St Louis Poker Rooms

Current conditions of the closest casino poker to Springfield:



PRESIDENT - on The Admiral Riverboat, downtown.

This place is (and has always been) a dump. This trip it was not as dirty as in some previous years -- and the crowd was not as scary either. However, its still dingy and downmarket in its physical plant and customers. Chips, tables and chairs dirty, etc.

Poker room is downstairs on the lower level. Its a square-ish shaped "room" in the middle of nowhere with 8 tables. Three were in play. The 1-2 NL tables had buy in of 40-100 and used a betting line. The table of 4-8 had "mini-blinds" of 1 and 2. Both games were very soft and filled with bad players.

The "after baseball game" crowd was only 10 or 12 people. Very dissapointing and not like the old days. This year, the Cards fans are a little mopey and the Cubs fans are wildly optimistic.

It was very cold downstairs so I ordered a hot chocolate. Was about to tip the waitress a chip when she said; "That'll be 50 cents cash". Thats right! Its just like buying a drink.

Took a new player to their first visit to this casino. He has to get a Players Card to enter the casino and they CHARGE him $2 for it !!!!

Brush tells me; "Seat open - table two. Now go back upstairs and buy your chips". Thats right -- you have to walk upstairs to the main cage to buy chips or cash them in.

This was my last trip to the President. The new Lumiere Casino (see below) is being built just a couple blocks up the hill.



LUMIERE - Downtown St Louis.

Supposed to open this fall with 14 poker tables -- or this winter with 10 poker tables -- you get to pick your own story. Close to Lacledes Landing and the sports stadiums and will have its own hotel etc. I am optimistic.



AMERISTAR - St Charles.

30+ tables and they are trying hard. Daily tournaments. Several tables of 1-2 NL. Several tables of 3-6. But they are trying to spread other limit games. 4-8 with half kill, 5-10 Omaha/8, and even HORSE sometimes. Hotel is topped off and should be opening in a few months.




HARRAHS - Maryland Heights. Such a pretty room, but all they want to spread is 1-2 NL and 3-6. They did have a couple 2-5NL tables going and they were pretty good late night. Limit players are given the choice of 3-6 or 30-60 (sometimes 20-40) and nothing in between. They do NOT want to spread other games --- they're too slow, it costs them money and confuses the young players. The hot sweaty dancing girls still walk by twice an hour on their way to and from the show. Choose your table and seat carefully to avoid this.