[This is part 2 of my post-hoc attempt to catalogue my first trip to Vegas. Part 1 can be read (Dead link: http://www.cardcounter.com/main.pl?frames;read=3596) _HERE_. To sum up, your narrator (newbie counter grad student) and his ragged band of mates: Special K (another newbie counter), KG (drunken buffoon), Ponce (fun-loving basic strategy player and Supplier of the Transportation), and Baumer (would-be rock-star, truculent genius) are sleeping off their first day in Vegas.
Mon 2 pm
BAC: 0.00 (but caffeine level climbing)
Bankroll: +8 units
Special K leans over from his seat and whispers in a falsetto, "Housekeeping!" I nearly spit my coffee (cream/sugar) onto the nice felt of the BJ table. Instead it goes up my nose. The last one (me) to turn in last night (and by last night I mean 5:30 am) forgot to hang the Do Not Disturb sign on the knob, and accordingly our much-needed REM was destroyed semi-hourly from 9 am on by knocks and muffled requests by hotel staff to clean our room.
We are in my new favorite of the lower strip mega resorts. It isn't the newest, or the ritziest, but the Egyptian theme and the $5 mins on the tables fit my style. The conditions (6D, H17, LSR, 2 decks off) aren't fantastic, but the number of cheap tables allowed for some convenient wonging. Special K and I camped out and back-counted some tables, covering by explaining the game to Baumer, and when the count gets to at least +2, one of us sat down and bets 1-2 units. If he stays for a while, the count must be staying high, so the other will sit down and bet 20-25 per. If the count drops, we leave. We are on our second shoe, and losing though not badly.
This morning (and by morning I mean 1 pm) we had wandered through the solidly nice and gigantic mega resort with the giant lion out front. Good games there, with decent pen, but we didn't play more than an occasional wonged hand. Then across the strip to the medieval castle, which is showing its age. It looked and felt like a Disneyland attraction that was in some sort of labor dispute with the cleaning and maintenance staff. We left quickly and crossed the raised walkway to this gleaming, black Jewel of the Nile.
I'd heard that the elevators in this place are fun, as they move laterally, and tried to get into the elevator lobby. I went with the "I am a hotel guest, but lost my key" ploy, but they were on to that. I then came clean: "I really want to ride on the elevator. I can leave my ID with you, or something." I was told that only hotel guests go on the elevators since 9/11, danger of terrorist attacks and all. I laughed at the arrogance of this place that thinks just because they have the world's brightest spotlight, they are somehow on a level with Manhattan or the Golden Gate Bridge. Then I realized, were I an Islamic terrorist, the place in the US I would most like to blow up is Las Vegas. Baumer pointed out that he was no terrorist, and he kinda wanted to blow the place up anyway. We left.
KG and Ponce were playing tourist at NYNY and waiting in line to climb the rock wall. Special K, Baumer and I had left that horrid place (all the tackiness of a mall and not much good blackjack) seeking warmer climes. We still had an hour before we were to meet them at Santiago (the car), so the three of us ventured over to the classic tackiness of the tropical-themed resort across the Strip. Ugh, that place was awful. Luring the tourists in with rip-off promotions and lots of noise, the table conditions were average. We left, and dropped in at the quiet off-Strip joint next door since it was on the way to the parking lot Santiago rested in. I instantly wished we had more time: this place had one of the only S17 shoe games I'd seen, with LSR, and I watched as the old dealer put the cut card less than 50 cards from the bottom. I wiped the drool off the side of my mouth and left, vowing to return next trip.
Mon 8:30 pm
BAC: 0.05
Bankroll: -2 units
Downtown is everything I had imagined and more. I loved the pedestrian feel, the casinos opening straight onto the causeway, the overweight middle-aged crowds, the integration of porn directly into the casino lights. I should note that the sex industry in Vegas blew me away, figuratively speaking. I thought that, with the corporate and family-friendly influence in the last 20 years, the sex industry would have receded in Vegas to back rooms, rumors and the like. Instead, the naked-women theme has divided into a varied spectrum: On one end, the straight-forward pay-women-to-have-sex-with-you variety is still vibrant and visible. Flyers for prostitutes are everywhere, and virtually every piece of litter on the street features women w/ gigantic bozongas. Next, the strip clubs are not directly on the Strip, but nice men with carts offer free convenient rides to the clubs. Finally, the Strip itself has the new showgirl thing. From what I can tell, these are simply strip clubs that cost more and have better choreography. MGM, for instance, had billboards showing naked women with the tagline "the artistry of the nude." Okay, whatever. I think the term "artistry" can be equally applied to the woman in front of the strip club in downtown who promised me some show involving ping-pong balls.
We had left a terrific SD game right on Fremont Street at which I had dropped about 10 units. I would return later to that one, but for now we had heard that the best value for your buffet dollar was to be had at Main Street Station. This proved true. Stomachs full, we cruised the downtown joints for good single deck. Jackie Gaughan's properties, though they reminded me strongly of Reno/Sparks, offered some good games, and we spend a lot of time inspecting cigarette burns in the stained felt of these well known haunts.
Tues 6 am
BAC: 0.25
Bankroll: +6 units
I totter out of what must be the nicest downtown casino. KG and Baumer are long gone and probably sound asleep. Ponce drunkenly stares at the brightening sky and asks what day it is. Special K and I are drunk, but aware enough to have ditched the fantastic SD game at that last place. I had wanted to stay until I got dealt two queens of hearts in the shoe game, but in the SD game SK had just split 10s against a 6 at a +11 count, max bet out. The dealer loved it and we all whooped it up as he got an ace and a nine. The critter seemed unperturbed at first, but picked up the phone a minute later. Time to go.
The night had been rocky. Won solidly at three or four SD games, and blew it all on $2 craps w/ 10x odds. Then won some more on SD. Then blew it on another good craps game. I wish I didn't like craps so much, but its so social, and I love not having to be vigilant all the time. I wish I had more experience at 2D, since there's a lot of it. Next time.
Special K wanted to return to the Jackie Gaughan place on Fremont just off the Fremont Experience, and since the shift had changed, I thought it was safe to go back. Last time, I was sitting at a full table, getting 2 hands to 7 spots, with me playing two of them. To my left, three young asian college students drank and bet fairly low. I was helping them w/ basic strategy and they were appreciative and fun. To my right sat two young women: one drunk, annoying, and awful, and the other sweet and new to the game. The game proceeded fairly well, and I was spreading from $4 (the min w/ 2 hands) to $25 (call out "checks play" but no one cared).
First hand of a deck, the low cards pour out. The sweet girl asks for advice against the dealer 3, and the awful girl tells her to hit her A-4. She gets another Ace. Awful girl tells her to stick, and I groan internally. I hit my low hands and stick. The first young asian kid has a 12 and doesn't know what to do. His friend suggests hitting, and he does, and gets a 9. He's psyched. The awful woman groans aloud. The dealer shows 13, and draws a 7. The woman mutters, "f__king hit against a 13. Stupid a__hole." I can't stand this. I lean over and tell her that the kid made the right basic strategy play (okay, so the TC says stay, but there's a principle at stake here), and she actually told her friend to stand on a 6. She insists her friend had a hard 13. I sigh and push out my two max bets. Cards come down and I have a soft 19 and two 2s against the dealer 4. I split my 2s, and the awful girl goes nuts. "Split 2s! That's nuts! You're gonna f__k up the deck!" I get a 9 then a king on the first, then another nine and a ten on the second. The asian kids cheer and the awful girl looks pissed. I stare at her. The dealer busts, and I collect my $75.
Suddenly I realize that the pit was paying close attention. In my glee at showing up the floppie to the right, I hadn't been very subtle. To my horror, she stopped the dealer from collecting the cards and fanned the discards from the first hand. She stared at me and then walked away without a word. Special K gaped from across the pit. I immediately picked up my chips and walked away, imagining all sorts of things I wanted to say to the awful girl.
The sun was shining brightly by the time we left the Sweaty Spaniard for the 2nd time. I was down to even again, but with no heat and happy at the adventures of earlier. I felt like a real counter. The cab ride to the hotel was quick, and I closed my eyes and smiled. Tomorrow would be a day of farewells and driving. Baumer was off to play a show with his band in LA, Special K was flying back, and KG, Ponce and I were taking the overland route. As we pulled into the valet circle of our hotel, I congratulated Vegas for being all that I expected and more. I thought about KG shouting "who here wants some C*CK" to the women at the hotel pool and almost getting thrown out. I thought about Baumer's ridiculous Bugsy suit that he almost wore. I thought about the dealer who told us to spread with abandon - no one would care at our level of action. I thought about all the future trips that I will inevitably make and the stories those trips will generate.
Then I thought about my fiancé and my apartment. Okay, maybe there IS more to life than Vegas, but man, for a desert oasis, it sure is somethin'.
Final tallies:
Bankroll: -6 units (-10 on craps, +4 on BJ)
Free drinks: 13 (8 beers, 3 g&t's, 2 bailey's and coffee)
Good times: Had by all.
Running Count
Mon 2 pm
BAC: 0.00 (but caffeine level climbing)
Bankroll: +8 units
Special K leans over from his seat and whispers in a falsetto, "Housekeeping!" I nearly spit my coffee (cream/sugar) onto the nice felt of the BJ table. Instead it goes up my nose. The last one (me) to turn in last night (and by last night I mean 5:30 am) forgot to hang the Do Not Disturb sign on the knob, and accordingly our much-needed REM was destroyed semi-hourly from 9 am on by knocks and muffled requests by hotel staff to clean our room.
We are in my new favorite of the lower strip mega resorts. It isn't the newest, or the ritziest, but the Egyptian theme and the $5 mins on the tables fit my style. The conditions (6D, H17, LSR, 2 decks off) aren't fantastic, but the number of cheap tables allowed for some convenient wonging. Special K and I camped out and back-counted some tables, covering by explaining the game to Baumer, and when the count gets to at least +2, one of us sat down and bets 1-2 units. If he stays for a while, the count must be staying high, so the other will sit down and bet 20-25 per. If the count drops, we leave. We are on our second shoe, and losing though not badly.
This morning (and by morning I mean 1 pm) we had wandered through the solidly nice and gigantic mega resort with the giant lion out front. Good games there, with decent pen, but we didn't play more than an occasional wonged hand. Then across the strip to the medieval castle, which is showing its age. It looked and felt like a Disneyland attraction that was in some sort of labor dispute with the cleaning and maintenance staff. We left quickly and crossed the raised walkway to this gleaming, black Jewel of the Nile.
I'd heard that the elevators in this place are fun, as they move laterally, and tried to get into the elevator lobby. I went with the "I am a hotel guest, but lost my key" ploy, but they were on to that. I then came clean: "I really want to ride on the elevator. I can leave my ID with you, or something." I was told that only hotel guests go on the elevators since 9/11, danger of terrorist attacks and all. I laughed at the arrogance of this place that thinks just because they have the world's brightest spotlight, they are somehow on a level with Manhattan or the Golden Gate Bridge. Then I realized, were I an Islamic terrorist, the place in the US I would most like to blow up is Las Vegas. Baumer pointed out that he was no terrorist, and he kinda wanted to blow the place up anyway. We left.
KG and Ponce were playing tourist at NYNY and waiting in line to climb the rock wall. Special K, Baumer and I had left that horrid place (all the tackiness of a mall and not much good blackjack) seeking warmer climes. We still had an hour before we were to meet them at Santiago (the car), so the three of us ventured over to the classic tackiness of the tropical-themed resort across the Strip. Ugh, that place was awful. Luring the tourists in with rip-off promotions and lots of noise, the table conditions were average. We left, and dropped in at the quiet off-Strip joint next door since it was on the way to the parking lot Santiago rested in. I instantly wished we had more time: this place had one of the only S17 shoe games I'd seen, with LSR, and I watched as the old dealer put the cut card less than 50 cards from the bottom. I wiped the drool off the side of my mouth and left, vowing to return next trip.
Mon 8:30 pm
BAC: 0.05
Bankroll: -2 units
Downtown is everything I had imagined and more. I loved the pedestrian feel, the casinos opening straight onto the causeway, the overweight middle-aged crowds, the integration of porn directly into the casino lights. I should note that the sex industry in Vegas blew me away, figuratively speaking. I thought that, with the corporate and family-friendly influence in the last 20 years, the sex industry would have receded in Vegas to back rooms, rumors and the like. Instead, the naked-women theme has divided into a varied spectrum: On one end, the straight-forward pay-women-to-have-sex-with-you variety is still vibrant and visible. Flyers for prostitutes are everywhere, and virtually every piece of litter on the street features women w/ gigantic bozongas. Next, the strip clubs are not directly on the Strip, but nice men with carts offer free convenient rides to the clubs. Finally, the Strip itself has the new showgirl thing. From what I can tell, these are simply strip clubs that cost more and have better choreography. MGM, for instance, had billboards showing naked women with the tagline "the artistry of the nude." Okay, whatever. I think the term "artistry" can be equally applied to the woman in front of the strip club in downtown who promised me some show involving ping-pong balls.
We had left a terrific SD game right on Fremont Street at which I had dropped about 10 units. I would return later to that one, but for now we had heard that the best value for your buffet dollar was to be had at Main Street Station. This proved true. Stomachs full, we cruised the downtown joints for good single deck. Jackie Gaughan's properties, though they reminded me strongly of Reno/Sparks, offered some good games, and we spend a lot of time inspecting cigarette burns in the stained felt of these well known haunts.
Tues 6 am
BAC: 0.25
Bankroll: +6 units
I totter out of what must be the nicest downtown casino. KG and Baumer are long gone and probably sound asleep. Ponce drunkenly stares at the brightening sky and asks what day it is. Special K and I are drunk, but aware enough to have ditched the fantastic SD game at that last place. I had wanted to stay until I got dealt two queens of hearts in the shoe game, but in the SD game SK had just split 10s against a 6 at a +11 count, max bet out. The dealer loved it and we all whooped it up as he got an ace and a nine. The critter seemed unperturbed at first, but picked up the phone a minute later. Time to go.
The night had been rocky. Won solidly at three or four SD games, and blew it all on $2 craps w/ 10x odds. Then won some more on SD. Then blew it on another good craps game. I wish I didn't like craps so much, but its so social, and I love not having to be vigilant all the time. I wish I had more experience at 2D, since there's a lot of it. Next time.
Special K wanted to return to the Jackie Gaughan place on Fremont just off the Fremont Experience, and since the shift had changed, I thought it was safe to go back. Last time, I was sitting at a full table, getting 2 hands to 7 spots, with me playing two of them. To my left, three young asian college students drank and bet fairly low. I was helping them w/ basic strategy and they were appreciative and fun. To my right sat two young women: one drunk, annoying, and awful, and the other sweet and new to the game. The game proceeded fairly well, and I was spreading from $4 (the min w/ 2 hands) to $25 (call out "checks play" but no one cared).
First hand of a deck, the low cards pour out. The sweet girl asks for advice against the dealer 3, and the awful girl tells her to hit her A-4. She gets another Ace. Awful girl tells her to stick, and I groan internally. I hit my low hands and stick. The first young asian kid has a 12 and doesn't know what to do. His friend suggests hitting, and he does, and gets a 9. He's psyched. The awful woman groans aloud. The dealer shows 13, and draws a 7. The woman mutters, "f__king hit against a 13. Stupid a__hole." I can't stand this. I lean over and tell her that the kid made the right basic strategy play (okay, so the TC says stay, but there's a principle at stake here), and she actually told her friend to stand on a 6. She insists her friend had a hard 13. I sigh and push out my two max bets. Cards come down and I have a soft 19 and two 2s against the dealer 4. I split my 2s, and the awful girl goes nuts. "Split 2s! That's nuts! You're gonna f__k up the deck!" I get a 9 then a king on the first, then another nine and a ten on the second. The asian kids cheer and the awful girl looks pissed. I stare at her. The dealer busts, and I collect my $75.
Suddenly I realize that the pit was paying close attention. In my glee at showing up the floppie to the right, I hadn't been very subtle. To my horror, she stopped the dealer from collecting the cards and fanned the discards from the first hand. She stared at me and then walked away without a word. Special K gaped from across the pit. I immediately picked up my chips and walked away, imagining all sorts of things I wanted to say to the awful girl.
The sun was shining brightly by the time we left the Sweaty Spaniard for the 2nd time. I was down to even again, but with no heat and happy at the adventures of earlier. I felt like a real counter. The cab ride to the hotel was quick, and I closed my eyes and smiled. Tomorrow would be a day of farewells and driving. Baumer was off to play a show with his band in LA, Special K was flying back, and KG, Ponce and I were taking the overland route. As we pulled into the valet circle of our hotel, I congratulated Vegas for being all that I expected and more. I thought about KG shouting "who here wants some C*CK" to the women at the hotel pool and almost getting thrown out. I thought about Baumer's ridiculous Bugsy suit that he almost wore. I thought about the dealer who told us to spread with abandon - no one would care at our level of action. I thought about all the future trips that I will inevitably make and the stories those trips will generate.
Then I thought about my fiancé and my apartment. Okay, maybe there IS more to life than Vegas, but man, for a desert oasis, it sure is somethin'.
Final tallies:
Bankroll: -6 units (-10 on craps, +4 on BJ)
Free drinks: 13 (8 beers, 3 g&t's, 2 bailey's and coffee)
Good times: Had by all.
Running Count
LTC