Ocean View Card Room 4 tables 709 Pacific Ave 408-423-6257 3-100 Spread Limit Holdem. $40-200 buy-in.

To: PokerWiki <email address not displayed> Your Name: Email address: Subject: Message: PokerWiki wrote on the message board: > On a small side street near downtown Santa Cruz. Doesn't technically > have a view of the ocean, but it is only about three blocks from the > shore. Phone: (408) 423-6257. > > This is a small card club, with usually only one game running on > weeknights, two or three on Fridays and Saturdays. The dealer's choice > game is made up almost entirely of a colorful cast of regulars who > know each other well. Tourists and surfers wanting a break from the > sea for a few hours show up in the game from night to night and serve > as the source of funds. > > Game Info > > 3/6 was fairly loose; just friends having fun and trying to bad beat > each other. > > At 3/6, the rake is $4 for 7-9 players, $3 for 6 players, $2 for 2-5 > players, and no flop no drop. At Dealer's Choice, the rake is $4 for > 7-9 players, $3 for 2-6 players, and $1 if no flop. At No-limit, rake > is $6 per player per half hour, time charge. > > Rake is taken pre-flop. For a full 3/6 ring game, this means that the > blinds post and then the dealer takes all the chips and slides them > into her tray, and puts a $4 marker on top of the drop slot. A bit > daunting to realize the pot is empty preflop! So much for the "poker > begins as a struggle for the antes" concept. Luckily, the players > aren't deterred from struggling for what isn't there. > > Posting: New players do not need to post, and can choose to wait until > the button passes before entering the game. > > Shuffling: Hand shuffled. No machines available. > > Tournaments > > * Saturday: 12:00pm No-limit spread-limit hold 'em. $20+$10 buyin. > 1 optional $20 rebuy. 36 max players. > * Sunday: 12:00pm Crazy Pineapple high/low split. $20+$5 buyin. 1 > optional $20 rebuy. 36 max players. > * Monday: 4:00pm No-limit spread-limit hold 'em. $20+$10 buyin. 1 > optional $20 rebuy. 36 max players. > > Atmosphere > > An actual storefront in a downtown area, with big "store glass > windows" in front so passersby can see everyone playing. Sort of weird > like that, I guess, but not threatening, unless you don't like being > watched. A big skylight in the center of the room lets in the sunlight > (which in Santa Cruz is a lot!) during the day. They keep the doors > open a lot so the cool ocean breezes can waft through the room, though > not so much that your cards fly around or anything. Sometimes, seeing > the community cards can be a pain, if the sun is reflecting off them > into your eyes. > > Very much a "neighborhood poker room", but open and friendly (and > physically open as well). The original Ocean View was on Front Street, > then moved to its current location in 2000 (story). Some of the > regulars have been playing here for decades. > > For a period during the late 1980's, Los Angeles and Santa Cruz were > the only counties in the state where flop games could be spread > legally. As a consequence, several now-defunct Santa Cruz cardrooms > such as the Pleasure Point Casino were the only option for Northern > California Hold'em and Omaha players. When flop games were legalized > statewide, the large Bay Area clubs eventually drove Santa Cruz clubs > out of business. The Ocean View is the sole living heir of a town with > a once-thriving poker scene. > > Neighborhood: The Ocean View is located at the southern end of Pacific > Avenue, a block typically considered seedier than the rest of > downtown, but there is no real threat. Surfers and tourists wander by > the front of the room, which is in a typical storefront. The bright > sunlight and cool ocean breeze make for a very pleasant walk to the > room. Code: Enter the following code: (required) Consider sharing your comments with the other readers of the message board. They may benefit from your insights If you decide not to send email, post a follow up instead, or return to the original message

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