Diamond Jim's Casino

Take the Avenue A exit off Highway 14. It's the only building you can see anywhere around you -- you're in the middle of nowhere. Diamond Jim's appears to be sitting in the middle of an empty field.



Games
There is always a game running at Diamond Jim's, which is surprising considering its remote location. At most times, though, there are only a couple of tables of limit holdem and one or two of no-limit going.

Wait Time: There is often a seat available; if not, the wait might be a while. You can play blackjack or three-card poker while you wait.

Game Nature: A few rocks and a few maniacs just trying to have some fun and a cheap meal while they pass a few hours. Limit games tend to be very passive - there is nearly always a showdown in every hand.

Rake: $4 per hand + $1 jackpot per hand (5+1 for 200 NL and up).

Posting: New players need not post.

Shuffling: Most tables have Shufflemaster shuffling machines.

Kills: Killer acts in turn.

Tournaments

 * Sun 10:15 am Limit Omaha/8 42+13
 * Sun 1:30pm NLHE 50+15+10 re-entry
 * Mon-Fri 10:15 am NLHE 5+5 1x20 add-on.
 * Mon 6pm NLHE 20+10+5 (unlimited $10 rebuys)
 * Tue 6pm NLHE 50+15+5
 * Wed 6pm various (some weeks it's Omaha/8, some weeks it's a Ladies Night tournament, some weeks it's a 50+15 NLHE)
 * Fri 4pm "Quickie" NLHE 50+10+5 (12 minute rounds)
 * Sat 1:30pm NLHE 20+10+5 (unlimited $10 rebuys)



Jackpots and Promotions

 * Hold 'Em
 * Monster Bad Beat: quad 4's or better beaten
 * EZ-Way Bad Beat: Aces full of tens beaten
 * Mini Bad Beat: Any aces full beaten ($400 to loser, $200 to winner, $200 in table share).


 * Omaha
 * Quad 9's or better beaten

On Sundays, they have a "pocket aces busted" bonus.

Atmosphere


Funky "old time" casino atmopshere with modern updates. Nice and pleasant place to play. Their shtick is that "Diamond Jim" is this old-timey character with a bowler and a handlebar mustache. Their chips are among the more colorful and interesting I've seen.

Tables and Chairs: 9-seat standard green felt tables.

Parking: Tons of parking, as you can imagine. You're in the middle of nowehere, for Pete's sake! The parking lot must have 200 spaces in it.

Smoking: Not allowed indoors. You can step outside for a puff if you like.

Neighborhood: You're in the middle of nowhere! You're probably pretty darn safe - where the heck could a thief hide or run to? If wide open spaces make you scared, though, this won't be the place for you.

Service and Comps
Earn 50 cents per hour in comp dollars while playing if you have a player's card, or $1 per hour in the higher NL games (200NL).

A decent casino menu with a nice selection of standard meals and snacks for reasonably small prices (e.g. chicken fingers and fries for around $4). Sodas are free, alcohol you pay for. Rollup tables to let you eat while you play, and many players take advantage of this (the food is actually fairly good).

Also, if you're looking for a more formal dining experience, there is Zuma's, a gourmet Italian restaurant, right down the road. To get there, just take Avenue A to the east. At Sierra Hwy, turn left and continue until you see it in about a mile on the left hand side.

Links and Notes

 * Visited by MarkT in November 2009.
 * They have an old ad in an Antelope Valley newspaper site.
 * Nearest competitor is probably the Golden West Casino in Bakersfield.