One of the biggest differences in the 10/20 spread from the other spread games is there is no cap on the BUY IN.

Hi, I'm thinking about taking a trip to PHX in April to visit CAZ and see a friend. I'm trying to figure out what I should do for a hotel.

Option 1 - Try to get a room at TSR. Quoted rates are 209/169/169 for Thurs-Sun (why Thurs is more expensive I have no idea). From the last few pages, I see that if you play 8 hours you can ask to get the poker rate, but also that they might just deny you if it's a "busy night". Do I have that right? What is the poker rate, anyway?

Option 2 - Get a hotel at a nearby location. Any suggestions?

I will probably play a lot of poker (20-40 LHE or so), but also plan to spend some time visiting with a friend, so it's not a guarantee that I'll get in 8 hours per day every day, or 8 hours per day average across all three (not sure if that would count, it sounds like not).

Open to advice or suggestions. Thanks in advance.

Best bet is to book the room now so you have it locked up, There is a Hampton Inn just west of the Resort ( 5 minute walk). No special rates available there that i am aware of.

I think it was $70 when I got it recently, maybe $80. I had no trouble getting the poker rate even before I'd put any hours in (just asked somebody before starting my first session), but the floor may recognize me from previous trips. A couple days in I got the supervisor to just give me the rate for 5 days, but I had been putting in 14 hour sessions. Everyone told me the system is to just book the room normally first, and then a supervisor in the poker room will adjust the rate for you after the fact. No idea if they have leeway to refuse, but they never have for me.

Keep in mind that the system for counting hours is awful and as a visitor you're almost guaranteed to forget to clock out, so try to talk to a supervisor who's actually around during the times you're playing. I played 60+ hours and doubt I clocked more than half of them.

I've looked at the price in the past for the nearby Hampton Inn and it didn't seem much cheaper than just staying at CAZ. I've had good experiences with just renting random condos in Scottsdale for < $100 through AirBnb in the past.

I stayed last week at the Best western papago inn and resort near the corner of McDowell and Scotsdale road at $90 per night (on average). It was not what I expected but it was O.k. It had a fridge. Location was good for me. To get to Talking stick it was McDowell to the 101 then exit 44 and took at most 15 minutes. To get to ASU (where I had business) it was also at most 15 minutes, Scotsdale road south to university road. So although I don't necessarily recommend this hotel, I do recommend staying where you have easy access to the 101, and I think in the Scotsdale area you'll find lots of options. Go to Hotwire (or travelocity or kayak etc) look for hotels in Scotsdale, map them out and pick one in your price range that has easy access to the 101. (Or Tempe or Mesa depending on where your friend is.)

briefly saw it mentioned itt. can you guys confirm that you can only leave your seat for 10 minutes before losing your seat?? which leads to follow up question. is smoking allowed in the casino?

That is likely the rule, but it isn't enforced very strictly in my experience. There is an outdoor patio where smoking is allowed, as well as a bar/slot area, both right outside of the poker room.

Keep an eye on your hours if you care about them. Two nights in a row I was unintentionally logged out and told 'the system does that some times.'

GF is at Midwestern in Pharmacy. Shoot me a PM if you want me to put you in contact with a couple ppl to chat with.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I did book the room at TSR, since the other nearby rooms weren't much cheaper, and have no potential for a poker rate. Hopefully my experience with clocking in and out won't cause any problems.

See some of you in April!

were people trying to get durant/westbrook's autograph at all lol...seems like KD would stick out like a sore thumb in there being he's like 6'9

jackpot was at 55K last night when I left last night at 9:30 PM

Jackpot was at 55k when I left on Friday night...any chance it hasn't hit yet???

it was 57.5k a few hours ago, hadn't hit yet

Hey guys, how do i park here ?

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Talkin...sdale,+AZ&z=20

When I was there, I parked on the outside but I saw a few people park inside here. It had one of those security gate bars that lifted when they drove up to it.

Also, how does valet work? Is it free/24 hours? Thanks!

I like to self park. So from exit 44 on the 101 I drove past the Hampton and first left turn to the second left turn. Then I parked in that area as close as I could to the end of walk out from the main door. I then waled the short walkway through the gated lot and through the valet parking drop off and into the main door. Poker room is to your left along the wall past hotel reservations. Easy. Always a parking spot. Towards the lower left corner of your map is a big circle at the end of the walkway. I park as close as I can to that.

Thanks for the help.! Is there a way to park inside the gated lot? Or is that where the valet parks the cars

I don't know. I was a vistor. A local might know. I was guessing its for Valet.

There is also a back entrance to the Poker room which I think is near the west parking lot.
I found my spot near the big circle and did not try anything else.

I usually park in the free garage. When you turn off of 101 on to Indian Bend take ta left at the first stop sign, take the second right, go past the surface lots, you'll see a turn in to the garage. The poker room is right outside the door from that lot.

Good to know if I ever visit in the summer.

bbjp hit Sat night if anyone didn't know.

whats the bbj rules here?

aaatt < quads, both hole cards must play

Is anyone else going to sign out and finding that they are not in the system?

It's happened to me but it's been bec I've gone over the 8 hour limit.

This seems to happen to me regularly even when I am careful to continue. I've even been waiting for a seat and watching the board and seen my name disappear on multiple occasions. Very annoying that the system just randomly boots people out.

Even more annoying is when you play an overnight and forget to continue and the board girl won't write you a comp on your way out because she did the same thing yesterday. Yes dum dum that's right - I did play two long overnight sessions in a row. How about showing me a little loyalty and write out a comp that costs both you and the casino nothing...

back to back overnight sessions is hardcore damn!