FR
I drove away from 2 rooms closer to me in the north and past 3 other rooms closer to the south expecting this to be a great room based on the number of tables they typically run.
Starting with the good - 9 handed cash games (a welcome sight from the rake-greedy 8-handed trend in PA), very comfortable chairs, and the room is secluded from the noise/smoke of the main casino floor with a 24-hour cage in the room.
The bad - no buying chips at the table. There may be a chip runner, but while you're waiting for them your money won't be in play. Bust in the big blind and can't get chips right away? Miss your small blind. Ridiculous. I've played in over 30 poker rooms across the country for 20 years and never seen a room that didn't offer at least a play-behind option, if not the ability to buy from the dealer. Even in non-casino "charity gaming" rooms of NH!
Worse than that was when I asked the dealer to call the floor so I could get a transfer request he told me they're not allowed to call the floor for that and I have to go to the podium myself.
When I got to the podium and arranged my transfer I told the floor "as a matter of feedback, it is a bit ridiculous I wasn't allowed to play my next hand because I needed to rebuy and you don't allow playing behind or buying from the dealer while waiting on the runner. And worse that the player has to come to the podium and miss more hands just to ask for a transfer. I would think a busy room like this could do better than that." His response to my complaint? "Seems to be working out fine for us." and walks away from me.
The only reason I'm scoring management a 2 here is because another floor overheard this and tried to rectify the situation and pointed out the dealer was wrong about the transfer. So at least one manager knows how to take criticism and attempt to resolve an issue.
At my new table I tried to order a simple jack & coke and was asked how I would like to pay for it. Seriously? The busiest room in the area and you're charging for alcohol? But I'm guessing I could go sit at a slot or table game and get the drink, right!
In summary, this room is the perfect example of "good enough" leadership. The mindset that infects successful businesses and ultimately leads to their decline because they only see numbers and not experiences. I certainly won't be back, so there's one number off the ledger.
