California Grand Casino



14 Poker tables. Also has 5 Tables for Blackjack, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker and Baccarat. Located in a new upscale building next to Martinez, Pleasent Hill and Concord. Just off I-680 at the Concord Ave exit near the Highway 4 intersection.

Games
Limit hold 'em: 3/6, 6/12, 15/30. Three blinds, including one on the button. All blinds are live, and games are often strung together in must-move format.

No-limit hold 'em: 2/2/3 and 2/3/5.

Omaha/8: 4/8 with a half kill.

Rake: For all games, $4 per hand (includes the jackpot rake) for 7-10 players, $3 if only 6 players, $2 if 5 players, or $1 for 3-4 players. Rake is taken on the flop. At 2/3/5 No Limit and15-30, $5 rake for 7-10 players.



Game Character: 3/6, 6/12, 2-2-3 No Limit and Omaha are pretty loose and aggressive. 15/30 and 2/3/5 No Limit have experienced players.

Posting: New players are not required to post. Except for 3/6 and Omaha, games are must move. You do not get to complete your orbit.

Shuffling: Standard Shufflemaster shuffling machines on all tables.

Wait TIme: Varies from time to time, but waits seemed to be no longer than 15-30 minutes for a limit seat. Wait can be longer for other games.

Tournaments

 * Sunday 10:30am, NLHE tournament, $50+$5 buyin, no rebuys. $500 added. Signups start at 8:30am, or 8am for seated players. 5 tables max.

Jackpots and Promotions
California Grand has a large number of different jackpots to be won:


 * Big Bad Beat Jackpot Hold 'Em: Quad 8's or better beaten (both hole cards must play in both hands). Double Jackpots during posted hours start at $140,000 and increase daily.  At all other times, progressive jackpots start at $70,000.
 * Small Bad Beat Jackpot Hold 'Em: Aces full of Jacks or better beaten by quads or better (both hole cards must play in both hands). Usually at $5K. Not payable if the hand wins the Big Bad Beat (you only win one jackpot, not both).
 * Hold 'Em Royal Flush Jackpot: Tallied by suit. Reset at $50 whenever it is hit, and increases by $50 each day it isn't hit. Usually around $200 or so for any given suit. Both hole cards must play.
 * Omaha Bad Beat Jackpot: Quad jacks or better, beaten. $5000 prize: $2.5K to losing hand, $2.5K split among other players.
 * Omaha Royal Flush Jackpot: Tallied by suit. Reset at $25 whenever it is hit, and increases by $25 each day it isn't hit. Usually around $200 or so for any given suit.
 * Hold 'Em High Hand Jackpot: Every four hour period, the high hand in Hold 'Em for that four-hour period wins $100. If you get a reasonably decent hand (a high full hour or better), the dealer calls it out to the floorman, who marks it on the "best hand so far this period" markerboard. Every four hours, they find the player who had the best hand that period and give them $100. Must be present to win.

Promotions: The California Grand is one of the few casinos that offer chip promotions these days. Their website lists morning bonsuses for various games where if you come in in the morning and play two hours, you get free chips. They also have a special "new player promotion" where $20 gets you $50 in chips. You can see the same coupon at their website.

Atmosphere
The casino is located in a new building less than a block from the old property. The room is modern and inviting with a computerized waiting list, autoshuffler tables, smoke free and new chips.

Restaurant and Bar:  They have a sit down restaurant and food service to the tables. The food includes Asian, American, Italian and Mexican. Food is resonably priced and good quality. The Bar is contemporary.

Neighborhood: Commercial area, down the street from a strip mall, easily accessible from I-680. Parking: A large parking lot next to the casino holds 100+ cars.

Tables and Chairs: Large 10-player tables. Felt is nice, soft felt with good padding. Metal frame, fixed-leg chairs.

Service and Comps
They have a "player's menu" that offers a reasonable selection of meals cheaply. They also have a $2 breakfast and lunch for seated players.