slides: Texas Hold ‘Em (The Portland Way): A Poker Club in Each Quadrant

Wednesday, July 01, 2015

GoLocalPDX Lifestyle Team

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is all the buzz this time of year. Each year, tens of thousands of poker players converge on Las Vegas for the granddaddy of all tournaments. It is televised on ESPN, after all. Books have been written about it. Movies have been made about it. Dreams have been filled by it. Many more hopes have also been dashed.

The World Series is actually a variety of tournaments – 68 in total, with buy-ins starting at $565. The Main Event is scheduled to start this Sunday. If you make it to the final table at the Main Event, which costs $10,000 to enter, you are guaranteed to take home at least $1,000,000.

You don’t have to go to Las Vegas to learn how to play Hold ‘em, or keep up on your game. There was a time when poker in places like Portland took place in one of two ways: online or in seedy back rooms (as portrayed in movies like Rounders). That time has changed. One can play Texas hold 'em poker in every quadrant in Portland. In fact, there are dozens of opportunities to play here weekly.

All of the games in Portland are tournaments, which typically means you can spend a fixed amount to play and only the top 10% or so will win money. There are also fixed time tournaments (“shootouts”) where you can take your winnings away at the end of the previously agreed upon time. Portland’s poker clubs do not take any money from the pool of money, but instead charge a daily door fee, usually $10 (buy-ins noted below all include door fees). They also typically serve food and beverages.

Here is a run-down of a club in each quadrant so you know where to play, no matter where you live.

Related Slideshow: Texas Hold ‘Em (The Portland Way): A Poker Club in Each Quadrant

Here is a run-down of a poker club in each quadrant so you know where to play, no matter where you live.

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The Players Club – Northeast

The Players Club, perched atop the Irish bar Biddy McGraws, is one of the smaller poker rooms in Portland. What they lack in size, they make up for in friendliness. Owner Chadd Baker is typically on hand for every tournament and rules are followed because he is well-liked by most all players. If someone acts up, peer pressure is more likely to run them out the door than Chadd needing to step in.

For Texas Hold ’Em, the Players Club offers only “free-rolls,” which mean you only have to pay a door fee to enter the tournament. Of course you can add money to the pot to get additional chips. They also play a lot of Omaha Hold ‘Em, including numerous variations of the game.

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The Encore Club – NW Portland

Encore is one of the nicer clubs in town. The owners have continually improved the establishment and don’t tolerate rude behavior toward other players or Encore staff, making it the most genteel of places to play in Portland. Encore features more “tourists” than any other in Portland, meaning the play can be a little looser. It also means you have to beware of the sharks circling the tourists. They also have a full bar and kitchen.

Typical buy-ins at Encore are around $40 but they can go up from there. Next weekend is featuring a $210 buy-in tournament and they are guaranteeing a minimum of $35,000 in the prize pool. Wow.

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The Final Table – SE Portland

The Final Table’s name is apt. Those who frequent Portland’s Poker Clubs will often notice players at the Final Table they used to see at other clubs around town but no longer do. The Final Table allows players with more aggressive behaviors to continue to play long after every other club in town has given them the boot. A visit to their cavernous facility on 122nd and Division can prove to be raucous and fun. By sure to say hi to Bourbon Bill. He’s the drunk grandfather typically yelling enough to keep the sane away. He’s far from the only character that frequents the place.

Buy-ins at the Final Table start at $10 (free rolls) and go up from there, with $60 being the largest ongoing tournament.

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The Game – Southwest

The Game has struggled in recent years. One of the original clubs in Portland, it has battled staff turnover, ownership changes, renovations, and fines from the state for their employment practices. Decidedly fancy by comparison to any other club, the décor is the only thing worth highlighting about The Game.

Currently, the Game has a $10 tournament on Sunday, but otherwise just offers $10 freerolls once per month and has a variety of shootouts and other play on week nights.

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Big Stack Players Club, North

The only poker room in North Portland, Big Stack Players Club offers one tournament a day, most days of the week. Buy-ins range from $30-40. Big Stack has a reputation for being a locals place. Playing at Big Stack will resemble a visit to a distant friend’s house, but you can’t bring your own beer.