Central Coast Casino, Paso Robles



Located right on US 101, at the main exit for Highway 46. Go west instead of east, though, and take the immediate right. The small "frontage road" that leads to the McDonald's and the Motel 6 also leads to the casino. The casino is actually right next to the Motel 6.

Games
Different games on different days of the week:

Kills: Kills in spread limit cause the upper bound of the spread to double, but the lower bound stays the same. Killer posts double the usual big blind as a kill blind, and acts in turn unless the killer is under the gun, in which case the kill acts like a straddle and the killer gets last action. Even a tiny pot for a player's second win can trigger a kill.

Wait Time: Varies. Usually only one table is running - if a seat is open, you can get in immediately, if not it may take an hour or more for a seat to appear. There is a lounge area with a big screen TV for you to watch while you wait.

Game Nature: A lot of local players span the gamut, from playful maniacs to steady rocks to hopeful amateurs. Most players know each other well and play each other often, though there are often one or two unknown newbies at the table. Players make a point of trying to be friendly to new faces; the house takes their "no swearing or bad attitude" signs, posted all over the casino, seriously.



Rake: $3 per pot, regardless of number of players. No flop, no drop. Players can chop the blinds if they desire.

Posting: New players do not need to post to enter a game.

Shuffling: Both tables are hand-shuffled

Tournaments
Wed 4pm "Poor Boy Tournament".

Jackpots and Promotions
Various promotions:


 * Standard bad beat jackpot available.
 * "Not so bad beat" bonus: Jacks full or better losing to quads or better wins $100 for the loser.
 * "Points Races" on a daily basis: win the most points for the day, win $50 (win points by showing down big hands like full houses and quads).

Atmosphere
A somewhat typical "small town California cardroom", though better run than most. Generally, only one table is running, though at peak times on Saturdays or Friday nights, both tables can get going. Their slate of dealers includes a couple attentive, speedy professional examples as well as one or two "learners" who make quite a few mistakes: learn to watch your dealer to determine which group they belong in.

An unusual feature of the card room: it often has an off-duty sheriff hanging around in the lounge area, watching TV. He's a friendly sort, and does not watch or get involved with the poker, but he is often in full uniform and hangs around until the doors close for the night.

Since this casino is owned by the same guy who owns the Central Coast Casino, Grover Beach, it is generally run in a crisp and professional manner.

Tables and Chairs: 9-seat tables. Worn felt on older tables, fixed leg chairs without much padding - but cushions are available.

Parking: Standard sort of parking lot size for the fast-food restaurant that this building used to house, which is plenty for the poker room - there must be 30 or 40 spaces.

Smoking: No smoking allowed in the building under California law.

Service and Comps
Players may decide to bring food to share on occasion (it's that type of "bunch of friends" feeling here); there are quicky foods like Ramen noodles and a fridge full of sodas which appear to be complimentary. Off-duty dealers act as food service by twice an hour saying something like "anyone want a drink, or a refresh on their Pepsi?"

A McDonald's and a Carl's Jr fast-food restaurant are less than a block away.