Poker players hoping to ante up again in one of North America’s premier card rooms are being offered a glimmer of hope.
According to a notice posted on the Playground Poker Club website, “Playground is working closely with local authorities on a reopening plan that will ensure the safety of our community, players and staff. In the interim, as the first phase of our reopening, The Rail is now open for dine-in from 8am to 10pm on weekdays, and 7am to 10pm on weekends.”
Opened in 2012 and renovated just two years later, Playground Poker Club has become a favorite among poker players, not just in the Montreal area where it’s located, but all around the world.
Cash games run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Players can choose from $1/$2 No Limit Hold’em, $2/$5 No Limit Hold’em, $2/$2 Pot Limit Omaha, and $5/$5 Pot Limit Omaha. The poker room is also renowned for offering other games if there is enough interest.
The poker room also plays host to several poker tournaments throughout the day at a variety of buy-in levels, with action beginning at 12pm on weekdays and 1pm on weekends. Each night, the room hosts two tournaments simultaneously, on average, with action getting underway from 7pm to 8pm.
The tournament schedule varies from month to month, but there’s always something to impress poker players of all stripes. From major international poker festivals including the WPT (World Poker Tour) to in-house mini-series, like the Playground Poker Weekend, there’s always something — with the exception of right now, because there’s literally nothing.
Playground Poker Club shut its doors in mid-March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, the province of Quebec, in which Playground Poker Club is located, unveiled a plan that included the reopening of several casinos, many of which house poker rooms.
But with a focus on poker only, a game where social distancing is difficult unless a table features under 4 players, Playground Poker Club’s reopening strategy will likely look a little different, whenever it’s revealed.