Sahara Tournament?

[52s]

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The payoff strcuture sucks. While i don't mind a top heavy payout, you need to shorten the number of people getting paid when you make it that top heavy.

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That's why I always go for the chops when I make the FT (which has been more often than not... when I play it). If there's some knucklehead that's against the chop, I make sure to go on a full-scale assault to try and break him so the chop can be then made.

The payout is so top-heavy that you could pretty much chop it even 9-ways and everyone would get paid out more than, more often then not, 3rd place $$$. Plus at that point the M is so low that anyone wanting to keep going is wanting to play bingo.

[McMelchior]

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If there's some knucklehead that's against the chop, I make sure to go on a full-scale assault to try and break him so the chop can be then made.

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Are you serious?

You think that the chances of pulling a chop makes it +$EV to make -cEV plays against a player who does not want to chop?

[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[52s]

lol, nah, not literally, but the players on a whole stiiiiiiiiiink and more often than not the non-chopper goes and donks off their chips anyway.

[raisebot]

Not only do the players stink, but also a bunch of the staff. Dealers like "Casey" ( I believe his name was/is), bridging the cards when shuffling, and the short ?asian? dealer constantly rolling the deck.

How does fred Masters not know/not give a [censored] about these things?

But I DO like the sammiches at break, though, e-coli or not.

[Beachman42]

My $0.02:

1. The structure is one of the best for a $42 plus 1 $20 add-on. ALWAYS take the add on when you sit down! Against donkeys plus local rocks, you want the stack early.

2. There are no antes in this MTT, so it actually makes the middle levels better. However, it is a 4 hour MTT, so the later levels are push or fold for the most part.

3.. The mgmt is poor compared to most, but if you know the rules you can *usually* end up with the mostly correct ruling. Harassing the dealers (most of whom have been there awhile is -eV - try a cheerful approach).

4. Quite often, a dealer is the TD. Find out who it is if you have a table balancing issue.

5. How they move players to balance is a mystery to me. In one MTT, I was moved 4 times in the same level! I missed posting the SB or the BB for the entire level! Remember, its a $40 tourney, not the WSOP.

6. IMHO, this is one of the few Vegas MTTs where chopping is generally the right call. I'm pretty sure the level does go from 1500/3000 to 3000/6000. I have chopped 3-4 times for usually ~3-4th place money. One time I was the clear CL and refused an even chop. In about 10 hands, there were only 4 left and I said wtf and refused any chop to keep playing. Both the TD and the dealer were not really happy, but they did their job. What I figured was that the other old local had zero HU experience so my advantage was pretty obvious. I KO'ed him in 6 hands when my K-4 got it all in vs. his TT on a K high flop. (please note - this is NOT a brag but a single data point to support the case of not chopping when you think you have an edge.)

If you are going to "play up" skip the CP $200 and play the Venetian $185. Its a much better structure. Also, I think the PH low buy-in MTTs are comprable to Sahara's - just in a better poker room with better dealers and mgmt.

GL!

[slowsteps]

thank you everyone for your replies and feedback! you have given me a lot of food for thought.
when you say PH, you mean Planet Hollywood, right? i haven't read anything about their tournies.
thanks again, gang!
-t
"Harrington on Hold'em is all right, I guess." - Annette Obrestad

[PorkchopDJG]

I thought it was a decent Low Limit Tourney when I played the 11AM in October.
We had 60 runners and I ended up chopping it 5 ways for $380 at the final table. The dealers and floor did a pretty decent job. If you want to play a NL MTT for under $100 I would do either this Sahara one or Planet Hollywood as they are pretty similar.
If you can afford a little more the next step up would definitely be Caesars($200) or Venetian($180)