Off-Strip Hold'em?

What is the hold'em like in some of the off-strip casinos such as Sam's Town, Palms and Station Casinos(Palace, Sunset, Texas and Boulder)? Limits, atmosphere, # of tables going and locals vs tourists.

The only one I have ever played at is Sam's Town and it usually has a 4-8 hold'em and 7-card stud 1 to 5 game. Sometimes a 3-6 Omaha-hi game. On weekends or Fridays a 10-20 hold'em may get going. It is a good place to play. Friendly with about 8 tables but only 3 are usually going. I have not been there for over a year so things may have changed. Best to get the poker room's phone number and call for the most up to date info. More local players than tourists.

Orleans seems to have more locals. The games are often not too good during the day. It seems to me that swing shift brings in local players who are just working guys. They will come play 4-8, have a few beers, maybe win maybe lose. The 6-12 with a 1/2 kill can be a lousy game. But the players aren't world class or anything. A couple regulars don't play very well. But a bunch aren't all that easy. (I wrote down a hand where I got heads up in this game where I had AA and a local played 5-8 soooooted from out of position. She had no business in there, particularly given the structure and my raise. You have to like that, although she of course hit a gutshot on the river.)


I have played Palms once. It was a pretty soft 4-8 game. Once some tourists left it was local night owls. (I played till 4-5 that morning.) I think Palms will have softer 4-8.


Texas Station has had some good games when I've played there. Once I couldn't get a room anywhere else and stayed there. Decent poker rate, pretty good hotel, pretty good games.


I have only played a couple times at Sam's Town. I have no particular memories of what the games were like.


Most of the places have some structure of 4-8 hold'em. The games can be pretty slow when it is all tighter players. I have played with locals who play well and step down in limits sometimes. But for the most part the games are OK and you often get some decent comps and stuff. The locals who play really well can often be found in bigger games, so I wouldn't worry a whole lot. But don't underestimate them out of hand either.