Offline poker in Georgia
In the middle of 2010s Georgia was experiencing a poker boom: RPT, WPT, WSOPC — Tbilisi could be rightfully called the capital of poker in the Caucasus. Is poker in Georgia still as sweet today as it used to be a couple of years ago? Where should one search the play and why Tbilisi or Batumi is still worth the visit if you enjoy poker – in this PokerDiscover material.
Traits of poker in Georgia
Trait # 1 — Poker in Georgia is 100% legal
Development of poker and gambling in Georgia took place right after USSR collapse. Unlike the authorities of other countries, Georgian administration has made a decision to legalize gambling. Today poker clubs of Georgia are acting in strict correspondence of the current law.
Trait # 2 — Cash games has a much bigger going in comparison with tournaments
Poker in Georgia develops at a very fast pace. Russian Poker Tour, World Poker Tour and even World Series of Poker Circuit took place here during the latest 8 years. Nevertheless, it is pretty difficult to find tournament poker in 2023. The activities of Georgian poker clubs are transparent and law-abiding. This calls for certain limitation today. According to law, in case of the tournament taking place, 20% of the prize fund goes for taxes. It does not make sense to host these tournaments. That’s why everyone plays cash game here. Stakes are 1/3 - 2/5 - 5/5 - 5/10. Game currencies are US dollar and Georgian lari. 1 lari ~ $0,39.
Important note! Georgia has plenty of currency exchange points. We do not recommend making currency exchange in the center of the city and on the railway, bus stations and airports as the dollar rates are lower here. Count the money after the exchange as the rate tends to differ from the one that is usually claimed.
Trait # 3 — Most of the players are tourists
Georgia has the mutual border with Turkey, Azerbaijan and Russia: these are the countries where poker is prohibited or seriously limited. That is why tens of thousands players come to Georgia to play. That is why tourism is one of the priorities in country policy. Poker in Georgia is good with its fields. The typical guest of the poker club is a wealthy foreigner who plays poker for fun. In other words, people come to Georgia to relax, not to grind professionally. This is another trait of poker in Georgia – big numbers of foreign players and smaller numbers of locals.
Trait # 4 — Poker tables are situated in the casinos
Almost all the poker clubs in Georgia are situated in the casinos. Such placement provides with the stream of amateur players from other countries. All the poker clubs are situated in big halls that allow playing with the maximal comfort from the play.
Trait # 5 — Affordable accommodation, food and transport
Tourism is very well-developed in Georgia. Most of the hotels and apartments are very affordable. For instance, accommodation in the center of Tbilisi in 3* hotel costs just $20-$30 per night. Average café visit will cost you $8-$12. Also there are taxi services Yandex.Taxi and Taxi Maxim so the trip to any point of the city will cost no more than $5. Also, one is able to negotiate with the taxi driver about the cost before the drive. Pay attention that 6 to 8 pm is the rush hours in Tbilisi, so beware of traffic jams. That way, the success of Georgia as a poker country consists of two elements: local poker boom and a nice stream of tourists.
Georgia has two cities where one is able to play poker: Tbilisi and Batumi.
More details on poker clubs in Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia. Strategically situated where Europe meets Asia, the city of Tiflis was the place of confrontation between different states at the Caucasus. But today Tbilisi is the poker capital of Caucasus that unites Georgia, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and India. Tbilisi is the city with many centuries of history where cobbled streets are combined with the Orthodox churches and monuments of Soviet modernism. Tbilisi is all about Abanotubani sulfur baths, the Legvtahevi fall right in the middle of the city, walk street Shardeni, the Metekhi temple, the cable path and Narikala fortress. It is also about the Bridge of the Peach and Rike Part with Ronald Reagan monument. Certainly Tbilisi is also about khinkali, khachapuri, shashlyk and Georgian wine!
There are the following poker rooms in Tbilisi.
There are 2 tables in the club. Holdem and Omaha are played. The game is played in the local currency GEL. Limits from 5/5 to 10/25 GEL
Private games start from 25/50. European and Georgian cuisine. Transfer possible
Poker Travel Jewel Club Tbilisi
The club now is under the patronage of a team from Poker Travel, who often hold cash festivals in Georgia and beyond.
There are many guests from Israel during the events. The currency of the game is US dollars.
More details on poker in Batumi
Batumi is the city situated on the shores of the Black Sea. It is important as a cultural, tourists and economic center of Georgia. Ferris wheel, Alphabet Tower ($34,000,000 cost for the city), Argo cable road, Moving sculpture of Ali and Nino (Georgian Romeo and Juliette), shore park, new boulevard, singing fountains – it is hard to place all the sights of the city in a single paragraph. Batumi is Georgian Las Vegas.
— Poker club on two levels of the casino
— free buffet table 24/7.
Eclipse is the poker club placed in the casino of the same name. 6 tables, each of them has shuffle machines to keep up high play tempo. Usually games start at 19:00 and ends in the morning. Game currency is US dollar. Stakes that are played regularly: Hold’em 1/3 – 5-5; Omaha 5/5 – 5/10. Open-Faced Chinese Poker is also available.
Poker club Eclipse often has 24/7 play. Batumi is the tourists’ city so the average club player is the international visitor with above-average income who takes poker as resort and entertainment. There are very few professional players.
Players have 24/7 buffet at their disposal, all the club visitors are able to have free food for as much as they want. Also the casino has the restaurant where club guests enjoy 50% discount. Poker club Eclipse may also provide 50% discount for 5* “Euphoria” hotel accommodation to the selected players.
The club is located in the Royal Casino on the central square of the city.
There are several tables in the club, expensive Omaha is often played. The currency of the game is the US dollar.
20% discount on the kitchen for club players. The game starts at 19.00 every day.
The club is located in the Iveria Casino not far from the Batumi Ferris wheel.
There are several tables in the club. The currency of the game is the US dollar.
Big loyalty program: first visit bonus, rakeback system, free entries and more.
The game starts at 18.30 every day.
Poker Travel Empire Cllub Batumi
The second club in Georgia was sponsored by a team from Poker Travel: a lot of cash and festivals!
There are many guests from Israel during the events. The club is located next to the embankment and the batumi Ferris wheel. The currency of the game is US dollars.
Mandarin High Stakes Poker Club
The freshest club in Batumi, which followed the path of an expensive game: from 10/20 to 50/100. The currency of the game is the US dollar.
Two tables, games start at 20.00 every day. Very cozy place next to the central square of Batumi!
Why is Georgia an excellent option for poker tourism?
This region develops very fast. Tourism provides poker clubs with amateurs from Georgia, Russian, Iran, Israel, India, Turkey. People play cash poker in Georgia, tournament poker is not that well-developed here. The average rake is 3%, game currency is US dollar, or lari. Players are very loose in Georgia, willing to take the risk and get maximal action, so they create it madly.
Georgia is the country to recommend to everyone. Poker players will be able to find good play here and tourists will enjoy affordable accommodation, tasty national cuisine and warm welcome of the locals.
Poker in Georgia is waiting for you!
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More interesting and useful articles from the world of poker you can read in our blog. Also search for poker clubs in the country or city, get to know about upcoming poker tournaments or cash games at PokerDiscover.com
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