Planning a trip (assault?) on Laughlin in a few months. Planning on getting my ducks in a row since it will be different rules than my "normal" game. Can anyone give me the 'standard' rules for Laughlin. I seem to remember rather limited doubling rules (like 10 and 11 only on first two cards and NDAS) but am not sure. Anyone got info out there? Any Harrah's input?
I know the Nugget Laughlin plays standard Vegas Strip rules (DAS and double any first two cards) with DD.
Thanks in advance.
Laughlin is pretty sweaty for any action above a couple reds. It is really a low roller town.
Harrahs is probably the best place to play, they won't sweat big red action.
As far as rules go, the shoes are H17, DAS. The single decks at most places use Reno rules if they have 3:2 single deck. Several places now have 6:5 single deck. The double decks are usually cut at 50%.
Laughlin conditions have deteriorated as of late. It used to be a good place to find a low min single deck game, but 6:5 has taken over. About the only places still offering "real" (3:2 BJ payout) single deck are the Golden Nugget and the Riverside. The Riverside is D10-11 only, sweats anything above red, and shuffles up on big bet jumps.
The GN is about the only place in Laughlin in which you will find DAS, even on double deck and shoe games.
Harrah's has 6:5 SD, a few double deck, and eight deck shoes, all with no DAS.
I haven't been there myself in quite a while (why should I, with conditions like these?), but this is what my (usually reliable) sources tell me.
The evidence is weak, but watch for shuffle ups if you more than double your last bet...
Barry Meadow encountered that when visiting the Avi Casino as detailed in Blackjack Autumn (of course that was 6 years ago). Also, I believe on S Kister's page he mentions another Laughlin casino (the Nugget?) shuffling when the previous bet was tripled...
I visited there before I began playing so I can't share anything firsthand about blackjack. But it is an interesting place for a couple of days stay, and to someone from the semi-desert that is S. Cal, a major river is a wonderment.
The place has become a real waste of time. It used to have potential, but they have gotten really paranoid over the last few months. Unless someone has a gun to your head I would avoid the town altogther. There is a much better chance for making money in Vegas.
HJ
Thanks for the information. I agree that Vegas is a better venue to play BJ, no doubt. But Laughlin is where I am headed, so I thought I would bone up on the rules so I can formulate my basic strategy and indices.
The GN Laughlin seemed very tolerant during my last trip there (in 2004) and so did Harrah's. Both tolerated green action without any problems. I hope that hasn't changed, but from some of the reports coming in, it may have. Since there seems to be a dearth of absolute information about Laughlin here, perhaps I need to take it upon myself to catalogue what is going down here and report back to the troops the situation we are facing. If I can manage to remember the info by the time I get back to my room, I will write it down and report back. Although, I'm lucky to remember how much money is in my pocket or what my room number is, so remembering the situations could be challenging to me.
Thanks again. Any other input will be helpful, so don't close down the thread just because I replied back. If you have info to share, then please do. I was looking forward to Laughlin Marauder's report since he seems to be based there. This is the only place I absolutley without a doubt ran into another counter, so I'm wondering if I will again.
The Nugget has tightened up. When they came under new ownership (by Barrick... same people that own downtown vegas). They shut down a lot of their tables and became less tolerant.
The last thing you want to do is get pegged at the Laughlin Nugget and end up not being welcome at the Plaza or Vegas Club.
> Thanks for the information. I agree that Vegas is a
> better venue to play BJ, no doubt. But Laughlin is
> where I am headed, so I thought I would bone up on the
> rules so I can formulate my basic strategy and
> indices.
> The GN Laughlin seemed very tolerant during my last
> trip there (in 2004) and so did Harrah's. Both
> tolerated green action without any problems. I hope
> that hasn't changed, but from some of the reports
> coming in, it may have. Since there seems to be a
> dearth of absolute information about Laughlin here,
> perhaps I need to take it upon myself to catalogue
> what is going down here and report back to the troops
> the situation we are facing. If I can manage to
> remember the info by the time I get back to my room, I
> will write it down and report back. Although, I'm
> lucky to remember how much money is in my pocket or
> what my room number is, so remembering the situations
> could be challenging to me.
> Thanks again. Any other input will be helpful, so
> don't close down the thread just because I replied
> back. If you have info to share, then please do. I was
> looking forward to Laughlin Marauder's report since he
> seems to be based there. This is the only place I
> absolutley without a doubt ran into another counter,
> so I'm wondering if I will again.
SOrry for the very late reply. Although the moniker says Laughlin I am now back in So Cal. I have made a few visits to Laughlin in the last 8 months and things seem to have gotten pretty bad. Riverside's SD is now unplayable before 1 AM as there are too many players and therefore not enough rounds. The Gold Nugget is under new onwership and management and as has been reported is a good game that is unplayable if they even think you have a clue.
River Palms, Edgewater, Ramada Express and Avi are hit and miss - but the rules in all of Laughlin are TERRIBLE.. to win you must have a good act, and spread LARGE. By Large I mean 1 - 10 or better on DD and the 6 decks are only playable if you are backcounting a shoe that was cut really deep. To win in Laughlin you pretty much have to live there.... You have to know which dealers cut deep, or will shuffle deeper in to Pitch games. And which dealers will call out checks play, and which ones wont, which ones will hustle you for tokes etc.... Laughlin is a tough town for the short stay counter to win at. Vegas is still the better option and only 90 minutes away. Also Laughlin is the poor mans version of Reno - Expect to get the entire floor on you if you are play green as more than likely you will be one of a very very few in the casino that are playing that color.
Here is a quick hint at how to beat Riversides 3X previous bet and shuffle rule:
1st make sure its late at night on a weeknight (by late I mean midnight at the earliest).
2nd play red
3rd look for a dealer who seems to be consistently dealing deep as in 40+ every time.
4th find a table that is either empty or no more than 1 player.
5th engage the dealer in small talk.... talk about bullhead, as that is where most of them live.
6th The initial deal on a newly shuffled deck. bet 3 times your normal bet at counts of 0.... if the count goes down you can lower your bet as normal... however if say the count gets good you can go up to 2.5 times your previous bet without the automatic shuffle. and if the count stays up repeat... essentially this system "can" get you to a 1-12 spread on a single deck game that you cased the dealer on and could very easily get in hundreds of hands per hour for a couple hours. even with lousy rules on SD a spread that large can produce very nice results if you chose a dealer foolish enough to deal 80+% of the deck to you (they are there). Be advised that with this type of spread and betting scheme Variance will be high (which is good in my oppinion). The good thing about this system is that the pit at the riverside is so dumb they will think you are just another one of the degenerates from Bullhead playing a strange hunch/progression system.
I have forgotten the SCORE for playing the Riverside SD this way but I know it was around 250+ But again it took me a month of looking/tickling around the casinos to find out which dealers did what and how. Again though.... most travelling players dont have the time nor inclanation to do this much intelligence work beforehand.
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