Vision Lanes Charity Poker room

The Review by Alex Altman Nov 19, 2009

One month removed from its old location at Town N’ County, the poker room at Westland’s Vision Lanes is quickly re-establishing itself as a place to be for poker players. I was there Thursday night to play in the $20 buy-in (one $20 rebuy/add-on) tournament, and was impressed with the room on a number of levels.  There were 44 tournament entrants, many of whom joined before the first-hour cutoff. Five people cashed, with first place earning around $500. As is the case in most rooms, there was an 80% payout, with much of the rest going to one of the Veteran of Foreign Wars chapters in Detroit.

Currently open Thursday-Sunday, Vision Lanes will become a seven-day operation starting the first full week in January. Until then, you can enter the following nightly no-limit hold’em tournaments:
Thursday/Saturday: $20 buy-in, one $20 rebuy/add-on ($10,000 starting chips)
Friday: $40 buy-in, no rebuys or add-ons ($20,000 chips)
Sunday: $30 buy-in with one $20 rebuy/add on ($10,000 chips)

You can also enter the room’s much-anticipated Motor City Poker Tour between Dec. 3-6, which will have estimated $20,000 prize pool. Buy-in is $125 if you register Thursday, Friday or Saturday, or $150 if you register Sunday. You can also qualify for the event by placing in one of the room’s satellite tournaments. Contact Vision Lanes at 734-641-8181 for more information.

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More tournament action at Vision Lanes

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Alex making a tough call during the tournament

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Tournament table at Vision Lanes

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Games: 4 of 5 chips

One chip off for a lack of variety, but we’ll cut them some slack because they just re-opened. A $1/$2 cash table started only after tournament players started getting knocked out, and there was no blackjack. It shouldn’t be long before there is more variety.

Tournaments: 5 of 5 Chips

This room is ideal for individuals looking for an affordable tournament. You won’t have to spend more than $60 at any of their tournaments, and with a generous starting chip stack and a reasonable blind structure, you won’t have to make any quick moves, either. On Thursday, blinds started at $25-$50 and increased every 15 minutes. The only unusual blind progression was in the third round, when blinds increased from $50-$100 to $75-$150 instead of doubling to $100-$200. There is an 80% payout on all tournaments. Rules are quickly reviewed by the manager before the tournament begins. The dealers are fast and accurate, keeping the action moving at a swift pace.

Atmosphere: 5 of 5 Chips

Although it’s technically located in a bowling alley, there is a direct entrance to the poker room right in front of the parking lot. This means you don’t have to walk through a long, smoky hall or up several flights of stairs to get to your seat at the table. Speaking of smoking, it’s prohibited inside the room. Smokers congregated outside between the 10-minute tournament breaks.

Three televisions — including two flat-screens — dot the perimeter of the room, so there is always a game or show in sight. Sports memorabilia and movie posters enshroud much of the custom-painted walls, adding to the room’s hospitable feel.

Equipment: 4 of 5 Chips

The tables were felted, and more importantly, they did not have legs, built-in cup holders or any other annoying encumbrances that get in your way at the table. There were external cup holders, which doubled as dining tables, that you could easily wheel to your table. The chips were custom made, while the seats were leather and cushiony.

Staff: 4 of 5 Chips

: Jeff (manager), Chuck (owner) and all the dealers were friendly, as was the waitress, Alisha. Problem was, she was the only waitress present to serve a 40-plus person room. Consequently, the wait for food and drinks was a little longer than ideal, and the lack of a dining area/bar in the room was frustrating at times. The staff made up for it, however, by giving free pizza to tournament players during the second hour of the tournament. A masseuse was there the entire night, giving chair massages for $1/minute.

 

Map to Vision Lanes Charity Poker Room

View Larger Map: 38250 Ford Rd, Westland, MI 48185