nick's Shark Tank ( http://www.nickssharktank.com/) has been having some very good tournaments from what I have been told. Unfortunately I do not make it there early enough and only know that they have some very good cash games.

Columbus Sports Club ( Columbus Sports Club ) has a very strong cash game following and tournament following. They are also the only club (that I am aware of) to get a regular HORSE game going on Wednesdays.

The other clubs to the best of my knowledge are all doing well also. None are overflowing with too many tables but get regular action. Unfortunately I am unable to visit all of the clubs. Evergreen Players Club, Ace of Clubs, Premeir Club, Lancaster Players Club, and The Bicycle Club.

As an additional comment, it seems as though the poker scene in central Ohio is picking back up a little bit. That is great to think of and I hope it has wider implications and is indicative of the country's overall poker scene.
__________________
"....whatever beliefs may be shared by a majority of our citizens, it is respect for the rights of minorities and for the Constitution itself that must bind us all."
Judge Reinhardt, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

**CSuave** · 05-06-2011 02:05 PM

Things have changed in that there are now two additional clubs in the Columbus area. Those are Sweets Social Club on the east side of Columbus and Lucky Dog's Real Deal on the south side of Columbus (a disclosure note also that I deal at Lucky Dog's currently).
Many of the games have picked up and changed a little at the various clubs.

**dyehard** · 05-06-2011 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by CSuave

Things have changed in that there are now two additional clubs in the Columbus area. Those are Sweets Social Club on the east side of Columbus and Lucky Dog's Real Deal on the south side of Columbus (a disclosure note also that I deal at Lucky Dog's currently).
Many of the games have picked up and changed a little at the various clubs.

Thank you. I'll do an update with some of your comments. Where is Lucky Dog's? I grew up on the south side and would like to check it out.

Also, for anyone adding to this list, how do you feel about the game play? Easy, hard, loose, wild, tight, etc,?

**CSuave** · 05-06-2011 02:37 PM

luckydogrealdeal.com
Great Southern Shopping Center 3839 South High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43207, 614-497-9655

**Tha Animal** · 05-10-2011 04:38 AM

I would like to throw in my opinion of The Bicycle Club.

The Bicycle Club Poker Tournaments and Cash games in Westerville, Columbus, Central Ohio

Five tables. Owners are very nice and not overbearing. They rarely play, and when they do, they do just to socialize with players and have a good time, not to bust players and take all their money.

Tournaments daily with average of 25-35 players and a very good, steady tournament structure. Tournaments start at 7:30 nightly and regularly go into midnight. They have a wonderful super-stack tournament every Monday, where you start with 20k in chips, with a bonus 2k if you pay 15 minutes in advance. They also have $20 rebuy tournaments twice a week starting with 6k in chips, and standard $30 and $40 tournaments with 10k in starting chips.

Another good thing about their tournaments, is that every tournament is actually a WSOP qualifier. They hold out $20 from each tournament, and have a monthly "tournament of champions" to qualify for their annual Grand Championship. Those monthly winners, along with winners of special events, and other wild card qualifiers, will play in May 2012 for a shot at a buy-in of a WSOP bracelet event.

Cash games is also very nice there as well. They are, to my knowledge, the only place in town to offer a $.50/$1 game as their regular game. This allows players to come out and enjoy a game without risking a lot of money. This is beneficial in many ways, for some, its a way to play the game that dont have a huge bankroll, and for others, it is a game that others can possibly exploit profitably. Also, if the game gets deep, or very aggressive, most players will straddle, or just bump the limits up to 1/2.

The owners of this club strive to make the game feel like as much of a home game as possible, both by having a nice tournament every night, and a lower buy-in cash game. And they have succeeded in both areas very well. Players that are mostly tournament players and cash players who are looking to build a bankroll or just play at a (mostly) leisurely pace, should definitely give this place multiple visits. You will not be disappointed. Of all the places in Central Ohio I have dealt at or played, this is the most laid back, soft game game I have ever seen.

Anybody wants to ask me more about this place, feel free to text or call. 614-542-7899.

**casinomouth** · 05-17-2011 04:30 AM

Hey community! Quite the number of Columbus people on the forums.

Since FTP shut down I've played a few tournaments at the Gemini. Weak field but the end structure is a turbo and there aren't antes. Just found out today that they had a $250 with good structure/antes yesterday. Anybody play in this?

I put in a 1/3 session after busting the tourney. Good action with most people having little clue what they're doing, especially when they're deep. I forgot how much fun playing 200bbs deep is. Prob will be switching to cash with the lack of good tournaments in the area. I'm sure ill be playing with some of you soon, hopefully not spewing my stack like a tourney donk. GL

**dyehard** · 06-09-2011 04:09 PM

Going to check out The Bicycle Club in Westerville Friday night. They feature a lol .50/$1 game. Hope to see some people I know. If not, I'll still give a review.