Counting advice - El Cortez

[DBJT]

Golden Nugget's a good choice... little more expensive room than others downtown, but their Shark Pool with the waterslide tube is cool. They have more restaurant choices there than other downtown hotels too.

As for playable blackjack, I should probably defer to the Vegas locals here, for them to report up-to-date info since conditions often change fast... but for what it's worth here's a copy of my own personal notes I made for a trip to LV about a month ago:

Best Blackjack:

Aria -- $50 .2 2D or $50 .28 6D
Monte Carlo -- $50 .2 2D or $5 .48 6D
Bellagio -- $50 .27 2D or $15 .28 6D
Mirage -- $25 .27 2D or $25 .28 6D
MGM -- $15 .28 6D or .48 6D H17


Single Deck:

El Cortez -- .19 $5
Binions -- .47 $25
Four Queens -- .58 $10
Hooters -- .58 $10
Riviera -- .58 $10

(Note: I'm quite sure many of these SD games are honey-pots, counter-catchers, etc. So hit them, but *tread* lightly...! They SHOULD all be 3:2 according to the search I made, but possibly some of 'em will end up having been changed to 6:5 by the time you get there.)

We were staying at Paris on the strip, so I also looked up their games for reference but I didn't end up playing there much (never even bothered to get a new player's card...)

Paris Games:
6D S17 LS $100 0.35%
8D H17 LS $10 0.57%
2D H17 NS $25 0.60%


Again, I'm SURE this little list of mine is inadequate and missing a lot... but it's a start for ya.

You can find more by subscribing to CBJN or hitting Wizard of Vegas page listings for LV game conditions.

-DBJT

[AussiePlayer]

Single Deck:

El Cortez -- .19 $5
Binions -- .47 $25
Four Queens -- .58 $10
Hooters -- .58 $10
Riviera -- .58 $10

Pretty sure Binions was 6:5 last time I was in town, according to the latest CBJN Riviera is gone too.

As for the EC, I've spread 25-150 on the SD there, never say never!

[hitA7]

I have milked this place on my last four vegas visits...since the games are vulnerable, of course they are sweaty. the key is creativity, as others have pointed out. trust me, it's doable.

[max85]

Hey hita good to see u here mate. Check out the comments regarding the sd at bj21 re cut card sd play.

max

[ZenMaster_Flash]

NOTE: El Cortez.

Played a little SD the there the other day while taking my young partner on a Downtown Vegas tour.

Maybe I was hallucinating but the game was dealt without a cut-card, allowing for simple "preferential shuffling."

[KJ]

I have actually racked up quite a good bet of play at EC this year after Mo retired in March. He was the one guy that just wouldn't let me play much. He even backed me off in the men's room one day. I stick to the DD game where they are just a hair less sweaty and of course play very short sessions, exiting immediately after showing my spread. A half dozen very short sessions per week have added up nicely.

[Paddler]

I have a similar approach to the Cortez game as KJ. I've played 25- chunky black lately at the SD and DD game and leaving right after max bet. The key is clever cover early on in the session.

[KJ]

I have a similar approach to the Cortez game as KJ. I've played 25- chunky black lately at the SD and DD game and leaving right after max bet. The key is clever cover early on in the session.

Agreed. I am not a fan of starting off with anything but minimum wager, as I am just opposed in principal to giving away EV, but this is one place that doing so is worthwhile.

[ZenKinG]

I SAY, go in there and hit it as hard as possible and as quick as possible. Dont beat around the bush, just go in, spread big win or lose and get out after 1 shoe, 2 if you're lucky

[redthetiger]

Well in their eyes, I must look like a "typical tourist gambler" as when I played there before, I played for far far too long during one sitting and didn't encounter any heat. It might of been a different story if I was actually winning, though. It did look like I was chasing and I'm from out of town. But, it seems playing short sessions and having an image of a gambler is key. I have seen bets ranging from red to black and the pit doesn't bat an eye -- though these were from degenerate gamblers/regs at the establishment doing it not according to the count.

The very first time I walked into EC before I ever played BJ there, I could of sworn I saw a $200-1000 SD table. Do they usually have this? I never saw it again after that one time and wasn't sure what the deal was, but it made me curious.

[darco77]

I could of sworn I saw a $200-1000 SD table.

I once saw their "high roller" table set at $500 - $2000. I triple-checked it to make sure I was not hallucinating. Of course, it was empty. This was about five years ago, and was on a Saturday night.

[muffdiver]

When Benny Binion had the Horseshoe there were many "no max limit" tables. I played on them. SMALL stakes!

[Dude]

I think the original poster had no idea what he was going to start here. In case your still looking at this, I think its amazing that you randomly (I'm guessing) picked El Cortez. It happens to be my favorite place to play at in Vegas. If your still checking replies, my advise is to not play there. Not yet! Reason: It's the best place in Vegas to play, in my opinion, but as everyone has told you, you will get backed off very easily. I think they know they have a counter's dream over there and they have to be extra careful. I had a floor manager get right in my face and yell at me for not trying to even hide that I was counting. I was surprised by my own reaction which was far from fear but rather anger. In retrospect he was right. I was jumping my bet with the count up and down violently going from 1 hand of 1 unit to 2 hands of 16 units each and then back to 2 hands of 1 unit each in a single deck game. Sorry for the long story. My point is don't get yourself banned from there when your just starting out. Save that place for when you have more experience and can make some serious money. I did avoid being barred but just barely and I have not played on his shift since that night.

One more piece of advise, if you can tolerate it. I see a lot of people on here who are new to AP and they are making the same mistakes I made when I started. You mentioned, I think, that you have CV software. Are you talking about CVBJ or CVCX or both. You definitely need both. If you have CVCX use it to figure out your betting schedule for your bankroll. The most important piece of data CVCX will give you is ROR of course. What that number should be is up to you but I'm willing to bet you won't find more than 1 true professional player that has a ror over 1%. If anyone thinks I'm off my rocker please reply and be as brutal as you like. I learn best when people disagree with me.