DrStrange
4 of a Kind
The River in San Marcos occupies what once was my favorite pizza place in San Marcus. It is in a strip mall in a backwater of the city orphaned by the rerouting of the highway. They share space with a bakery, nightclub, eatery and a martial arts studio.
Costs are $20/month membership fees plus $8/hr seat fee. All fees are collected in the entry, no fees are paid at the table but reloading chips are sold there. Best I can read the Texas Criminal Code, it looks unlawful. But a number of similar clubs are open throughout the state and none of them have had legal troubles over gambling. A San Antonio club had legal trouble over their occupancy paperwork which was quickly resolved. The River certainly is not hiding. They have signage and an on-line presence. The city can have no doubt as to what goes on there.
The room looks just like what you would expect - the front door has a couple of guys watching it and the parking lot. The entry handles most cash transactions and is segregated from the card tables. Four tables in a somewhat larger space plus TVs. Only one unisex bathroom, which might prove to be a legal issue for them should the city or state make an issue of it. The playing area can't be seen from the outside.
Outside food is allowed. They offer a tiny assortment of snacks and drinks. Ice and coffee look to be free if they happen to have any when you ask for it.
Bud jones chips are in play. Nice to see they actually spent a little more and got ok chips.
I was playing on a weekend night. One full table in play. Rarely more than one table best I could tell from talking with regulars.
The dealer was as good as I expect from casino dealers (which isn't a great statement of competency). Not really as professional as I could have hoped for, he didn't handle side pots well and his change making sometimes left the impression he was shorting the pot (he wasn't, I counted it down to be sure). However the dealer was far better than the ones found at freeroll bar games.
The front office is confused and making it up as they go along. They don't know how to handle common problems that arise. They do not have procedures and are bumbling when it comes to computer techniques. I encourage customers to be vigilant to insure they are getting charged properly. Do not expect a receipt. This is not to say the customers are getting cheated, only to say the front office doesn't know what they are doing.
These rooms are an interesting test in a state that is no friend to poker. I keep expecting the hammer to fall, but it has been over a year and nothing has happened at all.
DrStrange
Costs are $20/month membership fees plus $8/hr seat fee. All fees are collected in the entry, no fees are paid at the table but reloading chips are sold there. Best I can read the Texas Criminal Code, it looks unlawful. But a number of similar clubs are open throughout the state and none of them have had legal troubles over gambling. A San Antonio club had legal trouble over their occupancy paperwork which was quickly resolved. The River certainly is not hiding. They have signage and an on-line presence. The city can have no doubt as to what goes on there.
The room looks just like what you would expect - the front door has a couple of guys watching it and the parking lot. The entry handles most cash transactions and is segregated from the card tables. Four tables in a somewhat larger space plus TVs. Only one unisex bathroom, which might prove to be a legal issue for them should the city or state make an issue of it. The playing area can't be seen from the outside.
Outside food is allowed. They offer a tiny assortment of snacks and drinks. Ice and coffee look to be free if they happen to have any when you ask for it.
Bud jones chips are in play. Nice to see they actually spent a little more and got ok chips.
I was playing on a weekend night. One full table in play. Rarely more than one table best I could tell from talking with regulars.
The dealer was as good as I expect from casino dealers (which isn't a great statement of competency). Not really as professional as I could have hoped for, he didn't handle side pots well and his change making sometimes left the impression he was shorting the pot (he wasn't, I counted it down to be sure). However the dealer was far better than the ones found at freeroll bar games.
The front office is confused and making it up as they go along. They don't know how to handle common problems that arise. They do not have procedures and are bumbling when it comes to computer techniques. I encourage customers to be vigilant to insure they are getting charged properly. Do not expect a receipt. This is not to say the customers are getting cheated, only to say the front office doesn't know what they are doing.
These rooms are an interesting test in a state that is no friend to poker. I keep expecting the hammer to fall, but it has been over a year and nothing has happened at all.
DrStrange
