JoeBlack: SD County

[JoeBlack]

What are your picks for best playble games for light green or below in SD County?

[Parker]

> What are your picks for best playble games
> for light green or below in SD County?

Sadly, San Diego County is not yet Las Vegas. Or Reno. Or even Laughlin.

Or even Mesquite. Primm, maybe.

AT this writing, there are no games in any of the local casinos that I would call good, let alone great. The best we can hope for is playable.

Believe it or not, some of the most playable games right now, expecially for low rollers, are the shoe games at Golden Acorn. They have recently gotten rid of their CSM's, and there are always $5 min 6D S17 DOA DAS shoes, with pen running around 75%. There is often even a $3 min table, but this is usually crowded. These are now the only S17 games left in the county.

Due to its remote location, Golden Acorn is also consistently the least crowded of the local casinos.

Golden Acorn is also the only place where it is possible to find double deck with less than $25 min. At least one of the two tables is usually $10. Rules are same as the shoes except for H17. Sadly, poor penetration (50%) has made these games unplayable as of late.

The following are not worth the drive. due to bad rules, poor pen, crowded conditions, or a combination of these factors: Sycuan, Viejas, Harrah's, Pauma, Pechanga, Valley View.

It is sometimes possible to find a marginally playable game at Pala during off-peak hours. The 6D shoes, which are H17 but allow surrender, are worth a look. Occasionally one of the double deck tables will actually be dropped to $25 min on weekday days. Pen is usually a borderline 60%. No surrender on the DD games, and watch out for the fake DD that is right next to the real DD table in the main pit.

Barona has good rules (H17 DOA DAS LS) but pen is variable and it is often crowded. The most consistent game here is the double deck, usually $25 min and lately around 65% pen. The shoe games are worth a look when they are open (usually only on weekends).

The Barona single deck is tempting, but the table in the main pit is usually crowded, $50 min, and they only deal two rounds if there are more than two players.

So, there are some playable games, but your best bet is still a quick getaway to Las Vegas or Laughlin.

[JoeBlack]

Went to Golden Acorn today. It was a welcome change to the other San Diego County games with low limits and uncrowded tables.

The $10 2 deck ranged from 50-60% penetration and the $5 6 deck had 1.25 to 1.5 cutoff.

Really enjoyed myself and they comped dinner and provided free slot money since I was from over 100 miles travel distance.

Thanks for the report.

> Sadly, San Diego County is not yet Las
> Vegas. Or Reno. Or even Laughlin.

> Or even Mesquite. Primm, maybe.

> AT this writing, there are no games in any
> of the local casinos that I would call good,
> let alone great. The best we can hope for is
> playable.

> Believe it or not, some of the most playable
> games right now, expecially for low rollers,
> are the shoe games at Golden Acorn. They
> have recently gotten rid of their CSM's, and
> there are always $5 min 6D S17 DOA DAS
> shoes, with pen running around 75%. There is
> often even a $3 min table, but this is
> usually crowded. These are now the only S17
> games left in the county.

> Due to its remote location, Golden Acorn is
> also consistently the least crowded of the
> local casinos.

> Golden Acorn is also the only place where it
> is possible to find double deck with less
> than $25 min. At least one of the two tables
> is usually $10. Rules are same as the shoes
> except for H17. Sadly, poor penetration
> (50%) has made these games unplayable as of
> late.

> The following are not worth the drive. due
> to bad rules, poor pen, crowded conditions,
> or a combination of these factors: Sycuan,
> Viejas, Harrah's, Pauma, Pechanga, Valley
> View.

> It is sometimes possible to find a
> marginally playable game at Pala during
> off-peak hours. The 6D shoes, which are H17
> but allow surrender, are worth a look.
> Occasionally one of the double deck tables
> will actually be dropped to $25 min on
> weekday days. Pen is usually a borderline
> 60%. No surrender on the DD games, and watch
> out for the fake DD that is right next to
> the real DD table in the main pit.

> Barona has good rules (H17 DOA DAS LS) but
> pen is variable and it is often crowded. The
> most consistent game here is the double
> deck, usually $25 min and lately around 65%
> pen. The shoe games are worth a look when
> they are open (usually only on weekends).

> The Barona single deck is tempting, but the
> table in the main pit is usually crowded,
> $50 min, and they only deal two rounds if
> there are more than two players.

> So, there are some playable games, but your
> best bet is still a quick getaway to Las
> Vegas or Laughlin.

[zengrifter]

At Barona 2D, I find it very easy to exit neg-counts at crowded tables, w/o actually leaving the table (except for a moment). I also see dealers forget to burn the first card after shuffle frequently - when that happens check your hands and if they stink say "aren't you supposed to burn a card?" - the floorperson will do the rest. zg

> Went to Golden Acorn today. It was a welcome
> change to the other San Diego County games
> with low limits and uncrowded tables.

> The $10 2 deck ranged from 50-60%
> penetration and the $5 6 deck had 1.25 to
> 1.5 cutoff.

> Really enjoyed myself and they comped dinner
> and provided free slot money since I was
> from over 100 miles travel distance.

> Thanks for the report.

[Parker]

> At Barona 2D, I find it very easy to exit
> neg-counts at crowded tables, w/o actually
> leaving the table (except for a moment). I
> also see dealers forget to burn the first
> card after shuffle frequently - when that
> happens check your hands and if they stink
> say "aren't you supposed to burn a
> card?" - the floorperson will do the
> rest. zg

What I find fascinating about Barona (and most casinos in the area) is that they will actually serve you a meal at the blackjack table. They wheel up a little TV tray sort of thingy with a table cloth on it and you can order off a menu. I usually order fried chicken. When the count is in the tank, I just happen to have chicken grease all over my hands and wave off a round.

The only problem is that they have no mid-deck entry, so once you drop out, you cannot get back in until the shuffle. However, between the crowded conditions and the mediocre pen (lately), this is usually not an issue.

[zengrifter]

The greasy food is 'handy' in other ways as well. zg

> What I find fascinating about Barona (and
> most casinos in the area) is that they will
> actually serve you a meal at the blackjack
> table. They wheel up a little TV tray sort
> of thingy with a table cloth on it and you
> can order off a menu. I usually order fried
> chicken. When the count is in the tank, I
> just happen to have chicken grease all over
> my hands and wave off a round.

> The only problem is that they have no
> mid-deck entry, so once you drop out, you
> cannot get back in until the shuffle.
> However, between the crowded conditions and
> the mediocre pen (lately), this is usually
> not an issue.