Okay, but now that others have posted, this won’t look right as an edit. So I’ll just make a new post.
As I wrote in my last post, this report was missing for about a year. Because of that, the part about my Three-Card Poker play at I. P. was mentioned on another thread that I posted in May. So, it might look familiar.
Tuesday January 19, 2010
We packed up the car at 6:00 am with a thunderstorm overhead. I’ve seen really bad ones on the east coast, so a few strokes of lightening don’t concern me much. I was just crossing my fingers that nothing would stop us from getting out nice and early. It’s usually about a 12 hour drive from here to Vegas.
We got on the road at 6:30 and thought we might see the weather clear up as we headed south. But no such luck. There was not a moment without rain and some of it was heavy. The whole drive down seemed strange to me. I kept thinking about a cartoon character that I only vaguely remember having a gray cloud that stayed over his head.
As we started through the Tehachapi’s, a weather alert came on the radio warning that tornados were possible in Long Beach, of all places! About this time, we noticed the rain was turning into wet snow and I looked toward the hills around us. They looked like they were sprinkled with powdered sugar. I was tired of seeing nothing but gray and wet. But we were surprised to get to South Point at 5:30. Even with the rotten weather, we got there with time to spare.
South Pont was new to me, but my sister and her husband had stayed there once before and we got a pretty good deal on the room. I really liked it. It was spacious and had a nice décor. I also liked how convenient it was to the casino.
We ate dinner at the deli. I was not very hungry and thought some soup and salad would be nice. It was pretty good and turned out to be more food than I could handle. They are very generous there. The soup and salad combo comes with a bagel and cream cheese.
The gaming there wasn’t so good to me though. I mustered up the nerve to try Quick Quads and it let me down. $4.50 a hand really isn’t for me anyway. I had a few good runs on penny slots, but everything else just took my money. Even the Black Jack let me down. But, we were just getting warmed up. I knew the fun was somewhere. I just had to find it.
Wednesday January 20, 2010
In the morning we went to the LVA office to pick up our MRBs. The next stop was Silverton. We thought we would have their buffet for breakfast, but it was closed. We wanted to play there after we ate, so we decided to try the coffee shop. It was a nice surprise. The food was very good there.
My sister had a whopper of a ham steak with her eggs, and the toast was big too. My waffle with Bananas Foster was the best waffle I have ever eaten. It would have been great even without the brown sugar, butter and bananas. If you like waffles, you should try them at this place. I don’t recall what my BIL had, but we all enjoyed our meal a lot.
Then, things got a little strange while we sat there eating. My sister got a call from our county’s office of emergency services. She and her husband are the contacts for our neighborhood in case the river gets too high. I guess you know what that means. A few more phone calls and we could only hope for the best.
After breakfast, they went to Bass Pro Shop while I tried my luck in the casino. Again, the luck was not good. The place was kind of quiet too. Even for a Wednesday morning, it seemed like too few people were there. After my family finished their shopping, we stayed just a little while longer. Then we went back to South Point for a while.
Late that afternoon, we went to M Resort to have a look. None of us had seen it yet and I was really looking forward to it. I read a lot about it on these forums and told my sister how much people like it.
We could not believe the great parking space we found. It was just a few steps from the door. Is it always like this when it rains in Vegas? They have a lovely place there. We wandered around just to get the feel of it and checked out the pay tables on VP. My sister commented on the textures in the décor. There was a lot of marble and metal. But here and there they have fixtures that look like they have fabric or paper coverings.
It was pretty busy there too. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. This was the kind of noise I was looking for. There was also good music playing.
Of course we stopped by the slot club first since we wanted to play after dinner. The slot club clerks were very nice and we felt quite welcome. We got a little free slot play for joining and headed for the buffet.
It is as good as I imagined with nice variety and good quality food. We were impressed and ate a little more than we should. So, we decided to stroll around a little before playing. It seemed huge at first. So we decided to split up and meet after an hour and a half.
I found a WOF penny slot to use my free play. It was fun and kept me going pretty well with the ten I added. There was a nice lady from Boston sitting next to me. We chatted a little as we played, but her luck ran out. So, she moved.
I left the penny slots in favor of some Quarter DDB VP. My BIL was playing over by the deli, so I played nearby. I was just warming up with a few short coin hands when I got a quad. So, I just had to start playing full coin. Nothing great came out of it. But, I had a good time anyway. We left there with a new favorite place to visit.
When we got back to South Point, we played for a while. They were having a random bonus on slots and VP until 9:00, so we thought it would be fun to be in on that. Once again the machines and tables let me down. So, I decided to get a really good night’s sleep. I was back in the room by 12:30 am.
Thursday January 21, 2010
We checked out of South Point early and headed downtown to play before check-in time at Red Rock. We parked at Plaza so we could play the west end of Fremont Street. We had not had our coffee yet, so the first stop was Seattle’s Best. Then we went to the slot club booth so I could use a coupon for free slot play.
We planned to meet in an hour and a half and I went looking for a machine to entertain me. I decided to try one called “Diamond Solitaire” (or something like that). My $5.00 free play served me well this time. I TITOed out with $52.00.
Then, I looked at the Black Jack options. There were only a few tables open and the Royal Match had a minimum bet of $10.00. Too bad, I like the game. But, I wanted to start out slow. I found a $3.00 minimum table with nobody playing. The bonus bet was called “Lucky Lucky”. I asked the dealer about the bonus bets. He gave a quick explanation and I sat down to play, with a request that he coach me on the bonuses. I was looking for something new and it looked like fun.
I know a lot of people think the bonus bets are “Sucker Bets”, but I have enough luck with them to make up for bad hands. Besides, it slows the game down and that works for me.
Well, the idea is that your cards are added to the dealers “up card’ to form a separate hand for the bonus. There are different pay outs for different combinations and some are pretty good.
After a few hands, I was dealt 7of spades and 7 of hearts. The dealer’s “up card” was 7 of spades. It paid me $50.00 for the “777” bonus. The dealer explained that if they were suited, it would have paid 200:1. I kept getting better bonus pays than my hands would pay and left with $60.00 more than I had when I came in. I was happy with that.
It was a soggy, cold walk to Binion’s for lunch and a little play. There were not many people on Fremont Street that morning either. It was a far cry from the summer crowds of July on our last visit. In some ways it was nice to not have to dodge so many people just to get around.
I had a 2 for 1coupon for burgers at Binion’s from my ACG. I wanted the beef stew, so I gave the coupon to Sis and BIL. We really enjoyed the service at the little café. It was busy, but everything came out right and the servers kept the coffee coming with a smile. The stew is good and hearty with lots of meat and veggies.
When we played I just didn’t find the right machines so, I was ready to quit at 3:00. I was looking forward to seeing Red Rock
About 3:15 we started our drive out to Red Rock. We got there shortly before 4:00. The signage was confusing and we ended up roaming around looking for the check in desk.
The clerk who checked us in was a trainee and he did a great job. It was my first stay there so I had a lot of questions. He got help from a supervisor and they waived the resort fee even though my room was not comped. I didn’t even ask, since I thought $12.00 was reasonable anyway.
What a place! Everything is so pretty there. We were impressed by the room, once we got down that long hallway that is. I guess room #10148 is just about 148 rooms from the elevators on the tenth floor. It must be where they put the discount rooms.
Anyway, it was the first time I have ever seen a television on the wall at the foot of the bath tub. The room was a bit more posh than we are used to. The walls looked like they were covered in leather with stitching in blocks. There was marble everywhere in the bathroom. Even the baseboards were marble.
After a short nap we were ready to play a little bit before dinner. We decide to meet by the buffet at 7:00 and I went straight to the slot club to load some free play that went with the room offer. Then it was time to find the VP machine that paid me in July.
I found it, but it wasn’t paying this time. It was time to switch to penny slots again. There is a bunch that I like near the buffet so that’s where I went.
I browsed around a little and settled on “Davinci Diamonds”. I was there for about 15 minutes on a ten dollar bill when I got a 10,000 credit line pay.
Just then, my sister walked up and said she was not having much luck. She looked at my credits and asked how much I put into it. When I told her, she said, “We better leave her alone.” I played a bit more and took a TITO out for $150.00. I was ready for dinner by then.
That’s when I came up with a strategy for buffets. The buffet is good there, so I need to gauge all the goodies before I start. First, I look at desserts to determine what I should save room for. Then, I look at salads to see if I will even have room for an entree in between. They had coconut macaroons and small napoleons that looked good. They also have a beet salad and Greek salad that I had there before and really like. We enjoyed that meal a lot.
Then, we went our separate ways for the evening. I felt courageous enough to try Quick Quads again. I must be spoiled by the good hands I get when I play online. The machine would not give me anything good. I found another “Davinci Diamonds” machine close to the hallway leading to the hotel elevators. It paid me a little bit at a time, but I got the Jumbo Reel bonus a few times too. The machine would make a funny noise and the slot card screen would show a message that read something like, “You have won $-.--. Press here to collect”. My sister walked by once and she said she got it a few times too. We agreed that it must have been because there weren’t many players there that night.
After a while, I moved on to the tables. I tried some Black Jack, but I lost my first four hands. That won’t do. Then I saw a three-card-poker table with only two players. I thought it was worth a try. There was a guy standing nearby watching the table as he smoked a cigar. He joined us after he put it out. I think he said his name was Dan. After he saw me win a few hands he encouraged me to bet the bonus. I didn’t know anything about it, so the dealer explained and I tried it. I did pretty well for a while. Then Dan told me I was in the lucky chair. He said he had seen a guy sit there earlier that night who won the Royal Flush bonus bet. It was fun to sit there and do some winning, but it only lasted until the pit boss came over and said the table would be closing soon. My chips went down for a while and so did Dan’s. He got up and said, “I’ll watch from over here and you can get the cards I would have played.” With that he lit his cigar.
I got three straights in a row and the table had to close. That was fun.
I went back to penny slots. There was yet another “Davinci Diamonds” machine near the gift shop, so I sat there for quite a while. I hadn’t seen the cocktail server since I left the tables and I must have looked thirsty. A slot attendant asked if I wanted something to drink. She looked for a waitress and sent one over to me. This impressed me. I thought the staff was outstanding with their customer service throughout my visit.
While I played this machine I got those Jumbo Reel bonuses again. They weren’t big, but they showed up a lot. The amounts were between four and twelve dollars. The machine was giving me a little too. So, I played until I was too tired to enjoy it. I got to bed about 5:30 am.
Friday January 22, 2010
It was moving day again. Our plan was to visit the eastern end of Fremont Street until we could check in at Hilton. We parked at El Cortez and went to Golden Gate for breakfast since we like their little café and the games they have. (Late edit: it’s sad to think I won’t get to eat there again)
After breakfast, I asked at the slot booth if I could use two coupons in one session. I had a $5.00 match play and a “2:1 for first Black Jack”. The clerk handed me the match play chip and said I should ask the dealer about using both.
I found a $3.00 minimum table and sat down for a few hands before asking the dealer about the coupons. She was not sure and called the pit boss over. I was allowed to use both. So my 2:1 sat next to me on the table waiting for my first Black Jack and I used the Match Play right away. I won that hand. It was the first time I won with a match play. Just a few hands later I got the Black Jack for the extra pay out. I was happy with that too. So, I left Golden Gate with more than I brought in. To me, that’s a winning session.
We went over to El Cortez next. We got our free play loaded and I spent mine on a penny slot machine called “Rembrandt Riches”. It is very similar to “Davinci Diamonds”. It did not last long and I wanted to try the Black Jack. I have read that it was good at El Cortez. It must not have been a good time for me to be playing it. I won my first few hands, but lost four in a row again. That’s a sign to me that I need to do something else.
So, I found my sister and her husband playing video poker and joined them. I don’t know why, but I just didn’t feel like playing. So, I sat near them and watched until time to go.
We decided to get checked in to Hilton as early as possible and left downtown.
It was really a surprise that there was no waiting in line at Hilton check in. Not even one person. We got our room in a matter of seconds. That was nice since we were tired and ready for some rest before dinner. The room was no more or less than we wanted. It was in the central tower with a view of the golf course.
We had a nap, and then it was time to get free buffets. There were 6 of them included in my mailer deal. I know it is not really a comp. But we figure that three people can enjoy a comfortable room for two nights with two meals at about $35.00 each. That’s a good deal in my book.
The dinner was pretty good, but nothing stood out for me. We played afterward and that was kind of fun. We played VP by the sports book. I was playing short coin to make my money last when I got quad 3s with a two. So, I switched to full coin. The best I got after that was a straight flush. I left with some profit and looked for something else to play.
I went to the tables and did not like what I found. All the Black Jack was 6:5 and there were no minimums less than $10.00. It was a Friday night after all. What was I thinking?
I found lots of penny slots to entertain me though. When I got a little tired, I started to consider getting some extra rest for the next day. I went to the space themed area where I was sure that I could find the “Hex Breaker” I played last July. A woman was playing it, so I played a few others nearby. The best was a “Double Diamond Pennies” machine against a wall. I lost track of time there, and my credits kept inching up. It was fun, but I was getting thirsty and realized I had not seen a server around for quite some time. I almost left when a waitress came to take my order. A margarita on the rocks was just what I wanted. It was good too. I wish my money would have lasted better though.
The woman on the “Hex Breaker” machine left and I got my TITO out to play it. I can’t believe how long I played on $11.00. It must have been about an hour. I got three “Mirror bonuses” and one “Ladder bonus”. Those are always good for some fun.
I didn’t stay up too late, because I was looking forward to the next day. We were planning to see some of the strip that I had not seen yet. I got to bed before my sister, which is very unusual.
Saturday January 23, 2010
It was our last full day in Vegas and we chose the right activities after all the sitting around we had been doing. It was time to stroll part of the strip. Our plan was to buy day passes for the monorail and do things I had not done yet and some we like to do regularly.
First we took the monorail to Sahara for my first look at it. I said that I wanted to come back for some play later because I liked the feel of the place. Then we walked to the Peppermill Coffee Shop. It was a cool morning and just right for the occasion. We knew the portions at Peppermill would be generous, so we ordered two breakfasts between the three of us and it was plenty big enough.
I have eaten at the Peppermill in Reno countless times, but not in Vegas. It is so similar that I half expected to exit into a casino after paying the bill. But, it was time for a pretty long walk since we planned our next stop at Imperial Palace.
Somehow it seemed way longer than the walk from Sahara to Peppermill. But, it was really nice to see the strip in winter. There was still a lot of snow on the hills to the west and I don’t see that everyday. I wished that I had my camera but it is not my habit to carry it. I guess it should be when I go to Vegas.
When we got to I. P, we split up for an hour and a half. BIL doesn’t like their JOB, so he went to the car museum. Sis went to look for slots and Deuces to play. I planned on some three card poker after checking out some of their slots. Once again, “DaVinci Diamonds” paid for my table games. I found the same Three-Card Poker table that paid me last July and bought in for $60.00.
The table had three players who seemed to be friends playing together. They were two very young women and a man who seemed to be about 30. They were betting at least twice as much money as I was and they encouraged me to play the “Six card “Bonus. But, I was not sure about it and stuck with what I knew.
It was good that I had gotten a diet cola while playing slots, because, one of the women players was complaining that she was thirsty and she had not even seen a CW for quite some time.
She got a lot more vocal about wanting a drink as 15 minutes passed. She left and came back upset, because the bartender would not give her a drink for free. She played one more hand, and then she said she would not put any more money on the table until she got drink service.
The man got up from the table to buy her a drink. That meant that the cards that she would have been dealt came to my spot. My very next hand was Ac,2c,3c.
The dealer could not help but tell her that the straight flush would have been hers if she had played. Otherwise I would not have thought of it. I guess I was in the right place at the right time.
When I met up with my family, we walked over to Caesars because I had not ever been there yet. We enjoyed looking around the place, but didn’t feel like playing. We got a good look at the place though. As we strolled around, I decided I wanted some hot tea and started looking for a convenient place to get it. We ended up going to Starbucks on our way back to the monorail station at Harrah’s.
It was around 4:00 by the time we got back to Hilton and we were tired. So, we decided to take a nap before dinner. It took us a while to agree on eating at Sahara so we could play there after dinner.
We decide to try the Caravan Café. I really enjoyed my Cheeseburger, but could not eat all the fries that came with it. BIL had a nice looking corned beef sandwich and Sis had a tuna melt. We plan to make it a regular place for sandwiches in Vegas now.
Then, we hit the slot club booth for joining and asking lots of questions. I had a coupon for $50.00 for $40.00 and had to go to the cage for the special chips. They turned out to be a pack of ten $5.00 chips. So, I started looking for $5.00 minimum tables.
The casino was pretty busy and my BIL was interested in the $1.00 black jack he saw advertised. It turned out to be 6:5 and all the tables were full.
We agreed to meet back by the exit to the monorail at 10:00 and I found a 3:2 BJ game with $5 minimum. I was set for the evening. It was a lot of fun talking to the other players and the cards were fair to everybody.
At one point a guy coming up to the table was complaining about the idiots who don’t know how to play. He joined us and turned out to be a nice guy. He asked me whether to split a pair of fours. This happens to me a lot and I’m glad to help, but I drew a blank and reached for my guide. It’s just a set of cards I made from a chart I found on a website long ago. It has the complete Basic Strategy. Can you believe I had to look up what to do with a pair of fours? It must have been the guy’s eyes or something. They were gorgeous.
Anyway, he thanked me profusely because he won his hand by following my advice and asked where to get those cards.
By the time ten o’clock rolled around I had turned my $50.00 non negotiable chips into $155.00 and was happy with it. While waiting for my family I listened to a great cover band at one of the bars. They were doing British Invasion songs from the 1960s and it was something to hear.
We got back to Hilton for a little play before bedtime, but I was exhausted. We were heading back to California in the morning anyway. So, it was just as well that we got plenty of rest on our last night in Vegas.
Sunday January 24, 2010
Check out went smoothly and we hit the road. This time there was not a rain cloud to be seen. It was an easy drive into L.A. to spend a little time with family and friends before coming home early on Monday.
Thanks for reading. I'll have my report from this year's trip done shortly.
Cyndee
