They say competition is good for consumers. Well, sounds about right if you consider how many $250 tournaments have sprung up in the Detroit area charity rooms since Cada’s spread its first $250 buy-in tournament in December. That first tournament they pulled in over 100 players, and had to spread two tournaments to comply with state rules about the maximum number of chips sold by each charity. I can tell you that all the charities left happy that night with the two tournaments, the Michigan Poker Monster holiday party, and the cash games that came along with those events.
Not to be left behind, Snookers in Utica started spreading its own $250 tournament. Not surprisingly, they sold out two of them on the same day, in addition to having their usual $35 buy-in tournament that Saturday. That’s right, 19 tables running at one time including cash games. The place was packed. There have been rumors that The River will also offer a $250 tournament.
In addition, Cada’s poker room pushed the envelope with their slow tournament structures, which pushed some of the other rooms to do the same to their structures. One room was even rumored to have added 3 more levels than what they had before. It just makes you realize how fast these structures are that have not moved to the new model in town.
So what else will the competition bring to the table for Michigan poker? The rooms that have a kitchen and can offer food comps seem to be attracting the majority of the players. Other rooms are trying different twists to attract players, like Four Queens in Woodhaven. They have started to spread a 3-person team tournament. I’m hoping to have them on the show soon to find out how it works and what the turn-out has been.
What would you like to see be the next innovation in Michigan poker? In the cash games, the community has been spreading games other than Hold’Em in most rooms, but I credit the players more than the rooms for that movement. Still waiting for someone to take the lead and bring another big tournament series to Michigan. We deserve it.
Since the amount in play is limited by the number of charity licenses how many are being granted in Michigan each week? Has it changed since last year?
Hi, Mark. I don’t know the total numbers for the whole state, but they’re staggering. In Macomb County alone there were 20 licenses granted for today. See http://milottery.state.mi.us/cg-mplocator.php for city by city or county by county listings. Tons of charities benefiting and helping drive the poker economy in Michigan.
Competition is certainly accelerating the change in the local the poker rooms. Cada’s was perhaps the best things that could have happened to this area and I think it sets the stage for future poker rooms: bigger, cleaner, brighter, good food and hopefully better wages for the workers.
Right now Snookers is too dark for me…not sure why they keep the lights that low. I’ve also played in tournaments there where they put me at a pool table…how is it that a poker room sells ‘x’ number of seats and then doesn’t have enough poker tables? On the plus side, Snookers is the place to go if you’re looking for a cash table.
The River is too small for the number of tables they have…it seems that if anyone walks behind me (which is often) they accidentally kick my chair; it gets frustrating after the 20th kick. Plus if someone is sitting near the wall, they can’t come and go from the tables without disrupting 5 other people. On the plus side, the clientele at the River are the best and the food is fantastic.
Personally, I play just for entertainment and the $250 tournaments are a bit too much for me; but I can certainly see why they’re gaining in popularity. Just a side note: Cada’s does have $40 Sit and Go’s, where you can “win” a seat at the $250 tournament; hopefully the other poker rooms will follow suit on this idea.
At the end of the day I’ve got three great poker rooms within 1o minutes of my home…no more boring winters for me!
Thanks for your comments, Eric. I agree with your thoughts on the lighting at Snookers. They still have the biggest number of players in the area. Cada’s is as nice as some of the downtown casinos, but they have a way to go to meet the numbers Snookers and Motor City Casino draw.