From sign-up to final
“From the list at the door to the last hand”
A tournament here is a long evening of cards among friends, played with chips and finished with honour alone.
What a tournament is
“An evening with a beginning and an end”
Tournaments began at the lodge in the first autumn, when the apple pickers asked for something to do after dinner that was not television. I suggested poker, Megan Atkinson agreed to run it, and nine people sat down at two tables on a Thursday. By the end of the evening the room had decided that it wanted another.
A tournament is simply poker with a shape. Every player starts with the same stack of chips, the tables are played in levels of equal length, and as players leave their seats the tables are combined until one remains. The last person seated is Champion of the night.
All of it is played with chips without money value. There is no entry payment, no cash prize and no reward of any kind. The champion's name goes on the honour board by the green door, and a small timber cup stays on the shelf in the room.
I mention this plainly because guests sometimes expect more. They arrive wondering what is at stake, and leave wondering why the evening felt so complete. Nothing is at stake except the pleasure of the game, and that, in my experience, is entirely sufficient.
I walked in with no idea what a flop was. By the final I was explaining it to the next table, and Megan was pretending not to smile. Best evening I have had in this town.
Colin, regular guest
Before the cards
“Getting to the table”
Choose your evening
Tournaments run on Thursdays and Saturdays, with the Thursday event suited to beginners. Choose the night that fits, and say so when you reserve. The booking form has a box for exactly this purpose.
Put your name on the list
Renee Wells keeps the list at the host's desk. You can add your name when you book or on arrival, up to the moment the first hand is dealt. There is nothing to pay and no obligation to stay.
Arrive in good time
Aim to be at the lodge by six, since the draw for seats begins at half past. Dinner before the tournament is a pleasant tradition, and the kitchen is happy to time your plates so that you are finished by the draw.
Show your identification
Everyone entering the casino room shows a photo card at the green door, every visit. It takes a few seconds, and it means that every player in the room is an adult, which we hold to be important.
Draw your seat
Names are drawn from an old apple crate, one at a time, and each player is sent to a table. The draw decides everything; no one may choose a seat, a table or a neighbour, whatever their seniority.
Over the cloth
“From the first level to the last card”
Receive your chips
Each player is given an equal stack of clay chips. They are counters and carry no money value, so they are neither bought nor sold, and they go back into the rack when you leave the table.
Play the levels
The game proceeds in levels of twenty-five minutes, each marked by a small brass bell. A croupier deals every hand, explains any unfamiliar situation aloud and keeps the pace gentle for those who are new.
Break for supper
After the second level there is a break of twenty minutes, and the kitchen sends up tea, coffee and a plate of pastries. Players stretch their legs on the verandah, and the croupiers tidy the cloth.
Combine the tables
As players leave their seats, the tables are combined so that every remaining player sits in a lively game. Anyone who is out may stay to watch, to eat, or to join a friendly hand at another table.
Reach the final
The last six players sit down together at the poker table nearest the doors. The room falls quiet, the croupier announces each hand, and anyone left in the dining room is invited to come and watch.
Name the champion
The last player seated is Champion of the night. Their name is written on the honour board in chalk, and the little timber cup is held up for the room. Nothing else changes hands, and the cup stays.