From: howard@sinoda.ultra.COM (Howard Simonson)
Subject: Ruminations on Reno (Trip Report)
Reply-To: howard@ultra.com
Organization: Ultra Network Technologies
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 92 07:28:13 GMT

Well, Friday afternoon we zipped out of SFO on USAir to Reno, and caught the
shuttle to the Eldorado.  For the ride over, we had a bevvy of Hot Babes(tm)
all chatting away like they'd lost the off switch.  I mean they were real
easy on the eyes (which warranted an elbow or two from the wife :), but
real hard on the ears.  We checked in, I popped a couple of aspirin to
counteract the effect of The Sisters of Blessed Conversation, and we were
ready to play.  Well, not quite as Pat was screaming "feed me", and it was
3:30 (buffet doesn't open till 4pm, darn, I figured I could start out ahead
that way :), so on to the coffee shop (Tivoli Terrace).  Nice place, good food,
about what we've come to expect from the Eldorado.  Oh, and the OJ was fresh
(didn't try a milkshake).  With all that under my belt, we sauntered over to
the Flamingo where I had called and setup a credit line a week or two earlier.
They had the records online, and took the requisite copy of my driver's lic.,
but had trouble digging up the actual application.  While they were digging,
I strolled over to "Club Flamingo" and bugged them about never getting my
T-shirt for "an hours worth" of play, which according to the woman I talked
to on the phone, I had.  She pulled up my account, no problem, and handed the
wife and I a pair of T-shirts.  Unfortunately, that was about the only time
I was "up" all weekend.

Back at the cashier, they found my app. and I signed stuff and everything was
set, although they cut my requested amount in half.  I asked why, and the
guy said, "You've certainly got the money in the bank, but your play profile
doesn't warrant a higher line."  Geez, how do they ever expect you to become
a high roller? :)  I held back on cutting a marker just then as we were
meeting some friends and I knew they'd want to watch the process.

T-shirts in hand, it was back to the Eldorado where I cashed a TC and drifted
into the sea of tables.  I'm sorry, I warned ya, I'm not good at remembering
all the BJ rules, but they weren't as good as the Flamingo's (few are) which
I do remember and will state a little later.

While sitting at the tables, one half of the couple we were meeting up there
found us (Lisa, she'd been there all week on business) and was able to steer
us to the friendly dealers and pit crews, they all knew her well by now :).
We all proceeded to lose $50 or so while waiting for her other half to
fly in later.  Of course he found us down at the tables, played a few rounds,
and by then it was about 8:00 and off to dinner at Grill & Rotisserie.

Dinner was very good, as usual, and after, we went back down to the casino,
Jeff making a beeline for the craps table.  Up, down, up, down, no one was
having a really nice roll we could capitalize on.  I suppose I shouldn't
complain too much, no one was having a really bad roll that might wipe us
out.  I finally convince Jeff et. al. that we should go over to the Flamingo,
if for no other reason than the fact that I need to cut the marker for some
playing money this weekend, as I brought very little with me in TCs (the
whole point of establishing credit as far as I'm concerned).

As soon as we got in the doors, Jeff hit the craps table, and steadily lost.
After a little of that, he was ready for BJ and time for me to do my thang.
So cutting a marker.  It was A LOT faster in Reno than AC.  Instead of letting
you sit there through 10-20 rounds while they do all the paperwork, they give
the dealer a little (500) button that sits by the drop box, and bingo, you
get chips.  Its little things like that that show you who's been at this
business longer.  So I seem to be some kind of BJ lucky charm; for everyone
else!  It just never seems to fail, when I walk up to a table, BJs erupt
on either side of me.  I'm going down in a blaze, losing hand after hand,
and Jeff's splitting and doubling and making out like a bandit.  Pat couldn't
stand to watch the carnage anymore, so she took a C-note over to learn "Fast
Action Hold-em".  Now I know that's a game with a good house advantage, but
she so seldom plays any table games that well, I gotta let her have her fun
too.  After cutting it in half, she was back and ready to blow the joint.

Most interesting play: this laid back hawaian guy got a pair of sixes to
dealer 5 with four greens on the hand.  He splits, one hand reasonable,
other hand, another six.  He splits, gets a 4, double down, other hand
another six!  He splits, one hand resonable, the other a stiff.  Now we're
talking about $500 on the table here.  He's at first base, dealer starts
working on the next guy (Jeff) and the asian guy gets up and says "I gotta
go to the bathroom" and starts walking away!  Well he was about 6 tables
down when the dealer finally turned over drew one, another, bust!  We all
applauded loudly so he might think twice if he was off to commit hari kari
with a pocket knife or something. :)

Oh yeah, Flamingo rules:
DOA, DAS, H17, Split/resplit any pair except aces/one card to split aces.
This was on both doubledeckers and shoes from what I could tell.

After extracting a smiling Jeff from the tables, we popped back over to
the Eldorado and after some more BJ going nowhere, I dropped into a $2/2x
craps game with Jeff.  This was around midnight and I was around $250
down.  Typically a formula for disaster.  Well thankfully not!  There were
some even rolls and occasionally some good rolls, but on the average, I was
going down.  I got the dice for like the third time that evening and said
what the hell, gotta have some faith in yourself, and played $5 on the
pass and come.  I had a good roll.  I made some money back.  And then some.
At one point, (around 3am) they raised the table to $5 min., it closed
shortly thereafter as everyone quickly migrated to the other $2 table.
Finally, it was 5am, I was tired as hell, I'm barely tracking my bets,
I'm only like $100 down for the day, and Jeff's telling me to stick around
(like he's been saying for the past 2 hours).  Enoughs enough, I headed for
the land of sheets and pillows (oh, and my wife :).  Jeff called it quits
about a 1/2 hour later, poorer for it.  And he and Lisa were going golfing
the next day around noon!  Party on, Jeff.

Saturday, hah, guess how it went!  Pat's up and hungry so its down to the
buffet at 1:30 or so (almost no line at that time, they close up at 2pm).
Not a bad buffet, but some of the other places in town may have better.
Then back up to the room where I pass out till around 4, Pat happily
reading Odyssey (Sculley's book), secure in the knowledge that I'm not
losing any money while I'm sleeping.  I should have slept longer.  We
popped over to the Sundowner for some triple odds craps.  MISTAKE.  I
started out betting $5 (as I've done extremely well here in the past)
with full odds of course.  Made about two point numbers to go up a bit
and then chewed my stack like a wolverine.  After $160 or so gone south,
I said enough of this and hit the streets.  We spent the rest of the day
coupon hopping, making a few bucks here and there, and collecting pens and
the occasional free drink.  Eventually met Jeff & Lisa & friend for dinner
at La Strada.

For 8:30 reservations (for 5), we weren't seated until after 9.  We were
getting miffed, but they were nice about it and bought the wine so we were
all placated (and getting inebriated).  Dinner was very good, although we
did wind up next to the bunch from the shuttle over.  I must admit, they
got excellent service from the [male] staff.  But nothing compared to the
service we got when just before the coffees arrived, Jeff & Lisa's friend
started not feeling well, then went completely south and keeled over onto
the couch!  His breathing was kinda erratic but within a minute or two he
was responding to questions again, and was able to sit up.  The help brought
some cold towels and inside a few minutes, he felt fine again and was sipping
his cafe mocha with the rest of us.  Go figure?  Security came by to make
sure an ambulance wasn't needed or something, and for the rest of the meal,
everyone who works there stopped and glanced at our table at least once.

Well, after all that excitement, I was hoping to generate a little at the
tables.  Again, another try at some Eldorado BJ.  I'm sitting at this one
table and this guy takes third base.  Dealers up is six, I stand with my
stiff, guy takes a hit (a nine), and takes another hit? (a two).  Dealer
busts (actually good thing the guy drew the two) and I get a look at his
hand and HE HAD A SEVEN AND A THREE.  No double down!  Hit a nineteen!!
And he makes a 21!!!  Its bad luck just to see something like that.  I
looked at the dealer and said, "I'm outta here.", to which he said, "I
don't blame you, good luck."  Then again, maybe I should have stuck it
out, he could have been "The Man With the X-Ray Eyes" :).
After some more BJ going nowhere but down, it was around midnight
and J & L went to sleep (I couldn't convince Jeff to stay up and play craps
a while, sheesh).  So Pat and I went off for some more $2/2x craps.

Hallelujah!  It went nowhere until like 2am when I got the dice and had one
hell of a good roll!  I was a prop bettors dream.  Everything was coming up
hardway, 4's and 10's being made.  Guy throws a $5 yo, I roll a yo.  He does
it again a few rolls later, I roll another eleven for him.  Now *there* was
one *extremely* happy camper.  Me, I'm making steady money on 2to1 payoffs
and off and ons.  They changed the table min. to $3 during the shoot, but
the whole rally took place in the span of one pass line bet, a come bettors
dream (a don't bettors nightmare :), so they didn't get a chance to realize
it right away.  Well, I finally seven out and cash out and I've managed to
erase my deficit to around $60.  I garnered a round of applause from the
table, and decided to quit while I was [less] behind.

Sunday, we roll out to the Riverboat for an inexpensive breakfast.  J & L
recommended it, but I'm not sure, I would have preferred Tivoli Terrace.
Anyway, we check out, and we all do a little coupon hopping around town.
We picked up various pens and keychains and Fitzgerald mugs (I now have two
different versions :), as well as free nickels and some lucky buck playing.
Probably made a couple of bucks for all of it.  Since we were driving back
with Jeff and Lisa, we had car, so we headed out to the Clarion & Peppermill
& Hilton Reno (exBallys).  Before leaving downtown, I stopped by Flamingo
and bought back my marker (and had Pat cash another TC for future bankroll.
And then we had to stop and play some BJ again.  Yuck.  Like the saying
goes, rabbit's feet aren't particularly lucky for rabbits.  Jeff's raking
it in and I'm just pushing it out. :(  Getting closer to $200 down again,
I've completely had it with BJ this trip.  On to the Clarion.

I'd never been to either the Clarion or the Peppermill.  Nice places.  Craps
at the Clarion ($2/2x) and we stayed pretty much even with swings of +/- $25.
Finally got out a few bucks ahead.  Then off to Peppermill, where Pat finally
got the lead out.  We were about $50 down for that game, and Pat starts
making numbers.  When the dust settled, we're up $50, cash out and on to
the Reno Hilton.

No appreciable changes here other than the name (same carpet :).  They
actually still peek under Tens (*Flamingo* Hilton doesn't, go figure).
Anyway, we get a berth at the craps table (I mean, by now, I figured out
that $2/2x craps is my game this weekend).  I buy in with $90, we go down
to around $40, then Pat gets the dice.  Its beautiful.  She's making all
the numbers.  Perpetual off and ons.  We're back up and making money.
Then the witch shows up.

Well, for a witch, she was an attractive blond that definitely understood
the game well.  She buys in with $400, tosses a green and says any seven,
and Pat rolls a 3 craps on the comeout.  But the dealer never saw her chip
hit the layout, and she says one of the guys yelled no bet, so after some
hemming and hawing, the dealer hands it back to her.  She tosses it out
again, same bet.  Pat rolls a... seven!  She takes that in and makes a
don't bet.  Pat rolls a five point, she lays odds on that and buys the
4 for $100.  Pat rolls a 4.  She takes that down and puts places up on
six and eight.  Pat starts rolling eights (I'm finally making some money
on come bets).  She takes those down and buys the 10 for $100.  Pat rolls
a ten!  I'm spooked.  Pat finally sevens out, and the dang witch wins her
don't bet!!  That's it for me, I'm freaked out.  Where do I join her coven?
I color up, still up for the session, and now Jeff's rolling (she passed)
and she tosses out another green any seven.  Jeff rolls a seven.  She says
parlay it.  Jeff rolls another seven.  I'm looking for horns and a tail on
this woman.  I can't bet with this woman, it goes against everything I know
about the game.  Besides, I'm too freaked out to play, its back to the BJ
tables.  Before I had a chance to lose more than $20, Jeff was done and it
was time to hit the road.

Final score: Reno - $100, Howard - tshirt, mug and a couple of pens.
But a lot of play time, and another learning experience or two.  Oh well,
there's always Pat's b-day in December; that's becoming an annual Reno trip.

P.S.  If you enjoy these trip reports, drop me a line and let me know.  They
      take a little time and energy, that I'd prefer to save if I'm just
      becoming an entry in a kill file.  Thanks and good luck.
-- 
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|J -------- |  |   \  |   \  |     |       |    |   |  || |
|  |/\=== | |  |   /  |   /  |     |       |    |   |  || | The difference
|------------- |---   |---   ---   ----    |    |   |  || | between gambling
||A          | |      |\     |        |    |    |   |  || | and gaming, is
||    /^\    | |      | \    |        |    |    |   |     | about .6% for a
||   /   \   | |      |  \   ----  ----    |    -----  [] | double odds
||  / /|\ \  |____________________________________________| crap game. :)
||  L/_|_\J  |                                            |
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