www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I am thinking of taking a trip to San Jose sometime between Nov. 8th and 17th. I have heard that the Casino Europa is the only place that regularly spreads any poker in San Jose. I see that they run tournaments about once a month, but unfortunately the time period I am looking at is not one in which they have a tourney scheduled. So does anyone know what games are usually going there? Is it hit or miss? Any and all information would be appreciated. Thanks!

Casinos Europa has low buy in poker tourneys Tues, Thurs and Sundays starting at 8PM. Regular game usually gets going around 4PM , but is low end 4-8 or sometimes 5-10-15 holdem/ omaha hi-lo split...half and half.

The Paradiso Casino is now spreading a $100 buy in no limit holdem game Thursday through Sundays...usually getting off around 8PM.

Thats about it for regular poker in paradise...for now...

TMan,

Thanks for the info. I have a question about the $100 buy-in Casino Paradiso game; is it $1-$2 blinds? Is the maximum buy-in $100 or is that the minimum? I hope that is not the maximum buy-in as I hate these internet style 50X BB no limit ring games. I'm sure I would still play it though.

Also, I had heard the Casino Europa games were usually pot limit. Since I have no clue as to proper pot limit strategy, I'm happy to hear they have a limit structure. The rotation 5-10-15 - does that mean 5 preflop and on the flop, 10 on the turn and 15 on the river?

Thanks again for the help.

The Paradiso game is $100 minimum/max buy in, 1-2 blinds, and in my opinion is the best game format in town for true Holdem players. This week the Radisson Casinos Europa started spreading the same game format...though I think they will end up back on limit games after this experiment. You can rebuy for $100 if you have $50 or less in chips at any time.

The only time Radisson has pot limit is when all the pros and big bankrolls gather...which is no more than once a week...usually Thursday nights after the tournament I believe.

FYI...in Panama City they are spreading a $500 no limit holdem game at the Majestic Casino;s new poker room. Saw it was 9 handed at one point.

See you at a poker table soon

Thanks Tman. I'm gonna be down there in November (8th-16th). I'll be checking out both the Europa and Paradiso. Go easy on me.

Bring lots of dough nogordas ...and not just for the chicas. See you at a table sometime 2nd week of Nov.

I'm trying to book my room here this time. No rooms at the Prez over T-day. Hope to hit a game or two during my stay.

BUMP............

Anything new?

I was in CR in November. I stayed in the Amon Plaza (great hotel, great CRT rate, attached to Casino Paradiso). I was told they spread No Limit Hold 'Em. I stayed 8 nights. Only one night did a game go off, and that was because some gringos who all live and work in CR (work for an internet sportsbook) told the owner they wanted to come play a game. Basically, they have 1 table and will spread a game if their is enough people interested. Their dealers were good though.

The Casino Europa (very close to Amon Plaza) had games every night. They have a NLHE game with $1-2 blinds. Unfortunately, the max buy-in was only $100, which is a pretty bad structure for NL. Some of the players were simply terrible, which is good. The other games they had were a ridiculous NLHE game with blinds of 100-200 colones (litte less than 25c-50c) and an initial max buy-in of like 6K colones. Obviously you would only play this for fun (low low stakes and horrible structure). I sat in this game by accident (language problems).

I wish I could tell you about the tournaments, but I always missed them. I always got to the Casino Europa way too late (had other things to do, like whoring). If you want to play poker, you have to get there early. It was not like any card room in the US, where you can stroll in at 11 PM and many games are going strong. I would stroll in at 11 PM and only 4 people would be left in the $1-2 NL game. They said they often started at 4 PM and the game would start thinning out at night.

Other games I saw were peopling playing bridge, playing Chinese poker, and playing Pot Limit Omaha 4 handed. The blinds of that short handed PLO game were $5-10 I think. It might have been a rotation game.

The poker room manger is Luis Szlak. He speaks English. This should be his email address: lszlak@racsa.co.cr

You can ask him what nights the tournaments are (I know 3 nights a week, but I forget which). Also, I think he can get you a poker rate room at Hotel Morazon (close to Del Rey), because supposedly they have the same ownership. I highly recomend the Amon Plaza though (very quick and cheap taxi ride to the Casino Europa, and you might get lucky and catch a game in the Paradiso).

Good update NG. I'm still not sure if I was at the table with you or not while you were here. The tournaments run every Tues, THurs and Sunday at 8PM. Most are $10 MULTIPLE rebuy tournaments which in my opinion makes the format a "crapshoot" and some guys can afford to "buy" their way to the final table with sometimes $300-400 worth of rebuys! But the Ticos seem to love their $10 opportunity and many of the same ones are there everyweek, 3 times a week.

The regular game has gone back to 5-10-15 mixed Holdem and Omaha hi Lo. Sometimes when just getting started there are only 3-4 "rocks" playing in the game (conservative knowledgable players where you get few callers with the best hand)...but the game gets interesting when 2 or 3 wild and crazy action types sit down. I've played a couple times this week with good success. WIsh I could say the same for my craps play . I have heard another poker room is being built and developed here in town, but will withhold any info until it is verified.

Anyways...hope to see you again down here soon at a table near you.

TMAN I look forward to playing some poker with you.. also I'm in on any online action you guys get going!

_________________


"Money Won is twice as sweet as Money Earned!"

There is a big poker tournament series at the Europe May 15th to the 22nd.
Buy ins range from $10 US with many many rebuys and add ons allowed to $1500 for te main championship event.
I'll be visisting CR for the 1st time and playing in some if not all of these tourney's.
I'll also be staying at The Morazon and am available to buy beer in exchange for bad beat stories

Hey Payoff do you have any more info on the Europe tournements coming up? I'd be interested in coming down and playing some if I can get my hands on some more info. Do they have a website with the tourney info?

Thanks
TheBigO

Check out new site and this page on CR poker. Tournament info there.
http://www.costaricapokerparty.com/cost ... assic.html

There is also a pretty good ongoing game at the Horseshoe Poker Room upstairs now. Starts between 7-8PM most nights. $1-2 no limit...$100-200 buyins. Pretty good action.

See ya all soon...