Ok guys and gals, I know Traverse City MI is a beautiful place and everyone likes to visit. I also know that the nearby Turtle Creek Casino gets lots of poker cash game and tourney action. This thread is for information, news, and gossip about the Northern Michigan Poker scene.

I know there are a lot of above average players coming out of this casino. after all we even had a 2008 WSOP No-limit rebuy champion.

Would love to hear how things are going and keep up on one of the nicest place to place poker in the midwest, if not the country....what do you have to say folks.....

Was up north on business yesterday and stopped by the Turtle. They had a $40 tournament going with 40 or so players and two 1-2 cash. The tourney seemed like a lot of old retired guys, many of which seemed to know each other, and of course one guy who wouldn't shut up that knew exactly how to play every hand (this is likely of any casino, I guess).

The cash games seemed to play tight with not a lot of action players. However as the night went on a few "internet" types began rollin in and the action seemed to get better.

Overall a pleasant and profitable experience.

Mark

I was up in Charlevoix on a sales call from Brighton yesterday and decided to take a diversion to the Turtle. Got in around 7:30 PM They had a small tourney going, and two cash games (both 1-2 I think).

I finally got a seat around 8 PM. It was a good game. I was card dead all night and really didn't get much to play. Definately a lot of locals that know each other and the table talk/banter was amusing none the less. In general the play was solid, but saw more than a few big suck-outs (just my perspective from the sidelines).

If you haven't played at this facility, I would recommend it, clean, modern, and for the most-part seemed well run.

Mark

Any one been playing at the Turtle lately? How has the action been?

Mark

I played a knock out bounty tourney there just before Christmas. Won a rubber duck with my first k-o

So they moved the room from the Casino out on the point to the more central located one. Smart move, When I lived in Michigan, before Manistee opened up I would have to drive a good hour and half to get to the old room, Turtle was only 45 minutes away. Anyone have pictures that they can post or a place that does have some? Now I know where I'll play when I go back to visit family.

Are there any limit games being spread here?

Just spoke with the poker room manager. "Everybody plays no limit up here."

Hasn't been a limit game at the Turtle for a very long time. A lot of 1-2 NL; occasional 2-5 NL; and maybe three times a year a 5-10 NL game.

Like most places, limit use to be the only game in town. It would be fun to see it run on occassion but you better bring 5 or 6 folks in that want to get a game going.

Saturday August 6, 2011 - MICHGIAN GRAND CHALLENGE POKER TOURNAMENT at Turtle Creek Casino

12 Noon Start, Register by 11:30 AM

7th ANNUAL MICHIGAN GRAND CHALLENGE Main Event
No Limit Texas Hold' Em Poker Tournament

1st Place also wins tournament bracelet
Call 231.534.8937 or 231.534.8900 for more information and to register

The Buyin for the above tournament is $550. Cmon out and tear it up!

Bump
Hey any updates, i am taking a trip to traverse city, any info on casino thanks

I haven't been there yet, so can't provide any info, but if you're there May 19 or 20, say hi. I'll be there for the weekend playing in the cash games and tournaments.

later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

Greg,

I think you will like it. Nice 10 table poker room, above average players, and friendly folks. If I can get up there that weekend, will be happy to say hello.

Hey everyone, I'm going to be playing at Turtle Creek from June 29th-July 6th on random days. Anyone else going to be there playing?

pokermike,

I am going to have to disagree with you about the "above average" players in this poker room. I have been playing in the casino's poker room since it was loacated at the Leelanau Sands, in fact I cashed in a HPT event there. Unless you are there during one of the few big tourney weekends you will not find any action on the cash game tables. If it is just a regular old weekend night during the year than the tables will be all the regulars who are all super nits. Since when has only playing aces and kings meant you were an above average player?

Going to be in the area next week (from Cincy area). Just wondering what kind of turnouts they get for the Sunday Tournaments. Thanks.

I haven't been there since winter, but they only had 2 shorthanded tables for the Sunday deep stack tourney. Pretty disappointing...... especially when I was the bubble boy.

Yeah, ~20 runners is the norm for the Sunday tourney, which is disappointing as it's far and away the best structure of any of their regular tourneys (and only $10 rake).

Should get 3-4 tables of $1/2 both Friday and Saturday, possibly a $2/5 table as well.

Will be up in this area Labor Day weekend, staying around Maple City I guess? Is this the best/closest/only place around to play? What should I be expecting?

I'll be in the area over the next couple days. Are the week night, evening cash games worth playing?

The place is great due to the area. TC is a beautiful place. Outside of that-- the poker room needs WORK.

They recently cut the room in half to make for more high stakes slots. The dealers are some of the worst I've been around. *****ty comps; no drinks, food. No dollar and hour. No cell phones while in your seat. No backpacks.

Idk if this is typical but it seems Gustapo...

The dealers have been rude. And for a 1/2 game... Which is the only thing they run (outside of the rare/if a few players are stacked up/once every couple months 2/5 game) it's tougher than most casinos low limit stuff.

I would say for the rec player-- beware. For the expirianced player... Come on down.

Played up in Traverse City recently. I have to say, these are some of the worst tournament (and low limit cash) poker players I have ever played against. For example, Flop of AJJ gets a bet and two callers. The better has A6, and the two callers have 10-10 and A-5. They call both the flop and turn. What good poker strategy, induces those two calls on both third and fourth street. Like the saying goes, you can't beat stupid. The problem is no one takes the game seriously, you have a bunch of old calling stations that play every frigging night, do nothing to improve, and figure well if I bust there is always tomorrow. They do nothing to try to improve and play good poker. They limp or call every hand hoping to get lucky. I think they are going to change the name to the Poker Bingo Room. While it should be easy to beat bad players, think about it, how often is a good hand going to win against three to five calling stations hoping to get lucky. Not very often. So you say, you are not betting enough to get them off the hand, in a tourney with 4,000 chips you do not have enough to bet five calling stations off a hand, some idiot will still call. So you say, don't play stupid donk-a-ments, I agree, unfortunately, it is the only action around. But I have reached the conclusion, bad action is far worse then no action, have fun beating each other bingo players.

How's the Thursday night cash game action? How late do the games run?