Black Hawk’s newest poker room at The Isle is a winner: Poker room offers all amenities desired by a serious poker player, with a few extras

By Jeffrey V. Smith

The Isle Casino Hotel Black Hawk hopes its new poker room will become your favorite. The 24-hour facility opened April 12 with 11 tables, exceptionally comfortable chairs and amenities designed to appeal to the serious poker player. The room ultimately sets itself apart from its competition with a high level of customer service, and a poker manager who sees things from a player’s point of view.

“We spent considerable time and effort to create a poker room designed with players in mind,” newly recruited Poker Manager Matthew Dodd said.

Manager focuses on customers

The personable and friendly Dodd, who “tries hard to make a difference with customer service,” is a long-time poker player from southern California, but has worked in poker rooms at casinos across the country.

Prior to his Black Hawk position, Dodd saw plenty of card-playing action as poker manager at Isle of Capri Casino in Lake Charles, La. Before that, he was table games floor supervisor at Horseshoe Casino and an on-air host for a televised poker show at Fox Broadcasting. He has also served as senior table games floor supervisor at Pala Casino Spa and Resort, poker shift manager at Lucky Lady Card Room, poker room supervisor at Spa Resort Casino, poker dealer at San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, poker shift manager and poker dealer at Oceanview Card Room. Dodd is now “excited” to be working in Colorado, where he used to visit for pleasure prior to being hired to bring poker to The Isle in Black Hawk.

“Just like many folks in this industry, I started out as a poker player, and so I try to do everything with that prospective in mind. ‘What would a player like,’ is frequently what goes through my head when designing a promotion, tournament or rules for the room,” Dodd said. “We try to keep the interests of our players at the forefront of our decision process.”

Poker added in April

Poker was added to the gaming mix at The Isle Casino Hotel in April after it was determined the property should offer everything in one place, from all types of games and slots to a wide-array of restaurants, hotel rooms and other amenities. Until this year, the casino figured the six poker tables in its attached sister property, the Lady Luck Casino (formerly Colorado Central Station Casino), were enough.

“We wanted to offer it all with everything in one place,” Dodd said.

Once the casino decided it wanted to do poker, it decided to do it right, and went all-in. The Isle Casino Hotel removed slot machines from a second-floor gaming area, and created the region’s newest poker room. The large space features large windows – tinted to reduce glare – and views of the mountainside as well as a contemporary, yet comfortable, design made special for the serious player, but accommodating to anyone interested in the game.

In addition to top-of-the-line, brand new tables, memory foam chairs and a poker room separated from slot machines and casino noise, the new space has numerous
flat-screen TVs, a full bar with video poker and staff dedicated to the room, nearby bathrooms and a newly constructed smoker’s patio within steps of the action.

There are even a few extras for active players, compliments of Dodd and his southern California upbringing, including free smoothies and milk shakes – like the staff favorite, “Elvis,” with chocolate, peanut butter and banana. A variety of food, including Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine from the adjacent Orchid Garden restaurant, can be ordered tableside. Small, rolling tables are provided to any player who gets hungry in the midst of a game.

Poker perks

Dodd explained The Isle’s poker room has a bad beat (a potentially underdog poker hand that beats a heavily-favored hand) jackpot “that is different from any other in the market, offering three ways to win and all of the money in a single pool.” In the long run, he said it would lead to higher jackpots and more winners, more often. So far, the lowest tier of the jackpot has hit six times for $10,000 each time.

Additionally, The Isle Casino Hotel encourages its poker players to stay overnight in one of its hotel rooms by offering them a room for $29 after two hours of play, and after six hours giving them a free one on Sundays through Thursdays. Numerous weekly tournaments and a variety of poker games keep the room’s action exciting and distinctive.

In September, poker players are eligible for the “High Hand Promotion” Monday through Friday, which rewards the player with the hour’s highest hand, or the nuts, with $100. Also in September, early-bird tournaments are Tuesday through Friday at 10 a.m. On Tuesdays and Wednesday it’s a Hold’em tournament, on Thursdays its Omaha Hi-Lo and on Fridays it’s the No-Limit Hold’em tournament. Each early-bird event includes a free buffet if players register by 9 a.m.

Whatever the reason, the players who have come to The Isle Casino Hotel leave happy and, most importantly, return.