Roulette, blackjack and poker under brass lamps, played for the company on chips with no cash value, in the room with Barcaldine's best light.
The tables
Five tables under the old beams
The casino room runs the full length of the building, with north windows on one side and a row of brass lamps on the other. There is one roulette wheel at the far end, two blackjack tables in the middle and two poker tables nearest the stairs, so the noisier games stay together and the quieter ones get some peace.
Roulette is the room's centrepiece. Megan spins the wheel, calls the numbers in a low, clear voice and clears the layout with a practised sweep. You choose where to place your chips, the ball settles, and everybody leans in. Because the chips are worth nothing outside the room, it's a game of suspense and conversation rather than nerves.
Blackjack is the easiest table to join, since you only have to beat the dealer's hand without going over twenty-one. Poker is dealt as Texas Hold'em and Omaha on most nights, with Seven Card Stud and Five Card Draw on request. The poker tables seat six and fill quickly on Fridays.
We do not have pokies, gaming machines or anything with a screen in the room. The only things that flash are the lamps, and the only thing you'll hear ringing is the little brass bell Todd uses to call the last round.
The room seats around thirty at a push, which is enough for a buzz without a crush, and means the dealers can see everyone. On busy Fridays Todd puts a few extra chairs along the north windows for watchers, and the little table by the stairs turns into the unofficial tea station.
Roulette
One wheel with a clear view from every side
Blackjack
Two tables with a dealer who explains as they go
Poker
Two tables of six for Hold'em, Omaha and Stud
A night upstairs
How an evening in the room unfolds
Most guests eat first and wander up when supper settles. Olivia or Todd will show you the stairs and hand you a tray of chips at the top, enough for an evening at any table. You can spread them around or stay put; either way you can swap tables whenever a seat comes free.
If you've never played, say so. Megan or one of the dealers will walk you through the layout of the roulette table, explain what each blackjack decision means and slow a poker hand down until it makes sense. Nobody here minds a question, and the regulars are a patient lot who were beginners themselves once.
At closing time the chips are counted back into the tray and put away for tomorrow. They are not taken home, exchanged or turned into anything else, because they simply have no value beyond the evening. What you take home is the good company and a story about the hand you should have played differently.
Dress for the weather rather than the occasion. The room can run cool in winter and warm in the late afternoon, and a cardigan has saved many an evening. Flat shoes are sensible on the old boards and on the stairs, which are steep and a little uneven.
The room is for guests aged 18 and over only. If you look young, we'll politely ask for identification, and we do that for everyone, however often we've seen them.
On the baize
About the room
Before you go up
Do I need to know the rules before I come upstairs?
Not in the slightest. The dealers teach as they deal, and there's a laminated card at every table with the basics in plain language. Beginners are very welcome, and several of our regulars first came up just to watch.
How many people can sit at a table?
Blackjack seats five, poker tables seat six and roulette has room for around eight, with more standing behind. If a table is full, put your name on the list at the stairs and Todd will call you when a seat opens.
Can I just watch from the side?
Yes, as long as you're 18 or over. Guests are welcome to sit with a cup of tea at the edge of the room and take it all in. Many people watch a few hands before they decide to join in.
Are you 18 or over?
Gidgee House is a venue for adults. Please confirm your age before you come in and look around the website.
