January 2015 by Arizona Player

I nside

Gaming•Entertainment•Travel

this I ssue Casino Entertainment Card Room Action Statewide Boyd’s Eye View - Too Cool for School Talking Stick Christmas Toy Drive Winners Reel Reviews- WMS Lunaris & Aftershock

www.arizonaplayer.com

Vol. 23 No. 1 • January 2015

S O E R R T H C A A D N O H FERENCE CE SINO N N O TER C & Arizona’s Winter Wonderland For Non-Stop Fun! COVER STORY ON PAGE 8

WWW.ARIZONAPLAYER.COM

Contents

Gaming•Entertainment•Travel PO Box 33393 • Phoenix Arizona 85067 • 602-373-8728 • azplayer@cox.net

Editor Phil Scudella Production Assistants John Olson Graphic Design CommuniGraphics

Contributing Photography Kevin Cummings Melody Hudson David Ramsey Satara Williams

Special Thanks to: Mark Neel and the Hon-Dah Resort Casino Marketing Department for their support in putting this January issue together.

Contributing Writers Linda Boyd Kevin Cummings Cindy Esquer Melody Hudson TJ Jorgensen Brian Mulligan David Ramsey Satara Williams

The Arizona Player is published the first weekend of each month. All claims or guarantees are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. All comments and views of contributing writers are their own and do not reflect official policy of the Arizona Player which assumes no liability for any advertisement not supplied camera ready by the advertiser. Reproduction or use in whole or in part without written consent from the publisher and Copyright owners is prohibited.

4 ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015

Vol. 23 No. 1 • January 2015

Gaming News “Talking Stick Toy Drive Poker Tournament Winners”

Cover Story “Hon-Dah Resort Casino – Majestic White Mountain Getaway”

Boyd’s Eye View of Video Poker Linda Boyd “Too Cool For School”

AZ Lottery News “More Big Winners”

Reel Reviews “Lunaris & Aftershock ” by WMS

TJ's Blackjack Corner TJ Jorgensen “The Mailbag”

Card Room Action Table Game Action Around the State

Contest Page “Hon-Dah Casino Getaways Winners”

Gaming News “Phoenix Suns and Mercury Soon to Play Talking Stick Resort Arena” 20 Entertainment Casino Entertainment State-wide

David at the Snack Bar David Ramsey Top Movies of 2014

Bingo Directory Complete List of Bingo Games at all Arizona Casinos

Jokes of the Month, Astrology, & Casino Directory

gaming news TOY DRIVE POKER TOURNAMENT A BIG SUCCESS By Phil Scudella For the second year in a row over 400 poker enthusiasts showcased their skills on December 20 at the 12th Annual Christmas Toy Drive Poker Tournament at The Arena Poker Room at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale. The tournament offered $12,500 in cash, but even more important provided in excess of 400 toys to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Christmas Toy Drive as many players brought in more than one toy for this charity event.

Tom Young – next to hundreds of donated Christmas gifts “The Christmas Toy Poker Tournament is in its twelfth year at Talking Stick Resort,” said Tom Young, Director of Poker. “It’s a testament to the kind nature of our guests and their willingness to give back to the community. By competing in the match, players are doing their part to ensure others will have a happy holiday season.” Signups for this Holiday Charity Tournament began on December 1 and continued right up to the start of the tournament at 11:15 am on Saturday December 20th. An unwrapped toy, valued at a minimum of $10 -

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served as the buy-in along with a $25 service fee, at time of signup. There was also an optional $10 staff appreciation add-on bonus at the table that got each player an additional $1,500 in tournament chips. The Tournament began at 11:15 am with all tables full and about 60 alternates waiting to get in when someone got knocked out. In just 3 short hours the tournament went from over 400 down to 58 players by 2:20 pm. Now the fun began as many players watched tables break have players move to other seats reducing the number to 40 – The magic number of players that would cash in this event. At about 2:45 pm pandemonium broke out across the room with screams of joy as a table playing in a live game hit the “Bad Beat” Jackpot for over $ 41,000! A young player named Mary was jumping and shouting celebrating her $20,000 share, Kory also took home over $10,000 and the remaining 8 players each received over $1,400 for just being at that table! The room began to quiet down and the Toy Drive Tournament resumed with Director of Poker Tom Young’s staff of Steve Briquelet, Matt Brentlinger and Molly Brentlinger paying out the prize money to all cashers, breaking tables and fielding requests from some of the players to “Chop” the prize money, but that idea did not fly. The tournament continued and by 3:30 the group hoping to make the final table was down to 18 – still no “Chop” was agreed upon – then within a half hour, we were down to the final ten. At this point several players tried to get a 100% agreement to chop the remaining prize money, but the player with the biggest stack said he would not consider a chop of any kind until it got down to 5 players. So the game continued.

10th Place and $250 went to William Neal, $350 and 9th Place was claimed by Leroy Macmonagle, 8th Place and $400 went to Aaron Schild, Bradley Cuthbertson took home $500 and 7th Place, followed by Randall Hubler in 6th Place receiving $700.

Final five – James, Sam, Allen, Chester and Darrell After some serious negotiating a “Chop” was finally settled upon: 1st Place $3,000 Chester Swift 2nd Place $2,000 James Arredondo 3rd Place $1,100 ea. a 3 way tie Sam Rudek Allen Lunsford Darrell Folz This was a really fun event, and with all the toys donated to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, it gave these sometimes tough acting poker players a special feeling in their hearts during this holiday season knowing that for some of these children, this just might be the only gift they receive on Christmas morning.. To learn more about all tournaments coming up at the Arena Poker Room, just go to talkingstickresort.com or call 480.850.7777. Talking Stick Resort is located at 9800 E. Indian Bend Road in Scottsdale.

HOnNd e-Dr lAaHn dRoEfSOOuRt dTo oCrAaSnIdNO

o W r e t n A Wi

Sunrise Park Resort, located 20 minutes from Hon-Dah Resort Casino is one of, if not the largest ski hill in Arizona. There are 3 mountains, 65 trails and over 800 acres of ski/snowboard terrain. They start making snow early to insure a heavy base throughout the season. There are restaurants located throughout the ski area and the Sunrise Day-lodge Bar with drink specials and entertainment. Sunrise has a ski school with top notch instructors, daycare facilities and a sledding/tubing area. Sunrise Park hours are from 9am - 4pm daily. Night skiing takes place in January and February from 4:30pm – 9:30pm. Call for details After playing outdoors, head for Hon-Dah Resort Casino and warm up by the massive fireplace in the hotel lobby, grab a cup of hot chocolate at the snack bar, your favorite adult beverage from the lounge, or you may choose settle in for a relaxing dinner at the Indian Pine Restaurant. By the way, they also have a breakfast /lunch buffet or you can order off the menu. There is always something happening at Hon-Dah Resort Casino! Friday, January 30th don’t miss ABBA FAB the Tribute to “ABBA” in the conference Center. Call about a special $79 room rate for this tribute show - this special room rate includes 2 tickets to this show! The Timbers Showroom provides live entertainment Tuesday thru Saturday with Arizona’s top bands and if you love to laugh- Catch some the nations rising young comics during the Monday Fun-day Comedy Show. Hey – Do you love football? Well if you do, you’ll want to be at Hon-Dah Resort Casino as they host the “BIG GAME” on the big screens on Sunday February 1st. Then, the following week, Saturday February 14th is Valentine’s Day. Hon-Dah has put together some pretty incredible Valentines weekend packages for you and that special someone. Hon-Dah Resort Casino has over 800 of the newest and most popular slot machines, a poker room with tournaments daily. If you have a passion for a fine cigar, check out the cigar lounge in the hotel lobby. You’ll also find a game arcade for kids of all ages, a heated swimming pool year round, a convenience store and gas station with usually the lowest price for gas on the mountain. Add to this - spacious rooms at the hotel that are equipped with a microwave, coffee maker and refrigerator! The hotel also has ski packages and a shuttle to Sunrise Park Resort.

cover story

Indoor F un!

The casino has monthly promotions with opportunities to win a bundle. Hon-Dah’s monthly slot tournaments are one of the most popular events, which include a special gift just for registering! Hon-Dah is located in the White Mountains area, which is known as one of Arizona’s most popular playgrounds in the summer with golf and fishing packages - But unbeknownst to many - there are mountains of activities in the winter; such as skiing and snowboarding, sleigh rides, sledding, tobogganing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The casino is surrounded by miles of scenic beauty that is hard to find in any other part of Arizona. Nestled in one of the largest stands of Ponderosa pine, it is definitely a must see for those that find serenity in the outdoors. So, don’t hibernate this winter! You’ll miss all of the fun! The spectacular White Mountains, Sunrise Park Resort and Hon-dah Resort Casino are where everything is happening! Check them out at www.hon-dah.com or call 800-WAYUP-HI to find out more about this very special destination..

ARIZONA PLAYER December 2014 8

A BOYD’S EYE VIEW OF VIDEO POKER

Too Cool For S chool

definitely believe some table game players consider themselves far cooler than any slot or video poker (VP) players. But what if it could by be proven incontrovertibly that the expected return Linda Boyd (ER) of a given VP game, say Full Pay Deuces Wild (FPDW, ER 100.7620%) or even 9/6 Jacks or Better (ER 99.5439%) was better than their table game’s odds? They’d probably still conclude that the “coolness” factor makes up the difference. Too Cool For School: One thing for certain is that any game with a skill component requires that the player know the basics to receive the pre-figured statistical odds. You may think all VP or blackjack (BJ) games are created equal, but nothing is further from the truth.

Table Game Skills:

Let’s take a look at BJ, for example. If the dealer hits a soft 17(Ace plus a 6, which can not bust with the next card) it increases the house advantage over a game where the dealer must stand on soft seventeen. That’s because if the dealer is stuck on seventeen (players would hit a soft 17) then participants with 18 through 21 score a win and those with 17 get a push. (In some truly miserable BJ games the dealer takes pushes.) It’s true that the dealer may win anyway by standing on soft 17 but the odds favor the player when the dealer must stand. My point is that it is imperative to know the correct strategy for any game with a skill component or your probability of winning is less than the theoretical return. Accuracy requires you to figure the percentages in conjunction with the house’s specific game rules, in addition to playing accurately, to determine long run odds. For those who do know all the rules of their BJ game and the ER there are some good options. Be aware that cardcounting, an easy skill and not even detectable (you must know junior high math), is almost worthless when both continuous shuffling devices and multiple decks are used. This can be extrapolated to apply to every other table game on the casino floor. You simply can’t determine the game’s ER without knowing both the rules (also the rake for poker) as well as your individual skill level and it absolutely varies from casino-to-casino.

10 ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015

VP Skills: No different than felt games, nobody can tell you whether a generic VP game is better or worse than a table game. Some Deuces Wild games, like FPDW, will have the best odds in the house in the hands of a skilled player while others, like any form of Coyote Ugly Deuces, are to be avoided. So how do you know? You must practice at home on tutorial software (Dean Zamzow’s WinPoker is my recommendation) and find a game with a decent ER (there are free removable ER tables in my book “The Video poker Edge”). If somebody is telling you that the casino controls the amount of royals or other rubbish you should not believe them. Arizona, like Vegas, legislates that a RNG (random number generator) be on all VP devices, so the game’s ER and your skill determine the long term odds. Short term anything can happen in all casino options since “luck” is a part of every gaming sessions. Final Thoughts: Years ago I was a high school math teacher and those too cool for school either learned new skills (like owning a business) or suffered with low-paying jobs. It’s time for a reality check on those gamblers who don’t know basic strategy for their table game or a thing about the other players in a hold’em game to take a deep breath before passing judgment on VP players. If you don’t know the odds of your given game, factoring in the rake for card games, whether or not there’s both a zero and double zero for roulette, special BJ rules and so on, then there is no reason to feel superior to VP players. In fact if you’re playing 6/5BJ or the dealer hits a soft seventeen and other house advantage rules, then it’s you that is being schooled by the casino. It’s your right to play a bad game but the smug attitude, if you have one, means you’re too much a fool for school. Smart players know the odds before laying their money down in VP, table games or any other form of wagering (including sports bets). Linda Boyd , a long-time table game player before turning to video poker, also writes for “Southern Gaming and “Midwest Gaming and Travel” her book, “The Video Poker Edge”, includes free removable pay schedules and strategy cards for the most popular games. Look for her story in the 2013 and 2014 Editions of “American Casino Guide” (ACG) and her YouTube videos, also with ACG. Her radio shows with Southern Gaming will soon be available on iTunes. The 2010 Second Edition of her book is available in both paperback and kindle at amazon.com, bookstores or Square One Publishers. www.squareonepublishers.com or Toll Free: 877-900-BOOK

lottery news Kellee Connects for Crazy Cash

Happy $100,00 Holiday Treasure!

Kellee McDowell, from Glendale, enjoys instant scratch tickets that take time to play. She recently purchased a Crazy Cash Crossword at the Quik Trip on West Union Hills in Glendale. It was just a random choice, as she likes all of the crossword games. Kellee scratched the ticket at home. After she finished scratching it, she thought it looked as though she had won $100,000. Kellee was a little afraid to believe it, so she took it back to the store to have the ticket validated. When the clerk gave her the paperwork, she knew she really had won $100,000. It took Kellee a few days to arrange her work schedule so she could come to the Lottery office to redeem her ticket. What is interesting about this win is that Kellee most often buys tickets that are $5 or less – But his time, she redeemed a ticket, took those winnings, and bought a $10 ticket, Crazy Cash Crossword. Kellee usually buys tickets once a week. She prefers to play instant scratch tickets because she knows right away if she has a winner. Occasionally, she’ll buy a Mega Millions ticket. Kellee works in the beauty industry. When she has any spare time, she enjoys spending it with her family. They enjoy hiking and general outdoor activities. Kellee said the money was going to be used for “holiday gifts and life.”

Michael Hill, didn’t mind the drive from Surprise to the Lottery; he knew he was coming to redeem a winning $100,000 Holiday Treasures instant scratch ticket. Not only does Michael like the holiday-themed tickets, he also prefers the $10 and $20 games because of the payouts. Therefore, when he stopped at the Circle K at 98th Avenue and Bell Road in Sun City, not far from his home in Surprise to get a cold drink, he purchased a Holiday Treasures ticket too. He scratched it in his car while in the parking lot of the store. Michael kept looking at the ticket in total disbelief. He checked it a few more times, then drove straight home. At first, Michael’s wife and members of the immediate family also had trouble believing that the ticket was real. Michael, a fire captain for the last seven years, doesn’t have a lot of discretionary time, but manages to find time to work as a Little League coach. Since he used to be in construction, he occasionally does repair and remodeling jobs on his off time. Michael has two kids and “a wonderful wife.” He and his family enjoy outdoor activities, including hunting and camping.

11 ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015

reel reviews

TJ’s Blackjack corner

From My Mail Bag

was going to be heads? Of course not, the point is that if you flipped that coin 100,000 times your results would be very close to 50% heads and 50% by TJ by Jorgensen Tails. TJ Jorgensen In gambling there are two results, expected outcome, and actual outcome. If actual outcome A Reader writes and expected outcome were always the same there I found, after playing blackjack a while that would be no gambling. The player would always in many cases it’s good to stand on 15 against 17, lose. In the short run, players do win, that’s why also, if a player starts with an Ace and 4, and gets people gamble. But in the long run, you will always a ten, it’s good to stand also against a dealer’s 7, lose. if you play a negative expectation event. The because in most cases the dealer will not have a casinos were built and stay in business because of high card underneath, and there’s a big chance the long run expectation. Eventually expected outthere will be an 8 or 9, underneath the dealers 7. I’ve done this trick that’s not in the book numerous come and actual outcome become the same value. Basic strategy is based on millions of hand simuof times and the dealer busted more times against lations run on an IBM mainframe by Jullian Braun. me than making a hand. (What is) your opinion? From these simulations it was determined the best By: Ablackjackplayer possible way to play each hand in blackjack. A lot of players think that basic strategy My Answer assumes the dealer’s hole card is a 10. That’s not Here’s the problem, you may be basing your true – It’s based on the possible card combinations conclusion on a very short trial, and in the short run anything can happen. If I randomly flip a coin with the dealers up card. You are correct that only there are two possible outcomes a heads or a tails. 1 in 3 times the dealer will have a ten underneath when showing a 7, but getting back to your quesSince each is as likely to come up (a 50% chance tion, with an up card of a 7, the dealer will only of getting heads or tails.) So if you flip the coin 10 break 25.99% of the time. This means roughly 3 times you would expect to get 5 heads and 5 tails, but you may get 10 heads or any variation, because out of 4 times the dealer will make a hand with a 7 showing. That makes standing on your 15 a loser 3 in a short run trial anything is possible. out of 4 times with a dealer up card of a 7. Let’s say you began flipping a coin, and you If you hit your 15, you will bust it 58% of the flipped ten heads in a row – would you say that time or make a hand 42% of the time. Some simple every time you flipped the coin from then on, it

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math would show you that it is better to make a hand 42% of the time than win a hand 25% by standing. You are basing your “Trick” on a very short run trial. Over the long run you will come out worse playing your way than if you play the basic strategy way. If you play 4 hours a week with an average bet size of $10, standing on 15 vs a dealer 7 will cost you $37 a year. 15 is a crummy starting hand to begin with for sure. Try keeping a log book over a years’ time frame and record every time this hand comes up. I think that you will find that hitting the hand is better than standing. Thanks for your question and good luck at the tables! T.J. On a side note, the blackjack tournament community lost one of its Tuesday “Break at Noon” Tournament regulars at Casino Arizona. Lane Dewdes passed away this December shortly after competing in a blackjack tournament, his favorite past time. I considered Lane a friend and always a formidable opponent. He will be missed by all the tournament players. T.J. Jorgensen has been a professional Blackjack player for over 20 years. He is well known for his live tournament play and has competed against, and beaten, some of the top tournament players in the world. He also has won the prestigious World Series of Blackjack. His book, “Beating the Casino at Their Own Game,” is available by e-mail…… tj21pro@gmail.com

CARD ROOM ACTION Apache Gold Casino 800-272-2438

Globe, AZ Dealing blackjack, and poker daily at 3pm NLHE Tournaments - Sun 2pm & Wed 6pm Buy-in $25 w/one $15 re-buy

Arena Poker Room at Talking Stick Resort 480-850-7777

Scottsdale, AZ Mon - Fri, 11:15 am - NLHE $70 buy-in w/$10 s/c Mon - Thurs, 7:15pm - NLHE, $115 buy-in w/$15 s/c Sat, Jan 31, Feb 28 & Mar 28 at 11:15 am - Last Saturday NLHE - $125 BI w/$25 s/c Sat, Feb 7 & Mar 7, 11:15am - “Big Stack” NLHE - $300 BI w/$30 s/c (opt $15 dealer Add-0n) Sat, Jan 17 & Feb 14 & Mar 14, 11:15 am - “Super Bounty” NLHE - $200 BI, $25 s/c - $100 Bounties Sat, Jan 24, 11:15am - Turbo Bounty NLHE Tournament - $235 Buy-in Feb 21 - 23, 11:15 am - 4th Annual Arena Winter Poker Classic - $400 Buy-in Sun, Mar 1, 11:15am - Omaha Hi-Lo Tournament Sun, Mar 15, 11:15am - Jack & Jill NLHE Tournament Sat, Mar 21, 11:15am - $500 NLHE “Big Stack” Tournament Sun, Mar 29, 11:15am - Ladies NLHE Tournament NFL Football Playoff Promotions (Call for details) “Aces Cracked wins a rack” weekdays, 2am-10am Food Specials; $4 breakfast and $6.75 Steak & Eggs (2 am - Noon) Mondays $16 Prime Rib Dinner (5-11pm)

Also dealing blackjack 24/7

Bluewater Resort & Casino 888-243-3360 Ext#7649

Parker, AZ Poker Room opens at 4pm daily except 2pm on Sun & Wed Tues at 7pm, NLHE Tournament - $35 buyin, w/one $20 re-buy, $5 Bounties Thurs at 7pm, NLHE - $40 buy-in, w/one $20 re-buy, $5 Bounties Plus High Hand of the Tournament

16 ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015

Fri, 8pm - NLHE Tournament - $35 buyin, w/one $20 re-buy Sat, 8pm - “Big Stack” NLHE Tournament $100 buy-in, no re-buys Sun & Wed - Spreading 2-8 Omaha Daily-“Aces Cracked” pays $40 and Royal Flush pays $200 Also dealing blackjack daily at 9am

Bucky’s Casino 928-771-6779

Prescott, AZ Sun in Jan, also Feb 1“Full House Frenzy” Win your share of thousands during playoff games & the BIG Game Mon - Thurs, 10am - NLHE Shootouts $25 entry Mon - Thurs , 6pm NLHE $50 buy-in(top 3-5 cash) top 5 earn points for Player of Month (3 places $300, $200 & $100) Tuesdays - Pay $10 in advance (after 10am Shoot-out Tournament) and play all day with no house rake! Saturdays at noon DEEP STACK Tournament - $100 buy-in Sundays Jan 25 & Feb 22 at Noon - $100 added per table $80 buy-in Every Mon & Wed - Omaha Hi/Lo Dealing blackjack 24/7 - Now playing; 3 Card Poker, “Texas Shoot Out” and High Card Flush w/bonus jackpot

Casino Arizona 480-850-7777

Scottsdale, AZ Blackjack Tournaments: Tues, noon $1,000 added “Break at Noon” $ 50 buy-in Fri, 2:30am - The “Great Late” Tournament, $25 buy-in Dealing blackjack 24/7

Casino Del Sol 520-838-6565

Tucson, AZ March 17 - 21 (FREE ROLL) $15,000 Guest Appreciation Tournament - Qualify with 40 hours live play between Jan 11 & Mar 14 Mon - Fri, 10 am - $800 Guaranteed (with 30 players) NLHE, $10 buy-in w/$5 chip-up, plus 2 - $10 add-ons Sun & Wed, 7pm - $800 guaranteed NLHE, $15 buy-in/Opt $15 add-on Thurs, 7pm - $5,000 deep stack NLHE, $ 100 buy-in no re-buys Sun 11am - $1,500 Guaranteed NLHE, $45 buy-in - no re-buys Sat, 9am - $200 added Limit Omaha

Hi-Lo, $15 buy-in, $5 re-buys + $5 add-on Mon 7pm & Sat noon - $1,000 NLHE - $35 buy-in - no re-buys with opt $5 chip-up

Cliff Castle Casino Hotel 928-567-7952

Camp Verde, AZ Mon-Fri, 10am - NLHE Shoot-out, $30 buyin, w/no re-buys Wed, 7pm - NLHE Tournament $60 buy-in, no re-buys (Early bird chips available) Wed, 8pm - Mid “$100 Splash pots every hour Fri, 7pm - NLHE Shoot-outs, $ 150 added per table of 10 - $25 buy-in - re-buys thru first level Sat, Noon - $500 added - NLHE $90 buy-in (Bonus chips for early live play) Sat High Hand (4 times a day) 8am 10pm, Win all 4 and get an additional $1,000 All Week - Royal Flush pays $100 “Aces Cracked” Sun - Fri, Win cash when pocket Aces lose Also dealing blackjack 24/7

Cocopah Casino 800-237-5687

Somerton, AZ Dealing blackjack daily at 10am

Desert Diamond Casino Hotel 520-342-1810

Tucson, AZ Mon & Thurs at 9:30 am, plus Tues & Wed at 7pm $500 added NLHE - $35 buy-in no re-buys (max 40 - 50 players) Daily - Any Royal Flush $200 Hold Em, $100 Omaha, Straight Flush $100 Hold Em, $50 Omaha Pigskin Poker Party during NFL playoffs and THE BIG GAME on Feb 1st Special Poker Room menu at ½ off regular prices Dealing blackjack 24/7 with new progressive side bet and 3 card poker side bet

Desert Diamond I-19 Casino 1-866-332-9467 Sahuarita, AZ Dealing blackjack 24/7

Fort McDowell Casino 480-789-4284

Fountain Hills, AZ Mon-Fri at Noon NLHE - $30 buy-in - $20 add-on - No-rebuys Sat at 7pm & Sun at Noon - NLHE Deep

Stack tournament - $50 buy-in w/opt $30 add-on Tues, Wed, Thurs & Sun at 7pm & Sat at Noon & 4pm - NLHE - $5 buy-in Mon, 7pm, Omaha High - $5 buy in w/$5 re-buys - plus at the break $5 TO $20 add-on Fri, 7pm, NLHE - $60 buy-in w/one $10 dealer add-on for additional $5,000 in chips Sun Jan 18 - Ladies NLHE Poker Tournament - $60 Buy-in Plus Opt $10 Dealer Appreciation “Aces Cracked” 24/7 win $100 first 2 hours of live, $200 the 3rd hour, $300 the 4th hour $300, and each hour after that pays $400 “Easy way Jackpot” Aces full of tens beaten by Quads or better wins Jackpot! “High Hand Spin” - with 4 of a kind or better win up to $599 Dealing blackjack 24/7 - Now playing FREE BET blackjack

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino 480-802-5138

Maricopa, AZ Tues at 7:30pm, Omaha H/L, $15 buy-in, $10 re-buys + $10 add-on Wed at 7:30pm - NL Omaha Hi, $15 buy-in w/unlimited $10 re-buys w/$10 add-on at the break Thurs, 7:30pm - NLHE, $10 Buy-in plus three $10 re-buys & two $10 add-ons Fri, 7:30pm - NLHE, $30 buy-in w/one $20 re-buy Sat, 12:30pm - Deep Stack Bounty NLHE - $45 buy-in, includes $10 bounty chip plus $10 dealer add-on Sun at noon - NLHE - $15 buy-in w/two $10 add-ons at the break (Maricopa residents have FREE entry) NFL Football Splash-pots - Playoffs in Jan and BIG Game on Feb 1) Call for details Aces Cracked - Black aces $100, Red Aces $50 & Mixed $25 (Bonus mid9am=double) Progressive High Hand Payouts (Quads or better) Also dealing blackjack 24/7 - including

CARD ROOM ACTION “Push the bet”

Hon-Dah Casino 928-369-7555

Pinetop, AZ Mon, 6pm - Call for details Tues, 6pm - NLHE “Speed Shoot-Out” $15 buy-in (no re-buys) Wed & Thurs at 6pm - NLHE, Double Stack $25 buy-in (4,000 chips) $25 addon=8,000 chips Fri, 6pm - NLHE - “$25 Bounty” Tournament, $45 buy-in w/$10 re-buys and $10 add-on Sat, 4pm - NLHE, $30 buy-in, $10 re-buys + $10 add-on Sun, 4pm, Crazy Pineapple $30 buy-in, $10 re-buys + $10 add-on Sun - Thurs - $50 Aces Cracked (Hold Em) 7pm-close Open Mon-Fri at 4pm - Sat & Sun at 2pm, “early bird” tournament chips available daily - $100 High Hand (Hold Em) on Fri & Sat

Lone Butte Casino 800-946-4452

Chandler, AZ Dealing blackjack 24/7 Linked Progressive Jackpots for “Crazy 4 Poker” & ULTIMATE Texas Hold EM starts at $10,000 and keeps growing at all 3 Gila River Casinos! PAI GOW Progressive Jackpot was recently hit for over $500,000!

Mazatzal Hotel & Casino 800-777-7529

Payson, AZ Live poker Wed –Sun at 10am, High Hands, win up to $250 Wed & Sun at 6pm NLHE Tournament,

$ 50 buy-in no-re buys Sat at 3pm, NLHE Tournament, $25 buy-in - no re-buys Aces cracked “wins a rack” various times daily - Max 3 per day (see poker room for details) Dealing blackjack 10am to 1am, with $3 games daily till 3pm Mon - 6pm, Blackjack Tournament $40 buy-in w/two $25 re-buys Bonus Blackjack get a 6, 7 or 8 card “21” win up to $200

Quechan Casino Resort 1-877-783-2426

Winterhaven, CA Open Wed-Sun at 10am, and Mon, Tues at 5pm - spreading 4/8 Hold Em with a kill, 4/8 Omaha hi-low split with a kill also 3-6 & 4-8 limit Texas Hold-Em, plus 1-3 & 2-5 No Limit Texas Hold Em Sat, 1pm $ 2,500 Guaranteed NLHE Tournaments $60 buy-in Sun, 1pm NLHE Tournament $40 buy-in Thurs, 7pm NLHE Deep Stack - $80 buy-in Dealing blackjack 24/7 - Special room rates for poker players

Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort 928-856-7244

Flagstaff, AZ Live Poker Mon-Fri at noon, Sat & Sun at 10am NLHE Tournaments; Thurs at 7pm & Sat at noon “Aces & Faces Cracked” - wins up to $50 $25 “Splash Pots” daily - Each ½ hour from Noon thru 2pm, also from 7pm till Midnight Aces & Faces Cracked (Sun-Wed) & daily Royal Flush promotion - also dealing

blackjack 24/7

Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino 800-946-4452 Ext#1507

Laveen, AZ JUST ADDED: Fri, Jan 30 & Sat Jan 31 at 2:30pm - $5,000 Guaranteed NLHE “Super Stack” Tournament - $110 buy-in for 10,000 chips w/optional $20 “Staff Appreciation” add-on for additional 5,000 in chips - Optional $20 add-on at break for 8,000 chips Wed, 7:30pm, **NLHE “Freeze Out”$40 buy-in w/Opt $10 Staff fee at the break for added chips Sat, 11:15 am, **NLHE “Freeze Out”$40 buy-in w/Opt $10 Staff fee (before play) & $20 add-on at the break Sun 11:15 am, **NLHE “Freeze Out”$30 buy-in w/Opt $10 Staff fee (before play) & $20 add-on at the break Big Money Royals, Any Royal Flush wins $ 200 - Plus “Bonus Royals” Mon-Thurs “ACES CRACKED” spins the wheel - win up $300 (see poker room for details) NFL Playoffs “Splash Pots” for Select Games - Call for details **Tournaments allow “Early Bird Chips” for live play before tournament - Also, 1st & 2nd place at final table qualify for the “Tournament of Champions” FREE ROLL each quarter. Next tournament is Feb 28 Dealing blackjack 24/7 - with $5 games - F.A.T - Friday Afternoon Blackjack Tournament at 2pm - $30 buy-in Linked Progressive Jackpots for “Crazy 4 Poker” & ULTIMATE Texas Hold EM starts at $10,000 and grows at all 3 Casinos! PAI GOW Progressive Jackpot was

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Chandler,AZ Mon & Thurs Noon - NLHE, $30 buy-in, no re-buys - $150 added per table Tues & Wed, 7:30pm - NLHE Freeze Out - $50 entry fee w/$10 optional add-on $1,000 added to prize pool Sun, 3:30pm, NLHE - $30 buy- in, $5 dealer add-on, $20 add-at the break & bonus chips for play before tournament NFL Playoffs and the Big Game on Feb 1 “Splash Pots” See poker room for details “Aces Cracked” Win a Rack - Sun 11pm until Fri at 6pm “Rolling Cash Fever” Drawing every other hour 24/7, $100 min, increases by $100 if not hit Big Money Royals - Any Royal Flush wins $ 200 & a spin - Any straight flush gets to spin the wheel - win up to $1,000 Food specials: ½ price poker room menu Also dealing blackjack 24/7 - including “Push your bet” Linked Progressive Jackpots for “Crazy 4 Poker” & ULTIMATE Texas Hold EM starts at $10,000 and keeps growing at all 3 Gila River Casinos! PAI GOW Progressive Jackpot was recently hit and it’s growing again!

CARD ROOM MANAGERS Please send updates to azplayer@cox.net

ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015 17

WINTER WONDERLAND CONTEST

WINTER WONDERLAND GETAWAY SWEEPSTAKES

Linda Liberman of Scottsdale and Casey Dorrell from Glendale – I hope you’re ready for some real fun in the Majestic White Mountains? Why is that? Well because you just happen to be the Grand Prize Winners of the “Winter Wonderland Sweepstakes!” Your Grand Prize Packages includes; a 3 day 2 night stay in the spectacular White Mountains at Hon-Dah Resort Casino and Conference Center in Pinetop, Arizona. You and a guest will also enjoy dinner for two at the Indian Pines Restaurant! Now add to that, lift tickets at Sunrise Ski Resort for one full day, plus additional surprises when you arrive and check in. You’ll have an incredible amount of fun on the slopes plus lots of other outdoor adventures in the spectacular White Mountains. Linda and Casey, let’s not forget all of the indoor excitement you and your guests will have at Hon-Dah Resort Casino including; live entertainment in the Timbers Lounge featuring some of the top bands in Arizona including ABBAFAB coming January 31, along with plenty of nationally known performers throughout the year. There is also “live” poker and poker tournaments daily to play in, plus some of the loosest slots anywhere in Arizona, including several different banks of America’s favorite game Wheel of Fortune, plus of course all the newest games available also, so that you can bring home a jackpot.

18 ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015

Along with the Grand Prize winners, we also had 14 runner-up winners. 7 of these lucky players are; Robin Beck, Michael Powell and Leslie Curtis of Phoenix, Elliott Fisher from Apache Junction, Bernie Finnegan of Maricopa, plus Rosemary Lloyd and Tom Boone from Peoria, AZ. These lucky folks win 4 adult tickets to the Arizona Renaissance Festival being held every weekend in February and March – An $88 value, ENJOY! Hang on, we’re not finished, we also had 7 more winners that will receive $25 gift cards to some great restaurants nearby – those lucky players are; Derron Davis and Tori Jones of Scottsdale, Doug Wauneka from Avondale, Tucson resident Pamela Kern, Suzanne Hughes from Dewey, Jennifer DeClair of Glendale and Cottonwood resident Paul Devault. CONGRATULATIONS to all of our winners! Thanks for being a supporter of Arizona Player! Look for a new exciting contest in the February issue. What’s not to like in my world with great people like these out there 24/7 – You’re the best! Phil Scudella

gaming news Name change in motion for the Home of the Phoenix Suns & Mercury The Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community announced recently that US Airways Center -- the home of the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and Arizona Rattlers, as well as the Valley’s premier concert venue – is poised to take on a new name, Talking Stick Resort Arena, under an agreement reached between the two parties. “Like Talking Stick Resort, this venue has become an iconic destination for entertainment in Arizona,” said President Diane Enos of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the owner and operator of Talking Stick Resort. “Thousands of families and individuals have created long-lasting memories at this venue which makes its new name, ‘Talking Stick Resort Arena,’ all the more meaningful. We have a shared commitment with the Phoenix Suns in building a sense of community in the Valley and we are honored to help them provide a place for so many people to gather and celebrate.” The naming rights agreement for the downtown venue is a multi-year deal that builds substantially on the existing agreement between the two par-

20 ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015

ties. The name change will be visible throughout the facility, with Talking Stick Resort Arena being prominent on the exterior of the building; on the underbelly of the center hung scoreboard; on the arena’s rooftop; and featured on the Suns and Mercury basketball courts. The Casino Arizona Pavilion – the arena’s main lobby area – will retain its name. Additional details on the provisions of the naming rights agreement will be released as the transition begins. “We could not be more excited about our expanded relationship with Talking Stick Resort,” said Phoenix Suns President Jason Rowley. “Talking Stick Resort and Casino Arizona has been a trusted and valued partner of the Phoenix Suns for many years. This naming rights agreement brings our partnership to a new level and will have an astral impact on the visibility of their support for the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and the entire community.” “This is an exciting day for Phoenix, and another example of what an incredible partner the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community is for all of us,” said City of Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton. “We

welcome the new name and look forward to the day when a Suns championship banner hangs from the rafters at Talking Stick Resort Arena.” American Airlines, the current naming rights partner and owner of US Airways, has elected not to extend its naming rights agreement beyond the 2014-15 season – The facility’s naming transition to Talking Stick Resort Arena is expected to be completed before the beginning of the 2015-16 Phoenix Suns season. US Airways Center, which opened in 1992, has earned a reputation for excellence, having received a prestigious Prime Site Award from Facilities & Event Magazine as well as a Top 30 ranking for North American Arenas from Pollstar. It hosts an average of 130 events each year with a collective annual audience of one million people. Not only is the arena the home of the Phoenix Suns, but also the three-time WNBA world champion Phoenix Mercury. It is also the home field for five-time arena football world champions, the Arizona Rattlers. In the past year, the arena has welcomed blockbuster acts such as Paul McCartney and Lady Gaga, adding to its long list of legendary performances from U2, George Strait and Garth Brooks as well as many others. Upcoming events include Fleetwood Mac, Eric Church with Dwight Yoakam, Enrique Iglesias & Pitbull, and Bette Midler. The arena also is known for its family content and is the host site each year for Disney on Ice, Marvel Adventure and Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. The Phoenix Suns operate and manage all aspects of US Airways Center under a long term agreement with the City of Phoenix, which owns the facility.

entertainment Apache Gold Casino Resort

(5 miles East of Globe on Hwy 70) 1-800272-2438 The POINT Sports Bar & Grill: Big screens to watch your favorite teams and lots more! Apache Gold Summit Convention center Friday, Feb 13 – 3rd Annual “Heart Breakers Ball” HUNKS The Show (Male Revue) Ladies must be 21 and over to attend San Carlos Event Center: Feb 28 – A.J. Castillo

A.J. Castillo

BlueWater Resort and Casino

11300 Resort Dr., Parker 1-888-243-3360 Showroom: Now thru April 12 – Tutankhamun Exhibit - Wonderful thing from the Pharoah’s Tomb Amphitheater: Feb 14 – The Stars of Beatlemania Feb 28 – Rodney Carrington (Here comes the truth tour) River’s Edge Cantina: Sunday evenings – Live Reggae music Dig Lounge: Deejays at 5pm – Oldies on Sun & Mon and Sports on the big screens including the BIG GAME on Feb 1 Outdoors: The “Parker 425” Best in the Desert off road race - coming in February

Casino Arizona

Mar 13, 14 & 15 – Inter Tribal POWWOW $32,700 in prize money

Rodney Carrington

101 at McKellips, Scottsdale 480-8507734 Showroom: Jan 23 – DSB (Journey Tribute) Jan 31 – Don’t Look Back (Boston Tribute Experience) Feb 1 – THE BIG GAME, doors at 3pm w/ cash drawings, jersey giveaways, squares, drink specials – FREE Admission Feb 6 – Queen Nation (Tribute to Queen) Feb 20 – Fortunate Son (Tribute to CCR) Feb 27 – Double Vision (Tribute to Foreigner) Arizona Room Patio Grill: Mon – Pure Country w/ Heartlyn Rae Tues– Latin, R & B, Old School & Funk w/ AZTEX Band Wed & Thurs – Country dance instruction with Laina Lee Bingo Hall: Fri & Sat at Midnight, L-8 Nite Bingo! Music, light show & dancing w/ host Corina & DJ Kenji!

Tejano) Jan 17 – New Frequency Band Jan 22 – Al Green Tribute Show Jan 23 – Yvette Cooke Jan 24 – The Kings of Soul (Motown, R & B) Event Center: Feb 1 at 3pm – THE BIG GAME – featuring the Miller Lite Girls with prize giveaways plus a $25 Tailgate Buffet that includes a reserved seat! AVA Amphitheater: Call for updated spring schedule

Cliff Castle Casino Hotel

I-17 at exit 289 in Camp Verde 1-800-381-SLOT Stargazer Pavilion: Call for upcoming spring events Dragonfly Lounge; live music on weekends Jan 16 & 17 – Toucan Eddy Jan 23 & 24 – Mike Reeves Band Jan 30 & 31 – Greywolf

Desert Diamond Casino Hotel

7350 South Nogales Hwy, Tucson 1-866-332-9467 Monsoon Night Club: Live bands or DJ on weekends Fridays – “Dance Fusion” w/ DJ Blade Saturdays – “Noches Caliente” Hottest Tex Mex & Tejano music w/ Los Gallegos, Angel Norteno or Los Centenarios

Desert Diamond Casino I -19

1100 West Pima Mine Road, Sahuarita 1-866-332-9467 Diamond Center: Jan 28 – Gary Lewis & the Playboys (3pm show)

Casino Del Sol

5655 W. Valencia Rd. Tucson 520-838-6506 Paradiso Bar: Free entertainment, Live bands weekends; Tribute bands on Thursdays Jan 15 – ABBA Tribute Band Jan 16 – Sun City Groove (Variety &

22 ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015

Gary Lewis & the Playboys

Feb 7 – The Oak Ridge Boys Feb 13 – Marisela Mar 7 – Angelah Johnson Apr 4 – Lupita D’Alessio Sports Bar: Mon – Fri 5pm -2am, Sat & Sun 10am-2am w/ Sports on big screens, Karaoke Wednesdays, DJ nightly, plus DJ or live bands on Fri & Sat nights

Fort McDowell Casino

N of Shea off Hwy 87, Fountain Hills 1-800-THE-FORT Lucky 7 Saloon: Jan 16 & 17 – Nine Ball Jan 23 – RUMORS (Fleetwood Mac Tribute) Teaser Show at 8pm (1 hour show) - $10 admission includes two $5 drink tickets Jan 23 – DJ Craig (9pm-1am) Jan 24 – Dyverse Band Jan 30 & 31 – Furious George Wekopa Resort & Conference Center: Jan 15, 16 & 17 – Silver Car Auction – Gates open at 8am all 3 days w/ Memorabilia and vehicle auction every day. Wekopa Resort & Conference Center Ballroom: Jan 24 – RUMORS (Fleetwood Mac Tribute Band) Feb 6 & 7 – HUNKS – THE SHOW (Male Revue) Bingo Hall: Saturday, Jan 17 – Late Night Lunar Bingo w/ music & giveaways Updates: fortmcdowellcasino.com

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Resort and Casino

15406 Maricopa Rd., Maricopa 480-802-5000 THE LOUNGE: Weekends in The Lounge starting at 8pm Feb 6 – Shining Star Feb 7 – AZ Tex Feb 13 & 14 – The Company Men (8 & 10pm)

The Company Men

Feb 20 – Str8up Feb 21 – Rare Earth Feb 27 – Quantum Feb 28 – Harry Luge Mar 7 – Edgar Winter Band Wednesdays in The Lounge - Noon to 4pm,w/ bands Silhoutte, Joe Castello Project, Notes from Neptune or The Walkens Trio The Lounge Happy Hour in Feb, MonThurs from 5pm-8pm w/ Kianna & Greg, He Said She Said, Jake Skeen or Harry Luge For updates, go to harrahsakchin.com

RUMORS

Hon-Dah Resort and Casino

Highways 260 and 73, Pinetop 1-800-WAY-UP-HIGH Timbers Lounge: Free entertainment, Monday is Comedy Night, Tues-Sat, Live bands Jan 13-17 – Radio Rave Jan 20 -24 – Apache Spirit Jan 27-31 – Doo Wah Riders Conference Center: Jan 30 – AbbaFab (Tribute to ABBA)

Lone Butte Casino

202 loop at the Kyrene exit – Chandler, 1-800-WIN-GILA Cascades Lounge: NEW HOURS for LIVE Entertainment Mon, Tues & Fri (4-8pm) Featuring; Marty & the Party or Thaddeus Rose Wed & Thur (6-10pm) featuring; JJ’s Band, New Frequency Band, Str8Up or the XO Band, Fri & Sat (9:30pm- 1:30am) Featuring; AZX Tex Band, Rhythm Edition, Shining Star , Rhythm of the Sun Band, or Smooth Groove Thursday, Noon – 3pm – Polka Bands featuring; Sam’s Band, Music Connection, The Softones, Sylvia’s AZ Dance Band, Barefoot Becky Band, or Matt Hodek & the Dakota Dutchmen Verona Chophouse: Saturday: Talia 5-9pm & Sunday: (10am-3pm) live Jazz brunch Buffet Bingo Hall: 11pm Fri & Sat - B.A.D BINGO w/ DJ “Rockin’ Rob” music, light show, bingo & giveaways

Mazatzal Hotel & Casino

1/2-mile S. of Payson on Hwy 87 1-800-777-PLAY www.777play.com Apache Spirits Lounge: Jan 15, 22 & 29 – DJ Mr. Music

entertainment Jan 16 & 17 – Orange Colored Sky Jan 23 – DJ Jerry Jan 24 – Fossil Creek Gang Jan 31 – UFC 183 Fight Night Viewing Party Feb 1 – THE BIG GAME on the Big screens

Paradise Casino

450 Quechan Drive, Yuma 1-888-777- 4946 Bingo / Concert Hall:

Jan 31 – UFC 183 Fight Night Viewing Party

Sharky’s Bar: Live bands or DJ’s on weekends Jan 16 & 17 – Paloma, Jan 23 & 24 – Str8up Band, Jan 30 & 31 _ Mirage

Quechan Casino Resort

525 Algodones Rd, Winterhaven CA (Yuma area) 1-877-783-2426 PIPA Event Center: Call for updated schedule Sidewinders bar: Free weekend entertainment featuring DJ’s or bands

Talking Stick Resort

Loop 101 and Indian Bend Road Scottsdale 480-850-7734 Showroom: Jan 23 – Tesla Jan 24 – Average White Band Feb 4 thru Feb 8 – Legends in Concert (call for times) Feb 27 & 28 – Divas starring Frank Marino Mar 7 – BoDeans Mar 20 – ELVIS LIVES: The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Mar 29 – Winger

ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015 23

WINTER WONDERLAND CONTEST Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort

22181 Resort Blvd (I-40 @ exit 219) Flagstaff (928) 856-7200 Arrows Lounge: Jan 16 & 17 – Michael Harter Band Jan 23 & 24 – Rhythm Edition Jan 30 & 31 – Kung Fu Grip

Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino

Ballroom: Jan 29, 30 & 31 – Comedy of Jim Gaffigan – Now 3 shows! Feb 1 – BIG GAME Party – FREE Admission w/ Food & drink specials, Kickoff Cash Drawings, Jersey giveaways and Squares Feb 15 – Lunar New Year w/ Vietnamese-American Superstars Mar 14 – Frank Caliendo Palo Verde Lounge: Saturdays – Paul Wells, Sundays – Jarad Blackstone, Mondays – Tyler Nielson, Thursdays – G ustavo Angeles, also Tues, Wed and Fri – Al Rodriguez, Aaron Howard, Jimmy Ray or Gustavo Angeles Shadows Lounge: classic sounds of Frank Sinatra and others Degree 270 Lounge: Fri & Sat, featuring the region’s best DJ’s Orange Sky Restaurant & Lounge: Live jazz

The West Valley Casino 51st Ave, 4 miles S. of Baseline – Laveen 1-800-WIN-GILA Event Center: Jan 17 – The Magic of Manilow Jan 23 – Brenton Wood Jan 31 – Shania Twain & Tim McGraw Tribute show Feb 14 & 15 – Little Joe Y La Familia

Little Joe

24 ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015

Outdoor Patio: (Mon – Sat) 4pm-7pm & 9pm-1am and (Sun) 4pm-7pm, Featuring; Primintion, Powerdrive, Andrea y Los Guys, Reality Band, Latino Rebel Band , Silhoutte, Str8Up, New Frequency Band, Walkens Unplugged, Marty & the Party, Chuck E Baby, Shining Star, Chaka & friends and Soul Persuation, PLUS on Sundays; Mariachi Pasion or Mariachi Fiesta Valle del Sol Bingo Park: Every Saturday at 11pm – BINGO ECLIPSE – Bingo, DJ music, light show & giveaways

Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino I-10 at Wild Horse Pass exit - Chandler 1-800-WIN-GILA

Ovations LIVE! Showroom:

Jan 16 – December ’63 (Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons Tribute Jan 17 – STYX Jan 18 – Workin’ Hard (James Brown Tribute Jan 22 – Legends From The Sky (Film Premiere) Jan 23 – Jimmy Valle featuring Chad Shapiro (Comedy) Feb 6 – Oak Ridge Boys Feb 7 – WFF / MMA (Live Mixed Martial Arts fights) Feb 8 – AbbaFab (ABBA Tribute) Feb 13 – Espinoza Paz Feb 14 – Engelbert Humperdinck Feb 15 – Piano Man (Billy Joel & Elton John Tribute) Feb 20 – Comic Jim Jefferies Feb 22 – The Sedaka Legacy (Tribute to Neil Sedaka) Feb 27 – Jason Latimer (World Champion of Magic)

Mar 1 – An Enchanted Evening with Barbara (Barbara Streisand Tribute featuring Sharon Owens) Mar 6 – Billy Ocean Mar 7 – Lunar New Year Hoa Xuan (Vietnamese music and dance) Mar 8 – Nashville Gold (The storyof country music) Mar 14 – Jenny McCarthy & Friends – DIRTY< SEXY< FUNNY Comedy Tour Mar 15 – Paperback Writer (Beatles Experience) Mar 20 – Kathy Griffin CHROME NIGHT CLUB –Arizona’s Newest Hot Spot is Open with the Top DJ’s in Arizona! Encore Lounge: Mid-day entertainment Monday’s 11am-3pm & late night entertainment w/ bands; Powerdrive, Hamptons, Andrea & Los Guys, Str8up Band, JJ’s Band, The Walkens, Chuck E Baby, Rhythm of the Sun band, Chaka and Friends, New Frequency, Smooth Groove, Eagleheart, Shining Star, Rhythm Edition, Pima Express, Swingtips & Route 66

DAVID AT THE SNACK BAR

Top Ten Films of the 2014 die in an explosion. The next time he saves her and she tells him to find her when he wakes up again. As he repeats more days he survives longer and eventually he and Rita determine they might be able to win the war by working together. The cast is great, its well written, effects are very good and not overdone.

by David Ramsey

1 Gone Girl

4 Guardians of the Galaxy

5 The Lego Movie

When Nick’s wife, Amy, goes missing he is frantic to find her, the police don’t have any leads and soon the search becomes a media circus. In a short time suspicion falls on Nick and public opinion turns against him. Caught in a nightmare Nick with only his sister standing by him, doesn’t know where to turn. Flashbacks give us a look at the marriage of Nick and Amy through her diary. When the police find that diary, things really start to look bad for Nick. At this point you begin to think it’s just a well done story about a man who killed his wife and tries to get away with it but then maybe it’s not. The entire cast is very good, Ben Affleck is perfect and Rosamund Pike is remarkable. The adaptation of the bestselling novel “Gone Girl” has a twist that you won’t see coming.

2 The Imitation Game In 1952 a minor robbery leads to the downfall of war hero, Alan Turing. Benedict Cumberbatch gives a brilliant performance as Turing and the rest of the cast is equally great. Based on the true story of the man who shortened World War Two by at least two years by creating what 26 ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015

would eventually become computers. Turing led the team that broke the Nazi›s Enigma code allowing the Allies to know what Germany was doing. How he did it makes an engrossing story that everyone should know. The story of his life is fascinating and tragic.

3 Edge of Tomorrow

Aliens have invaded Europe and appear to be unstoppable. Major Cage suddenly finds himself in a unit about to hit the beach in an all-out assault on the alien invaders. He is killed in the first few minutes but wakes up with a jolt the previous day unable to stop events from repeating themselves. After a few times of this happening he lives long enough to see a war hero, Sargent Rita Vrataski,

Peter Quill is kidnapped as a child and taken to a strange galaxy. Years later he is an intergalactic thief calling himself ‹Star Lord›, but no one else does much to his disappointment. He steals an orb that everyone wants and he ends up having to save the galaxy from a madman bent on revenge and the ultimate evil that is controlling him. He teams with an alien temptress and three criminals: a strongman with a grudge, a genetically enhanced raccoon and walking, talking (sort of) tree that he meets in prison. There is plenty of action but it›s the humor, music and style that make this a great action movie. I can›t wait for the sequel and to see how it all plays out in the Marvel universe. Disney and Marvel have done it again.

There is something wrong in Lego Town - everyone seems too happy. The evil Lord Business has a plan to end the Lego world as we know it. Emmet, a completely ordinary Lego mini-figure, is mistaken for a master builder and recruited to join the underground movement to overthrow Lord Business. All the Lego characters are here including Batman, Superman, Iron Man and many of the older characters like Shaq. There are a lot of laughs with many quick one-liners and the animation is spectacular. This is the best animated movie of the year.

6 Begin Again

David Ramsey is the President and co-founder of the Phoenix Film Critics Society and a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (The Critics Choice Awards). Watch his reviews on the CBS 5 Morning News every Friday between 5:30 and 6:30am and on ABC-15’s “Sonoran Living Live” every other Friday. Read more of his DVD reviews at WildAboutMovies.com. Contact him at David@TheSnackBar.net.

DAVID AT THE SNACK BAR Dan has just been fired from the record label he founded when he stumbles into the last of a long line bars only to find Greta performing at an open mic night. She thinks she was terrible but he sees something in her. They decide to work together with him producing her first album. With limited funds Dan comes up with the idea to record it on the streets of New York using the natural sounds of the city. Dan is trying to reunite with his estranged wife and teenage daughter, while Greta is trying to get over the love of her life, who has gone on to be a big rock star. This is a wonderful film with amazing music. The cast is perfect and the writing is genuine.

Riggan once played an icon superhero in a trilogy but has seen his career fade since then. Now he is risking everything to mount a Broadway play as both the director and lead. He must reign in his own ego, as well as that of his more famous co-star. When his troubled daughter, who happens to work on the production, gets involved with a cast member it makes things worse. The super-hero he played talks to him encouraging him to do the crazy things. There are surreal moments to this film as everything comes to a head on opening night. «Birdman» is more than a film about actors, it is about life.

7 Birdman

8 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Armies

When we last left Bilbo and the company of dwarves they had retaken their homeland, the kingdom under the mountain, from the dragon Smaug who attacks Laketown with fire and destruction. The survivors retreat to the empty village next to the mountain where an elvan army arrives led by the Elvan king. The dwarves barricade the entrance to their city preparing to fight. Gandolf arrives and warns of an orc army marching toward them, soon a dwarf army arrives and the scene is set for an epic battle with the survivors of Laketown caught in the middle. Meanwhile, Bilbo keeps a secret from the dwarves. The final chapter in the Hobbit trilogy is a perfect ending that leads to the beginning of another amazing trilogy.

A small town priest in Ireland hears a confession that includes a threat to kill him in a week. The usually goodnatured priest is deeply troubled and conflicted on how to proceed. Over the next week he continues on with his duties meeting the members of his parish but discovers the things he usually deals with more disturbing. When his daughter arrives, he came to the priesthood late in life, he must confront what is happening to his town. The performances are outstanding and the story keeps you engaged while not going where you think it will.

10 The HundredFoot Journey

9 Calvary

honorable mention

(in alphabetical order): American Sniper, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Chef, The Drop, Fury, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, Locke, Penguins of Madagascar, St. Vincent and This Is Where I Leave You.

When Hassan and his family are displaced from their home and restaurant in India they end up in Europe. While travelling through France their car breaks down and the father notices an empty restaurant for sale. He decides they will settle there, the only problem is that directly across the street is a Michelin starred restaurant run by Madame Mallory who is obsessed with getting another star and does not take kindly to the new competition. Hassan›s natural talent as a chef is soon apparent to everyone and when an incident changes everything Madame Mallory changes her tune. Meanwhile, Hassan and his father both embark on possible romantic adventures. The Hundred Foot Journey is a wonderful film about family, friendship and food. ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015 27

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ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015 29

Jokes page, ASTROLOGY, Casino directory Unexpected Answer from above Jokes of the Month Tony was stranded on an island for 5 years, then one day a beautiful girl in a Love is in the air

Truth hurts

A successful businessman who traveled extensively and worked late hours almost every day was for the first time in years unable to go to work and was in bed with a fever and stomach flu. However, because of his illness he learned just how much his young wife really loved him and missed having him home, because every time the doorbell rang, she ran to the door yelling “My husband is home – my husband is home!”

A despondent man was drowning his sorrows at a friend’s house, when his friend expressed concern about his over consumption of liquor. “Hey, leave me alone” he slurred, “nobody cares if I drink myself to oblivion” as his drink dropped from his hand and fell to the floor. “Well, I do” his friend replied, “You’re drinking all my booze!”

Capricorn Dec 22 to Jan 20

Aquarius Jan 21 to Feb 19

Pisces Feb 20 to Mar 20

Jan 10–16 Jan 17–23 Jan 24–31 Feb 1–7 Jan 10–16 Jan 17–23 Jan 24–31 Feb 1–7 Jan 10–16 Jan 17–23 Jan 24–31 Feb 1–7

Think positive, always Repair old friendship Rip roaring good time New relationship soon Have faith in yourself Interesting encounter Stay late for nice hit Timing is perfect

Weekend of fun Play cautious this week Good friend was right Future looking brighter

Aries Mar 21 to April 20

Cancer June 22 to July 22

Taurus April 21 to May 21

Leo July 23 to Aug 23

Scorpio Oct 24 to Nov 22

Gemini May 22 to June 21

Virgo Aug 24 to Sept 23

Sagittarius Nov 23 to Dec 21

Jan 10–16 Jan 17–23 Jan 24–31 Feb 1–7 Jan 10–16 Jan 17–23 Jan 24–31 Feb 1–7 Jan 10–16 Jan 17–23 Jan 24–31 Feb 1–7

CASINO DIRECTORY a

1. Apache Gold Hotel Resort Casino • (Globe) San Carlos Apache Tribe-slots bingo & blackjack & Entertainment (800) 272-2438 2. BlueWater Resort Casino • (Parker) Colorado River Indian Tribe-slots bingo blackjack poker & Entertainment (888) 243-3360 3. Bucky’s Casino • (Prescott) Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe-slots, poker & blackjack (800) 756-8744 3a. Yavapai Casino & Gaming Center • (Prescott) Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe-slots & Entertainment (800) 756-8744 30 ARIZONA PLAYER January 2015

wet suit floats to shore on a raft. “Hi!” yells Tony, “Am I ever happy to see you.”! Girl: “Hi, I’m Sandy! My boat sank, thank goodness for this island – been here long? Would you like a cigarette?” Tony: “It’s been over 5 years! And yes I would love a smoke” Sandy unzips a slot in her wet suit and gives Tony a cigarette. Tony: “Oh thank you so much!” Sandy: “So tell me how long it’s been since you had a drink?” Tony: “years” The girl unzips a slot on her wet suit and comes out with a flask of whiskey and gives Tony a drink. “Wow” said Tony, “thank you so much – You’re like a miracle”! Finally the girl starts to unzip the front of her wet suit and asks, “So Tony, tell me then, how long has it been since you played around?” Tony’s eyes widened as he starred at this sexy young woman and then said excitedly: “Oh, my God, don’t tell me you’ve got a set of golf clubs in there too?”

Correct choice again Take Idea to next step Persistence is rewarded Stick to your convictions Best friend needs help Big win ahead Play table games Terrific turnaround

Great attitude pays off In the nick of time First thought was right Finally, what you needed

Jan 10–16 Jan 17–23 Jan 24–31 Feb 1–7 Jan 10–16 Jan 17–23 Jan 24–31 Feb 1–7 Jan 10–16 Jan 17–23 Jan 24–31 Feb 1–7

Big payoff soon Good news this week Hard works pays off Always play your hunch

Go with sure thing Cash windfall ahead Don’t underestimate luck Fun trip This is a lucky week Favorite machine hits Unexpected meeting You have needed this

4. Casino Arizona Talking Stick Resort • (Scottsdale) Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community-slots poker blackjack Keno & Entertainment (480) 850-7777 5. Casino Arizona @ 101 & McKellips • (Scottsdale) Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community-slots bingo blackjack Keno & Entertainment (480) 850-7777 6. Casino Del Sol Resort • (Tucson) Pascua Yaqui Tribe-slots bingo poker blackjack & Entertainment (800) 344-9435 7. Casino of the Sun • (Tucson) Pascua Yaqui Tribe-slots (520) 883-1700 8. Cliff Castle Casino Hotel • (Camp Verde) Yavapai-Apache Nation-slots blackjack poker & Entertainment (800) 381-7568 9. Cocopah Casino • (Yuma) Cocopah Tribe-slots bingo blackjack & Entertainment (800) 237-5687 10. Desert Diamond Casino Hotel • (Tucson) Tohono O’Odham Nation-Old Nogales Hwy slots keno bingo poker & Entertainment (520) 294-7777 10a. Desert Diamond - I-19 • (south of Tucson) slots blackjack & Entertainment (520) 294-7777 10b. Desert Diamond • (Why) Tohono O’Odham Nation-Slots 11. Fort McDowell Casino • (Fountain Hills) Fort McDowell-Yavapai Nation-slots keno bingo poker blackjack & Entertainment (480) 837-1424

Libra Sept 24 to Oct 23

Jan 10–16 Jan 17–23 Jan 24–31 Feb 1–7 Jan 10–16 Jan 17–23 Jan 24–31 Feb 1–7 Jan 10–16 Jan 17–23 Jan 24–31 Feb 1–7

Terrific time with pal Best pal has great idea Go take that trip Plan that reunion

Think outside of the box Relax with friends Now you’re cookin’ Believe – you can do it Proceed with caution Call from old friend Trust your gut on this You’ve waited, now act

12. Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino • (Chandler) Gila River Indian Community-slots keno blackjack poker & Entertainment (800) 946-4452 13. Gila River Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino • (Laveen) Gila River Indian Community-slots bingo blackjack poker & Entertainment (800) 946-4452 14. Gila River Lone Butte Casino • (Chandler) Gila River Indian Community-slots bingo blackjack & Entertainment (800) 946-4452 16. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino (Maricopa) Ak-Chin Indian Community - slots keno poker bingo blackjack & Entertainment (480) 802-5000 17. Hon-Dah Resort-Casino • (Pinetop) White Mountain Apache Tribe - slots poker & Entertainment (800) 929-8744 18. Mazatzal Hotel Casino • (Payson) Tonto Apache Tribe - slots bingo poker blackjack & Entertainment (800) 777-7529 19. Paradise Casino • (Yuma) Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe - slots bingo.& Live Entertainment (888) 777-4946 19a Quechan Casino Resort • (Winterhaven, CA) Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe - slots table games poker & Entertainment 20. Spirit Mountain Casino • (Bullhead City) Fort Mohave Indian Tribe-slots (888) 837-4030 21. Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort • (Flagstaff) Navajo Nation - Slots, Table Games, Poker, Keno & Entertainment