Da_Nit - Thanks for the write up.

We play Lake Charles mostly when we come in for vacation twice per year from oversea's.
I was wondering how the games were being affected by all of the Card Rooms in Houston.

We went to visit #-1 daughter in Austin this year in August this year and played at the Texas Card House and the games were very good

Hope that you provide a Trip Report on the Houston Card Houses

Check Home Poker. Big thread there.

I'm RV'ing from Pennsylvania. Checked out GN and L'Auberge. Soft games but I can't handle the smoke. Played several hours one day and felt it in my lungs all next day. Not worth it to me.

Isle isn't smoky (anymore) because the slot area by the poker is non-smoking. But I just popped in at 5pm on a Tuesday and there was only one table running.

Not looking good for grinding in Lake Charles as a non-smoker, so I think I'll take the RV somewhere else.

It's a shame because I was starting to like this town. Friendly people and good food (highly recommend Steamboat Bill's, and be sure to try a boudin ball).

I’m a Steamboat Bill’s fan but avoided it last time due to lack of parking. Can’t imagine trying to park an RV there. Try Houston if your heading west on I-10.

Oh I didn't park the RV there hah, I'm towing my car with me.

I'll head east and probably end up in Tampa since I liked it there before. I can try a couple places along the way (e.g. Nola and Biloxi).

There were quite a few Houston players at the GN and L'.

Update: I walked back into Isle at 9pm last night and the poker room was closed, lol.

Ok makes sense no way your parking an RV

I’d imagine games in Nola and Biloxi will be better.

When I was in LC Friday before Christmas it seemed I was the only Houstonian or one of just 2-3 Houstonians. A year or two ago I’m sure the majority would of been from Houston.

I don’t think I’ve ever been to Lake Charles without going to Steamboat Bills. When we went to LC last November we were told to check out Cajun Tales in Welsh which we combined with visiting the Bayou Rum distillery (highly recommended). Apparently that seafood place is a local favorite but I have no idea why. Food was OK but felt relatively pricey, especially considering that the restaurant probably had its last remodel at a time their current regulars were young, like 50 years ago.

As mentioned in the L’Auberge thread, I checked out the poker room twice and decided against playing because the game looked sad. Maybe I got spoiled because the games were so good a couple years ago, but today I wouldn’t consider Lake Charles a poker destination anymore.

Bad beat jackpot hit at L’auberge last night for total of 160k. Straight flush 56d to 10Jd on a 789d board.

Has anyone played at the relocated Poker Room at the Golden Nugget?

It just moved last week. I am out of town this weekend so have not had the chance yet. Should be quiet compared to where it was. But limited walk by from main casino floor.

Went and played at Golden Nugget new room.

Room is quiet and has 7 tables. I like it better. The temperature was very pleasant.

You don't see all the ladies and the room is across from Casino - so not sure how it affects the drunks and partiers on Fri/Sat night coming and setting down.

Games were good this last weekend.

After reading the Texas thread and all the negative news lately I am rekindling this old flame, that hasn't had any attention in 3 years... Wondering why none of the casinos in west Lousiana run "big" tourney series anymore. I am hoping Horseshoe Lake Charles will fill some of the void when they open but it seems like the Houston/Dallas demand would really support a big series in LA. The circuit series and PokerGras in NOLA always draw good crowds. Coushatta, Golden Nugget, and the Bossier casinos just not interested? Lack of dealers? Not profitable enough?? Hardly anything going on in Shreveport anymore. Used to have Circuit, Rungood, and GulfCoastPoker stops. Hoping the Bally's 100k GTD in August has a good turnout.

They would never be able to get enough dealers. Nugget closes at 1am every night cause they don't have enough in the rotation to keep it open despite the demand. LaB tried using table game dealers and it was a disaster. Bottom line is that Houston has killed LC poker (public games at least). Unless Texas gets shut down I don't see them ever making a full recovery. Coushatta had the best room by far and what the Nugget opening did to them was bad enough and then the Texas games just finished them off where they now play in a glorified employee break room. I would be nice if the Horseshoe gives it a try but I'm guessing they wont. They are all focusing their attention on the Sportsbooks now, poker isn't even an afterthought.

Horseshoe has it blasted all over their media releases that they plan to have a "WSOP Poker Room" so I am guessing they at least plan to give it a run. Would be cool if they just give the circuit one try to see how it goes. I genuinely have a bad gut feeling about the future of the Houston poker scene, but hope I am wrong.

Horseshoe will have a poker room initially at least. 10 tables what I have been told by a host still on payroll. Don’t know if they will have a place to run MTT. LA laws are a little flaky on gaming space. If they make even a mild effort GN room will completely die (which might be good riddance. )