The Commerce Casino

By Kenna James

As I write this, the L.A. Poker Classic at Commerce Casino is coming to a close with just the PPT final table left to be decided. Mike Mizrachi continued blazing the tournament trail with his win here in the $10,000 main event. Outlasting a field of 538 runners, “The Grinder” took home over $1.8 million cold cash in a record prize pool. In fact, almost all the tournaments hit record numbers, thanks to the great structures implemented by tournament director Cheri Dokken, which offered a lot of play for the buck. Not only did the players come out in record numbers, but the fans as well. Doyle Brunson had a table filled with his new book Super System II and obliged a long line of fans did with a scribble and a few cherished words of advice.

The first things I look for in a poker room are good games and great tournaments. Commerce, I’m happy to report, has both. In many parts of the country you have to travel hours to experience just a sliver of what we here in the Sunshine State take for granted. So, for those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of walking into the largest card room in , let me take you on a tour.

The Commerce is the only hotel/casino in Los Angeles that offers this kind of action. The hotel rooms are spacious and comfortable and it’s nice to stay so close to the games without the hassle of driving on the LA freeways. A word of caution: book early. (I guess that was two words). During tournament series the rooms sell out quickly, but with a little planning you can save yourself a lot of hassle, assure yourself a good rest, fantastic food and great games just a few feet away.

Okay, so as you step out of the elevator and look to your left you will notice an exercise room. No one actually works out (come on we’re poker players!), so I can assure you all the machines are in good working order. Now one place I do frequent, just beyond the gym, is The Spa. This is a really beautiful facility in which to unwind and relax from the stress of the day. They offer all types of massage, or you may elect to just relax in the steam rooms, sauna or Jacuzzi.

When you are ready to dive into the action, be prepared for a ride. Down the winding red-carpeted staircase lies a sea of gaming tables with non-stop action. Avery friendly staff will guide you to your game of choice. Alot of the games are fast and furious and at times will leave you scratching your head thinking: “How did he get to the river with that hand?” When Commerce says: “It’s where the action is”, they ain’t kidding. With action like this you have to expect a few bad beats along the way, but most of the time you feel like a kid on Halloween collecting bags full of candy. The toughest decision here is which game to play. There are games here for every level of player. The limits start at $1-$2 and go as high as $400-$800 - sometimes even higher. All the traditional games are here of course, but No Limit seems to be the game of choice, even in the cash games.

If you want to take time off to relax from the action, you can pop into the Sports Bar and have a drink while you watch your favorite sporting event on the projection screen, or one of the other twelve televisions scattered throughout the bar. Another fun thing to do at Commerce is Karaoke. Dion James sets up a great sound system that would make Tiny Tim sound like Elvis. He sets up Sunday through Thursday nights and will even record your voice on a CD so you can experience the pain you put everyone else through while listening to yourself on your way home. Actually, most of the singers can whistle a pretty mean tune. There is also a hilarious comedy show on Thursday nights that gets people rolling in the isles.

So you see, whether you are talking poker or just old-fashioned entertainment, the action is 24/7 at the Commerce Hotel and Casino here in Los Angeles . Good flops and happy days always…

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