Casinos in New Mexico/Albequerque area

[Sir Counts-A-Lot]

Hey there. Going to be in the albequerque area in the near future and was wondering if there was anything I should know. According to one website I checked out the rules look pretty good and they even offer $2 tables? Is the penetration crap or even worse do they use CSMs? Just wanted to save myself the time of going if that was the case.

Anyway thanks for the heads up.

[Covered_in_Bees!]

According to this, there is the Isleta Casino, Route 66 Casino, and Sandia Casino in the Albuquerque region. Santa Fe isn't too far away either if you want to open up three more casinos to yourself.

It does require free regsitration to view that link, but it's just a sister site to this one, so shouldn't be any trouble.

Unfortunately, I have no experience with these places, so I cannot comment on the quality of games.

[Sonny]

I checked out some of these casinos a few months ago. Sandia only has a few BJ tables, maybe 10-15. Some were CSMs, the rest were no midshoe entry. They were all H17 with mediocre penetration. The non-smoking pit was less crowded but overall the BJ games aren’t very good.

Isleta has lower table maximums but a better game. It’s S17 on the shoe games and they have more tables so you can Wong around much easier. Their SD game is 6:5. The DD game has weak penetration but is worth a look. You should be fairly safe playing there.

Most of the other casinos in the Albuquerque/ Santa Fe area look like a tiny little sawdust joint with a handful of tables and low limits (like $100 table max). Most are slot joints with a few BJ tables for ambiance. I don’t think a card counter will find many opportunities in that area.

-Sonny-

[gaz]

Here is a quick run run down of the local casinos......

Sandia....pretty much what Sonny said.....nothing there.

Isleta....better......again probably the best rules for 6D S17, RSA, DAS, LS. pen is around 75%. House edge 6D .26

Santa Ana which is about 15min north of Abq. they have about 15 tables mostly 6d H17 RSA DAS, LS..$5-$500. They do have 2 $2 Tables here. They also usually have 1 or 2 4D games($10-$1000) going in the afternoon and night....same rules. Pen. depends on dealer mostly 75-80%. House edge approx 6D .46, 4D .40

Rt.66 Casino which is just west of Abq 20min. They have quite a few BJ tables SD are 6:5. They also have DD 3:2 ,ASM, 6D, again same rules as Santa Ana. House edge approx. 2D .35, 6d .56

There is also Buffalo Thunder which is about 10min N of Santa Fe they just opened mid August it is now the largest casino resort in the state. It had approx 15 BJ tables mostly 6D. they did have a 2D ASM ($25-$1000)the rules were H17, RSA, DAS. I found one older dealer that gave about 85% pen on the 6D so i pretty much stuck to that table the time I was there.

A few others small casinos in the Buffalo Thunder area with 6D and DD. never played at these.

Big Rock
Camel Rock
Ohkay
Cities of Gold

Have also heard that Sky City Casino which is W of Abq about 45min has a SD. 3:2, H17, DAS game ($10-$100) with a House edge of .06% have not made the trip out there yet as I have also heard it is only one table, rarely open and when it is, its full.

Hope this helps.....

[Covered_in_Bees!]

Hope this helps.....

Damn man, you helped me out and I don't even live in that area!

Know anything about Albuquerque-area BJ tournaments?

[gaz]

I know that there are not a whole lot of them..... Santa Ana had one early Aug. its usually an annual one but I heard they may start having one more often.

San Felipe Casino has an annual one also, around April.

Inn of the Mountain Gods in Ruidoso is having one Sept. 27 & 28. $100 Entry.
http://www.innofthemountaingods.com/casino.asp

I think 1 or 2 of the small casino's just north of Santa fe may have small weekly tournaments, But I could not find any info on them.

Don't know much or seen much else about tournaments in this area......sorry I cant be of more help on tournaments..

[Covered_in_Bees!]

Don't know much or seen much else about tournaments in this area......sorry I cant be of more help on tournaments..

It's no problem. Just wanted to see if you had as much info on tournaments in NM as you do on the cash games.

[Diver]

Isleta has a high stakes room with a min. of $25 but D10,11 only and pen around 60% depending on the dealer which can make it a fair head's up game. In the main pit where there is one DD table, mid-shoe entry is allowed on the $10 min tables which means you can easily have four or five players. That, combined with pen of 50-60% can make it challenging. There are three 6D tables with the good rules and penetration previously reported.

[mociferous]

I've been playing alot at the Route 66 Casino on I40 west of town. Every day they have at least one double deck open $5-$500, I believe. On most nights, they open a second table and on weekends, 4-5 DD's are open. Best rules I've seen. At Isleta you can only split once on their DD, even Aces, but at Route 66, you can split up to 4 times and DAS. They DO hit their soft 17's though. You can enter mid shuffle. As far as tournaments in NM, San Felipe Hollywood just cancelled theirs. Sandia's has ALWAYS been invitation only. Santa Ana has one every now and then, but barely advertised. Buffalo Thunder is planning to start one on Wednesdays in December, with them adding $1000 to the pot and a $50 dollar buy-in with $25 rebuys. They haven't announced when they will start.

[razorwing90_counter]

Well as far as Sandia... Pit people are pretty anal about someone betting over $100 as soon as you do.... there goes the call to the eye in the sky.
I've played there three times so far, and as soon as I put $100 or more. I can see the pit people running to the phone and telling surveillance. They make it very obvious to by standing next to you. ha ha ha
AMATUERS!