Cesar's Club

Cesar's Club at night

Hours	evenings? weekends.
# Tables	2
Address	184 Main St, Watsonville CA
Region	Bay Area, California, USA
Phone	831-724-0603
Website	(none)

Despite many online references that refer to this club as "Caesar's Club", the actual name is "Cesar's Club" (using the Spanish first name Cesar). One set of their chips has an even more unlikely misspelling of the club's name ("Seasar's Club"), which is why they use those chips only for the must move game, which only runs occasionally.

Games

Spread-limit hold 'em: 2-6 spread (but only 1-3 spread during preflop betting round). $20 min buyin. The $1/$2 blinds on this game are backwards: the button posts the $2 big blind and the player to the button's left posts the $1 small blind.

A nice dollar chip from Cesar's Club

They have two tables with two separate games: the main game and the must move game. The must move game is played with different chips than the main game; you must change chips when you switch games. The must move game is played with old misprinted chips (they've spelled the name of the club wrong); the main game is played with nicer newer Chipco chips.

Rake: $2 rake per hand; the rake is taken preflop from the button's blind.

Game Character: Fairly loose but also fairly passive, this can be a proftable game for a good player. The game is conducted in Spanish, though the dealer will generally translate to English for you if need be. (Spanish poker tip: Sota is Spanish for a Jack). The players seemed fairly friendly and open even to a stranger who speaks minimal Spanish.

Wait Time: The wait is generally not long (10-20 mins) for a seat in the must move, but getting a seat in the main game can take multiple hours at peak times.

Shuffling: All tables are hand-shuffled

Posting: New players need not post

Tournaments

none

Jackpots

none

Atmosphere

Cesar's Club is surprisingly pleasant for a smalltown bar/cardroom. It's just a small bar, but it has pool tables, a billiards table, two Pan tables, and two hold 'em tables packed into it, in a tight but not particularly crowded configuration. It seems to be a major hangout for much of the Hispanic population of the area, but it comes off as more of a family-owned friendly hangout than a rundown dive. It's a worn but happy-seeming place. Helps a lot if you know Spanish, though. Even when they answer the phone, more often than not, the person who answers can't speak English.

Tables and Chairs: Extremely worn felt and vinyl, serviceable but uncomfortable fixed-legs chairs. The main game table holds ten players; the must move is at a smaller table that only holds 9. The board is a small whiteboard between the main poker table and the bar; ask the bartender if you'd like to get on it.

Neighborhood: Just outside of the main part of downtown, but still a business-y area of Main street. Seemed to be a relatively safe and decent neighborhood.

Parking: A smallish city parking lot is on the north side of the building, but it only holds about 25 cars. Only a little street parking.

Smoking: Not allowed inside the building, due to California law.

Service and Comps

They're in a bar, for Pete's sake. They offer the first drink on the house to new players.

Links and Notes

• Nearest competitor is probably Marina Club in Marina, or the Garlic City Club in Gilroy.
• Visited by MarkT in Aug 2006.

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