Four tables in a panelled room, opened by two strokes of the ship's bell. Roulette, blackjack and poker, played with chips by adults for the pleasure of the game.
Four tables
Which games are dealt in the casino room?
The room is entered through a wide doorway from the dining room and is lit by shaded lamps over each table. The walls are panelled in dark timber salvaged from the building's original roof, and the floor is carpeted, so that conversation stays low and the sound of the wheel carries only a short distance.
There is one roulette wheel, which Oliver Georgiou spins most evenings, and one blackjack table with a printed guide at each seat. Two tables are given over to poker, where the dealer announces the game in play. We offer Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud and Five Card Draw, and any table may ask for a change.
None of these games is played for money. Each guest receives a tray of chips on sitting down, and the chips are counted back when they leave. There is no wager, no stake and no cash value, and a hand won or lost means no more than a turn of the cards. What matters is the company and the quality of the play.
There are no pokies and no gaming machines in the room, in the building or anywhere on the premises. No screens are fitted, no game is accessible online, and guests who ask whether they can play from home are told, politely, that they cannot. The tables are here, and so must the players be.
Roulette
A single wheel, with each number called clearly
Blackjack
One table, with a dealer who explains every hand
Poker
Two tables across four games, each with a hand guide
Taking your seat
How does a guest join a table?
Arrive at the host's desk
The host will welcome you, check your proof of age and write your name on the list. If you have booked a seat, the name is already there, and the evening begins with a short walk through the dining room.
Hear the bell
At half past seven the ship's bell is struck twice and the doors to the room are opened. Until then guests may dine, take tea or stay in the front hall, and nobody is asked to hurry.
Choose a table
The host will suggest a table that suits your experience. Beginners are usually seated at blackjack or roulette, where the pace is slow; guests who know the poker games are taken to the tables at the far end.
Receive your chips
A tray of chips is placed in front of you, counted by the dealer. They are lent for the evening, they have no value, and they are returned when you leave. You can ask for more if you need them.
Ask the dealer
Tell the dealer if you are new, and he or she will explain the rules before the first hand. Every dealer here has taught beginners many times, and a question is never considered a nuisance.
Play at your own pace
Hands are dealt without hurry. You may sit out a round, take a pot of tea in the hall or watch from the rail. The table will keep your place for ten minutes, longer if you tell the dealer.
Leave at the last bell
At ten o'clock the second bell is struck, final hands are dealt and chips are counted back into their trays. The lamps are lowered by half past ten, and the host will see you to the door.
The gaming floor
What do guests ask about the tables?
How many guests can sit at each table?
Poker tables seat six, blackjack five, and the roulette table has room for as many as can stand around the wheel in comfort. If a table is full, the host will add your name to a short list and call you when a seat is free.
Do I have to eat in the dining room first?
No. The casino room is open to any guest of eighteen or over, whether or not they have dined. Most guests do take supper first, since it makes the evening easier, but nobody is required to.
May I take photographs?
Photographs are welcome in the dining room and the front hall. In the casino room we ask that phones stay in pockets, as much for the privacy of other guests as for the quiet of the game.
Are the dealers permitted to advise me?
A dealer may explain the rules and describe the options in a hand, but cannot recommend which one to choose. This keeps the tables fair, and every guest is treated the same.
What if I am not confident at cards?
Most of our guests were not confident at first. Sit at blackjack, ask Oliver Georgiou to explain a hand, and watch for a round. By the end of the evening you will probably have chosen a favourite game.
Are you eighteen or over?
Dinner is open to guests of all ages, but the casino room and its pages are for adults. Please confirm before you go on.
