From where I live in Minneapolis, this is the closest place to play no limit--about 80 miles and in the boondocks. It is a modest room with about a dozen tables. They offer free hot dogs, brats, coffee, soft drinks, fresh fruit and pastries. Enough to keep you alive while you try to pick up some of that farm money.

Yesterday (Labor Day) there were only two tables going most of the time, and both had 1-2 no limit going ($50-$200 buy-in). The play is pretty soft, more like a limit game, most of the time. Half the players have a reasonable grasp of the game. The other half are apparently willing to pay to learn.

After being down about $100, I bought in for another $100 bringing my stack to $200 and my investment to $300. I slowly ground my way until my stack was about $470 when, on the button, I looked down a 7-9 offsuit. I got in to the unraised pot and was delighted to see the flop of 6-8-10 rainbow. It was checked to the villain who bet $10 (about a pot-sized bet). His stack was slightly smaller than mine, probably about $425. It was folded to me and I raised to $30. The villain re-raised to $90 and I pushed. When the villain insta-called, I thought he must have the same hand as me, but I was happy to see him table a pair of sixes. I couldn't believe he would call a $300+ raise with bottom set. If I had had a set of eights or tens, he would have had a one outer. Fortunately for me, he never thought about what I might have; he was so happy to have made his set that he was on auto-pilot. Of course, he was less than a two to one dog to my straight, but he never hit the boat and I was happy to drag nearly $900.

Just played in the St Croix poker room December 27-29, 2007.

Still twelve tables, but every one I played at had an autoshuffler, which was nice. I can not verify that they all had the autoshuffler.

The free food and drinks were a nice touch, although alcoholic drinks still cost. Cocktail service was okay. When the waitress had been gone for some time, someone would just call for drink service and she would come pretty quickly.

I played in the Thursday $60 6pm tournament. I got virtually no cards and had to watch a drunk donkey (as he described himself) hit hand after hand -- sets, high pocket pairs, and an amazing hand where he hit a two-outer. He had pocket rockets and the flop was 3-7-7. One guy flopped a boat with 3-3 and another guy hit trips with 7-8. They were all in and got nailed on the river when an Ace hit. The drunk donkey missed the final table, though. Amazing since he had such a huge stack at the first break.

I went out somewhere in the middle of the pack when I went all in with my short-stack 8-8. I was called by another shortie with A-K. I don't have to tell you how that one ended.

I played $1-2 NL for several hours on both days. There were some good players, and most of the regulars were okay. Money is there to be made if you are patient and if the cards come.

A few of the dealers were below average. One had a bit of an attitude and another made some errors, like "forgetting" to return $1 if the small blind folded. He tried it with me and did it to another player (and was called on it both times), so it made me wonder ...

There is a bad beat jackpot, but no high hand bonus. A guy at my table hit a straight flush, and one guy said, "Hey - you get a poker room hat." I never did see him get a hat.

I had fun playing in this room and would return again if in the area.

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