Unrelated but are there any other online forums to discuss rivers/chicago poker?

Not that I know of. There was a thread on the r/poker subreddit for the grand opening but it hasn't been very active since.

"Twenty-two poker tables" could be construed as "false and misleading advertising", or "unfair and deceptive act" under IGC Gaming Act. Way I see it, those long Rivers Casino POKER game wait lists are BAIT and SWITCH, a known sales trick and violation. Corporate casino is involved in some thug behavior in DesPlaines, Illinois. 😮😮

Finally made it there today. Like many others in here, all I did was get my players card and put my name on the list only to leave shortly after. I got called for what I assume was 1-2 PLO at about 3:30, an hour and a half after check in.


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No hoodies ? What is wrong with hoodies ?

Today I check in at 1:45 by 2:30 they call me in for 1-2 PLO after 15 minutes for 2-3 and after another 30 min for 1-3

Saw the owner of RCG playing the 1/2 PLO today. Probably scoping out the competition, lol.

Anyone know if they have a player bank of some kind?

I’m interested in becoming a reg once the waits cool down, but I’m coming from the city with no car often and would prefer not to be hauling cash around all the time.

They don't allow hoods up over face, I guess for some sort of security thing. They do however allow hats. Big difference between the two.

I think one thing many people may be discounting when it comes to the popularity of a Rivers room is how many people in Chicago don't own a car. The reason I only ever went to the Shoe and never to Elgin was because I live downtown in an apartment with no car. When the shuttles were running to Hammond, I was a straight shot red line ride to Chinatown, then a bus to the casino. I didn't have that option for GVC.

I have to imagine there are a lot of city residents who can get to Rivers a lot easier than they could get to other suburban locations.

the train (metra i believe) stops about 2 blocks away from gvc.

Yes but check the schedules. Also the train takes about 90m I think to get to Union.

For sure, also a lot of people enjoy drinking while playing so even if they own a car this gives them the opportunity to drink and not have to drive.

It obviously will calm down over time, and as they iron out the kinks wait times will also reduce, pretty insane right now.

Assuming this is a safe space to ask for Chicagoland residents, but is it confirmed Blue Chip is finished as well as New Buffalo Four Winds? Horseshoe is dwindling and it looks like this room and GVC are going to battle with the scraps going to the charity games.

Just making sure I know my options in the post/current covid landscape. I plan to make it to this room when it settles down some.

Don't know what Blue Chip is but New Buffalo Four Winds hasn't had poker since I've been paying attention, nearest Four Winds that does is South Bend, and not worth the additional travel time from here imo.

Hoodies just cant be over your head, has to do with security, pretty sure if you tried to walk into Rivers with your hood up, they'd tell you to pull it down too
the same reason you couldn't walk into GVC without pulling down your mask for a moment so the cameras got a clip of you

Heard from the man who runs the GVC room himself yesterday (for some reason I cant remember his name as I type)
that he thinks in one week the phone and headphone ban will be lifted (market forces at work I guess)
and yes, you can chew gum at the table

Personally I like the no-phone at the table rule.
Forces people to pay attention.

It's just too tempting to put $35 out there when you have the nuts
and say quietly, "all in" and hope the guy calls $35 before finding out it's an all in.
Hey, you take yourself out of the game mentally and audially, that's on you.

Now, I've never done this, since I play only at GVC, but it'd be the perfect "angle"
and yet totally not an angle since it's well within the rules

Begs the question, can something within the rules be an angle?
If so, what?

Isn't that the whole point of something being an angle? It isn't "cheating" but it is intentionally acting in a way to mislead other players.

I understand not being able to walk into the casino with your hoodie over your head. That makes perfect sense. But why are you not allowed the hoodie over your head while sitting down at the poker table? Security already knows who you are, as they can track you with the hundreds of cameras throughout the casino. It literally makes zero sense.

Agreed, but it's hardly a big deal is it?

The most infuriating rule at GVC is the fact they have a forward motion rule AND a betting line
You only need one.
But I dont want to get started on this one.

They have a hard betting line but not a forward motion rule? If you move chips forward behind the line it's not binding as a bet. At least this is what I was told last week.

Also, this thread is absolutely the purist demonstration that poker players will constantly and relentlessly find something to moan about no matter what.

I mean in and of itself no, it's not a big deal, I can live without being able to wear a hoodie. But it's the totality of the circumstances. If tomorrow they ban hats at the table, that in and of itself is not a big deal either, I can still play poker, but it doesn't make it any less stupid.

I do think getting rid of the phone and headphones ban is a step in the right direction though and will probably make me reconsider playing there again.

Does anyone know if the dealers share tips or not? I have a theory that poker rooms are able to keep their better dealers if the tips aren't shared.

Played 7 hours last nite at Rivers and had a positive experience overall. Arriving at 5:30 pm was not seated at 2/5 nlhe until 8:15 pm which is a long wait but I was expecting as much and played 2/5 plo and 1/2 plo after a 90 min wait. got a text whenever my seat opened at a new table and so I could have easily waited in my car parked near the poker room and got some work done while waiting. Hemal (sp?) is the manager and he was so polite and friendly - he has a winning personality and his staff in the room seemed to mirror his personality. The desk and floor and dealers also were nice and friendly. Wear a seatbelt at the 2/5 nlhe tables - the crazy up to 5x button and utg stradles up to $25 make the game play really big. My table at 2/5 was wild with players commonly making huge raises otf all in for 5-10 times the total pot. Saw a hand where button straddled to $15; mp 4! to $200 with a flat, then straddle completed (slow playing AA) and ep 3bettor flatted with 44. $800+ 4 way action to the flop. AA and 44 got about $4,000 total in the middle ott after K high flop checked through and 4 hit ott.