Turning Stone

Turning Stone recently expanded their poker room to 35 tables, in a move to the area formerly reserved for slots, located between the former room and the main restaurant corridor. "Major" tournaments (such as Heartland Poker Tour)are held in one of many special events rooms. Daily tournaments are held right in the Poker Room.

Entrance fee
None

The old Diamond Card comp system of 'karats' to be used towards resort purchases has been replaced with the casino's new 5-tier Turning Stone Rewards point system. One hundred points are awarded per hour at all games. Points are redeemable at all eateries, bars, and shops in the casino at a rate of $1 per one hundred points.

Hold 'em
Limit:
 * $2/4 (runs nearly 24/7)
 * $4/8 (pretty constant, usually 2-4 tables on weekends)
 * $6/12 (pretty constant, usually 1 or 2 tables)
 * $10/20 (rare)
 * $15/30 (Starts up daily at 12:30 pm)
 * $20/40 (alternates with the 15/30 as the biggest game usually played in the room)
 * $30/60 (rare)

No-limit:
 * $1-2 blinds - $50 min, $200 max buy-in (usually running, 1 or 2 tables)
 * $2-5 blinds - $200 min, $500 max buy-in
 * $5-5 blinds - $500 min, $1000 max buy-in
 * $5-10 blinds (with a minimum $20 bring-in) $300 min buy-in (runs Friday nights)

When tournament series are in town, 30/60 will run all week and so will the 5/10 nl games, and there will usually be a main game and a must move.

Omaha

 * $4/8 Omaha 8 or better (has been running most weekends)

7-stud high
... higher when the pros are in town
 * $1-5 spread (weekends)
 * $2-10 spread (very rare)

7-stud hi-lo 8-or-better

 * $2-10 spread (rare, but can be requested)

Rake structure / time collection
As of summer 2005, rake increased to the following for all raked **limit** games (limit below about $20/40):
 * 5 or more players: Max of $4 per hand
 * 4 or fewer players: Half of normal rake

Pots are raked on the basis of
 * Flop = Drop
 * $1 for every $10 in the pot, up to $4
 * $1 per hand for the high hand jackpot

Tournaments
March Madness Hold'em tournament


 * 3/2 $300+40 NLHE
 * 3/3 $500+50 NLHE
 * 3/4 $1000+60 NLHE
 * 3/5 $200+30 NLHE

$50 satellites 2/24-3/1. Single-table shootout satellites are likely for tournament lammers. Poker rate available.
 * Empire State Hold 'Em Championships take place in August. The main event is a $5000 NLHE tournament.
 * East Coast poker championships take place in October. The main event is a $1000 NLHE tournament.

See this 2+2 thread for details.

A few others listed on their site:
 * $135 + $25 WSOP satellites on Friday nights
 * $40 satellites (to ESHEC?) every Wed., Thurs., and Sat.

Quality of opposition
As expected, weak in low-limit games, gets steadily stronger as stakes increase. Lots of "kids" who do well in their home games come to try some real cards here because it's 18+.

$2-4: This game runs 'round the clock and is 100% fishy. The better tables are ones with mostly older folk, but every table of $2-4 is No Fold 'em Hold 'em.

$4/8: Not as fishy as the $2-4 but very beatable. Average 5 or so to the flop. Watch out for the nitty locals, though. The game is pretty dull unless they're in a friendly mood.

$6/12: This game is variably fishy, but plays almost as loose-passive as the Borgata 6/12 on the weekends. Often with players goofing around while waiting for a seat in the 15/30 or 20/40 game if $10/20 isn't going.

$200-max NL: roughly 20% college-aged tight-weak players.. Standard open-raises, in order of frequency: $12, $15, $7, $20. A lot of players will overplay dominated aces.

Wait time
Possibly nil for the low stud; under half an hour for $1-2 and $3/6.

For NL games the wait times can get quite long on Friday and Saturday nights. If you plan on playing all night, your best bet it to show up around 5 to get seated promptly. Also, you can call ahead and get your name on the board up to an hour early.

They recently upgraded the board to electronic which should help immensely in their seating players promptly as this has been a big problem in the past.

Other

Dealers pool their tokes.

It is rare for anyone to get carded, even particularly young looking players. Beverages of any kind are allowed to be consumed by anyone.