Today was the day I switched hotels from The Linq to Aria. Aria is one of my favorite hotels in the world because of the employees -- aside from one croupier tip hustling years ago, all of the dealers here know me by name and are (usually) genuinely happy to see me -- even when I have been away for a year. I toured through the casino today catching up with all the dealers and pit personnel I had not seen in quite some time. After that, I began my comeback attempt.
As the trip had not been going well, I decided to play a $50 game rather than a black chip game. To my surprise, in the year since I had last visited the Aria, the following changes had taken place (as regards blackjack rules): All games $25/min. and below now paid 6/5 for a natural and the dealers hit soft 17; All $50/min. games paid 3/2 for a natural but now the dealers hit soft 17;B lack chip games and above remained 3/2 for a natural and stand soft 17
Sitting down, I played with a woman who was also trying to make her way back to even -- although she was down only about half of what I was. We both made a nice run in the shoe and I was able to walk away with $325 - trip -9175
I took a break and a nap in the room before heading back to play some more. Nothing to write home about other than taking in another $300 - trip -8875
I took a dinner break and headed to one of my favorite restaurants at Aria, Lemongrass, where I had the sesame chicken and sticky rice - YUMMY!
Thereafter, I headed straight to another table and, within ½ a shoe, had regained another 475, bringing the trip to -8400
I decided that getting back towards even would be the grind of the century - sure, based on these mini-wins, had I shipped the chips in, I would have been even already but, I am taking the approach of slow and steady wins the race. After schmoozing with some other dealers, I sat down again to a $50 game and picked up another 400 - trip -8k
Before heading up to the room for the night, I sat down for one more shoe, during which I won 300 - trip -7700 with two full days left to go. I did not take any photos today and there were really no hands to write home about but, I am thinking positively and moving towards even.