Vegas Super Bowl week.
Arrived on a Wednesday after several weeks of working with Skinny on trying to find out why one of my outside die is splitting. So therefore I arrive a bit apprehensive of going to the tables. It is also 7 months since being at the tables.
Got a hold of Clark and we tried to get together, but no luck! He did give me some suggestions on tables that were GTC friendly in town.
While we proceeded to get our tickets for Terry Fator (great show) and buy our tickets for Tim Allen (GREAT show) my wife and I walked up and down the strip. She played a bit at various slots and I watched the tables. One table I almost scratched the itch, but since I did not have my standing pad and I was tired from the trip, I passed. Clark commented the next day that "you have some self control for not playing". A few $5, many $10 tables.
Thursday my wife goes to CRS convention and I go hunting. Found one $5 but many $10 and up. Ouch!
I was still sore and tired, from traveling and work and it showed. So far, as I was throwing, I was tipping, all the dealers and box people were friendly. I missed the back wall once and immediately apologized, and the stick said we won’t tell! Two tables 6 rounds, only make 2 points!
Friday – the tables are all $10 and up and getting crowded. I found a couple, but still not seeing any good results from my throwing. 2 tables, 6 rounds, several points made. I did have a 23 roll with the help of the dealer. He saw I did not move my chips for counting and reminded me twice that I had not done so. His comment was I watch and look at what shooters do, so I don’t get bored! With the $10 tables I am not betting the way I practice at home. That is for two reasons, my shot still looks questionable and my 401G tells me otherwise. Saw the Jersey Boys, to me, good show but not great.
Saturday brings $15 and up tables. At one point when I walked through the Bellagio, all their tables but one were open, two were empty but the others were full. All were $25 with a $100 table.
At the Monte Carlo there was some openings at SL1, but the tables were at $15. I briefing talked to one young lady dealer, and she said the tables were at $10 that morning but everything went quickly to $15.
I did find a $10 table across from class and after waiting patiently, SL1 opened up after several lost all their buy in. Several come out sevens and 4 points later I felt a whole bunch better. They were watching me (at least I felt they were) but I just internally smiled. That seemed to help me the most.
Now all during this time Bman and I were trying to get together with no success. I seems that he lives close and when a job calls, he goes. I know the feeling at home. Emergencies do come up when you do repairs!
Saturday night brings Tim Allen at the Venetian. While waiting we stroll through The Wynn (found one $500 table – empty but open) and Palazzo. All busy but one curious thing at the Palazzo. Several tables were reserved and after the show we stroll back through and many were still reserved with no one present. That is over three hours the dealers and boxman are just shooting the breeze. What gives?
BTW – if you haven’t seen Tim Allen, do so. The next day my abdomen was still sore from laughing so much.
Sunday brings my special request for this trip. I haven’t been on a roller coaster since the early eighties. (When I got sick) the New York, New York was just finishing some repairs and was to open on Sunday. Well, they actually opened a day early. But we were third and fourth in line behind a couple from Australia, and off we went. Well I didn’t get sick and a great ride.
A hour and a half later I tried to throw on a table that was just opening up after a craps class. I could barely pick up the dice. I guess the roller coaster had fun with my insides that I did not realize. This continued later on during the Super Bowl at two more tables.
Finally I think a good meal and time finally worked, as several come out sevens and many points I had some good results!
But trips must end and we start to prepare to go home. Print a boarding pass and WHAT our flight hasn’t been delayed BUT canceled and rebooked for Tuesday. I hope I haven’t received the Frank flying jinx. Can’t stay where we are at, so we search. WOW, even the desk clerk at Harrah’s was amazed at the low rate we got but we stay in Vegas for another day.
Well this brings a bonus day, so off downtown we go. It has been MANY years since we have been downtown, but even the day after Super Bowl things are busy, with many of the tables crowded. Clark’s favorite place was at $5 but a lady was at SL1.5 for a long time and was not moving.
Back to the strip, and a very good special steak dinner at Planet Hollywood and back to the hotel.
But wait SL1 is available at a table I like (Clark also). I roll a 35 and while waiting for my second roll two gentlemen show up at SR1 and SL2. SL2 sakes are you counting and SR1 throws a VERY soft beautiful throw.
Well, well, well. Bman (and the shoes) and The Griz found me. They proceed to roll in the mid teens and then short rolls. I had my third seven and color up, and we go off and talk a bit.
BTW, I think we should give Bman a new name in GTC. MB Bman. Mario Batali. The way Bman was talking about cooking and food, I got hungry, big time.
Even though it was for a very short time, I give a big thanks to The Griz and Bman. It was nice to see others in action at a table. Bman’s shot was so very soft with very little bounce. NICE. I could not get a good look at The Griz’s shot as I stood back to get him closer to SL1.
Well, ended up the trip down $21. Considering how I thought my shot looked like, if I had not used the 3 sevens and out plan, and considering the table limits, my limited betting, things should have been a lot worse.
Oh, we get to the airport the next morning and were told that they had booked us on a flight yesterday (never let us know), so they don’t have a flight today for us. The clerk is gracious, and does what she has to do and gets us on a flight later that day and on standby on earlier flights. We end up getting on the first flight and getting home at the time we were supposed to, just a day late.
Thanks everyone, until next trip. Memphis!
Replies:
Posted by: The Contractor on February 15, 2013, 7:04 am
Very nice report. Playing only when the conditions are right is half the battle, I think. Learning to wait for those conditions took me a while because I don’t get to the casino’s much and when I do I want to play. Now when the conditions aren’t right, I’ll wait a while or just walk away. Although, if you spoke to a few GTCers I’ve played with they would tell you I still have to work on my patience 😀 .
I wanted to respond to your question about the reserved tables. I was talking to a Pitt Boss at Bellagio about those reserved tables that sit and sit and sit. He told me that those tables, at least there, are reserved for Whales. He went on to tell me that they will keep a table on reserve even if the whale is not staying at their property. If by chance he comes into their place they want to be ready for him. I said isn’t that kind of crazy to pay staff to just stand there for sometimes days? Plus, you lose the revenue you could generate from other play. He just looked at me and smiled and said if the whale is ever here, at the reserved table, check out how much he has out on the tables and then tell me its crazy. Well, the next night at Bellagio I was playing craps and I saw someone sitting at the end of the reserved table. His money in his rack ebbed and flowed between 3.5 & 6 million. On each toss of the dice he had a minimum of 100 grand out on the table and on most tosses much more. He only had $25,000 chips in his rack. I watched him play from my table for about an hour and then lost interest in a random roller throwing that kind of money around. Although, who am I to tell anyone how to spend their money? 😀 . A couple hours later, I walked by his table and he had less than $500,000 left. Guess the Pitt Boss was right 😀 . One last thing, I agree, don’t talk to Bman if you’re hungry 😀
The Contractor
Posted by: The Griz on February 16, 2013, 2:18 am
Always good to have a few GTC’rs at the table, eh?
My flight was cancelled the next morning but was lucky to be rebooked on another flight that got me home about the same time. Funny, 60’s and sunny but our planes could not get to LAS…
It was a fun trip but not for an advantage player… like a weekend but on steroids… mostly drunk guys and high table minimums. Host wanted to know why I did not play much, I told him "look around, see a spot on that table?"
Contractor- I also watched a rich fool toss his money away on a $500 table @ the Fountain place… could not stand to watch that train wreck… a fool and his money is, well you know…!
OK, Checked that OFF my bucket list! (Super Bowl in Vegas)
now… will concentrate on return trips mid-week with smaller crowds!
Great hanging with Bman, found a couple new spots to play that I had not thought about before.
back to the practice rig…
Posted by: Dominator on February 18, 2013, 11:36 pm
Dominator
