Artichoke Joes Review
Games
Limit hold 'em: "Three-chip" games: 3/6, 6/12, 15/30. All games are played with chips that equal a third of a small bet (dollar chips for 3/6, 2-dollar chips for 6/12, etc), so therefore, the small bet and the big blind are always three chips of whatever denomination is in use at the table. Blinds are one chip and three chips for the lower games (e.g. 1 and 3 for 3/6 and 6/12) and a 2 and 3 structure for 15/30.
Omaha/8: 4/8 with a half kill. Only spread on Wednesday and Friday.
Rake is $3 + $1 jackpot for non-hi-lo games. No flop, no drop. There is no longer a "button fee" or extra blind; the jackpot rake is taken out of the blinds prior to the deal; the other rake is taken after the flop (if there's no flop, there's no $3 rake, but the jackpot dollar is still taken).
One of the main poker rooms
One of the main poker rooms
Game Character: Typically loose-passive "no-fold-'em". Occasionally a couple of gamblers will result in a loose-aggressive "no-fold-'em" game, but five-plus to a flop, regardless of the number of bets, is the rule. Pre-flop capping occurs frequently, and players often stay in capped pots with very poor hands.
Even at the higher limits (6/12 and 15/30), play here is very loose, and can be aggressive. Of other bay area card rooms, AJ's attracts more "gamblers" than other rooms. Chopping before the flop here in the higher limits is much more rare here than anywhere else in the bay area.
Dealers are very good here but they do occasionally converse with players in languages other than engilsh. The English only rule is very poorly enforced here. Beware of this during play.
Posting: New players do not need to post.
Shuffling: All tables are hand-shuffled. Any player can ask at any time for the dealer to "change the deck", at which point they switch to the spare deck.
Wait Time: Busier in evenings and weekends, typical waits are anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. The best way to get into a game quickly is to come when a shift change brings new dealers in; this happens most afternoons around 4pm.
At night, its not uncommon for all 18 poker tables are in use, esspecially on weekends, but AJ's has gotten much busier since Lucky Chances had to stop spreading no-limit games. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the tables get full due to the additional spreading of no-limit and Omaha; on other evenings, anywhere from 12-15 tables get used.
A wandering floorman keeps tables full by walking around the tables constantly with a walkie-talkie connecting him to the brush's podium. When he spots an open seat he calls it in immediately and it's filled in mere moments, assuming there's a list.
The staff does a very good job at keeping tables here filled. When a palyer leaves, the seat is usually immedeately, if there is a list.
Tournaments
* Monday 11:00am, Limit hold 'em. $20+$8, 1x$20 rb, 1x$20 ao. $1000 guarantee.
* Tuesday 11:00am, Limit hold 'em. $20+$5, no rebuys, single-table sit-n-go tournaments. Top finisher wins $200; no other places are paid.
* Wednesday 6:45pm, Half limit hold 'em/Half Omaha/8. $40+$10, $20 rebuys, 1x$40 ao.
* Thursday 11:00am, Limit hold 'em. $40+$8, no rebuys.
* Sunday 6:45pm, No-limit hold 'em. $40+$9, $20 rebuys, 1x$40 ao.
Top finishers (final table at tournaments other than Tuesdays) get points that win entry into a semi-annual freeroll NLHE tournament.
Jackpots and Promotions
Standard bad beat jackpots for Hold 'Em are usually at $100,000. Any quads or better beaten, both hole cards play in both hands.
Royal Flush bonuses are paid to players who make royal flushes (using both hole cards), based on suit, and are usually around $1000.
Atmosphere
Artichoke Joe's is a very nice building and very nicely appointed inside. It is apparently attempting to evoke the richness of the gold rush era, with relatively lush carpeting, lofty ceilings, nice bathrooms, lots of brass and glass. Very few televisions on the walls, so if you like to watch sports while you play, this is probably not the place for you. Pleasant surroundings are the rule. Most of the poker tables are comfortable, but the ones in back, used mainly for tournaments, have that unfortunate "astroturf felt" feel.
Some of the regulars tend to be somewhat seedy, but not much more so than other card rooms. A lot of taxi and limo drivers from the nearby airport play here.
Poker at Artichoke Joe's
Poker at Artichoke Joe's
Neighborhood: Smack in the middle of downtown San Bruno, in a reasonable area of town, next to the train tracks. Many local restaurants nearby.
Parking: Around a hundred spaces. Can fill up during busy times, in which case you need to park on the city streets or in the commuter-train parking lot.
Tables and Chairs: Standard 9-player tables with nice felt and padding (except the back six tables with astroturf felt). Standard fixed-leg chairs with a decent amount of padding and comfy backs, but heavy wear and stains are apparent on many chairs.
Service and Comps
Service can be hard to get (ask your dealer to flag down a server), and the food is only of mediocre quality. It's relatively inexpensive, though, and the special "players menu" for seated players is downright cheap. Entres come complete with bread, soup, salad, and sides. No "to go" orders from the players menu allowed. The cheese burger, $3, served with chips, is a great buy and is known in the area as one of the better burgers in San Bruno.
Soft drinks are free, other beverages are reasonably priced.
Artist/Author: poker.wikia April 1, 2007 |
