Buick Riviera: In the Saddle Again

[Buick Riviera]

Hello everybody. If you are an old timer around here you may remember me from a couple of years ago. If you?re not, well, you aren?t missing much. I last was making flight reservations to LV on 9/10/01. After the events of the next day I refused to get on a plane for quite a while and then after the events put in motion by our fearless leader in early 2003 the choice was taken out of my hands. As a result, I haven?t posted here since 2003 and haven?t been to LV since 2001. But I digress.

I?m happy to report that my world is now in proper priority and the Princess and I are heading out to LV to hopefully pick up where we left off. Despite the lengthy hiatus the MSS was kind enough to extend Casino Rates on the slot play of the Princess and if nothing good ever comes of 9/11/01 I can at least say the plane tickets were cheaper than what I paid almost 4 years ago.

When I left off, CSMs where trying to get a foothold, 6/5 was being pushed on the unwary, SD was disappearing everywhere except the HS and the HS was disappearing under Becky?s leadership. There were a few decent DD games if you looked hard and could put up with the PS now and again. Clark still couldn?t and DS could better than most anyone.

So if you don?t mind, bring me up to date. Any SD left, any DD left, any downstairs coffee shop at the HS left? Any coffee shop comps downtown? Have the CSMs taken over? What about the illegal and fraudulent 6/5? And if you don?t mind one for the princess, any 9/6 JB left?

Of course I know DS is left and see he has another edition out. Good stuff.

Thanks.

[Bettie]

> When I left off, CSMs where trying to get a
> foothold, 6/5 was being pushed on the
> unwary, SD was disappearing everywhere
> except the HS and the HS was disappearing
> under Becky?s leadership.

Wow, you have been gone awhile! The Horseshoe belongs to Harrah's now, and we're all wearing black armbands in protest. I'll put yours in the mail tomorrow.

Bettie

[Wildcard]

Of course I remember you. Ah, the fun days of AuntIda, and KyHick with the monthly Groaner award. Of course, nobody misses Dr Wogga or Cameraman_Joe!!

Can't give you any info on Vegas, haven't been there in over a year. But, good luck with your travels and playing time.

I too had a 9/10/01 "event" in my life. I had just reported for work as an Air Traffic Controller in Beverly, MA on that Monday. Of course the world was peaceful at that point. The next day all flights were beyond restricted, but the clock was ticking on my checkout time. They kinda pencil-whipped the paperwork, as I only had 30 days to checkout on all positions. Needless to say, with no flights in the sky, the sand ran out of the hour glass. I was retired, and it was mostly to be a wonderful "easy" extra retirement income of more than $60k per year. I would easily have doubled my income, but fate has a way of changing your life.

Best to you, I've enjoyed your many posts of the years.

Regards,
Wildcard

[Jack Rabbit]

I too am happy to see you back. Everyone on the planet has been impacted by 9/11/01.

As for changes in LV - some good, most bad. CSMs do seem to be on the way out. I see less of them each time I make it out there. 6/5 single deck is on the increase. It is sickening to me to see how blatantly these casino operators go about ripping people off.

There are still plenty of decent games if you put in the time to find them.

Welcome back!

[Victoria]

Some answers:
Boycott the Horseshoe. It is now managed by the evil empire (Harrah's), has 6/5 single deck and worse rules than before on any of it's games.
There is still 3/2 single deck downtown (not on the strip), all are fairly sweaty to paranoid. Low limits still prevail everywhere exect the Nugget.
6/5 CSM's are not taking over. On the strip you will find them mainly at lower betting levels. You will also find some playable shoe games on the strip, but the general rule is the higher the betting limit the better the rules.
Some decent DD on the strip and nearby at places like the Palms but again higher limit.
Other note: Something new since 9/11 is a device which can be used by the casino to cheat. Called Mindplay, it is currently at the Flamingo, it can track the cards and your bets and has the ability to recognize a counter but much worse, it has the ability to tell the house that the remaining cards in the shoe favor the players. This can be used to shuffle up early, or cheat! Boycott the Flamingo or better buy in, play a hand and then take notice of the machine, say something and leave.

Victoria

[Greasy john]

There are two 9/6 Jacks quarter games at the
4 Queens. They're located right in front of the cage (Fremont St. side of the curved cage).
Good -.17 SD too!

[Buick Riviera]

> Of course I remember you. Ah, the fun days
> of AuntIda, and KyHick with the monthly
> Groaner award. Of course, nobody misses
> Dr Wogga or Cameraman_Joe!!

Ah yes! LOL! Makes me smile just to hear the names again. Thanks for responding and it is good to hear from you. Before things got messy on the other page there was some really good times. Heck, that's where Parker emerged as the Golden Boy elevating himself to his well deserved position on these pages.

And it is great to see the success of these pages and the decorum exhibited by all. Methinks one follows the other.

Thanks to the others that responded. I will lurk here and contribute if/when I can and, of course, file a trip report (but that won't be until April).

Good cards everyone,
Buick

[Buick Riviera]

Thanks for the welcome and nice to hear from you. I'm not too surprised at the 6/5 report. Unfortunately the casual player simply doesn't seem to discern the significant difference it makes in the game. What I never understood is how it could legally be even called "Blackjack".

But that will have to be a fight for someone else. I'm just looking forward to visiting my favorite town again and taking it all in (including at least 3 new joints since I was there last, The Palms, the new Aladdin and Terribles (assuming the later is still around).

As an aside, my middle daughter is interested in hotel-restaurent management and her counselor has put UNLV in the top 2 in the country for this course of study (Cornell being the other). Yeah! Maybe I'll have an excuse in a year or so to spend more than my former 3-4 trips at year out there.

Buick

[Buick Riviera]

> There are two 9/6 Jacks quarter games at the
> 4 Queens. They're located right in front of
> the cage (Fremont St. side of the curved
> cage).
> Good -.17 SD too!

Thank you!!

Buick

[Buick Riviera]

>Boycott the Flamingo or better buy in, play a hand
>and then take notice of the machine, say something >and leave.

Thanks for the update. This Flamingo thing is scary stuff. I thought playing BJ with computers was illegal in Las Vegas. Must only apply to one side of the table.

Buick

[Parker]

Good to see you posting again!

The bad news is that our beloved 'Shoe has, well, gone straight to hell in a basket.

As others have mentioned, Becky finally drove the place into the ground, and Harrah's came to the "rescue." Essentially they agreed to buy the place by paying off everyone Becky owed money to.

After being closed for 3 months, it re-opened. Harrah's has totally screwed things up. The good single deck games are gone, replaced with 6:5, DD games with no DAS and 50% pen, and shoes with H17 and two decks cut off. They did get rid of some of the tables and many of the slots, making it easier to walk around the place. About all that is playable is a handful of full-pay VP machines.

The coffee shop is mostly the same, except that the $4.95 late-night steak dinner special is gone. They totally screwed up the snack bars, removing the grills (no more cheeseburgers or Philly steak sandwiches). Just hot dogs and deli sandwiches made somewhere else. At least they had enough sense not to mess with the Steak House. They closed Gee Joon.

Sound bleak? It is.

However, all Harrah's really wanted was the name and the World Series of Poker. After this year's WSOP, Harrah's will be turning the place over to an outfit called MTR Gaming (they own the Speedway Casino in North Las Vegas). Hopefully they will improve things -- I don't see how they could possibly screw it up any worse.

Benny is undoubtedly spinning in his grave.

Other developments:

Jackie Gaughan sold all his properties (Las Vegas Club, Plaza, Western, etc.) except the El Cortez to some outfit called Barrick Gaming.

Two computer nerds bought the Golden Nugget. They at least had the good sense to get rid of the 6:5 games.

The lights in the Fremont St. Experience canopy have been replaced with several million LED's providing much improved resolution.

[Buick Riviera]

Hey Parker! Man is it good to hear from you again. You were always my #1 source for "Las Vegas Everything" and I see nothing has changed. Thanks for the update.

That is sad about the HS. Beyond the loss of some decent games is the passing of an era. But I guess the one thing we can say about LV is that the only thing that never changes is that everything is always changing.

Many moons ago the Princess and I stayed downtown at the 4Q based on one of your posted reports and recommendations. Since that first stay, we've never been back to the Strip for our home base. Without sounding too sentimental, I can honestly say I've thought of you and your downtown recommentdation every time we've booked a room since then.

It has been so long that the 4Q wouldn't cut us a break on their room rate but for some reason MSS gave us Casino Rates even though it has been just as long since we've played there (and we've never stayed there).

I can't close without noting the expansion and obvious success of these pages. I know you won't take any of the credit, but certainly your credibility and integrity have contributed in no small measure to the success of these pages. Well done.

Regards,

Buick

> Good to see you posting again!

> The bad news is that our beloved 'Shoe has,
> well, gone straight to hell in a basket.

> As others have mentioned, Becky finally
> drove the place into the ground, and
> Harrah's came to the "rescue."
> Essentially they agreed to buy the place by
> paying off everyone Becky owed money to.

> After being closed for 3 months, it
> re-opened. Harrah's has totally screwed
> things up. The good single deck games are
> gone, replaced with 6:5, DD games with no
> DAS and 50% pen, and shoes with H17 and two
> decks cut off. They did get rid of some of
> the tables and many of the slots, making it
> easier to walk around the place. About all
> that is playable is a handful of full-pay VP
> machines.

> The coffee shop is mostly the same, except
> that the $4.95 late-night steak dinner
> special is gone. They totally screwed up the
> snack bars, removing the grills (no more
> cheeseburgers or Philly steak sandwiches).
> Just hot dogs and deli sandwiches made
> somewhere else. At least they had enough
> sense not to mess with the Steak House. They
> closed Gee Joon.

> Sound bleak? It is.

> However, all Harrah's really wanted was the
> name and the World Series of Poker. After
> this year's WSOP, Harrah's will be turning
> the place over to an outfit called MTR
> Gaming (they own the Speedway Casino in
> North Las Vegas). Hopefully they will
> improve things -- I don't see how they could
> possibly screw it up any worse.

> Benny is undoubtedly spinning in his grave.

> Other developments:

> Jackie Gaughan sold all his properties (Las
> Vegas Club, Plaza, Western, etc.) except the
> El Cortez to some outfit called Barrick
> Gaming.

> Two computer nerds bought the Golden Nugget.
> They at least had the good sense to get rid
> of the 6:5 games.

> The lights in the Fremont St. Experience
> canopy have been replaced with several
> million LED's providing much improved
> resolution.

[Hard 8 :: ::]

> But I guess the one thing we can say about
> LV is that the only thing that never changes
> is that everything is always changing.

Hello Buick, old horse, welcome back.

My memory banks still hold your old recommended, "idealized" downtown pathway that you posted in many a fine trip report: EL Cor, LL, HS (1D), LVC, GG, Back to HS (2D), 4Q, Fitz, Back to El Cor, hit the Strip (CR first)! Then eat at the HS steak joint and do it all again. Those were some full dam days, and highly enjoyable. Of course, I didn't follow your footsteps religiously, I would occasionally stray from the fold and hit the Western and the Gold Spike :-)

The biggest change to me over the years has been the opening up of opportunities on the south end of the Strip, as downtown has concurrently fallen off somewhat. You might try scouting around down there in April; be forewarned it will take a little hunting and some pre-planning, and also a willingness to walk if you don't see the pen.

Regards to you and the Princess,

:: ::