dj11
Legend
Silver Level
OK, I have now played at the 4 cheap tourneys in L.A. Cheap in this case is sub-$100 tourneys.
Bicycle Club
Commerce Casino
Hawaiian Gardens
Hollywood Park
I will comment on the player experience that I had.
Bicycle Club - http://www.thebike.com/
The Bike happens to be the closest and easiest to get to for me. But the walk from the parking lot (not the valet lot), to the Event Center (where the tourneys are held) is at least 1/5 mile. Minor gripe there. The event center is ideally suited for tourneys tho with a cashier outside the 4 doors into the room.
Their tourneys are at 10 seat tables, on used padded kitchen table like chairs. So for me it was tight, and the chairs don't adjust. Those are more serious gripes. The room was nice other than that. They have 3 distinct Card rooms at the Bike, so they can handle a lot of action. The Nooners (their name) are non-rebuy events.
Commerce Casino. - http://www.commercecasino.com/?gclid=CMWJmKGa_7QCFW6CQgodrykAgQ
Other than standard L.A. traffic, it is fairly easy to get to. They claim to have the biggest card room (perhaps in the world), and tho no one could provide actual numbers, one employee suggested there were 300 tables.
Again, 10 seat tables for the tourneys, on similar padded (and worn) kitchen table seats. Most of their tourneys are re-buy events.
There is something about the rooms themselves which I didn't like, but really that is subjective, and I can not put my finger on just what it was. However, it is the closest room to downtown L.A. and does host the biggest tourneys in town. I walked thru the area where the 300-600 ring games were going on, and there were at least 5 tables running at that buy-in. Plenty of action there.
Hawaiian Gardens. - http://www.thegardenscasino.com/
Fairly easy access off a major freeway in South L.A. County. Closest to Orange County. Interesting in that the place is made like Arabian Tents. You have probably never seen anything like it. I know I haven't.
Two tents/rooms, with a large spread of games. Lots of Pai Gow.
Tourney's are at 9 seat tables with comfortable office style chairs on wheels. Murals of Hawaiian Gardens all over the place left me with a warm fuzzy feeling.
Parking is good on 2 sides of the Casino.
From a glance, it appears that all of the cheap tourneys are the same except the buy-ins. Some have bigger buy-ins and offer bigger guarantees. All games seem to be rebuys. I liked my experience here.
Hollywood Park. - http://www.playhpc.com/
Hardest to get to in the L.A. area, but only because it is not on a freeway. So not a serious issue. THis Casino sits next to, literally next to Hollywood Park, the world famous Race Track (horses), they share the parking lot, so in season parking could be an issue. Currently (winter), horse racing happens at Santa Anita, not far from Pasadena and 20+ miles away. It is a sort of long walk from the lot up a hill to the Casino.
Tourney's are re-buys mostly, with varying guarantees. 9 seat tables on comfy office style chairs on wheels. Lots of room between tables, so no claustrophobic feeling at all. Room 'felt' nice.
______
I have yet to visit the other Casino that offers daily tourneys. The Hustler Club. It might actually be the closest to me, but not the easiest to get to. Not hard, but not simple. They do not show any sub-$100 tourneys at any time of any day.
The Normandie Casino has tourneys, but the schedule changes so often and they do not promote daily tourneys so I have not played there yet either.
For not living in Vegas, I guess I should thank my parents for moving into L.A. before I was born.....
At this point, my favorites are HG and HP. Both being 9 seat tables on comfy chairs.
Bicycle Club
Commerce Casino
Hawaiian Gardens
Hollywood Park
I will comment on the player experience that I had.
Bicycle Club - http://www.thebike.com/
The Bike happens to be the closest and easiest to get to for me. But the walk from the parking lot (not the valet lot), to the Event Center (where the tourneys are held) is at least 1/5 mile. Minor gripe there. The event center is ideally suited for tourneys tho with a cashier outside the 4 doors into the room.
Their tourneys are at 10 seat tables, on used padded kitchen table like chairs. So for me it was tight, and the chairs don't adjust. Those are more serious gripes. The room was nice other than that. They have 3 distinct Card rooms at the Bike, so they can handle a lot of action. The Nooners (their name) are non-rebuy events.
Commerce Casino. - http://www.commercecasino.com/?gclid=CMWJmKGa_7QCFW6CQgodrykAgQ
Other than standard L.A. traffic, it is fairly easy to get to. They claim to have the biggest card room (perhaps in the world), and tho no one could provide actual numbers, one employee suggested there were 300 tables.
Again, 10 seat tables for the tourneys, on similar padded (and worn) kitchen table seats. Most of their tourneys are re-buy events.
There is something about the rooms themselves which I didn't like, but really that is subjective, and I can not put my finger on just what it was. However, it is the closest room to downtown L.A. and does host the biggest tourneys in town. I walked thru the area where the 300-600 ring games were going on, and there were at least 5 tables running at that buy-in. Plenty of action there.
Hawaiian Gardens. - http://www.thegardenscasino.com/
Fairly easy access off a major freeway in South L.A. County. Closest to Orange County. Interesting in that the place is made like Arabian Tents. You have probably never seen anything like it. I know I haven't.
Two tents/rooms, with a large spread of games. Lots of Pai Gow.
Tourney's are at 9 seat tables with comfortable office style chairs on wheels. Murals of Hawaiian Gardens all over the place left me with a warm fuzzy feeling.
Parking is good on 2 sides of the Casino.
From a glance, it appears that all of the cheap tourneys are the same except the buy-ins. Some have bigger buy-ins and offer bigger guarantees. All games seem to be rebuys. I liked my experience here.
Hollywood Park. - http://www.playhpc.com/
Hardest to get to in the L.A. area, but only because it is not on a freeway. So not a serious issue. THis Casino sits next to, literally next to Hollywood Park, the world famous Race Track (horses), they share the parking lot, so in season parking could be an issue. Currently (winter), horse racing happens at Santa Anita, not far from Pasadena and 20+ miles away. It is a sort of long walk from the lot up a hill to the Casino.
Tourney's are re-buys mostly, with varying guarantees. 9 seat tables on comfy office style chairs on wheels. Lots of room between tables, so no claustrophobic feeling at all. Room 'felt' nice.
______
I have yet to visit the other Casino that offers daily tourneys. The Hustler Club. It might actually be the closest to me, but not the easiest to get to. Not hard, but not simple. They do not show any sub-$100 tourneys at any time of any day.
The Normandie Casino has tourneys, but the schedule changes so often and they do not promote daily tourneys so I have not played there yet either.
For not living in Vegas, I guess I should thank my parents for moving into L.A. before I was born.....
At this point, my favorites are HG and HP. Both being 9 seat tables on comfy chairs.