Sahara Poker Room is Suprisingly Adequate

One of the last stops on my Las Vegas poker tour took me to a place that I knew little about before stepping into the casino. Most folks will talk about the Bellagio or the Wynn when they return home from a Las Vegas trip, but few people feel the need to tell tales about the fine play at the Sahara. Still, I was drawn in as I walked down the Strip and decided to see what was going on inside. A sucker for a good game, I could not resist when a table inside of the Sahara poker room opened up.

Sadly, I hear that the $1/$2 no-limit game at the Sahara is not a regular game. Luckily for me, they threw a game together just as I was entering the casino. With enough interest, they do this pretty often. When I sat down, I noticed that everything in this casino was pretty old. It certainly is not the newest poker room in Las Vegas, but it is fairly big. Recent renovations added more room and stretched the number of tables to ten, helping with tournament play.

I was very displeased with the amenities at this poker room. The chairs were small and uncomfortable, while the televisions are straight out of the 1990s. If you want to watch a basketball game while you play some poker, this probably isn't the ideal place. Like most poker rooms in Las Vegas, there is no smoking. They do allow players to step a couple of steps away and light one up. This can make for some serious poker hazards. Smoke in the eyes can make for an interesting handicap.

While I was there, this poker room was filled with a large number of drunks and tourists. There were a few locals, but none of them appeared to be professional players. While it is likely that you could find softer play somewhere else on the Strip, this room does offer beatable games. If the $1/$2 game is on while you are there, be sure to pull up a seat and enjoy the action.

The only real complaint, aside from the old nature of the room, was that the cocktail service was pretty much below average. The room is small, but they only keep one waitress to service all of the players. In the end, this leads to many thirsty players and unsatisfied customers.

I left the Sahara feeling like I had been to a pretty good poker room. Given the other choices in the area, it's probably not a place I'd spend a lot of time again, though. Until this room sees the light and upgrades their amenities, they are going to continue to be among the least popular of the Strip poker rooms.