Sahara Pokerroom Review

[Xelent]

I went to go check out the Sahara last night and play in their tournament and maybe some cash games. I arrived a little late for the 7 PM tournament so I played cash games until the 11 PM tournament started.

The two cash games they had were 2/4 limit holdem with one $2 blind and 1/2 NL with $100 minimum $500 max buyin.

I played some 2/4 until the NL game started. I sat just around the time that a new dealer pushed in. He was flipping a lot of cards over when dealing and was complaining that the cards were sticky. I asked him to get a setup for new cards to fix the problem. The supervisor came over with a setup and berated the dealer in front of the entire table. He yelled at the dealer and told him to never ask for a setup again. I found this completely absurd and innapropriate.

Once the NL game began, I sat down and the action was very slow. The dealers were talking with the players WAY to much. I usually don't mind this, as long as they can talk and deal at the same time. Instead, they basicly stopped dealing or completely stopped following the action to talk to people. It slowed the game down and confused people.

The tournament was a $40+2 with an optional $20 rebuy in the first hour. The tourney chips were moldy and all sticky just like the cards. My first table dealer was talking with the players he seemed to know well at the table and joking around with them. Early in the tourney, I was in the SB and saw the flop for free. I checked my crappy hand and 2 players behind me checked quickly after. The dealer than made a crack at me and told me it was my turn. I told him I checked a while ago.

The tournament structure is actually decent other than the high percentage the house takes making it practically unbeatable. The blinds get rediculous just like all low buyin tournaments, but at the beginning there is some leighway(sp?) for play. The tournament is the only thing keeping that room alive.

The best part of the room was the sandwiches they give at break. Delicious. Other than that, the room seemed quite aweful and terribly run. I also got to play with a kid who was on saved by the bell.

One dealer went to push another dealer, when the supervisor (the same one that yelled at the other guy) told him he was on break instead of pushing. The dealer got very mad in front of everyone and said he only has had 1 sit. The continued to yell at eachother and swear at eachother behind the main desk until the dealer asked if he wanted to take it outside. They went outside and returned 10 minutes later in a much more calm demeanor.

Terrible room, this gets my worst rating ever, 7 thumbs up.