Published: April 27, 2006 11:56 pm      

Player’s Hideout

Tournaments and prizes await those ready to play

What happens at The Players Hideout stays at The Players Hideout.

OK, that’s not exactly accurate. While you can play Vegas-style games and have a casino experience, what happens at The Players Hideout is broadcast over the Internet so law enforcement officials can be sure everything is on the up-and-up.

This consideration was important to owner Tarek Maalouf for a number of reasons.

“To make sure we keep it legal, we have six cameras live on the Internet,” Maalouf explained. “Access is given to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Walker County District Attorney’s office, so they can make sure no illegal gambling or underage drinking is going on.

“That way, they don’t have to come in here every five minutes to check,” he added. “We work closely with these groups.”

The prizes are big and the games are free to play in, but there is a door fee.

“People who want to watch can learn, but they’ll pay the same door fee as everyone else,” Maalouf said. “People wanted to be able to play competitive games legally. I wanted to give them a place to do that. People win points and points go toward any prize. We have a Web site full of prizes.”

While The Player’s Hideout has been open since March, Maalouf has owned Total Zone for the past nine years. Because the two are next door to one another, Maalouf can split his time between the businesses.

“I’ve been playing cards for 15 years,” he explained. “I’ve played pro-blackjack for seven of these years, and I’ve taught blackjack for five years.

“ESPN has been very helpful,” Maalouf said about the popularity of poker. “It’s got a good following. It takes a lot of skill. Here, people can perfect their skill before going to a casino and winning a lot of money.”

The Players Hideout doesn’t only cater to those wanting to tournament gamble. The shop also sells casino supplies.

“I sell anything you can find in a casino, from chips to slot machines (token only), poker tables, blackjack tables — there’s nothing we don’t carry,” he said. “We’re also a training center. You can come to any of our tournaments and learn to play with people who really know how to play.”

Ages 18 and older are welcome and the events are BYOB (bring your own beer), but only those age 21 and older may bring alcohol. Remember, the eye in the sky sees everything.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday or until a tournament is finished. For more information, call (936) 438-8015 or visit The Players Hideout at 1300 Sam Houston Ave., next to Total Zone. Information may also be found on the Web site at www.theplayershideout.com.