jakuda: 1st vegas trip as counter

[jakuda]

Let me say that Vegas this weekend was incredibly crowded. Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was in town so every hotel, restaurant and blackjack pit were crowded. Here it goes:

Arrive in Vegas Saturday at 11am or so. As we walked out the terminal, I saw the line leading to the security checkpoint and thought that it was incredibly long. Little did I know how long it would be on Sunday After checking into the Aladdin, I went straight to CES. I had a free pass from preregistering online with a code, BUT to get the pass you had to walk AROUND and outside the South hall, to get a pass. I would say the hall was about half a mile in length, so already my feet were getting a feeling for all the walking I would do this weekend. I saw some cool new gadgets and stuff. For those that have gone to expos and shows before, one of the fun things to do is to collect all the cool, free stuff that the companies hand out. But since I arrived Saturday early afternoon, most of the stuff were gone. CES was HUGE, around 100,000 people were there. After walking around for a few hours, we had to taxi back to the strip to meet up with the rest of the party for dinner at 5pm.

After dinner we had to zip over to the Bellagio to watch the "O" show. I had never seen a Cirque de Soleil production so I was quite impressed and entertained. A quality show. We get out at 9:30 pm or so and at this point I'm chomping at the bit to start circling the tables (I was prearmed with the latest CBJN).

So starting at the Bellagio, the minimums were too high for me. There were some $15 minimums and lots of hit-soft 17's.

We walked to the Monte Carlo to find some $5 min (s17,rsa,das,ls) tables, but all I found were lots of 8 decks, lots of 6 decks Hit-soft-17s, and maybe three or 4 $10 min S17s. A handful of $5 hit-soft-17s. I backcounted with KO for a little bit, seeing nothing impressive. My gf got bored and annoyed so I gave up on the Monte Carlo and accompanied her to play some machines. She likes playing slots or machine-blackjack b/c she doesn't like the tables. Let me say that machine blackjack sucks. A natural pays only 1:1. My girlfriend also doesn't believe in basic strategy. And unluckily enough, everytime I instructed her in the correct basic strategy play we would bust, or the dealer would draw and win. I gave up, and let her play her own way.

We went to the MGM Grand next. Nothing really exciting here. We were kind of in a hurry b/c my gf was tired so I missed one of the bj pits where there were $10 S17s. Lots and lots of hit-soft-17s, and single deck 6:5s. She played some more machine blackjack (took my advice on basic strategy) and won some.

I dropped her off at the room, and I took myself to the Paris. Nothing interesting here. All hit-soft-17s and 6:5 SD blackjack. It amuses me how Paris and Ballys advertise in a huge glowing light display how they have "back by popular demand, single deck blackjack." They seem pretty popular too. Something I noticed was that the are that says "blackjack pays six to five" would be slightly cutoff or faded as to have it difficult to read, or if the table was empty and the dealer spreads the cards, the cards went over the payout.

I went next to Ballys. Here again no really good tables. At this time it was already 2am. I wanted to play, but didn't want to sit down at a crappy table (I learned discipline playing online poker). However, as I was going to give up and leave and sleep, I saw that at one of the $10 min, hit-soft-17 tables, I saw this dealer give a good 5/6 penetration. That got me excited so I sat down on the next shoe. Counting was easy, and mostly it was BS for the first couple of shoes. I was the only one to use surrender and one of the guys at the table never even heard of it. Finally one shoe, the count jumped to +2 after only two or three rounds. I made a big bet in the circle (parlayed) and got 11 vs 8. I double, and got an A. lol. So I lost that hand. The rest of the session was uneventful. I left at -16 units.

I just headed back to my room, dead tired and slept. I left today (Sunday) afternoon without having anytime for anymore blackjack, so overall a very short playing time. For the first time using KO, I did pretty well. I got distracted a few times, but I had practiced many, many times counting pairs and 3-card groups, so that I was able to recount the table. Even though I left at -16 units it was a good first experience as a counter. I hope next time I go to Vegas I'll have lots more time to spend playing blackjack and to see the sights (I want to see Lance Burton).

Later all.

[Ouchez]

> Let me say that Vegas this weekend was
> incredibly crowded. Consumer Electronics
> Show (CES) was in town so every hotel,
> restaurant and blackjack pit were crowded.
> Here it goes:

> Arrive in Vegas Saturday at 11am or so. As
> we walked out the terminal, I saw the line
> leading to the security checkpoint and
> thought that it was incredibly long. Little
> did I know how long it would be on Sunday
> After checking into the Aladdin, I went
> straight to CES. I had a free pass from
> preregistering online with a code, BUT to
> get the pass you had to walk AROUND and
> outside the South hall, to get a pass. I
> would say the hall was about half a mile in
> length, so already my feet were getting a
> feeling for all the walking I would do this
> weekend. I saw some cool new gadgets and
> stuff. For those that have gone to expos and
> shows before, one of the fun things to do is
> to collect all the cool, free stuff that the
> companies hand out. But since I arrived
> Saturday early afternoon, most of the stuff
> were gone. CES was HUGE, around 100,000
> people were there. After walking around for
> a few hours, we had to taxi back to the
> strip to meet up with the rest of the party
> for dinner at 5pm.

> After dinner we had to zip over to the
> Bellagio to watch the "O" show. I
> had never seen a Cirque de Soleil production
> so I was quite impressed and entertained. A
> quality show. We get out at 9:30 pm or so
> and at this point I'm chomping at the bit to
> start circling the tables (I was prearmed
> with the latest CBJN).

> So starting at the Bellagio, the minimums
> were too high for me. There were some $15
> minimums and lots of hit-soft 17's.

> We walked to the Monte Carlo to find some $5
> min (s17,rsa,das,ls) tables, but all I found
> were lots of 8 decks, lots of 6 decks
> Hit-soft-17s, and maybe three or 4 $10 min
> S17s. A handful of $5 hit-soft-17s. I
> backcounted with KO for a little bit, seeing
> nothing impressive. My gf got bored and
> annoyed so I gave up on the Monte Carlo and
> accompanied her to play some machines. She
> likes playing slots or machine-blackjack b/c
> she doesn't like the tables. Let me say that
> machine blackjack sucks. A natural pays only
> 1:1. My girlfriend also doesn't believe in
> basic strategy. And unluckily enough,
> everytime I instructed her in the correct
> basic strategy play we would bust, or the
> dealer would draw and win. I gave up, and
> let her play her own way.

> We went to the MGM Grand next. Nothing
> really exciting here. We were kind of in a
> hurry b/c my gf was tired so I missed one of
> the bj pits where there were $10 S17s. Lots
> and lots of hit-soft-17s, and single deck
> 6:5s. She played some more machine blackjack
> (took my advice on basic strategy) and won
> some.

> I dropped her off at the room, and I took
> myself to the Paris. Nothing interesting
> here. All hit-soft-17s and 6:5 SD blackjack.
> It amuses me how Paris and Ballys advertise
> in a huge glowing light display how they
> have "back by popular demand, single
> deck blackjack." They seem pretty
> popular too. Something I noticed was that
> the are that says "blackjack pays six
> to five" would be slightly cutoff or
> faded as to have it difficult to read, or if
> the table was empty and the dealer spreads
> the cards, the cards went over the payout.

> I went next to Ballys. Here again no really
> good tables. At this time it was already
> 2am. I wanted to play, but didn't want to
> sit down at a crappy table (I learned
> discipline playing online poker). However,
> as I was going to give up and leave and
> sleep, I saw that at one of the $10 min,
> hit-soft-17 tables, I saw this dealer give a
> good 5/6 penetration. That got me excited so
> I sat down on the next shoe. Counting was
> easy, and mostly it was BS for the first
> couple of shoes. I was the only one to use
> surrender and one of the guys at the table
> never even heard of it. Finally one shoe,
> the count jumped to +2 after only two or
> three rounds. I made a big bet in the circle
> (parlayed) and got 11 vs 8. I double, and
> got an A. lol. So I lost that hand. The rest
> of the session was uneventful. I left at -16
> units.

> I just headed back to my room, dead tired
> and slept. I left today (Sunday) afternoon
> without having anytime for anymore
> blackjack, so overall a very short playing
> time. For the first time using KO, I did
> pretty well. I got distracted a few times,
> but I had practiced many, many times
> counting pairs and 3-card groups, so that I
> was able to recount the table. Even though I
> left at -16 units it was a good first
> experience as a counter. I hope next time I
> go to Vegas I'll have lots more time to
> spend playing blackjack and to see the
> sights (I want to see Lance Burton).

> Later all.

Vegas just doesn't seem to be about great games anymore.

They just can't hold a candle to the wilderness.

Sorry you lost but that sure happens.

Ouchez.