The casino room
A seat at the table, whenever you're ready
Six tables out the back, a high iron roof and warm lamps. Poker, blackjack and roulette are played on plain chips, by adults, and always in person.
Poker
The poker tables
Two tables at the back of the room are for poker, and we deal four games: Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud and Five Card Draw. The dealer announces which game each table is playing, and a printed card at every seat explains how the hands rank, from the weakest to the strongest.
Poker here is slow and friendly. People talk through the hands, laugh about the near misses and explain things to newcomers without being asked. Megan McKenzie says the best tables are the ones where somebody has to be told it's their turn because they were too busy telling a story.
Chips are plain discs with no value, handed out when you sit and counted back when you leave. There's no stake, no prize and no entry fee, so a bad run costs nothing. You can sit in for one hand or for the whole evening, and the table will keep your place if you step out for a cup of tea.
If you've never played poker, ask for the quiet table. The dealer will slow the game to your speed, explain every decision aloud, and let you turn the first card. Nobody's keeping score, and nobody will think less of you for asking what beats what.
- Texas Hold'em
- The most common game, dealt most nights
- Omaha
- Four hole cards and plenty to think about
- Stud and Draw
- Seven Card Stud and Five Card Draw on request
Blackjack and roulette
The wheel and the blackjack tables
The roulette wheel stands nearest the door, because it draws a crowd. Megan spins it most evenings, calling each number clearly and clearing the table with a wooden rake. There's a rail for anyone who wants to watch, and a couple of stools for those who'd rather sit.
The two blackjack tables are along the side wall. One is for people who know when to stand; the other is gentler, and Megan runs a lesson there on quiet nights. She deals one hand face up so you can see how the cards fall, then lets you have a go.
None of it is played for money. Chips have no value, nobody wins anything except a bit of bragging, and the house keeps no prize in a drawer. If you want something to take home, ask Vanessa for the printed card that explains the hands, and she'll slip it in your pocket.
There are no pokies and no gaming machines anywhere in the building, and there's no screen, no app and nothing to play online. If you want to try roulette, you have to be in the room, in person, with a wheel in front of you and a dealer at your elbow.
- Roulette
- One wheel, a rail and a croupier who explains
- Blackjack
- Two tables, one of them gentle
- Quiet nights
- Lessons at the wheel on Tuesday and Wednesday
The card room
Questions about the tables
- How many people sit at a table?
- Six at poker, five at blackjack and as many as can crowd round the wheel at roulette. If a table's full, give your name to Vanessa at the door and she'll call you the moment a seat opens up.
- Do I need to eat first?
- No, but most people do. The card room opens at seven, and the kitchen will time your pudding to match if you tell the host. Plenty of regulars eat, then wander through, and some turn up just for the cards.
- Can I take photos?
- In the dining room and the front hall, yes, as long as other guests aren't in the shot. In the card room we ask for phones to stay in pockets, so everyone can concentrate on the table.
- What if I lose all my chips?
- Put your hand up and the dealer will bring you more. They're only plastic, there are plenty, and nobody keeps count of how many you've had.