Caesars Palace Las Vegas
Caesars started my trip out right by picking me up with a limo at the airport…upon arriving I checked in to the new Octavius tower (although a bit of a hike to get too, well worth it) – the room was great – 46″ HD TV – jacuzzi tub – comfortable bed – great view of the strip
Thursday: I normally play $100 minimum blackjack 6D, S17, DOA, DAS – however, the $100 min tables on the main floor were all H17 and the tables in the Palace Court high limit area were all $500 minimum on my first night…so, off I went in search of a better game…Across the river and through the woods–oh wait, wrong story–ended up at Paris – bought in for $3k and played with two of the friendliest dealers ever – played two shoes and walked out +$1,100
I Ended up watching my cousin play for a while at the $15min tables where the dealers seemed to be drawing hands at will (i.e. cousin had a 20 v. dealer 5 (dealer turns over hole card 6, then an Ace for a 12 then – drum roll please – a 9 ughhhhhhhhh what a tease))
Friday evening: Fast forward to the next day – my dad arrived so I spent time with him while he played the slots and actually hit some good payouts – after a wonderful dinner at Delmonico’s Steakhouse (my favorite - you are missing out on one of the joys of life if you do not go there to at least try the Parmesan truffle chips)
I adjourned to the Palace Court which, for some reason on a Friday night, had $100min tables WOOHOO – I bought in for $4k and introduced myself to the others at the table (a local woman and a doctor from Pittsburgh) – the woman played basic strategy and the good doctor played every which way (including loose)–the shoes were up and down and never really got a good count to press up so, after two shoes, I was down $200 – the next shoe brought in…as I like to call her “my nemesis” for the trip (it always seems there is someone at a table I am at that thinks their opinion is more important than anyone else’s (hmmmm maybe people think that about me? nahhhhh)) – in the middle of the third shoe she sat down and began to play (YES, MIDSHOE ENTRY ALLOWED!!!) – the shoe remained up and down until I hit a good count and began pressing my bets – I won three hands in a row and the count stayed positive – however, another guy at the table and my nemesis had lost three in a row and demanded a shuffle – over my protest, the shuffle occurred – my nemesis then proceeded to lose 8 hands in a row and immediately left – however, the shoe and the count were kind to me and I left for the evening +1k
Saturday afternoon: I have never seen a casino so packed as it was on this Saturday WOW – the $100 min was still in effect so I sat down to play with a buy in of my winnings thus far, $2,100 – as I turned to stretch I noticed the man at the table next to me, which was reserved, was betting only two chips – however, these chips were of the $25k variety – therefore, he was betting $50k per hand and had various piles of chips totaling about $545k – not a bad bankroll (more on this guy later). I ended up playing three shoes, got a good run in a positive count and walked away another +$1,200
Saturday evening: Palace Court raised its minimum to $200 and, not wanting to trek down the strip again, and as I was ahead, I decided to buy in for $4k – well, this shoe was not as kind to me as my other shoes had been – down I went into the rabbit hole – at one point, I lost 12 hands in a row (however, this really got the count in my favor) – so, with the count very much in my favor I put up 2 hands at $500 each – and then this happened:
Hand 1: 3,3
Hand 2: 2,3
Dealer: 5,X
Hand 1: split 3’s – get another 3 – now have there 3’s (hit 1st one get a K, hit 2nd one get a K, hit 3rd one get a Q)
Hand 2: 2,3 hit for a 5, hit again for a 10 (total 20)Dealer: 5, overturns a 9 for 14 – dealer hits an Ace (15), dealer hits an Ace (16) – really really – is this going to happen with $2k on the table???) dealer hits for an 8 BUST!!!!!!!!! YAY!!! I’m back baby!!
!the count stayed with me for a few more hands and I won another +2,200. I was now +$5,500 for the trip with one day to play. Soooooo, did I play on the last day? NOPE!!! I ended up relaxing and socializing and watching others.
One hand that I saw was remarkable as I had never seen it happen before – the dealer had a 2 showing, overturns another 2, then deals another 2, then another 2, then another 2, then another 2 (yes, 6 deuces in a row) and, the piece de resistance – hits a 9 for 21 ughhhhhhh.
Oh yes, back to the $50 grand a hand guy – the last I saw him he was at a $10 three card poker table – a dealer I had become friendly with informed me he was down a $1.8 million marker since the day before but, she informed me he was there one month ago and had won $1 million. In the grand scheme of things, my $5,500 is small change BUT, it’s a win and made my third straight trip to a casino (AC and LV) a positive trip.