KAW Southwind in Newkirk, OK

Mikeaber

Well-Known Member
#1
It's been mentioned several times here on the forum that Oklahoma Indian casinos employ an ante on each hand played. That in itself is enough to flag these as casinos to avoid. Yet, until tonight, I would make trips down there to get better prices on cigarettes and sometimes, gasoline on the Indian Reservations. But something happened tonight that will certainly keep me from ever playing at the KAW casino again...EVER!

Rules are 6-deck, hand shuffled, 3:2, double on anything, double after split, split to four hands except Aces (no resplit), Dealer hits soft 17, $2.00 minimum $25.00 maximum and can only play one spot.

I had to wait almost 2 hours to get a seat at the only table that was open. During the time I was waiting, I talked at length with a gentleman probably 60 years young. He was a Vietnam Vet living on total disability...mostly from post trama, however he also had to have a pacemaker and was an alcoholic in recovery now for 8 years. Actually a very personable guy.

Finally we sat down when seats came open. I was center table and Glenn was on first base. The table minimums are $2 with a $25 max bet (plus the $.25 ante no matter what you bet). On the third hand we played, Glenn drew a hard 17 and the dealer was showing a 5. Glenn, who had been talking with the lady sitting next to him, was first to play and accidently gave a hit signal and quickly waived it off and said, before any card was dealt, that he meant that he wanted to stand. The dealer (who was also the Pit Boss) would not let him stand saying that the first signal given was the one she had to take!

Now technically, I'm sure any casino would state that she was acting correctly by the rules of the house. But I've NEVER seen that enforced. In fact, I've always seen even the most machine-like dealers question someone's play when they though that they were making a mistake. That pretty much ruined any enjoinment of the game as far as I was concerned.

Later in the play, I hit 4 cards to a 20. The dealer flipped a 4 and drew out to 21. I slapped the table in frustration. This dealer that forced a hit on the 17 hollers out that she would send me to anger management! That pretty much steamed me. I should have left at that point.

In the fourth show I played (6-deck) My ante had run dry. The way you play it there is that for simplicity and for speeding up the game, you leave a couple of white chips and the pink $.25 chips by the betting circle and the dealer just drags one quarter before the beginning of each hand. She drug my last quarter chip and I pushed a red chip out beside the betting circle for her to break up for antes. I think I drew a soft 14 and she was showing an 8. When she gave me my hit card, she dealt it face down and I stopped her. She said that my red chip was a double down bet. At that point I told her to roll the tape back. I'd placed that chip out before any cards had been dealt!

She finally let that go but told me to be careful how I placed money on the table!

Well, a few hands later, she drew three blackjacks in a row and I stood up to leave. Before I had a chance to push my chips out to color up, she told me to wait and let her color them. I just looked at her and just said "no thanks!" and walked away. After 4 shoes, I was down $1.25 <LOL>

That place is 1 hour from where I live. It's 3 hours to the Kansas City and Kansas casinos. I'll drive the 3 hours from now on!
 

Mikeaber

Well-Known Member
#2
UPDATE on KAW

Okay, it's been a while since that last post and I need to update and revise the review.

None of the rules have changed except that those who wish, can now use Basic Strategy Cards at the table.

But the "atmosphere" has changed radically. The Supervisor went to Vegas on vacation back in November or December of 2005 and since then, has been geared a lot more toward seeing that the patrons are having fun while losing <smile>. The dealers are interacting more with the table and all of them are showing freedom to talk to players when not dealing. It is a LOT more relaxed now.

It's weird, but even with the $.25/hand ante and a $5 average bet which gives the house a +5% edge, I have been coming out ahead after 4 hours of play on each trip these last 4 times down. In addition, the 9/6 JOB VP machines, even though tied to some networked Bingo game, have been paying off.
 
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