“Take a seat, the felt won't bite”
One wheel, two blackjack tables and three for poker, all in a cool back room. Played with chips, in person, with a dealer at every table.
The casino room, table by table
The felt room is the old leather store: high ceiling, thick brick walls and no windows, so it stays cool through the hottest of Bourke's summers. The light comes from low lamps over each table and from a single brass fitting by the door. You hear cards, chips and the occasional groan, and very little else.
The roulette table sits nearest the door, because the wheel draws a crowd. Lisa Rossi spins it most evenings, calling each number clearly and clearing the table with a wooden rake. Two blackjack tables sit along the long wall, one for beginners and one for those who already know when to stand.
Three poker tables fill the far end. We deal Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud and Five Card Draw, and the dealer announces which game each table is running. Every seat has a chip tray and a coaster for your tea, and every table has a printed card explaining the hands from weakest to strongest. Take one home if you like; they are free, and quietly useful on a long evening.
No pokies, no gaming machines and no screens of any kind. Nobody wagers anything, and no one wins anything except bragging rights. It is a room for people who like the company of a card table: the shuffle, the pause, the small ripple of laughter when a river card turns up.
Roulette
A single wheel by the door, called clearly by the croupier
Blackjack
Two tables, one with a patient explainer at each deal
Poker
Three tables across four games, each with a printed hand guide
How to take your first seat
Arrive hungry and eat first. Dinner is the best preparation we know for a night at the tables, and the kitchen is happy to time your dessert so you can walk through when the room opens. If you have only booked a table for dinner, you are still welcome to wander in and have a look afterwards.
At the felt room door, the host will check your ID, and a dealer will give you a small stack of chips to start with. The chips carry no value and can never be cashed, so there is nothing to lose and nothing to carry home. If you lose them all, ask for more and sit back down.
Choose a table and tell the dealer you are new. Every one of our dealers has taught absolute beginners many times, and they will slow the game to suit you. You can stand behind a seat first, sit in with chips, or step out for a cup of tea whenever you like.
When the evening winds down, chips are counted back into the tray and the room is wiped clean for tomorrow. Tell Louise at the front desk if you would like a table for next time, and she will write it down in the book.
Around the felt
Questions about the felt
How many people can sit at a table?
Poker tables seat six and blackjack tables five, while roulette takes as many as can stand around the wheel comfortably. We keep a list of names for the next free seat and the host calls you over as soon as one opens. Nobody ever sits and waits for long, and the hall is a comfortable place to spend a few minutes.
Is the room loud or quiet?
Quiet, mostly. People talk, but nobody shouts, and phones are kept in pockets. If you need a break from the sound of the wheel, the hall is only a few steps away and the teapot is always full.
Can I bring my own cards or chips?
Please leave your own at home. Every table uses sealed decks, and the chips are numbered so nothing gets confused. If you want a particular deck for a game night with friends, ask Noel Saunders beforehand and he will see what can be arranged for a private evening.