Bay Area cardroom crawl: Good spots south of S.F.

There are two main benefits to living in a state that allows for cardrooms: (1) plenty of local options and (2) some of the rooms are close enough to visit in succession on the same day.

With this in mind, I took a recent Tuesday to engage in a Bay Area cardroom crawl.

My plan for the day: I'd start before breakfast (since most of these places have restaurants that offer tasty egg dishes), and hit as many cardrooms as I could before the afternoon rush hour. I challenged myself to play at least one different game at every stop. My fixed budget for the excursion: $500.

The morning began around 8 a.m. at Lucky Chances in Colma. Here, while seated at a table of $3/$6 Limit Texas Hold 'Em, I wolfed down a Denver omelet and some dry wheat toast while waiting for decent cards. To describe the action as "sleepy" would be an understatement; during the first hour of play, one of my opponents dozed off at the table.

The cards weren't much better. I lost my initial $100 buy-in after being rivered in three consecutive hands. Then I lost another $50 after that (hey, even gambling writers can tilt).

My next stop was in San Bruno: Artichoke Joe's. I've had lousy poker luck here over the years, so I instead gravitated toward California Blackjack (which is a variation of the traditional game that complies with state regs that say the house can't win). Within minutes (thanks to two well-timed blackjacks), I had doubled my $100 buy-in and walked away.

The situation improved even more at the third stop on my outing, Bay 101 Casino in San Jose. I killed 10 minutes at an EZ Baccarat table (where I won $16) while waiting for a seat at a lively $2/$3/$5 game of No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em. Once I got my spot, I figured I'd stay and play through a cheeseburger lunch. Then I realized that two players at the opposite end of the table were terrible, and I lengthened my session to deprive them of their chips.

I turned my $300 buy-in into $627 (and could have won more, if not for a bad beat on the last hand that cost me a $115 pot).

My Peninsula/South Bay card room crawl ended at the area's newest casino: the uber-hip Casino M8trix, on the other side of the 101 in San Jose. A friend had suggested I try Pai Gow Tiles. I had prepared for this moment for weeks, studying the tile combinations and practicing online. Nothing, however, prepared me for bad luck: I lost my entire $200 buy-in in less than 20 minutes.

Back in the car, I did the math: Eight hours, four cardrooms, two meals and a net gain of $93. Not a bad way to spend a Tuesday at all.

Matt Villano is a freelance writer. E-mail: 96hours@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mattvillano

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Don't be intimidated: Making the most of casino visit

Whether you're a total neophyte or a grizzled gambling veteran, casinos and cardrooms can be intimidating. Maybe it's all the stern faces. Maybe it's the fact that most places just assume players know how to play. Heck, maybe it's because some people just aren't very friendly. Here are five ways to change the vibe.

Do your homework: Intimidation often comes from a lack of knowledge about a new situation. Educate yourself about the experience before you go. Boning up on table games is easy; there are dozens of websites out there to walk you through how to play. (My favorite is www.wizardofodds.com.) You can hit the Web for primers on specific casinos and cardrooms, too.

Watch and learn: You pick up a ton just watching a game unfold. Yes, you will feel ridiculous doing nothing but watching other people win or lose. But once you get over that awkwardness - provided you're really paying attention - you'll learn most of what you need to sit down and play. (A gentle warning: If you're not playing, do not interact with players unless they interact with you first. This is bad form. The house also could consider it cheating.)

Play dumb: It's hard to spite an idiot. With this in mind, one of the best ways to break through stares of opponents and cardroom personnel is to make it clear you don't have a clue. Curious about a particular game? Ask the dealer to explain. Wondering about house rules? Have other players set you straight. Sooner or later, you'll get the answers you seek. If you don't, there's always another casino or cardroom down the road.

Bring a wingman (or woman): Most situations are less intimidating when you experience them with a buddy. It's best to bring a friend with commanding knowledge of gambling; this way he or she can address questions or concerns you might have over the course of the night. Even if your pal isn't a card sharp, having him or her by your side will make the experience more comfortable. (Just make sure you're actually paying attention if you find yourself risking big money.)

Join the un-fun: If you're determined to tough out a room full of cold shoulders but don't feel like being proactive about it, you always can try the "can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach. This means trying on your own poker face - and keeping it on for the duration of your visit. No, this strategy won't make you any friends. It will, however, put you in perfect position to focus your energy on what matters most when you're gambling: the odds to win.

Matt Villano is a Healdsburg freelance writer. E-mail: 96hours@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mattvillano

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Kimberly Lansing: Marin resident leaving WPT spot

Three years ago, when Marin resident Kimberly Lansing was named the first female anchor of the World Poker Tour, the poker world swooned. Since then, media outlets have dubbed her "the Bob Costas of poker" for her abilities to manage a broadcast and analyze hands quickly.

Now, however, she is headed for the rail: She has announced that this season of the WPT will be her last and that Lynn Gilmartin will take her place when the season ends in October.

For Lansing, the decision has been bittersweet - exciting to start thinking about the next phase of her career but saddening to think about turning her back on the game that helped make her who she is today. "Poker has given me a lot over the years," she said recently, noting that she met her husband, Zach Hyman, through the game. "I can't imagine life without it."

That's precisely why Lansing won't be giving up cold turkey. Because she, Hyman and his twin brother, Matt (who made the final table in this year's WPT World Championship) are poker players on the professional circuit, Lansing says she will attend tournaments at Bay 101 in San Jose and other cardrooms.

She adds that she and her husband are building a house near Lake Tahoe, and they'll have a room big enough for a regulation-size poker table for home games. She's also been hitting the felt: For her final event, instead of sitting behind the anchor desk, Lansing played in the WPT Foundation Ladies' Night Invitational at the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles. The event will air during Season XII of WPT on Fox Sports Net, which begins in March.

Lansing says she wants to continue her career in television broadcasting or hosting, and acknowledges that most of those jobs probably will be in Los Angeles or New York. Still, she vows: She'll never move out of the Bay Area.

"I just think this is a perfect place to raise kids and live," she said. "My husband is from here. I love it here. I'd rather commute to L.A. or New York than leave the Bay Area."

As for the game itself, Lansing says she hopes women continue to learn the game and play it. She adds that when she steps away from the WPT, she'll take away an appreciation for how broad and complex poker can be.

"If I've learned anything about this game, it's that it is ever changing," she said. "Right when you think that you know it really well, right when you think you have it figured out, you get a bad beat or a bad read and all of a sudden everything is upside down. I know it's just gambling, but this is what makes it interesting."

Matt Villano is a Healdsburg freelance writer. E-mail: 96hours@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mattvillano

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JC Tran discusses World Series of Poker final table

Sacramento's JC Tran has come a long way since arriving in California as a 2-year-old immigrant in 1979. Tran is chip leader going into the final table of the World Series of Poker's Main Event, the man with the best shot of taking home the $8.3 million top prize.

A seasoned pro, Tran honed his game at the Capitol Casino in Sacramento and has won two WSOP bracelets and a World Poker Tour title. He has career earnings of more than $8 million. But years ago, he was known for playing fast and loose.

"When I was younger I won a lot of money, but I didn't know the true value of a dollar," he said in a phone interview. Now 36, Tran says he's a changed man and his top priority is his family. He has a 2 1/2-year-old son and a daughter due next month.

"I've cleaned it up a lot. I don't put myself in situations where I'm playing crazy in cash games and losing big chunks of money," he said. "My family taught me well to be humble and appreciate life - we never had a lot of money. Now you won't see me coin-flipping in a cash game hand for $100,000. I'm still grinding."

Tran will earn a minimum of $733,000 for making the final table, to be held Nov. 4-5 at the Rio hotel in Las Vegas. With his strong chip position (38 million chips - no other player has more than 30 million), he's likely to add several million dollars to his bank account. But he doesn't plan to buy anything special, just invest in his kids' college fund and save for retirement.

"I have what I need," he said. "I don't need fancy jewelry or any of that stuff."

Tran says he's in good shape mentally for the final table and can use his towering chip stack "to keep pushing it and win some hands." But he won't be too aggressive because at the Main Event final table, "every pay jump is like winning another tournament." For example the difference between finishing second and third is more than $1.4 million.

Tran said he can play aggressive or tight. "That's an advantage I have over guys who have just one style." But he's not taking any of his opponents lightly.

"In the end I'm playing with eight other guys who have played seven great days of poker," he said. "No one is easy money here. Everyone has potential to win and everyone's a threat."

Michael Shapiro is a freelance writer and author of "A Sense of Place." E-mail: 96hours@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shapirowrites

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Online betting: Bovada's good reputation for service

I've never been a big fan of online betting. For sports, I'd rather bet with a bookie or, when in Nevada, wager at a sportsbook and watch the games on giant TV screens.

In California, sports betting isn't legal, so many people turn to online gambling sites. The legality of betting via offshore sportsbooks remains in question, but for now online wagering is popular and generally unobstructed by federal authorities.

I chose Bovada.lv because I'd long followed it to get odds on games and futures, and it has a good reputation for customer service. A reviewer of online gaming sites, MyTopSportsBooks.com, says Bovada - which used to be called Bodog - has the "best customer service in the industry" and the "best mobile betting."

Most enticing, Bovada offers a 50 percent signup bonus, up to $250. Here's how it works: Say you bet $200 on the 49ers at even money. If you win you get $500 ($200 in winnings, $100 in bonus plus your original wager).

So a few weeks ago I took the plunge and authorized a $250 deposit on my credit card. But I hit a snag: The charge was denied as "irregular." Visa sent a text alert warning me of possible fraud. I texted back to note the charge was legit, but I still had to call Visa to authorize the charge. (While this was a problem a couple of years ago, it's reportedly not as widespread an issue today.)

Then I started betting. The odds are standard: Typically you have to bet $110 to win $100, and the site is relatively easy to use. Bovada also offers proposition bets on everything from NBA scoring leaders to Academy Award winners, but the site keeps a larger proportion of money bet on props, typically 25 percent. (That's true in Nevada casinos as well - given the odds, props, including futures, should be small wagers made for fun.)

I put my entire $250 on Indianapolis, giving three points, to beat San Diego on Oct. 14, but the Colts lost, so I didn't get to see how quickly Bovada would pay. I've had problems in the past getting my cash out of another online betting site, but reports are that Bovada pays promptly. A reviewer on MyTopSportsBooks said, "When I've requested a payout ... they come quick."

Other leading online betting sites include BetOnline.com, TopBet.com and GTbets.com.

It can be easy to get carried away betting online because you're not handling money. But if you bet responsibly, it can add a thrill to watching games, wherever you are.

Michael Shapiro is a freelance writer and author of "A Sense of Place." E-mail: 96hours@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shapirowrites

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JC Tran discusses World Series of Poker final table

Sacramento's JC Tran has come a long way since arriving in California as a 2-year-old immigrant in 1979. Tran is chip leader going into the final table of the World Series of Poker's Main Event, the man with the best shot of taking home the $8.3 million top prize.

A seasoned pro, Tran honed his game at the Capitol Casino in Sacramento and has won two WSOP bracelets and a World Poker Tour title. He has career earnings of more than $8 million. But years ago, he was known for playing fast and loose.

"When I was younger I won a lot of money, but I didn't know the true value of a dollar," he said in a phone interview. Now 36, Tran says he's a changed man and his top priority is his family. He has a 2 1/2-year-old son and a daughter due next month.

"I've cleaned it up a lot. I don't put myself in situations where I'm playing crazy in cash games and losing big chunks of money," he said. "My family taught me well to be humble and appreciate life - we never had a lot of money. Now you won't see me coin-flipping in a cash game hand for $100,000. I'm still grinding."

Tran will earn a minimum of $733,000 for making the final table, to be held Nov. 4-5 at the Rio hotel in Las Vegas. With his strong chip position (38 million chips - no other player has more than 30 million), he's likely to add several million dollars to his bank account. But he doesn't plan to buy anything special, just invest in his kids' college fund and save for retirement.

"I have what I need," he said. "I don't need fancy jewelry or any of that stuff."

Tran says he's in good shape mentally for the final table and can use his towering chip stack "to keep pushing it and win some hands." But he won't be too aggressive because at the Main Event final table, "every pay jump is like winning another tournament." For example the difference between finishing second and third is more than $1.4 million.

Tran said he can play aggressive or tight. "That's an advantage I have over guys who have just one style." But he's not taking any of his opponents lightly.

"In the end I'm playing with eight other guys who have played seven great days of poker," he said. "No one is easy money here. Everyone has potential to win and everyone's a threat."

Michael Shapiro is a freelance writer and author of "A Sense of Place." E-mail: 96hours@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shapirowrites

View the original article here