Had trouble falling asleep last night and had some weird dreams but can't really remember much about them. Oh well, back to Vegas.
I headed over to the Miracle Mile shops in the surprisingly refreshing weather outside - naturally, the escalators were not operating from the bridge connecting Cosmopolitan to Planet Hollywood - neither on the way there nor the way back. I had a couple of blueberry vanilla cashew Kind bars and am ready to win!
If you recall, MLIFE informed me I had $9 free slot play on my card - so I attempted to play it and could not get it to work - asked an MLIFE clerk and they didn't know why it wasn't working so they called over a supervisor who then informed me that the free slot play is only activated at $10 and above (naturally) Feeling dejected (lol),
I sauntered over to the blackjack pit and sat down to play with one of my favorite dealers to chat with--I lost the first 5 of 6 hands then Pushed a blackjack, followed by a dealer blackjack--then split 8,8 with a double on one for 21 and a 17 on the other - dealer 21 (net loss) - then, I was dealt a double down on 9 and got an Ace - I was just about to tell the dealer not to congratulate me but it was too late - she was already saying "Nice!!!" so I stood up and told her I was switching tables because she was going to get a 21 - she had a 6 turns over another 6 then draws the 9 OF COURSE!
I then switched tables down another 1200 (2900 for the trip) and, got the entire 1200 back plus another 100 in one double deck shuffle. The pattern of having to lose thousands in order to make up hundreds is becoming all too real. Trip -1600
I swear there is a pattern - it has occurred too many times for it not to be...I pretty much lose the first 5 hands of any shoe/shuffle and then when I finally get a double down (the latest example being Ace, 5 versus dealer 6 -- I was dealt a 5 for 21 and the dealer congratulated me - of course, dealer turns over a 5 then draws a Queen) I lose or push it then proceed to go down ± 1k before regaining it plus another ½ chip to 2 chips - Trip -1550
This really is becoming ridiculous now - sat down to a double deck game, lost the first 5 hands, pushed a hand, then lost the final 5 -- switched tables without winning a hand and the trip back to -2550 - The shoe game started out nicely with a win but then, the blackjack gods couldn't stand for that to happen again, so I lost the next 3 hands plus a double. As the pattern has been, winning a few hands to start a shoe has not been in the cards (pun intended). It is not until I am down to a couple chips of my buy-in that I get on any run - which merely brings me back to my buy-in -- which, once again, happened here. Trip was back to -1550 as I took a pizza break...
Satiated from the pizza, I continued my journey back to even and beyond, sitting down at a double deck game - on the first hand, I was dealt a 5,6 v dealer 10 - still gun shy, I doubled for less and was dealt a 5 for a 16 -- dealer turned over a 6 -whoa, I had a chance - nope, dealer drew a 5 - Per the usual, I lost the next four hands and decided to switch tables.At the new game, I won 6 out of 10 by shuffle's end. Another 300 (slow and steady) Trip -1250
Normally, when a floor person tells me that I should play at a certain table because the dealer is "dumping" - I merely assume the dealer will cease "dumping" as soon as I sit down (a la the "shoe of the century" I watched being played the other day followed by my sitting down and the shoe becoming the "perfect storm" instead). However, this time I listened and was rewarded, by the end of the shuffle, with 500 in chips to the good. I then shot the bull with another dealer who told me a guy at his table earlier was down about 10k betting 100-500/hand - the guy, apparently fed up with the situation, decided to put up 10k and either break even or lose his entire bankroll - well, the guy won! It can be done lol As for now, the trip is -750
I just met Barry the bulldog - 13 years old - laying down and refusing to get up from the marble casino floor due to overheating and being tired - The owners basically just standing there waiting for him to recuperate - don't know why they are walking a bulldog in Vegas
My cousin texted me that his plane was on the ground so I was waiting for him before playing again but, after an hour I decided to play again - naturally, after a few hands he texted me he was at Aria - fortunately, I had gained another 200 by then and the trip was now only -550
I kept cashing in the chips gained after each buy-in so I could feel my original cash bankroll attaining its former glory. So each time I did I was assisted by the same cashier who would ask me "How close?" and telling me "You can do it!" Reminds me of the interaction between Richard Dreyfuss as a horseplayer and Robbie Coltrane as the parimutuel clerk in the movie Let It Ride
High Limit lounge at Aria tonight is all $1k minimum-------Fast forward three hours: I am feeling kind of numb right now - I guess I'll begin at the beginning - my cousin arrived and I got him settled in - we then headed down to the casino - being only down 550 for the trip, I felt confident and positive that I could get back to even and then start winning...I sat down and bought in at 6d game for 1k -- won the first hand woohoo on my way - Second hand I had 200 up and was dealt 6,5 v dealer 6 -- I doubled and was dealt a 5 for 16 -- the dealer flipped over a Queen - OMG if I win I'll be even for the trip and celebrate with a nice dinner and relaxation --the dealer drew a 5 for 21
From That Point On It Was A Ridiculous Evening — Rather than being even, I proceeded to be dealt 5 more doubles that shoe and lost them all - by the end of the shoe I was back to being down 2k - My cousin couldn't believe it and neither could I so I switched tables to a double deck game - I was playing along with a couple who was already there who continually asked the dealer how to play their hands - the dealer was not knowledgeable at all - however, they continued to win and I continued to lose - finally, the couple left and I was playing head's up
I Heard some noise behind me and the guys from those old Dockers commercials come to life had descended upon the table -- they were merely watching at this point - I was dealt a double down of 2,9 v dealer 10 - the dealer told me if I doubled that I would win - of course, I did not win and told the dealer to leave my chip where it was, that she had guaranteed a win - the floor person I'm friendly with told me to relax and just play and all of a sudden, who chimes in from behind is one of the Dockers guys who thought it was his job to become Mr. Helper and start telling me to calm down and that if I knew anything about how to play blackjack that I wouldn't be arguing that the dealer guaranteed - I told him he had no idea what my level of familiarity was with the dealer and it was none of his business - he replied that he knew "everything there was to know about blackjack" - I rolled my eyes and resumed playingMoments later, Mr. Helper and one of his buddies sat down to play, flanking me on my left and right-- things were ok until Mr. helper doubled a 5,4 versus a 3 and was dealt a 10 -- I was dealt a 10,2 and hit - all of a sudden I heard the wail of Mr. Helper yelling that nobody who knows blackjack hits a 12 versus 3 -- I said nothing and the dealer corrected him - he told the dealer she was wrong and he called the floor person over who informed him 12 v 3 was a hit -- Mr. Helper refused to listen but, after he won the hand (with the help of my making the correct play) his friends ragged on him and he had nothing to say...I eventually switched tables, this time -3300 for the trip
in the next shoe, ran into a guy playing who would celebrate every time he didn't bust and inform other players they should be happy when dealt a certain card - naturally, he was always wrong and I soon tired of his act, albeit another 1k down with the trip now -4500
I switched tables yet again and joined a lady playing who informed me she was down 12k - I told her I've beenthisclosetoeven twice and got derailed by ridiculous shoes
Finally, finally I was able to win more than one hand in a row - I even won a few double downs - however, a strange thing happened - I had the following hand: 2,2 v dealer 6 -Split the 2s - First 2: dealt a 7, doubled and dealt a 3; Second 2: dealt an Ace, doubled and dealt a 9 - the lady at the table was dealt a 16 and stayed - the dealer turned over an Ace for 17 but mistakenly kept hitting and busted (it was a non hit soft 17 table) - as we were getting paid he realized his mistake and he called the floor person over -the floor person said to just burn the cards he pulled and play the hand as a 17 - Well, the roller coaster of emotions from our respective losses overtook us and the lady and I both called for the floor person to reconsider and let the hand play as it was (admittedly, we were both "taking a shot") - the shift manager came over to discuss it with us and he graciously allowed us to just take our original bets back - no harm no foul and a very classy move (typical of Aria)
From there I was able to get a few more chips back and, although I never made it to even, I did dig myself back from being down 5k again to being down 2500 (think I have another comeback in me?) Sweet dreams