Many weeks ago Flynn & Ollie had the opportunity to spend a few hours in Portland, OR. Hard to believe, but they have never visited an Oregon card-room (indian casinos notwithstanding). Most of their time in Oregon is spent driving through to sunnier weather, or headed to the coast with the RV. Portland is NOT RV friendly although F&O did manage to park a 30 foot 5th wheel outside Macy’s once in order to buy a pair of Maui Jim’s.
Off to Portland Meadows, which seems to be the biggest card room in the area. We are not well-versed here, so if anyone has insight as to where the biggest/best place to play is, feel free to chime in. Our ignorance is also evident by our lack of facts surrounding the room being moved from the actual race-track to it’s current location, which we think is the case but can’t swear to it. At any rate, Google maps did the trick and off we went – not to a racetrack but instead to a razor-wired fenced parking lot, with a bikini barista hut, and a shady looking brick building with no windows. Right up our alley.
The inside was dark, and basementy. Honestly, one really gets the feeling of doing something sketchy, and maybe not entirely legal when entering. No windows, florescent lights, OTB seating, a bar, and a whole bunch of poker tables were in the large space. One imagines this is what it felt like during prohibition, which adds to the ambiance. It costs $20 to get in the door, and – there is no rake. Nada. Please tip your dealers!
Flynn and Ollie were seated immediately at a 1/2 NL table, together, which is not their favorite. The action was good, the players were friendly, and the dealers were excellent. Flynn couldn’t catch or came 2nd best for the 1st hour or so, which was not so super for his image, and Ollie was slaying them. There was a $5 double board Omaha bomb pot every 10 hands or so, which consistently resulted in $500 or more in the middle. Flynn got suckered in with AA, hit a set, then misread one of the boards and lost a bundle. Lesson learned, and not the 1st time.
Next bomb pot, Flynn managed to scoop both boards with full/full and made back both buy-ins and then some. The pots were huge. Ollie’s stacks slowly dwindled, due to plain ol’ varience. Flynn was upstuck. Time to call it a day and head back to more familiar waters. Would we play there again? Most assuredly, but only if we happened to be in the area as there are closer places to the homestead for F&O. The place was well run, and the time spent was quite pleasant. They do charge for all beverages ($3 for a bottle of soda), but again ~ no rake. Thanks for having us!
Fin
Fin
Original venue fell victim to a decline in horse racing and it’s now warehouses.