Casino Poker in Iowa

I have only played the four easternmost of the poker rooms in Iowa;

Davenport -- (pronounced Dammmmport by us Quad City boys) Used to have a President casino that had poker before most anyone else. Busloads of people came in from the Chicago area on weekends. Room was always crowded and the games were wild. Note--- Davenport casino currently does NOT have poker.

Bettendorf -- Isle of Capri (aka: Pile of Debris) Has a brand new poker room. 9 tables, with all new tables and chairs. Chips a little old and dirty though. Standard games spread; 3-6, 4-8, and 1-2 NL. One oddball game-- 5-10 limit mix game. Omaha/8 and Holdem mix. Both with a Kill and TWO Kill buttons in play. Thats right, you could be holding BOTH Kill buttons. Tournaments almost daily. Good management and friendly skillful dealers. If you go, be sure to see all the sights and attractions that Bettendorf has to offer.

Catfish Bend -- Burlington (sometimes Fort Madison) Other than the clever casino name and chips with a catfish on them, theres NO reason to go here. In fact -- WHY are you even in this part of the country?

Tama -- Meskwaki Indian (on Route 30, between Iowa City and DesMoines) Kind of run down facility and-down market clientele. Mainly catering now to locals and bus trip seniors. Old crummy tables and chairs, but new chips. Distracted management and D+ dealers. Standard low limit games. Their oddball game was Omaha/8 played 2-10 SPREAD limit with a Kill. Wow --- talk about a locals advantage game.

Quick History Lesson--Meskwaki (Fox) Indians were from the East and were forced west into Michigan/Wisc in late 1600's. In early 1700's they fought a long war with France (The Fox Wars) and the French tried to exterminate them. Remaining Fox Indians fell in with the Sauk and had main settlement in whats now Rock Island. (Westernmost battle of US Revolutionary War fought here---George Rogers Clark sent men to burn village. Also westernmost battle of War of 1812 fought here - Sauk & Fox attack US troops under Zachary Taylor, who retreats downriver) In the early 1800's the USA took its turn to try to kill off the Sauk and Fox. William Clark (of Lewis&Clark and also the little bro of G.R.) started the Black Hawk War. Pres Andrew Jackson decreed all Indians to be removed west of Mississippi River. Sauk and Fox under Black Hawk resisted and most were killed. Sauk and Fox were eventually relocated to Kansas. Some Fox were never caught and never left central Iowa. Some others received their annual payment in Kansas and brought a few hundred $ to Iowa. They bought 40 acres for their "Settlement". This was added to over the years and now they have over 7000 acres and a big casino.

Now - where were we? Ah yes, Casino Poker in Iowa. I have not yet been to the following:

Iowa City --is getting a new casino with poker --- a few miles south of town.

Altoona --just outside of DesMoines has a facility with poker.

Council Bluffs -- Horseshoe Casino and poker room is getting good reviews.