Well back in Vegas escaping the Polar Vortex that has been NY. I Checked in to the ARIA Sky suites and the rooms and service are amazing. The rooms are tastefully decorated and there is a 7am til 10pm snack area, wine and cheese between 4 and 5pm every afternoon and free bottles of soda and Pellegrino available 24/7.
I sat down to play my first shoe before dinner at a 2D table: The cards came out wild and free--giving me a nice foothold before dinner of +1k.
However, after dinner, I sat down for a 6D game: Lost the first 5 hands..I had 18's and 19's each hand. I managed to win a couple of hands but the dealer wound up with 5 blackjacks in the shoe. By the end of the shoe I had lost 500 of the 1k I was winning. After the shuffle came a dealer change and the new dealer began abusing me as well...She started with a blackjack. I was then dealt 8,8 versus her 5 - Split the 8's: First 8 dealt a 6 for 14; Second 8 dealt an Ace for 19 - dealer had a 5, turned over a 9, then a 2, then a 4 for 20 Ughhhhh! By the end of the shoe, I had lost the other 500 I was still up and was now even for the trip
I took a break and eventually ventured outside the high limit room to a 2D game on the main floor. I was +/- 500 for about an hour at this table but then things took a turn for the worse. I had 3 doubles in 6 hands and lost each of them in a painful way: First double: 8,3 versus dealer 10 - doubled and dealt an 8 for 19 - of course, the dealer had a Queen under for 20; the second double was 7,3 versus dealer 6 - I was dealt a King for 20 - Dealer had 6, turned over a 4, then an Ace Ughhhh; the last double was a 7,2 versus a dealer 3 - I was dealt a 2 for 11 - dealer had 3, turned over 8 then dealt 10 for 21 - by the end of the session I was down 2k beyond the 1k I was up. I regrouped and went back into the high limit room and played a 6D game - things went much better in here as I actually won 3 doubles in the first shoe, bringing me 500 back. the roller coaster continued for 2 more shoes until I had regained another 500. As it now stands, as I ready myself for bed, the trip is -1k
As usual, jet lag kicked my a$$ and I fell asleep early...
top o'the morning' to ya. I sat down to a 6D game and proceeded to experience a good old-fashioned a$$ whoopin'. I consistently lost by one on most of the hands...although the nattily dressed asian guy at the 2D table was interesting to watch peripherally...that is, until I left the 6D game and went to sit on the 2D and he proclaimed he wanted to play alone...I asked if it was reserved and it was not but I was polite and ventured to another 6D game down 1600
The Korean dealer was standoffish then she noticed my tattoos and saw I was frustrated and she began joking with me and telling me to think positively...the count got good and within a shoe I got the 1600 back.
Trip -1k
I then bought in at a 2D game for 2k...Things were not good in this session...I had plenty of double downs but nothing to show for it as I was consistently dealt nada on my doubles. Meanwhile, even when I Was dealt a 19 or 21, the dealer found a way to pull a 20 or 21...After about 30 mins, I had lost the 2k buy-in and was now down 3k.
I bought in for another 2k at a 6D shoe game and was treated similarly...Within one shoe I had lost another 1k. At this point, I was approaching full tilt...I took my remaining 1k and headed to another 2D game...Over the course of the next 4 hours (which flew by), I had the roller coaster ride of the year...The 1k lasted through the 4 hours...there were about 10 times that I was on my last chip and somehow kept fighting for air and staying alive...At the end of the 4 hours I had won back 500 - Trip is now -3500
I just played a 3 shuffle session of 2D - Won the first couple of hands then was up and down until the second shuffle when the following hand took place :I was dealt 2,2 versus dealer 7 - Split them up: First 2 dealt another 2 and split; first 2 then dealt a 9...doubled and dealt a 5 for a 16; Second 2 dealt a 10...hit and dealt a 5 for 17; Third 2 dealt an 8...doubled and dealt a 10 for 20; Dealer had 7...turns over a 4...takes a 5...then...BOOM...another 5 for 21 - A 1k swing. However...in the third shuffle things got good and I was able to recover and actually win a few "chippies" for myself...Trip is now -2900.
I Ended the night with a mini-session of 2D, made a quick 400 - Trip is now -2500
The morning session awaits...Just played 2 shuffles of a 2D game before heading to breakfast...I was up 300 and then split 9,9 v dealer 6: First 9 dealt a 10 for 19; Second 9 dealt a 10 for 19 - Dealer had 6 turns over a 4...then a 3...then an 8 Yuck! However, all was not lost as I hit for 2 subsequent blackjacks and ended the shoe getting another 500 back
Trip is now -2k
I Ate a small lunch then played 1/2 a shoe at a 6D game. I pushed the first 5 hands then had 6,6 versus dealer 2 - Split them: First 6 dealt 5 doubled got 7 for 18; Second 6 dealt 4 doubled got a Queen for 20 - Dealer had 2...turns over a 5...deals herself a 10 for 17. At this point, the restroom called to me (no...not wearing "Depends" like some did while taking the bar exam)
Trip is now -1500 (slowly but surely)
I just woke up from a 3 hour nap...heading to shower and see Cirque du Soleil then play some more...Ok saw Zarkana and it was excellent...the music (played live) added tremendously to the show and the acrobatics were phenomenal...there was a lady who used sand to draw--WOW! So, after Zarkana and dinner I played a 2 shuffle 2D session and had won a quick 300...however, I then had a 150 up bet and had a double 9 versus 3...I drew a 10 for 19...unfortunately, the cards did not cooperate as the dealer turned over a 6 then and Ace for 20. Things got better as the count got better and in the next shuffle I had won 400. At this point, the trip was -500. I went and watched some craps (I am pretty much clueless but everyone seemed to be having a good time). As my goal was to begin Saturday anew at even steven, I ventured back to a 2D game on the main floor as the tables in the high limit room room were now bumped up to 300min.
As I bought in, I noticed someone across the pit out of the corner of my eye...yes, ladies and gentleman
The "lady in red" has arrived
(she was in purple this evening)
I wondered if I should even attempt to reach my goal...I pressed on. Within one shuffle of the 2D game I had achieved my goal plus 100 - Trip is +100
The Morning session - 6D - I Began playing and won the first three hands then a guy bought in and began playing...lost a couple in a row and then he sat out a hand then he came back in...By the end of the shoe I had actually won my doubles and was ahead...Trip is +1200
Sat down for an early afternoon session of 2D...things were hovering around even for 4 shuffles then a dealer change and...in the next 2 shuffles, I pushed 3 blackjacks and, at one point, the dealer drew to 21 four times in a row...I was back to even
I switched tables to gain a fresh perspective on things and, for 4 shuffles, I remained even steven...however, on the last shuffle I played, things got better and I was able to grab 600 - Lunch break...Trip is +600
Well, being ahead 600 did not last long as I ran into the dreaded "dealer pulls 21 from any two cards he begins with" session -- I was down 2k and made a rally with a good count back to even...I then dined at Delmonicos having parmesan truffle chips...filet mignon...and creamed corn...YUMMY!
I worked my way back to home base and began to play...it was not to be my night...I lost 5 doubles per shoe in 3 shoes in a row of double deck - Cue a 3k loss. I grabbed my remaining 2k buy-in and switched tables...After 2 hours, I still had my 2k but then for the next 30 monutes, I lost every 20 to the dealer's magical 21's...even the dealer commented she had never seen anything like it...A young couple literally plopped down next to me three sheets to the wind....they bought in for 400 at the 2D 100min table and the fairer sex half began to grab the cards from the discard tray and claim she was "queen bitch"...she got a stern warning from the floor person and she calmed down...however, as I continued my downward spiral, these two stayed on 12 v. King and other such insanity all the while winning 1k in 2 shuffles...at this point I was down 4700...They left and an affable gentleman sat down and, within 3 shuffles, I had topped out at 2k and decided the rest could wait as I was mentally exhausted...Trip is -3k Pleasant dreams.
Good morning! I sat down for a mini session before grabbing some breakfast...Hit a nice little run at the end of a 2D game and ended up grabbing 1k - Trip is -2k
Heading to Lion's Share!!! (at this point in time, the Lion's Share progressive slot machine had not hit for the jackpot for 20 years) For more about the Lion's Share slot machine (separating the fact from fiction, please see Vital Vegas's post here). I headed over to MGM Lion's Share and the line was 15 deep and the woman on the machine had 1000 credits...so, who knows if and when I would have had a chance to even get on the machine...I decided to reverse course and head back to Aria...I sat at a 2D table and proceeded to get a couple of blackjacks and a couple of doubles on my way to regaining another 575...Trip is now -1425 and no Lion's Share.
At lunch now about to have carne asada quesadillas...but, moments ago I played a 6D shoe and hooked up another 425 - trip is now -1k
I finished lunch and hit a nice run of natural blackjacks and a couple of doubles again...The trip is now +125 - Vegas baby!!!
I am going to take a power nap then check out the Palms and Rio (I've never been to the Palms)...then see Penn & Teller and hit the tables later tonight.
Penn & Teller were excellent..I had a seat on the floor to the right of the stage...most of the act I had seen previously on various videos but seeing it live was great...seeing as I share their libertarian views, I was in tune with Penn's banter...Teller's sleight of hand has not missed a beat and overall I thoroughly enjoyed myself...Headed back to home base and had some Five50 pizza...as I went to sit down at a 2D game a woman began cheering...she was at a penny slot machine and had won $880...good for her...The dealer shuffled and in the first shuffle I was able to win a first hand double...followed by 2 blackjacks as I was pressing my bets...I ended up +90
On the way back to my room I walked through the high limit room where there was a gentleman playing 3 hands at a time at $25k per hand...staggering amount of money to wager as every 10 hands was worth a 1.5mil swing(However, he looked absolutely miserable, like he was not enjoying life)Off to bedTrip is +1k Sat down this morning to a 2D game...played a few winning hands then a random passerby guy threw his 100 chip down...I got a weird vibe from him so I refrained (ok make fun of me now for refraining)...he lost his hand and went to the next table (6D with 4 people on it) and did the same...moments later he comes back and jumps in again...and yes, I refrained again...He then walked around to another 2D game and did it again...he was not Wonging as he would jump in randomly without having seen any hands played...After 2 shuffles, I had won 400 - Trip is +1500
Pre-dinner: played one shuffle of 2D And now heading to dinner another 500 to the good - Trip is +2k
The following will be placed into a separate "Rant" - So I took 100 to try my first foray into crapsI kept rolling rolling rolling making money for the table and about my 12th roll...the female dealer told me to give her $5 dollars for the "mystery bet"...as I am clueless about craps I obliged and she put it next to my bet on the pass line...a couple of rolls later I finally asked her what the mystery bet was and she said "well, when a person is making money it is proper to tip the dealer and we bet it with you to show our mutual respect"...what the F-word is that about?!? Telling me to give her money for some.bet and it turns out it was not actually a bet but a tip???I am once again back east and reflecting upon my trip…The trip ended +2k after runs of being +1k, -4,900, even, -4900 and evenMy foray into craps was exciting and, I am sure, under-betHowever, I am sure the talk of the trip for me was the dealer at the craps table on my last night who decided to fraudulently tip herself…the 'mystery bet' issue is still alive as I am deciding who at the casino I should inform (host, customer service, CEO…???. )It seems the debate is whether or not anything will even be done as far as reprimanding this dealer, Karina…