Today the Hollywood Casino at Turn Two of the Kansas Speedway opens complete with a 12 table poker room.

Shuffle up and deal

Did anyone play here this weekend? Any reports? Thanks in advance.

I'm in KCMO. Wish I was 21

This place looks awesome.

I'm a KC are resident and played here for the first time last weekend. Here are my thoughts:

The room itself is gorgeous. Easily the nicest room in the area, and aesthetically, one of the nicest I've ever played in. I got there at at 11:00am on Saturday and got right in. By 1:00 there was a waiting list of 27 people for 1/3 NL. All of the tables were going. There were a few 2/5 NL, a couple 3/6 and 4/8 limit games, a 5-10 NL and 25-50 NLH game cranking by than. Lot's of action. Just got back from a nit fest at the Bellagio while in Vegas working this week, and can't wait to get back to this room.

Hollywood draws the best demographic in the area, with the Johnson County money close by and the KU kids coming in from Lawrence only 25 mins away. Most of the the dealers have come over from Harrah's or Ameristar, but there were a couple dealers with a deer in the headlights look that were obviously new. Comps are competitive locally at .75 an hour. I've been told that they have the ability to expand the room if needed. Right now, it's the honeymoon period with everyone in the city wanting to check it out, but I'd be shocked if this didn't take the local poker crown form Harrah's.

Pros: I love the 1/3 game vs 1/2 everywhere else. Cocktail service was excellent and the waitresses were stunning. Great room. Since it is literally built on turn 2 of the KS Speedway, race weekends should be insane!

A few gripes:

I was hoping the room would be totally enclosed. Although not as obnoxious as at Harrah's, the smoke and slot noise drifts in. I had my back to the rail all day, so I was in the worst possible seat for noise. Hopefully it will be more muted deeper into the room.

The casino itself has a great Vegas like vibe that the boats can't capture, but I was hoping it would be larger than it is. It's early, but it's my understanding that they are hitting capacity Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights late in the afternoon. Plan on getting there early or you will be waiting to get in.

I went Friday afternoon about 2:30 and got right in on a new table. By 4 all the tables were full and a waiting list started up. I think at it's peak there were 70 people waiting for 1/3 NL.

I didn't look close, but the games I saw spread were 1/3 NL, 2/5 NL, 2/4 FL, and 20/40 FL.

The casino looks great and it is the nicest poker room in the area. I recognized much of the staff from Harrah's. Not sure if I'll be going there instead of Harrah's since it's a further drive for me, but it's nice having another option.

Some cons for me: The chairs sat to high and weren't comfortable. The back seemed to push me forward and it was hard to sit back in them. Tables were a little close together. If they were going after Harrah's business, they should have made the room a little bigger in my opinion.

Notable hand: I had pocket 9's on a AJ9 flop. Guy to my right had just sat down and bets into me. I raise and we end up all in. He flips up JJ. As I count out chips, I spike a 9 on the river for quads.

Thinking about heading over there in March. How's the play compared to the boats?

I've only been there three times for a total of 20 hours, but I have seen a lot of faces there from Harrah's and Ameristar. However, since the casino is so busy now, there are quite a few players making their way over who apparently don't have a ton of experience. Each time I have played there have been at least a couple players at each table who have donated nicely. The fact that 1/3 is the lowest NLHM spread vs. 1/2 at the boats allows the ability to take more advantage of these players at a higher limit than you find them otherwise.

I have a BRAVO poker app on my iPhone which tells me how many tables are going at the three major casinos. Right now almost all the KC action has moved to the Hollywood.