Tournaments
| Day | Starts | Buyin | Gametype | Format | Clock | Stack | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 14:00 pm | £50 | NL Holdem | Freezeout | 25 min | 10000 | |
| Mon | 14:00 pm | £30 | NL Holdem | Freezeout | 20 min | 5000 | |
| Tue | 14:00 pm | £30 | NL Holdem | Freezeout bounty | 20 min | 10000 | |
| Wed | 14:00 pm | £40 | NL Holdem | Double chance | 20 min | 3000 | |
| Thu | 14:00 pm | £50 | NL Holdem | Freezeout | 20 min | 10000 | |
| Fri | 14:00 pm | £20 | NL Holdem | Rebuys | 20 min | 1500 | |
| Sat | 14:00 pm | £20 | NL Holdem | Rebuys | 20 min | 1500 |
Tournaments are all self-dealt until the final table. All their weekday tournaments are turbo so best to keep that in mind. Their weekend tournaments have better structures. (Tournament details may change - please contact the cardroom directly to confirm tournament details)
Cash games
There is not a huge variety of cash games, but there are consistently tables to play at. You will normally find a few £1-£2 NL Holdem games and maybe a £1-£3 NL Holdem game. All are dealer dealt, and you won't find yourself waiting too long for a game. All cash games are dealer dealt, and the rake is 5% capped at £10. (capped at £5 from 8am-2pm). Friday and Saturdays the place is packed with all kinds of people hanging around waiting for a games or just hanging out with friends. Not everyone likes the marketplace atmosphere but it is always busy, and there are always fish around.
The club takes £1 for pots over £25, that goes to their cash race and their bad beat jackpot - . 60p towards the cash race, 25p towards the bad beat and 15p for admin.
Promotions
Bad Beat Jackpot - The first bad beat jackpot was finally hit in December 2010 after 10 months, giving away £222K in winnings with £111K going to the losing hand. Only two months later, it was hit again for £75K and over £34K going to losing hand. Click here for more information on the club's rules about the jackpot And here's some Youtube videos showing you how the hands played out. Lucky bastards.
Best hand giveaways - Every day at 7am, 3pm, and 11pm, a £50 is given away to whoever had the best hand during that 8 hour period.
New! Cash Race - They are also running a new cash race promotion alongside their bad beat jackpot. of the £1 they take for the bad beat. the breakdown now works.. 60p towards the cash race, 25p towards the bad beat and 15p for admin. Players recieve 10 points when they play on a thu-sat. They recieve 15 points from sun-wed. The top 45 players at the end of the month qualify for a freeroll - for August 2012 this is a guaranteed £25,000.
Background
Casino at the Empire opened in early 2008 and has quickly become a hotbed of poker activity in London. Hosting the World Series of Poker Europe has certainly helped, and this cardroom has gone from strength to strength. It's now open 24/7, has a full afternoon and evening tournament schedule, and cash games are always running.
One of the main reasons making Casino at the Empire so popular is its accessibility and convenience. It's located smack in the middle of London at Leicester Square and you don't even need to be a member to play. You can just walk in and start playing. And one of the upsides to this is you will have a steady supply of new and inexperienced players walking in from the casino, from work around the area, and even tourists looking for a game. If you're willing to play patiently and smartly, it can be very lucrative.
Membership
Be a member or don't. It doesn't matter cause you can play here either way. You can become a member but it only helps if you are playing in the casino.
Reviews
24/7 running tables. I went there 3 times and there was players at daytime too not only at nights as usual, 7 tables running (mainly holdem 1/2) and waiting list move fast. For newbies with small bankroll its good aswell. There are lot of regulars but fishes too. Wery comfort seats to sit long time, also massage availible. When game is too grazy for you, you can always change table, playing style of some person not pokerrooms fault. Wery friendly staff and players.
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There are lots of reviews here saying there are too many gamblers at the Empire ........ that's good!! If you don't have the nerve (or roll) to play against someone who will call a turn all in when they know they are 80-20, then The Empire isn't the place for you but if you can take the swings, there is a lot of value at the tables. I would agree that it's cramped and dingy though and not the most inviting of places (it's very uninviting to be honest). Also, I wouldn't want to be walking through Leicester Square at 3am if I'd booked a big win!! If you want the gamble but a nicer environment and better location, then the Hippodrome is very close and the players aren't quite as crazy!
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Either way, this is the best card room for you! If you fancy a gamble, there's always people willing to "gamble" with you. If you want to make money, there's always people willing to "gamble" with you. Staff are really friendly, welcoming and knowledgable.
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ENJOYED PLAYING AT THE EMPIRE CARDROOM, BUSY ON THE WEEKEND AND A NICE ATMOSPHERE DURING THE WEEK TOO. GOOD CASH GAMES AND LOOK FORWARD TO THEM STARTING THE NEW CASH RACE
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Been there a few times, always get a warm greeting from the staff, feels like a poker room should - busy
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Although I am a higher stakes player, I go down to the Empire occasionally and I am always impressed by the range of players from good to very bad. Good place to blow off steam. People complain about the deco and some of the small stackers but they either are poker snobs or dont have a clue. I do believe it runs the best 1-2 games in london, if not UK, and its 24/7
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Hated the card room. Been playing poker for 20 years and the Empire is the worst place i've ever played. The room is small, cramped, and dingy. The play is like bingo, full of people with more money than sense. Avoid unless you are prepared to lose as much as you make.
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poor place to play poker a real nightmare all full of rich donks playing bingo dont play cash game here unless you go with a min of £800, the worst place ive ever played poker, been playing 9 years and up lots but this ant a place to make cash
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Playing in this card room is like nightmare. Worstest tournament that I have ever played. Tournaments are self-dealt. It is taking to much time and blind structure are terrible. 15 mins very level. Sometimes players can't decide who will be dealer and time is running out. Better is to play Bingo lotto games than going on this poker room.
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I have only been at the Empire a couple of times, and although it is quite busy, I did not like the atmosphere at the tables I was playing. Last time I went, there were a couple of regulars who were talking about hands in progress when they’ve folded, insulting the fish, generally being a bit cocky and rude. Who knows maybe i was just unlucky, but I prefer playing at the International, much friendlier atmosphere over there.
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The best £1/£2 game in the world! I love how the 1 star reviewers are complaining about rich donks with more money than sense....erm?!
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