Our most popular live poker game, Texas Hold'em is a 1-3 game with 1-6 on the last card. El Cortez is the last casino downtown to offer a 7 Card Stud game.

El Cortez is proud to offer our customers the "Best Blackjack" in Las Vegas as voted on by industry experts at the Las Vegas Review Journal. So, what makes our games the best? We offer single and double deck games, with full pay 3-2.

Three. Usually for Hold 'Em, although one is supposedly for seven-card.

These chairs are about as comfortable as a Yugo, but with more headroom.

Closed Room or Open to Casino? Not only is it open, there is no room. It's tucked into an alcove on the casino floor, next to slots and tables. It's pretty noisy!

Game Spreads and Limits: Hold-em 1-3-6. Games are going most of the time.

Beginner Games or Classes? There are no beginner games, but there are a large number of loose or bad players in the games that will give pots to a solid, tight beginner. The 1-3-6 spread game is conducive to loose-aggressive play.

How Crowded is the Room? The tables almost always have an open seat for Stud when it's open, but the Hold 'Em fills on the weekends. Weekdays you can probably get in pretty quickly.

Comps? Free drinks while playing. There is no casino rate for rooms, but they're cheap already. They will comp you $5 in the coffee shop if you play a few hours.

How Good Are the Players? Below average. Well, there are some locals (including former El Co owner Jackie Gaughan) that may clean up, but the reason most of these people are here is because they aren't good enough for other rooms. Games are usually pretty slow and the betting is low. You'll see lots of people bet to see the flop, but they won't be there for the river.

What Else Do I Need to Know? This is by no means the ideal room to play poker, but if you don't intimidate easily you will find some easy pots to be had. The rake is 10% but capped at $2.50, and that's low.

With its Spanish-Ranch exterior, old-fashioned Vegas vibe and downtown location, El Cortez provides relief for travelers seeking to escape the showy Strip resorts.

But that doesn't mean you miss out on Vegas luxury. Check out the room options at El Cortez