Here we go!

https://talkingstickresort.com/a-new-day-to-play/

This is not going to go well for Talking Stick.

I hope it goes well but I'm not going to be a guinea pig. Yesterday, Arizona had the highest number ever of recorded new COVID cases.

No smoking? Have they wanted to be a non-smoking casino for a while?

The higher number of cases were expected. AZ has been almost dead last in testing up until their recent testing blitz. The numbers are starting to catch up with reality. They said some of these new numbers are from a few weeks back. My concern is that hospitalizations have gone up the last four day's.

It sounds like Talking Stick is taking the necessary precautions unlike some other places.

Smoking can't be good for the Covid. I don't know if this will turn into a permanent policy.

What makes you an expert?

Exactly. They are doing testing blitzes all over the state. It does take at least a week for results after sampling.

A week for test results? You mean for a large batch of them?

A great promotional idea would be for a casino to allow a testing company to put up a tent in the parking lot.

After a blitz, people have been saying they're getting results about a week later. It makes sense they would be sending in samples in a batch.

I was looking forward to attending the reopening on Monday after work but with looting in Scottsdale yesterday to follow up the vandalism in Phoenix Saturday night, we may end up getting a curfew instilled within the next couple days.

Regarding the virus, my biggest concern is that social distancing efforts will result in a huge spread of communicable diseases once people reintegrate and pathogens that are currently evolving in local populations start spreading around the general human population.

I would doubt that this will be an issue in Arizona where there really wasn't a true lock down. I've heard there were several businesses who continued to operate even though they weren't supposed to...Hair salons, pools remained open at resorts etc. I have friends in Scottsdale who said there were still a good amount of cars on the road.

Flu season is over. Which pathogens are you speaking of?

Our governor was reluctant to lock down to protect businesses. That logic won't apply to creating a curfew in an attempt to protect businesses from vandalism and looting in the middle of the night.

I don't know which specific pathogens will become problematic. My understanding is that biological organisms reproduce at varying rates and mutate in unpredictable ways. Our immune systems are generally able to fight off these mutations by continuous exposure to new strains. But now, pathogens are going to stay localized until reintegration occurs.

I got super sick with some kind of stomach bug when I visited the UK in 2008 and this is a frequent phenomenon whenever people are around populations they don't generally expose themselves to. Ask anyone who's ever been to boot camp how sick everyone gets as people from around the country are held together in close quarters.

Hopefully they stop rioting after this weekend! I know what you mean about travelers getting sick due to exposure to new bugs. I've done a good bit of travelling and witnessed and experienced numerous stomach bugs.

I'll be playing later this week and thru the weekend. Using poker as an incentive to get all my work done. So pumped poker is coming back!

In years past, have June - August had good poker action at TS? I'm in the Phoenix area indefinitely. Have the option to leave at the end of June or stay. Good poker action and getting the AZ poker championship back on the calendar for August would definitely incentivize me to stay longer.

I've never played at Talking Stick when the games weren't good. The cast of characters doesn't seem to change. I have no idea what to expect now. I think it will be a bunch of serious players ready to get back to work. I'd expect less of the bad older players. The curfew puts a damper on things.

I haven't heard if all games are still being spread or how many per table.

8pm curfew now in effect for one week.

https://www.abc15.com/news/state/ari...egins-at-8-p-m

I find this order confusing because on they one hand it says there's an exception to patronize businesses but on the other hand it says you can't go to any public place, and a public place includes privately held property.

Right. That exception is large enough to encompass just about anyone who is not loitering on the street. Also I would guess the state gov has no police power on Indian land.

Agree that we'll be good to go to patronize the casino. The problem is the order and potential for unrest could discourage some (many?) players from playing in the evening.
Hopefully TS puts out some good messaging to increase consumer confidence. We'll see.

Sounds great. Hopefully these games aren't overrun with pros too much.

Or maybe they will move the protests over to the Casino.

Anyone there today? Don't see any action on Bravo.

This was posted on reddit:



Seems like 6 handed at the most.

Looks like 5? The guy on the right is directly across from the dealer. Or maybe 7. There seems to be space on each side of that guy.

The tribe can probably ask for help from the city if it wants, or the state and Guard if they want.

Rioting and looting are not on that list. Arson? No. Physical assaults? No.

Social Distancing? Nah, let's use the table right next to the entrance and the board that gets the most traffic!