Casino in Baden Baden.
- Thread starter UK-21
- Start date
UK-21
Well-Known Member
Ha . . . just goes to prove how anonymous web discussion boards can be???
I posted in German just in case there might are any native German speakers who play Baden-Baden regularly but do not speak English scanning the boards. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone in Germany speaks English, particularly amongst the older generations.
Although this forum is, not unexpectedly, heavily weighted towards the game in the States, I'm surprised there are not more questions etc from players in Europe and the Far East. The ENHC game certainly doesn't seem to have received the same degree of analysis as variations of US games, as can be seen from postings in other areas (many of which are my own).
Tschuss !
UK-21
Well-Known Member
Casino at Baden-Baden. Finally made it . . . . .
I made it to the casino in Baden a while back and spent a pleasant hour and a half or so there. This posted for the benefit of anyone visiting Germany who is considering a visit . . .
The casino at Baden-Baden is the one that was the inspiration for Dostoyevsky's novel "The Gamber" (he himself acknowledging he had become addicted) and the one described by Marlene Dietrich as the most beautiful casino in the world. It's been relieving the idle rich of their money for around 250 years, although nowdays it's quite happy to relieve anyone of their's who is prepared to make an effort in dressing up (strictly enforced dress code - shirt, jacket and tie at the tables) and paying the entry fee (EURO 3.00) for the priviledge of entering the table games parlours.
Well, it is - very beautiful in it's baroque splendour and finish, although quite snooty with all of the casino table and floor staff sporting black tie. Both of the main roulette tables (with huge old wheels) are staff by three croupiers and an umpire, and believe it or not they still move all of the chips around with rakes - which was quaint but everything seemed so sloooowwwwww . . . There are four other smaller roulette tables in a bank with lower table mins of just EURO 2.00 I think. Didn't seem to be any nonsense about no table mins on evens and 2-1 wagers.
Blackjack? A great shame. In this fantastic historical facade there wasn't a polished mahogany shoe which would have been in keeping, but the ubiquitous electronic-plastic one-2-six shufflemaster (which looked completely out of place). Table min was EURO 10.00, and unlike the UK insurance could be taken on a dealer ace. The Blackjack pit was very crowded, with only a minimal chance of grabbing a seat at a table later in the evening. I played flat bet table mins for ten minutes or so earlier on and walked away when slightly up. Lot's of back betting going on and players back-betting each other's doubling opportunities, which I was told was quite common practice there. Some addicted regulars there at the time throwing some serious money across the felt despite it being a crappy game.
I think there was also a three-card poker table there but it wasn't open. Didn't see the bacarrat table at all, and I wonder whether they have binned it for low usage (although the EURO 50.00 minimum would probably have contributed to this). All of the poker tables were packed, with a queue of punters waiting for the opportunity to grab a free seat. As it was Saturday night there was also a poker tournament underway with over 100 participants.
The casino has a smokers lounge within it - don't know how they got an exemption for that, as throughout Germany (as in most parts of Europe now) smoking within enclosed public spaces is banned. There's also a restaurant and a bar, neither of which are outrageous in price, and it's possible to spend the whole evening there people watching rather than playing. A selection of blondes at the bar alone with the usual "I'm gorgeous but poor, please come and chat me up" air about them. I've no doubt one or two of them sported a price tag.
Worth it? Depends on what you're looking for. As an experience of something up market along the Monte Carlo line, definitely - for EURO 3.00 you can be part of it and soak it all up, and there's no pressure to gamble a penny. In actual fact, later in the evening you'll be hard pressed to get the opportunity to do so. For BJ as a playable game that can be exploited, of course not, waste of time. If you're a poker player looking to play at higher stakes it's probably as good as anywhere else, with the usual mix of good and not so good players. No idea what the rake is.
A quick search of the web will bring up the casino's website, with full details of what's on offer.
A note of caution if you plan to arrive at Baden-Baden by train, note that the main railway station (Hbf) is over 6KM outside of town (and not really in Baden-Baden at all). My friend and I discovered this after having walked around 2.5Km in the general direction of the Stadtmitte and stopping off for coffee somewhere. The buses do run frequently thank God!
Tschus !
PS - nobody I spoke to knew what a card shoe was? Can anyone translate this for me? "Spielenkarteshuh" ??
I made it to the casino in Baden a while back and spent a pleasant hour and a half or so there. This posted for the benefit of anyone visiting Germany who is considering a visit . . .
The casino at Baden-Baden is the one that was the inspiration for Dostoyevsky's novel "The Gamber" (he himself acknowledging he had become addicted) and the one described by Marlene Dietrich as the most beautiful casino in the world. It's been relieving the idle rich of their money for around 250 years, although nowdays it's quite happy to relieve anyone of their's who is prepared to make an effort in dressing up (strictly enforced dress code - shirt, jacket and tie at the tables) and paying the entry fee (EURO 3.00) for the priviledge of entering the table games parlours.
Well, it is - very beautiful in it's baroque splendour and finish, although quite snooty with all of the casino table and floor staff sporting black tie. Both of the main roulette tables (with huge old wheels) are staff by three croupiers and an umpire, and believe it or not they still move all of the chips around with rakes - which was quaint but everything seemed so sloooowwwwww . . . There are four other smaller roulette tables in a bank with lower table mins of just EURO 2.00 I think. Didn't seem to be any nonsense about no table mins on evens and 2-1 wagers.
Blackjack? A great shame. In this fantastic historical facade there wasn't a polished mahogany shoe which would have been in keeping, but the ubiquitous electronic-plastic one-2-six shufflemaster (which looked completely out of place). Table min was EURO 10.00, and unlike the UK insurance could be taken on a dealer ace. The Blackjack pit was very crowded, with only a minimal chance of grabbing a seat at a table later in the evening. I played flat bet table mins for ten minutes or so earlier on and walked away when slightly up. Lot's of back betting going on and players back-betting each other's doubling opportunities, which I was told was quite common practice there. Some addicted regulars there at the time throwing some serious money across the felt despite it being a crappy game.
I think there was also a three-card poker table there but it wasn't open. Didn't see the bacarrat table at all, and I wonder whether they have binned it for low usage (although the EURO 50.00 minimum would probably have contributed to this). All of the poker tables were packed, with a queue of punters waiting for the opportunity to grab a free seat. As it was Saturday night there was also a poker tournament underway with over 100 participants.
The casino has a smokers lounge within it - don't know how they got an exemption for that, as throughout Germany (as in most parts of Europe now) smoking within enclosed public spaces is banned. There's also a restaurant and a bar, neither of which are outrageous in price, and it's possible to spend the whole evening there people watching rather than playing. A selection of blondes at the bar alone with the usual "I'm gorgeous but poor, please come and chat me up" air about them. I've no doubt one or two of them sported a price tag.
Worth it? Depends on what you're looking for. As an experience of something up market along the Monte Carlo line, definitely - for EURO 3.00 you can be part of it and soak it all up, and there's no pressure to gamble a penny. In actual fact, later in the evening you'll be hard pressed to get the opportunity to do so. For BJ as a playable game that can be exploited, of course not, waste of time. If you're a poker player looking to play at higher stakes it's probably as good as anywhere else, with the usual mix of good and not so good players. No idea what the rake is.
A quick search of the web will bring up the casino's website, with full details of what's on offer.
A note of caution if you plan to arrive at Baden-Baden by train, note that the main railway station (Hbf) is over 6KM outside of town (and not really in Baden-Baden at all). My friend and I discovered this after having walked around 2.5Km in the general direction of the Stadtmitte and stopping off for coffee somewhere. The buses do run frequently thank God!
Tschus !
PS - nobody I spoke to knew what a card shoe was? Can anyone translate this for me? "Spielenkarteshuh" ??
HarryKuntz
Well-Known Member
Newb99,
You seem to be attracted to casinos that only use CSM's and have a problem finding a beatable game. Remind me not to check out a new casino with you, as you seem to be jinxed! I really hope you didn't make a special journey all the way to Germany to play BJ at this casino and if you did, I hope the blondes and the ambience was worth it!
You've said on other posts that you think the UK ENHC games are unbeatable, yet you only ever seem to be playing against a CSM, so I'm confused on how you came to that conclusion. Have you had the opportunity to play a shoe game recently? (not including your practise table at home) Your bankroll must be diminishing fast on wasted trips!
Next time, I would suggest telephoning ahead and getting the full SP before you leave home. Most casinos will tell you the rules, if they have CSMs, shoe games or both, side games offered such as insurance, etc. etc. All you need to do is ask.
You seem to be attracted to casinos that only use CSM's and have a problem finding a beatable game. Remind me not to check out a new casino with you, as you seem to be jinxed! I really hope you didn't make a special journey all the way to Germany to play BJ at this casino and if you did, I hope the blondes and the ambience was worth it!
You've said on other posts that you think the UK ENHC games are unbeatable, yet you only ever seem to be playing against a CSM, so I'm confused on how you came to that conclusion. Have you had the opportunity to play a shoe game recently? (not including your practise table at home) Your bankroll must be diminishing fast on wasted trips!
Next time, I would suggest telephoning ahead and getting the full SP before you leave home. Most casinos will tell you the rules, if they have CSMs, shoe games or both, side games offered such as insurance, etc. etc. All you need to do is ask.
nightspirit
Well-Known Member
Nice trip report newb99! I have never played in Baden-Baden but I heard it's one of the nicest casino in Europe like you described.
Yes, Spielkartenschuh or Kartenschlitten (card ski).
I do understand that a lot of people don't know what it is as most casinos are using CSM's here. :whip:
Yes, Spielkartenschuh or Kartenschlitten (card ski).
I do understand that a lot of people don't know what it is as most casinos are using CSM's here. :whip:
UK-21
Well-Known Member
No, I think you've got me wrong Harry. Wouldn't make a habit of playing CSMs and in fact the 10 minutes or so I played one at this place was my first time ever. For me this was just an excuse for a weekend in Germany and I decided on Baden-Baden as I'd never been there before - I was planning to go to Karsruhe but as Baden was closer to the airport, and I could include a visit to the oldest casino in Europe, that clinched it. A welcome change from what's available locally.
My interest in whether CSMs are beatable? Well within a very short time it was clear that there was some latency in the recycling of the cards, and so in theory it appeared that a player advantageous edge would occur at somestage. I'm certainly not going to spend any money on proving it one way or the other. CSMs will be purely for social reasons and only if there's nothing better on offer.
No, when I go to play it's strictly shoe dealt games only. No point playing anything else. So far overall I'm slightly up on the deal.
Regards,
Newb99
HarryKuntz
Well-Known Member
I was getting more at your bad luck for hitting new casinos that only use CSM's, I didn't think you would intentionally play them. Didn't you recently have a simular experience in London visiting a casino that only used them?
Nice report on Baden Baden by the way, I was almost tempted to go just for the blondes! :laugh: