Poker in San Jose, Costa Rica

Poker action is hotter than the tropical sun in Costa Rica, with live action and tournaments in local card rooms.

And No Limit Texas Hold 'em is the name of the game here.

Most of the poker rooms are in or near San Jose, the Costa Rican capital. The Jaco card room has at least two big No Limit Hold'em tournaments each year. One in 2005 was WPTA-sanctioned

Manuel Antonio (Quepos) is home to one card room.

Near the El Pueblo nightlife scene, the Hotel Radisson Europa cardroom is the most active poker room in Costa Rica. It's a five-minute cab ride from downtown San Jose, best known as the nightlife capital of Central America.

In January, 2006, the Colonial Casino (next door to Hotel del Rey) began offering Hold'Em. The rake is 5% (half that of the Horseshoe) for the $100 No Limit live games. And the Friday night tournament features one of the best structures in town.

The Fiesta Casino and Card Room is near the airport, about twenty minutes from town (except during rush hour). In Escazu, Tara Resort is about as far from downtown as the Fiesta

Texas Hold 'em Poker in Jaco

The Jazz Casino in Jaco Beach is about two hours south of San Jose. It is currently the only beach town with poker games, though some ex-pats run home games, mainly seven stud, in places such Quepos and Manuel Antonio.

How to Say "Raise!" in Spanish

There is no need to speak Spanish to play poker in Costa Rica card rooms -- all the dealers and most of Costa Rican players speak at least basic poker jargon in English. For the record, raise is sube, and paga means call. There is no Spanish equivalent for "flop." They call a straight an "escala," a flush "color" (the accent is on the next to last syllable).

Hold'em at the Horseshoe Casino in Costa Rica
Radisson Hotel: Poker Tournaments, 2005