Howell Shark Club

Howell Shark Club
1140 Pinckney Rd
Howell, MI 48843
4 Days a week Wed—Sun 5PM –2AM
20 of 25 Chips

Date Reviewed: July 30, 2008

It was pouring buckets when I pulled into the Shark Club parking lot. Plenty of cars in the lot for a Wednesday night, plenty of poker players. Two full cash tables and a good sized list for the tournament greeted me at the door.

Later in the evening a local poker star dropped in to play some cash games—the first place winner of the WPT Open on Jan 24, and at the final table in the Heartland Poker Tour at Greektown in June.

#1 Games

The Shark Club offers $1/$2 and $2/$5 Cash Games, $20 Turbo 9-player Sit-n-goes, plus a $25 buy-in tournament each night. Cash rake is 10% up to $6. 3 of 5 chips

#2 Tournament

Another fun tournament! For a $25 buy-in, you get 2500 chips—plus another 500 bonus chips for $5 more. 80% of the tourney buy-in and bonus chips go to the prize pool. The top 5 of 23 players cashed the night I played. The blind structure is pretty aggressive, increasing every 15 minutes with blinds starting at 25/50. Get aggressive or go home. Players deal to themselves until the final table. Rules are standard, enforced across the board. 3 of 5 chips!

#3 Atmosphere

As you walk in the main doors, the poker room is to the left, the bar straight ahead, dining tables and additional bar seating to the right. Music plays at just the right volume, where you can hear it, but don’t have to shout over the songs. Flat screen TV’s are everywhere. 5-Chips in this category!

#4 Equipment

We played on six brand new 10-person poker tables with cup holders and the card suits on the center felt and padded chairs! Custom Shark Club chips with denominations stamped in at the cash tables. The tourney chips are pretty generic—but brand new! 4 chips for equipment—nice stuff!!

#5 Staff

The charity volunteers are at the bar as you walk in selling chips and taking names for the tournament. Cash table dealers are quick, accurate, and friendly. The Shark Club wait-staff are quick, friendly, and cute. 5 chips for a great staff.

This was a really fun evening with friendly players, and a brush with fame!! Recommended!!!