Ojibwa Casino Resort

Hours, Tables, Location
Open 24/7, but poker is only played on Friday through Sunday nights starting at 6pm.

3 tables, though generally only 2 are in use.

In Baraga, near L'Anse, only about half a mile inland from Lake Superior, on highway M-38: 797 Michigan Avenue, Baraga MI

Games and Info
Limit hold 'em: $3/$6

No-limit hold 'em: $50-$100 buyin, $1/$2 blinds.

Posting: New players are not required to post.

Shuffling: All tables shuffled by hand.

Wait Time
With so few tables, and so few players, wait times can be highly variable, from 0 minutes to 60 minutes or more, depending on game type and demand. The brush stands at a podium at the back of the room, and also acts as poker cashier. You don't use the standard casino cashier windows -- all poker chips are bought and sold at the podium in the room.

Tournaments and Jackpots
No tournaments. No jackpots.

Atmosphere
(May 2005): Even as a full-service casino, the demand is mainly for slot machines up here in Baraga. Poker is only spread Friday-Sunday nights starting at 6pm. They set up folding tables (the "poker tables") in a separate hotel function room in the hotel, just behind the casino, but connected to it.

As you might expect, the games are full of regulars who all know each other and play "friendly poker". Fairly loose and passive in the limit, loose and agressive in the no-limit. The no-limit attracts the "young guns", the 20-somethings who just want to go all-in. The limit attracts the older more conservative players.

Since most of the casino is slot machines, table games themselves are pretty clearly an afterthought here (only three blackjack tables!). The fact that they spread poker at all is pretty cool, although the fact that it's happening at a folding table makes it seem like nothing more than a home game with your friends.

Since the game is only played on weekends, the dealers are not used to it, and frequently have trouble doing basic dealer work: reading the board (determining who won), moving the button, and especially dealing with bets and side pots.

Smoking: Non-smoking, and it's enforced. Since it's in a completely separate room, you really are smokefree.

Tables and Chairs: Folding tables with felt and padding, seating 10 players. Chairs are folding chairs with padded seats.

Service and Comps
No food service; get-it-yourself sodas in the room. They have a real soda fountain dispenser and paper cups that you can just get up and refill with Coke, Diet Coke, etc. Water and coffee available too.

Links

 * Official Ojibwa/Baraga Website

Visited by wiki authors
Visited by MarkT in May 2005.