"three hands require five times the minimum” - $125 each. I looked at Augie and he shrugged and
said "three times $75 each - for him," at which I mock hesitated then increased to three hands of
$75 and proceeded to lose all three hands and including a double-down. The count being slightly
negative, I frowned at Augie and put out three bets of $75 and won all three. The count tanked
further south and I increased my bets to three bets of $100, and I won again.
Now I was 'in like Flynn' - when the count was negative I would bet three times $75-$100, when
the count was positive I would bet one hand of $300-$500, which was the house limit. About 15
minutes into the play a female approached and bet a single quarter - I frowned at the manager and
reduced my bet to two hands of $50. She played a couple more hands and wandered off as Augie
put a 'reserved' sign at my table and glowingly invited me to “... place any size bet per three hands,
you now have a private game!"
Now my bets ranged from a low of three times $25 to a max of one hand of $500 or two bets of
$375 or three times $300. In 45 minutes I was ahead $6000, at which point Augie came behind
me and said, "I have bad news," and I'm thinking he's going to bar me. But instead he informs me
that "upstairs has decided that you gotta bet $125 each at three hands.” Oh well "sucking me in" I
replied wistfully, he says "sorry."
So now I shift my betting to three times $125 in negative counts and one hand of $500 in positive
counts – winning three rounds of three times $125 in amazing succession. I happily call out to
Augie, "its working, thanks!"
Exactly 60 minutes into the play I’m up $10k when Augie taps my shoulder and informs me that
"we decline your further play." Smiling I wave half of my winnings in the form of ten $500 chips
and taunt, "don’t you guys wanna to try to win half of it back?" "No!" The romance was over.
I managed to get a comped lunch from Augie before cashing out, the two remaining tables had a
total of 5 nickel players as I departed.
xxx