Poker isn't as gloomy as you might think.
When I think of poker venues the image that comes to mind is one of smokey, dimly lit tables where the players disappear into the gloom if they sit too far back in their seats. So I have to admit it was mildly disappointing to arrive at the Fox Poker Club that sits right on Shaftesbury Avenue with what looks more like the entrance to an advertising agency than a casino.
On climbing the stairs to the second floor one is greeted by a beautiful receptionist before entering the light and airy open-plan poker club. This is a far cry from the image I had in my mind: obviously there’s no smoking inside anymore, but aside from that the place doesn’t particularly say, 'gambling den'. There are the obligatory slot machines and a large electronic roulette wheel, but these are tucked away in the bar area at the back and they seem like afterthoughts. This is, after all, expressly a poker club.
I join a tournament – it’s a ten pound buy with the chance to rebuy after the first round, so it’s not going to break the bank to lose it all. This seems to be part of the Fox ethos – they want to make popping into their poker club no different from popping into a local nightclub or cinema. Pay your money, have your fun, maybe win, maybe lose, but ultimately nobody is going to lose the shirt on their back here. You can also hire tables and invite loads of your mates. I play poker with my friends and it would be pretty fun to come here and play on a real table with a proper dealer. That said, I don’t think it’ll replace our ‘friendly’ games as smoking, drinking straight from the whiskey bottle and shouting loud abuse at each other is all part and parcel of it and is rightly frowned upon in polite society.
My fellow players are all men, but then I’ve never seen a woman in a betting shop either. I don’t know if women are just too sensible to gamble or if the traditional view of it as a male activity puts ladies off, but this place would be equally great as part of a hen party night out as it would be as part of a stag night.
I manage to make it to the second round and finish 9th out of 17. I’m pretty pleased – I may have lost my cash but I’ve had a real laugh doing it and I feel no more fleeced than if I’d spent the same amount of money on going to the cinema in Leicester Square or in one of the overpriced bars or clubs locally. I would definitely recommend it to novices and pro players alike.
Image by emples
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