Voodoo hoping to cast a fresh spell on Dublin’s Poker Scene
Gary Clarke, 17/08/09 | Print this article
The Voodoo club, located on 39-40 Arran Quey is a fresh new card club to the Dublin scene. In a city bursting at the seams with poker rooms, the Voodoo club is attempting to break through the clutter of clubs which are already established in Dublin. Under the careful guidance of some experienced poker players such as Eamonn and Willo Connolly, Voodoo hopes to lean on their founder’s wealth of poker knowledge to drive the club right to the top.
There is no doubting it will be a struggle. Cool Hand Luke’s occupies the unenviable position of being both the last card club to open in the city and the most recent club to shut. Fronted by Luke Ivory, a stalwart of Irish poker, many would have thought that if anybody could successfully launch a new card room in Dublin it was the local based Ivory. But the truth is he failed to get Cool Hand Luke’s off the ground and the Voodoo card club will have to realise that the signs are not promising for a sudden change in the market’s preference. With a powerhouse like the Sporting Emporium now getting only a sparing handful of runners for their tournaments and much depleted numbers on the cash tables, just how can the Voodoo club expect to compete?
Critically for the club, they are willing to diversify. They are offering incentives which other clubs simply can’t. Upon entrance to the Voodoo club you will notice a 24-hour café. Here you can order anything from Eggs Benedict to a beef burger or a tuna sandwich through to a salad roll. As you keep walking, on your left you will find a dedicated computer area with free internet access on all PC’s. This is handy for any punter who’d like to take a spin in an online game as all the major internet poker sites are installed along with internet surfing ability as well. As you continue through the club there is a most foreign object at the back of the room, a pool table! It’s a wonder how such a fun activity could be allowed in a place of business. It’s clear this club genuinely wants to look after their members and make them feel at home.
Perhaps their biggest draw however is the launch of a dealers choice cash game running each and every Wednesday. Starting at 8pm, the early kick off is of huge importance to the game. With most Dublin games not getting going until after midnight, this game allows players to play for a couple of hours while still being able to get home at a respectable hour. The game is lots of fun too with variations from the classic favourites of Hold’em and Omaha right through to the low games such as Razz and 2-7 triple draw. There are also high/lo games played such as 7 Card Stud Hi/lo and Omaha Hi/lo. There are even adaptations such as a crazy pineapple game called ‘Irish’.
The availability of dealer’s choice is a most welcome addition to a city which only recognises Hold’em and Omaha as acceptable poker games. The introduction of fresh new games adds life to the boring regularity of Hold’em which has made the capital’s cash table’s seem stale. The Voodoo club has even attempted a replica of Bobby’s room with a separate playing area for the Wednesday night dealer’s choice game. With comfortable chairs, a proper table, a dedicated waiting service and a private television in this “high stakes” area, perhaps Messrs Ivey or Hansen might just pop by the Voodoo club for a game!
Last month the Fitzwilliam card club exceeded all expectations with a whopping 130 runners in their end of month €270 tournament. It’s clear the Capital still has a healthy appetite for poker and the Voodoo club will now be hoping they too can ‘pack the house’ with members from the big pool of poker players around them. It’s getting them out of other clubs and into this one which will be their central problem. But as we can see, the club is open to change and that may just be the recipe for success.
Gary Clarke can be contacted at gary.clarke@pokerireland.ie
Related Tournament/Satellites
<< Previous Article |
