The Top 10 Reasons Why the Canterbury Is Better Than Foxwoods
As I hinted at in my previous post, I really liked the Canterbury. Maybe I'm just excited about being in a new state -- and maybe I'm just bitter about my last loss at Foxwoods -- but here I present:

The Top 10 Reasons Why the Canterbury Is Better Than Foxwoods

1. Better dealers. The dealers actually enforce the rules of the game, such as "show one, show all," and don't talk about what you folded during a hand, and no foul language.

2. Better floor staff. The floor staff is friendly and helpful -- for example, you can actually a get a table change to the specific table you want. At Foxwoods getting a table change always seemed not worth the trouble. Or maybe I'm just not pushy enough.

3. Nine-handed as opposed to ten-handed tables. With more space between the tables. If you're gonna sit for 5+ hours straight, the value of leg and shoulder should not be underestimated.

Tangent: Numbers 1, 2, and 3 have the same root cause: Foxwoods is just so overwhelmed by the crowds that the service suffers as a result. The same could be said about the entire Northeast, but I digress . . .

4. The ratio of polite Midwesterners to NYC hard guys is much higher. What can I say, I like polite people.

5. The Canterbury lists your first name and last initial rather than just your initials. This, coupled with fact that you can actually hear what's being said over the microphone, is a plus since it leads to people giving more creative fake names. On my first visit to the Canterbury I heard "Sparky," "Las Vegas Joe," "Mailman," and "Jackie Chan." Nothing to bust a gut over but anything that provides amusement while you're sitting there folding is welcome.

6. Chip runners. And track-bet runners.

7. Better food for less money. I had baked chicken with carrots, mashed potatoes, and a roll for $5. Unusually wholesome for a gambling establishment. You might be able to get a meal for less at Foxwoods, but it will definitely be fried.

8. Automatic shufflers. Most of the tables at the Canterbury have them, which means more hands per hour.

9. More TVs. About twice as many TV as Foxwoods for about half as many people.

10. Better wait service.*

Number-11-that-doesn't-really-count: The Canterbury is closer to our apartment (20 minutes) than Foxwoods was to our old place (1 hour).

*Because although you can *get* a drink more easily at the Canterbury, and non-alcoholic beverages are free, alcoholic beverages are not. Doh! However, I may have won at my first poker session at the Canterbury largely because there was no temptation of free drinks :-)

My own weakness for free, delicious beer aside, even if we count the Canterbury's lack of free booze as a triple negative, it's still up by 7 points over Foxwoods. Go Minnesota!

Oh yeah, an underlying assumption here has been the crowds at the two card rooms are equally fishy. At the lowest limits I think this assumption is valid but only time will tell.
posted by James at 9:24 PM