The Encore Boston Harbor opened with a splash this June. Predictions about the new casino's impact on the New England poker scene swirled. The Encore would drain players from all of the New Hampshire poker rooms. The Encore would take the best dealers. Twin Rivers would shut down. Foxwoods would go bankrupt. Chasers would lose all its business. And on, and on.
Hey guys, today we review Encore's poker room through the first few weeks after its grand opening - we go over some of the things you MUST know before going!. Encore casino offers a variety of slot machines and table games in over 200,0000 square feet of gaming space, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. State Law prohibits persons under 21 years of age from entering the casino floor.
- Welcome to Encore Boston Harbor Resort. Luxury hotel rooms & suites, fine dining, casino, event center, shopping.
- Boston needed Encore, its blinging 10 carat diamond in our tiny pave diamond little city. Boston is full of history and beauty, but Vegas-style glitz has never been its forte. So Encore is a refreshing change from the Irish dive bars and chain restaurants that speckle the city.
- Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville, MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor in Everett have all been closed since March 15 and cannot reopen until June 29 at the earliest.
The Encore Boston Harbor has been around for two months now. So what has its impact been on the other New England poker rooms? So far, we would say mixed.
Impact of the Encore Boston Harbor Casino on New England Poker Rooms
Dealers
It's true that some of our favorite dealers have migrated to the Encore Boston Harbor. While we miss them dearly, plenty of solid dealers remain across New England. We haven't noticed a general loss of dealer quality in the New Hampshire poker rooms. Many good dealers decided to stay where they were. Others moved from one New Hampshire poker room to another where they had the opportunity for improvements in pay or benefits.
Despite dire predictions of dealer shortages and depressed quality, we just have not seen it. The only exception may be Foxwoods. We played a tournament there recently and encountered a number of dealer errors (and slow dealer speed). But that may have been an exception; perhaps the cash games have not been similarly impacted.
Poker Tournaments
The Encore has not yet begun offering poker tournaments. The rumor from some is that tournaments will begin in September. Others say January. As of now, we just don't know.
Whenever tournaments start, we predict limited impact on the New Hampshire card rooms that offer low buy-in options. The Encore Boston Harbor, like its sister casino, the Wynn in Las Vegas, is a very upscale venue. The Wynn offers fairly high buy-in tournaments with costs of hundreds to thousands of dollars. While these may compete with the higher buy-in tournaments at Foxwoods, MGM Springfield, or Mohegan Sun, it will not drain Manchester's $50/$50/$50 players, or the River's $5 Fin.
We'll certainly update this post once tournaments commence.
Related Articles:
Cash Games
The Encore Boston Harbor has most definitely impacted the New England cash poker landscape. Three months ago, we evaluated cash numbers for all New England poker rooms reporting to either Bravo or Poker Atlas and shared the results. With the advent of the Encore, cash poker numbers have shifted in the following ways:
- There is more action overall. The overall number of cash tables in New England is up almost every weeknight, and up appreciably mid-week. Over the past month, there have been an average of 20 to 30 more tables per night across New England on Tuesday through Thursday. There are also about 15 to 25 more tables running on the already hopping weekends. Note that this is despite the fact that summer is typically a down period for poker, as people go on vacation and just generally have better things to do (sacrilege!).
- The Encore has captured a significant proportion of the New England cash action. There is no getting around it. The Encore's cash poker tables are booming. The Encore Boston Harbor sees an average of 35 to 45 cash tables on weeknights and 45 to 60 over the weekend. Typically 40%-50% of the cash poker tables across New England (of those rooms reporting) are being played at the Encore. And there are days when the Encore has more tables running than the entire rest of New England combined.
- The Encore Boston Harbor owns Omaha in New England. New England's smaller card rooms have always struggled to maintain Omaha tables. Since its opening, the Encore has consolidated the Omaha poker action in New England. Chasers used to be the place to go in New Hampshire for PLO. Today, they are not consistently running even a single PLO table on weeknights. Foxwoods, Boston Billiard Club and Casino, and Hampton Falls have also seen drop-offs in their Omaha numbers. Meanwhile, the Encore hosts 4 to 6 Omaha games every weeknight and an average of 6 to 7 tables on weekends.
- The Encore has had minimal impact on $1/$2 NLH tables across New England. Almost every room in New England has maintained their $1/$2 cash traffic. From Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, to Hampton Falls and Chasers, $1/$2 cash poker has remained strong. Most rooms have lost on average only one $1/$2 table per night throughout the week, and one to two tables on weekends. Note that the Encore runs a $1/$3 NLH game, while other rooms across New England are running $1/$2.
Rooms Most Impacted by Encore Boston Harbor
While New England cash poker is booming, that does not mean that some rooms have not suffered significantly from the addition of the Encore Boston Harbor. The hardest hit have been the rooms populated by players with the easiest access to Boston. Two rooms in particular have taken brutal hits.
There are days when the Encore has more tables running than the entire rest of New England combined.Click To TweetChasers
Chasers' story to date has been as a real New Hampshire poker success. Entering the field two short years ago, Chasers quickly became the place to play cash poker. Early on the room's cash success led them to cancel all tournaments in order to focus on cash. The room thrived for close to two years. Tables were full even on a random Tuesday evening, and wait lists were rumored to be hours long on a busy Saturday.
Unfortunately, sited along the I-93 corridor near the Massachusetts line, it's only a half hour straight shot from Chasers south to the Encore Boston Harbor. Players living along that populated stretch now have the option to head south instead of north. Chasers has lost on average half of their cash tables on any given night, and those that remain are mostly $1/$2. As mentioned previously, Chasers Omaha action has completely evaporated.
Foxwoods
The Encore Boston Harbor opened with a splash this June. Predictions about the new casino's impact on the New England poker scene swirled. The Encore would drain players from all of the New Hampshire poker rooms. The Encore would take the best dealers. Twin Rivers would shut down. Foxwoods would go bankrupt. Chasers would lose all its business. And on, and on.
Hey guys, today we review Encore's poker room through the first few weeks after its grand opening - we go over some of the things you MUST know before going!. Encore casino offers a variety of slot machines and table games in over 200,0000 square feet of gaming space, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. State Law prohibits persons under 21 years of age from entering the casino floor.
- Welcome to Encore Boston Harbor Resort. Luxury hotel rooms & suites, fine dining, casino, event center, shopping.
- Boston needed Encore, its blinging 10 carat diamond in our tiny pave diamond little city. Boston is full of history and beauty, but Vegas-style glitz has never been its forte. So Encore is a refreshing change from the Irish dive bars and chain restaurants that speckle the city.
- Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville, MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor in Everett have all been closed since March 15 and cannot reopen until June 29 at the earliest.
The Encore Boston Harbor has been around for two months now. So what has its impact been on the other New England poker rooms? So far, we would say mixed.
Impact of the Encore Boston Harbor Casino on New England Poker Rooms
Dealers
It's true that some of our favorite dealers have migrated to the Encore Boston Harbor. While we miss them dearly, plenty of solid dealers remain across New England. We haven't noticed a general loss of dealer quality in the New Hampshire poker rooms. Many good dealers decided to stay where they were. Others moved from one New Hampshire poker room to another where they had the opportunity for improvements in pay or benefits.
Despite dire predictions of dealer shortages and depressed quality, we just have not seen it. The only exception may be Foxwoods. We played a tournament there recently and encountered a number of dealer errors (and slow dealer speed). But that may have been an exception; perhaps the cash games have not been similarly impacted.
Poker Tournaments
The Encore has not yet begun offering poker tournaments. The rumor from some is that tournaments will begin in September. Others say January. As of now, we just don't know.
Whenever tournaments start, we predict limited impact on the New Hampshire card rooms that offer low buy-in options. The Encore Boston Harbor, like its sister casino, the Wynn in Las Vegas, is a very upscale venue. The Wynn offers fairly high buy-in tournaments with costs of hundreds to thousands of dollars. While these may compete with the higher buy-in tournaments at Foxwoods, MGM Springfield, or Mohegan Sun, it will not drain Manchester's $50/$50/$50 players, or the River's $5 Fin.
We'll certainly update this post once tournaments commence.
Related Articles:
Cash Games
The Encore Boston Harbor has most definitely impacted the New England cash poker landscape. Three months ago, we evaluated cash numbers for all New England poker rooms reporting to either Bravo or Poker Atlas and shared the results. With the advent of the Encore, cash poker numbers have shifted in the following ways:
- There is more action overall. The overall number of cash tables in New England is up almost every weeknight, and up appreciably mid-week. Over the past month, there have been an average of 20 to 30 more tables per night across New England on Tuesday through Thursday. There are also about 15 to 25 more tables running on the already hopping weekends. Note that this is despite the fact that summer is typically a down period for poker, as people go on vacation and just generally have better things to do (sacrilege!).
- The Encore has captured a significant proportion of the New England cash action. There is no getting around it. The Encore's cash poker tables are booming. The Encore Boston Harbor sees an average of 35 to 45 cash tables on weeknights and 45 to 60 over the weekend. Typically 40%-50% of the cash poker tables across New England (of those rooms reporting) are being played at the Encore. And there are days when the Encore has more tables running than the entire rest of New England combined.
- The Encore Boston Harbor owns Omaha in New England. New England's smaller card rooms have always struggled to maintain Omaha tables. Since its opening, the Encore has consolidated the Omaha poker action in New England. Chasers used to be the place to go in New Hampshire for PLO. Today, they are not consistently running even a single PLO table on weeknights. Foxwoods, Boston Billiard Club and Casino, and Hampton Falls have also seen drop-offs in their Omaha numbers. Meanwhile, the Encore hosts 4 to 6 Omaha games every weeknight and an average of 6 to 7 tables on weekends.
- The Encore has had minimal impact on $1/$2 NLH tables across New England. Almost every room in New England has maintained their $1/$2 cash traffic. From Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, to Hampton Falls and Chasers, $1/$2 cash poker has remained strong. Most rooms have lost on average only one $1/$2 table per night throughout the week, and one to two tables on weekends. Note that the Encore runs a $1/$3 NLH game, while other rooms across New England are running $1/$2.
Rooms Most Impacted by Encore Boston Harbor
While New England cash poker is booming, that does not mean that some rooms have not suffered significantly from the addition of the Encore Boston Harbor. The hardest hit have been the rooms populated by players with the easiest access to Boston. Two rooms in particular have taken brutal hits.
There are days when the Encore has more tables running than the entire rest of New England combined.Click To TweetChasers
Chasers' story to date has been as a real New Hampshire poker success. Entering the field two short years ago, Chasers quickly became the place to play cash poker. Early on the room's cash success led them to cancel all tournaments in order to focus on cash. The room thrived for close to two years. Tables were full even on a random Tuesday evening, and wait lists were rumored to be hours long on a busy Saturday.
Unfortunately, sited along the I-93 corridor near the Massachusetts line, it's only a half hour straight shot from Chasers south to the Encore Boston Harbor. Players living along that populated stretch now have the option to head south instead of north. Chasers has lost on average half of their cash tables on any given night, and those that remain are mostly $1/$2. As mentioned previously, Chasers Omaha action has completely evaporated.
Foxwoods
Back in March, Foxwoods reigned supreme as the most robust cash poker room. Today, it clearly plays second fiddle to The Encore. While its numbers have stayed relatively steady on weeknights, Foxwoods has lost an average of 10 tables during the weekend compared to their March numbers. Foxwoods' biggest hits have come on their 'Other' cash tables. Which is to say, games other than $1/$2 or $2/5 NLH. The Encore has drawn away a significant proportion of those Omaha, Stud, and high limit players that used to call Foxwoods their home. Note that there are still plenty of those mixed game players remaining at Foxwoods. There are just a few less every day. The Encore and Foxwoods between them hold close to 100% of this market in New England.
Of course, it's still early to assess the long-term impact of the Encore on the New England poker scene. Once everyone has had their shot at playing the Encore Boston Harbor there may be some migration back to the other New England poker rooms. And there is no telling how the landscape will change when the Encore opens their 16 table dedicated tournament room. But some of the savvy owners of other New England rooms will certainly continue to tweak inducements to retain and grow their loyal player bases. Nonetheless, at some point there may be a consolidation, with one or two rooms deciding to step out of this competitive realm.
We'll continue to track the numbers, so check back in a few months to see how the New England poker landscape has further evolved.
Like this post? Want to make sure you don't miss our updates on the poker landscape? Head on over to the sidebar and subscribe. We'll let you know whenever a new Poker Pilgrims blog post goes live!
Related Posts
- The Boston Billiard Club & Casino Poker Room Review
Holding down the New Hampshire poker scene at the central Massachusetts border are the Boston…
- 5 Best Poker Rooms in New England
The New England poker rooms are our home turf. We've played at all of the…
- Meet the Poker Pilgrims on Cardplayer Lifestyle
The wonderful Robbie Strazynski of CardplayerLifestyle.com published an interview with us this week on his…
1 Broadway,MA 02149Boston
Overview |
Located in Boston, 4.3 mi from TD Garden, Encore Boston Harbor features accommodations with a restaurant, free private parking, a bar and a shared lounge. 4.3 mi from Old North Church and 5 mi from Custom House, the property provides a garden and a casino. The accommodations offers a 24-hour front desk, airport transfers, room service and free WiFi throughout the property.
All rooms are fitted with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a coffee machine, a shower, a hairdryer and a desk. At the hotel the rooms include a wardrobe and a private bathroom.
Guests at Encore Boston Harbor can enjoy a à la carte or an American breakfast.
Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum is 5 mi from the accommodations, while King's Chapel and Burying Ground is 5 mi from the property. The nearest airport is Logan Airport, 3.1 mi from Encore Boston Harbor.
Rooms: 6
When would you like to stay?
Facilities of Encore Boston Harbor
General
- WiFi in all areas
Activities
- Live music/Performance
- Live sports events (broadcast)
Food & Drink
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Bar
- Breakfast in the room
- Special diet meals (on request)
- Kids' meals
Pool and Spa
- Sauna
- Fitness center
- Spa
- Massage
- Hot tub/Jacuzzi
Transportation
- Airport shuttle
- Airport shuttle (additional charge)
Front Desk Services
- 24-hour front desk
- Newspapers
- Express check-in/out
- Tour desk
- Ticket service
- Baggage storage
- ATM on site
- Concierge
Common Areas
- Garden
- Shared lounge/TV area
Entertainment & Family Services
- Casino
- Nightclub/DJ
- Evening entertainment
Cleaning Services
- Daily housekeeping
Business Facilities
- Meeting/Banquet facilities
- Fax/Photocopying
Shops
- Hair/Beauty salon
- Gift shop
- Shops (on site)
Miscellaneous
Encore Boston Poker Room Pictures Images
- Non-smoking rooms
- Facilities for disabled guests
- VIP room facilities
- Elevator
- Soundproof rooms
- Heating
- Hypoallergenic room available
- Smoke-free property
- Air conditioning
- Designated smoking area
Safety & security
- Safe
- 24-hour security
- Security alarm
- Smoke alarms
- CCTV in common areas
- CCTV outside property
- Fire extinguishers
Safety features
- Staff follow all safety protocols as directed by local authorities
- Shared stationery (e.g. printed menus, magazines, pens, paper) removed
- Hand sanitizer in guest accommodation and common areas
- Process in place to check health of guests
- First aid kits available
Physical distancing
- Cashless payment available
- Physical distancing rules followed
- Mobile app for room service
- Screens or physical barriers between staff and guests in appropriate areas
Cleanliness & disinfection
- Use of cleaning chemicals that are effective against coronavirus
- Linens, towels, and laundry washed in accordance with local authority guidelines
- Guest accommodation disinfected between stays
- Guest accommodation sealed after cleaning
- Property cleaned by professional cleaning companies
- Guests have the option to cancel any cleaning services for their accommodation during their stay
Food & drink safety
- Physical distancing in dining areas
- All plates, cutlery, glasses, and other tableware sanitized
Internet
WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.
Parking
Free private parking is available on site (reservation is not needed).
Policies of Encore Boston Harbor
These are general hotel policies for Encore Boston Harbor. As they may vary per room type, please also check the room conditions.
Check-in
16:00 - 23:00 hours
Check-out
Until 11:00 hours
Cancellation / Prepayment
Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to property type.
Children and Extra Beds
Free!Up to two children under 6 years stay free of charge when using existing beds.
Free!One child under 3 years stays free of charge in a crib.
One older child or adult is charged USD 80 per night in an extra bed.
The maximum number of extra beds in a room is 1.
The maximum number of total guests in a room is 5.
Encore Boston Poker
The maximum number of cribs in a room is 1.
Any type of extra bed or crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.
Encore Boston Poker Room Pictures Gallery
Additional fees are not calculated automatically in the total cost and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.
Pets
Pets are not allowed.
Accepted credit cards
- Mastercard
- Visa
- Discover
- JCB
- Diners Club
- American Express
The property reserves the right to pre-authorize credit cards prior to arrival.
Encore Boston Poker Room Pictures Free
Important Information
Encore Boston Poker Tournaments
Please be advised that the credit card holder must be present at check-in.
Guests are requested to contact the property after booking 10 rooms or more, as such bookings may be subject to different terms and conditions.
Encore Boston Poker Room
See all reviews |