sweet!....excited...this place is like 8 minutes away...booya

Limits are pretty much the same as that place down the road - 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 6/12, 8/16, 15/30, 30/60. There will be no 9/18 game. We may play full or half kills on any game if requested. We will spread 2-10, 4-20 and 5-60 spread limit. I think a 2-4 blind, 4-20 spread limit game with a half kill (6-30)would be a monster, but who knows...

We will also be running tournaments 5 days a week (after the first week) with buy-ins ranging from $50 to $300 dollars. One of these will be at Midnight on Monday, as well as Sat. morning and Sunday morning.

We will also have jackpots - exactly as that place in Shakopee does - same qualifiers, etc., We will not start them as high, since we dont really have any "seed" money, but that will change quickly and they will grow fast!

Its only six days away - we are all working hard to get this place open. Everything is on schedule so far.

Hope to see you all there!

Hi BBQ, can you tell me how spread limit works. say 2-10, If I'm first to act and raise to 10, anyone can reraise to 20, 30 then cap at 40?

Thanks

Yeah that is exactly right. Under the gun you could raise to anywhere from 4 to 10, but each successive raise must be equal to or greater than the previous raise. In a 2-10 spread game blinds are 1-2 - someone makes it 7 to go ($5 raise) the next person could raise anywhere from 5 to 10 dollars. Its a great game - you guys are gonna like it!

Thanks a lot BBQ!

Hope to make it the opening week!

Sorry if this has already been discussed in the thread.. but I didn't see it.

How will comps work? Or will there be any at all?...

Fudge, I am traveling that day.

RA website calls it a PL game. Are you going to have both PL (with $60 cap) and spread limit, or just one of these? If you guys have PL, why don't other MN card rooms have it?

I hope to make it up for opening night tomorrow. I've been looking forward to it for months.

It was a mistake on the website that has gone uncorrected for many months. You'd think guys like BBQ would get it fixed...

How long does Running Aces need to be open before you make baseless accusations of collusion in their games?

Very excited about the opening tonight but probably unable to make it out until at least Wed night. I'm sure it will be a zoo and jam packed tonight.
Can't wait to get the first reports in on the games spread, general vibe and the action.
Whomever makes it out tonight please let us know.

I'm planning on going tonight...I'll try to post a TR when I get back.

Damnation, I was really hoping for PLHE 1/2 with a $60 bet cap, but now it's only spread limit?

Does this also mean hopes of PLO are completely dashed? That sucks.

Also hoping for a TR from someone still going to CP tonight. I am curious of the impact this room will have on number of players there. Maybe tonight won't be a good gauge since the opening is a bit different, but ongoing, it will be interesting to see how the crowd is at CP on specific nights vs life w/o running aces.

Got a couple of other things going on tonight but might be stopping out at CP for a few hours later if time allows.

I will also be at RA tonight, I plan on putting in 20+ hrs there b/t now and the 2nd. I will post a pretty extensive TR in the upcoming days.

I will be at RA this Saturday... I'd love to hear any trip reports you guys have.

Got there around 8:30 PM. Final race had to finish before they could deal.

You could just sit at the game you wanted and they'd swipe your Players Club card to save your seat. A 1 time thing I'm sure and you'll need to use the board in the future.

I played 6-12 LHE. Doubled up with some decent play. Got aces, but got rivered by a guy who flopped a K with his KQ then rivered another K. Then I played crappy and gave it all back.

The room is very nice. 25 high quality poker tables (and 25 table games). High ceilings. Fabulous chairs. A players lounge with snacks and internet access. Nice bathrooms. No expense was spared and it is their intent to be not only the best room in Minnesota but possibly the country. Time will tell if the patrons make it so. It won't be from lack of trying by Running Aces Management.

It seems that Running Aces poached some talent from Canterbury Park. Or maybe the location was a better fit for many of them. The dealers varied from novice to professional. Most issues I seen arise were dealers unfamiliar with the player check in system on the table. All the floor staff were on the ball and very friendly.

I asked a few questions and the dealer I talked to said all games will be raked for the Jackpot which is different from Canterbury who exclude 15-30 and up.

I'll wait for others to comment on rakes and their fairness. I have heard nothing but complaints about Canterbury's monopoly and their terrible rakes so those who know might post the difference or similarities to Canterbury.

I found my new room thats for certain. Best wishes to all of you.

All games at Canterbury have been jackpot games for a while now.

Axe, what was the turnout like?

Thanks for the report Axe.. can't wait to go this Saturday to check it out!

any info on the quality of the blackjack games offered there?

I wasn't planning on posting this tonight, but here it goes.

I got there about 8:30 or so and the place was already packed. About 8:45 or so they let took down the ropes and let everyone go to a table. The dealers simply held signs up for which game they had and the players took a seat. Once the games were filled (extremely quickly) you needed to go to the board to sign up.

Anyways tonight they were spreading:
2-4 LHE
3-6 LHE
4-8 LHE
6-12 LHE
8-16 LHE
15-30 LHE
30-60 LHE
2-10 Spread limit
4-20 spread limit
5-60 spread limit
3-6 Stud
4-8 Omaha H/L

There were interest lists for other games including 10-20 Omaha H/L and 5-30 Spread limit but they didn't run.

The list was 20+ names long for every game with the smaller games having even longer ones. Even the table games were completely packed.

The had Pai Gow, BJ, Bonus BJ, 3 and 4 card poker and ultimate Texas hold'em.

The fish were out in full force. At both my table (3-6) and my friends tables (6-12 and 8-16) the play was horrendous. My advice is to get out here as much as possible to play in the next month because the play will be horrible. I will be out there almost all day Tuesday as well.

As for the room itself; amazing would be the word. The chairs are extremely nice and feel like they are that memory foam stuff they are also adjustable and have rollers.

The service was great as well. People who play at Canterbury know how much the service sucks but here the server was by every couple of minutes. (I ordered the walleye sandwich BTW which I would highly recommend.) They serve coke and not pepsi like most other MN casinos if anyone cares.

The chips are kind of different and are a little rougher than anything I've played with before. They unfortunately don't stack as nice as CPs. The chip colors are standard with the $1 being white. The $10 chips are actually a pretty cool blue/orange scheme.


I also got a look at Club Aces, the lounge. It is very nice. They have leather couches, massage chairs and 5-6 computers that lounge members can use. There is also free buffet style food in the lounge, and it has its own private bathrooms. (with showers) I didn't see it, but supposedly someone was playing FTP in the lounge while waiting for his seat in a live game. To be able to use the club after tonight, however you have to either get it comped by playing a lot or pay.

A 24 hr usage of the club will cost you 1500 points, which would work out to $15 in comps. A quarterly membership costs 20,000 points, or 200 hours of play (assuming 100 pts/hr). I'm not sure if you can simply pay for entrance or if you need to play. Ill try to find that out next time. I'm also not sure on the number of points someone gets from playing different games. Other things you can get with comps include food/beverage, racing forms, apparel, and valet parking.

As for the dealers a huge majority of them are first time dealers, but they all seem well trained. There was not a single dealer mistake in my 6 hrs of playing, not one. The only downside is that they are a little slow but i can deal with slow play when the tables are full of fish.

The one complaint I had was getting seats filled. The list had to be 30+ names long but our 3-6 seat remained vacant for over an hr. I asked several floors and they said they would get someone but never did. I finally asked the guy who looked like he was in charge of the place to fill the seat and I got a "I'll take care of that right away" over a 1/2 hr later there was still no one in the seat. I felt like they didn't really care about a lowly 3-6 player but thats neither here no there. It was opening night and they were packed so some things I can let slide.

Overall, extremely impressive room! Everyone in the area needs to check it out.

I'll be heading back there tomorrow so if anyone has any questions let me know and ill try to get them answered.



OTT

I also visited the much anticipated opening of Running Aces. The room is nice and well lit. The chairs are very comfortable. It was a bit chaotic the whole night and to me it seemed most employees there were clueless and definitely weren't prepared or trained very long. Given it was the first night I didn't expect much. The dealers were very slow at times and were afraid to make any mistakes. At one table I think we got maybe 6 hands dealt during the guys shift. I tried ordering a coke 3 times and never received it. I finally asked one of the guys in the suits if I could just go and grab one and he said he would take care of it right away, which he did. At least they have mello yello for those that enjoy mountain dew. I never checked out the players lounge but 1500 points or $15 cash seems like a lot to utilize it for 24 hours. Mostly I was dissatisfied by the lack of training of the dealers, they had plenty of time before they could open the room.

Dislikes: No half dollar chips stocked in the dealers tray. I was told you can buy some and they are like wooden chips or something. Since I play low limits definitely need these because I don't like to stiff a dealer and when the pot is very low definitely cant always tip a buck with the high rake and jackpot drop.

Jackpot drop whenever there is a flop. Uhm ok, I don't think canterbury does this but a few times the pot was below $10 and dropped a buck for the jackpot. I hope they review that because they are already killing small stakes players with the rake as it is. Dealer told me when I complained that hey think about how big the jackpot will get its for the players benefits. OK whatever.

VERY SLOW DEALERS: I hope they get fast soon because I will bring a pillow with next time and take a nap between hands.

Likes: the chairs, super comfy and adjustable.

Drink cups: not those cheap small styrofoam cups. These are plastic and probably 20 ounces. My advice is to request a straw as they dont give you one unless you ask.

I like the chips because they were new and not as many nasty germs on them yet.


I thought I was going to me more impressed by the Running Aces card room but maybe over time I will like it better than CP. Still Canterbury, in my opinion, is much better run and well structured. You really can't find any poker room better than CP (i.e. the floor and the dealers). Yeah the service sucks really bad there but other than that it is the best around and I don't think RA can compete in that department.

Ok as far as tournaments I have gathered all the sheets on the tournaments they are going to run. I'll keep it short

Every other Sunday beginning the 13th of July 300+40 buyin NO LIMIT starts at 12:00PM. 10,000 in chips 30 minute rounds starting at blinds 25-50

Also on Sundays Sit N Go tournaments from 2pm - 10pm $60 and $110 buyins. 10 handed $60 start wtih 1000 T chips, $110 start with 1500 T chips. 15 minute blinds starting at 25-50

Monday: Aces cracked from 10am-6pm. $75 and $50 7 card stud.
Monday: Midnight Madness tourney $100+20 buyin starting July 14th. 20 minute rounds 5,000 starting chips blinds start at 25-50. Starts July 14th.

Tuesday: $200+30 buyin No Limit tourney. Stars at 6:30pm This tourney will run every Tuesday. Somehow missed grabbing the info sheet on this.

Wednesday: $80+20 weekly No limit tourney. Starts at Noon. 3,000 starting chips and 20 minute blinds beginning at 25-50. Starts July 9th.

Wednesday: SnG's from 2pm - 10pm see above for structure.

Thursday: $50+10 weekly No limit tourney. Starts at 10:30AM. 3,000 starting chips and 20 minute blinds beginning at 25-50.

Friday: $68+12 No limit tourney. Heartland Poker Tour Super Satellite. Starts at 10:30AM. 5,000 starting chips 20 minute blinds top 20% get seat to main qualifiers on Nov. 7-15. These Super satellites begin July 11th

Saturday: $150+25 weekly No limit tourney. Starts at 10:30AM. 8,000 starting chips and 20 minute blinds. Starting July 12th.

Hope this helps anyone interested in the tournaments offered at Running Aces as I haven't seen anything post yet on their website.

clay paulsons?
http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/5619/14637zs2.jpg

or bud jones like cp?
http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/7424/09140kk5.jpg

or are they chipcos?
http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/4866/10222vi0.jpg

thanks