Coug Fan: Current Reno Conditions?

[Coug Fan]

Planning a trip down that way in 3-4 weeks, and will be in town from Friday night through Monday morning. Can anyone give me recent updates on game conditions? I haven't been down there since last October. My observations from that trip were that conditions had not changed much in the past 1-2 years. Still had real SD with decent pen. High-red / low green action still made you a high-roller everywhere except the higher end joints (Fish house, Salt shaker, and 2-3 places downtown).

If anyone has good recent observations on games or the state of things in general, I would greatly appreciate it either here or via e-mail.

[bfbagain]

Pretty much the same. Your expectations are likely to be realized.

cheers
bfb

[Coug Fan]

Also, is the paranoia level still high for a spread with $60-$100 top bets?

[AutomaticMonkey]

> Also, is the paranoia level still high for a spread
> with $60-$100 top bets?

I was spreading $50-$200 with very little problem. Circle Jerkus takes it, as does the really good game outside city limits. As always, crowds are the single biggest problem in SD.

[Coug Fan]

> I was spreading $50-$200 with very little problem.
> Circle Jerkus takes it, as does the really good game
> outside city limits. As always, crowds are the single
> biggest problem in SD.

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.

Is graveyard good for avoiding crowds?

[AutomaticMonkey]

> Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.

> Is graveyard good for avoiding crowds?

It all depends. Most places manage their tables as full as possible. So you have to catch them at a time when they have fewer people than anticipated and that can happen any time. Even still, some places would rather have the dealer in back smoking a cigarette than out front not dealing or dealing to one person.

And you know it never fails; you find a nice heads-up game for yourself, and 3 minutes later everybody in the place suddenly gets interested, and you are elbow to elbow.

[Coug Fan]

> And you know it never fails; you find a nice heads-up
> game for yourself, and 3 minutes later everybody in
> the place suddenly gets interested, and you are elbow
> to elbow.

The graveyard info is consistent with my experience as well. Fewer tables, but generally still better re: crowds.

The phenomenon you mention above is extremely frustrating. I had one experience in particular where there were 3 empty tables, I picked one and started playing. Some old guy sits down next to me and starts talking politics. I voice my strong disagreement to his politics and basically it elevates to a screaming match. I finally get up and move to another (still empty) table. He follows me over and tells me that he didn't mean to offend me, etc. I finally give up, cash out and walk over by a slot machine. The guy leaves, so I sit back down. Within 2 minutes, the same guy is back with me.

I have yet to find a good, reliable way to get rid of these stalking ploppies without generating additional attention. Next time, I think I'll just ask them how much it would cost for sex. That should work especially well if its a male stalker.

[bfbagain]

> Also, is the paranoia level still high for a spread
> with $60-$100 top bets?

I don't think it's any specific bet per se. I bet a lot higher, and even places that you would think are paranoid handle it well for short periods.

That's really the key. Keep your sessions reasonably short, and you'll be able to consistently have at least a 1-4 spread without much hassle. My recommendation is 35-40 minutes at SD depending on where and how you play.

cheers
bfb

[Wildcard]

I was there in March. Played Peppermill, Atlantis, JA Nugget and Silver Legacy. Snowed every day and it was chains only over the mountain, so anything south of Peppermill didn't get a visit.

The drunks at JA disperse around 2-3AM, after that it was not difficult to get one-one green action. I struggled a time or two to understand the dealer's, but I'll attribute that to poor hearing. There is a DISTINCT difference between the dealer's at JA and Peppermill. You'll understand when you visit both places.

IMO, the best games were at JA and Peppermill. A caveat about Peppermill!! If you are there on a Sunday, beware the hours of 1-3-5PM. If you are familiar with Peppermill, the pit is nicely surrounded by large tvs that are located directly above the race-track styled pit. When the drawing begins, those nice music videos and March Madness basketball games get nuked into closed circuit tv. Then this Ryan Seacrest wannabe starts calling people down to pick a card out of this huge drum to win whatever. Think Price is Right. Problem is, the volume was so over powering, that my partner and I had to leave the casino! No joke!! The drawing thing is just TOO MUCH and will distract you at the tables. We complained to the casino manager, but to avoid the hassle, just don't go there on Sunday around those hours.

The best scenery is hands down at the Peppermill. The Atlantis was not for me. Too confusing to navigate and the game was not as good as elsewhere.

As for heat, I found none at any venue I played. And we played for a lot of hours. One oriental guy sitting next to me at Peppermill was at one time playing 4 spots with $1k cash each bet. He had a major slam at one point and had so many hundreds out there I couldn't believe it. He finally ended the show in about 20 minutes and headed to the cashier. Came back a few minutes later and tossed a black to the dealer. You know these guys, they're the ones the reach into their jacket pocket and pull out a white envelope, jammed with hundreds. By the size of his wad, I'd estimate well over $10k in that envelope. He did well, and wasn't fazed when he lost, nor won.

I found the pit at both Peppermill and Nuggett to be exceptionally pleasant and eager to please. Comps were pretty easy. Peppermill has a very good steak house and coffe shop.

Downtown looks like a neutron bomb went off. It's run down, and other than the Legacy, IMO, the place is a waste of time, regardless of the game. Maybe we hit it on national homeless day, but I did kinda feel for the guys we saw huddling in the doorway of buildings trying to get warm. Just not my cup of tea, other than visiting the Legacy. Walking through Cal Neva was depressing. I guess I just like some ambience.

Drove past Rail City, but didn't stop. I've been to the Western a few times, I suspect it's equal to, or a bit rougher than the Western in Vegas.

The weather should be ok for you, I'd suggest going down the east side of lake Tahoe, checking out the Minden area, then going over the mountain on the south side to play those venues. Then a return over Mount Rose to complete the loop. If you have time and the inclination, I've spent some time at Sugar Pine Point State Park on the western edge about half way up the lake. A nice place to take a sandwich and chill out for a bit.

I don't play a very high $$ game, I'm a green to low black player. But, I think shorter sessions of perhaps an hour or so max and move on would be in order. Again, I felt no heat from the pit, and as a 3rd base player, they would sometimes come and stand there for a few minutes. I'd just increase the bet a bit and play on. I tend to be more of a casino hugger and have enjoyed good success with little or no heat whatsoever.

Can't say too much about the Legacy, was only there about an hour.

GL on your trip. Enjoy the Peppermill! ;-)

[AutomaticMonkey]

> ...As for heat, I found none at any venue I played. And
> we played for a lot of hours. One oriental guy sitting
> next to me at Peppermill was at one time playing 4
> spots with $1k cash each bet...

How the heck did you manage to play with an advantage with 5 hands in an SD game? Unless it wasn't SD.

[Wildcard]

> How the heck did you manage to play with an advantage
> with 5 hands in an SD game? Unless it wasn't SD.

I wasn't playing when this guy was playing 4 spots, I just watched.

[Mr. X]

I haven't been there in a few years, though I intend to return soon.
A couple notes-
Besides the late Harold's Club, the only casino I've been backed off of in Reno is the Silver Legacy. It pretty much came out of nowhere. No pit heat, so the camera was watching, so beware of that. I was also backed off twice at Harrah's Tahoe, but that was many years ago, and that's it for Northern Nevada.

The Peppermill had (has?) a reputation of being very quick to bar. Even barring non-AP's who are winning with dumb luck.

Rail City/Western- LOL!

[AutomaticMonkey]

> Rail City/Western- LOL!

Rail City is just depressing, really only two SD tables, sweaty as hell. Normal people inside.

The closest I've seen to the environment outside the Western, is in AC if you walk off the Boardwalk down certain sidestreets a few blocks. You are D-E-A-D!