Yesterday was fun. I ate way too much because I had three meals. I walked up to Terribles for a free breakfast. I was going to use my points, but they just gave me a lunch voucher, so I saved my points. Then I took two of my relatives to a little Chinese place that is a favorite of my grandniece Jan and her boy George. And finally I had late night breakfast with my nephew Mike at the Denny's that has replaced the little diner attached to the Wild Wild West.
I had been hoping to hit some graveyard special in the old cafeteria I remember that served such good hamburgers.
It worked out well for a bit more time to talk and a bite to eat before Mike went home to his dogs. Mike is vegetarian but eats eggs. So the Denny's build your own Grand Slam was a good idea. I had the $3.99 special.
I expected the WWW might be a little raw, but I did not expect to be in the company of almost a dozen prostitutes who were laughing and joking and having their late night breakfast.
Few were very attractive. Some, you wondered how desperate some fellows could get. They were down right scary.
I would pay them not to have sex with me.
It was entertaining. We were not approached.
As we left, two police cars had a car pulled over in the parking lot.
The Rehac realtives, my sister's children and their children seem to be doing pretty well and that is good. They struggle in this economy and in life as all young people do, but they seem to be in a better place than when I last saw them. Health issues haunt some of the older ones.
The little guy George is a delight. His speech impediment is improving, so he is easier to understand. He is a happy, friendly, easy going little boy looking forward to first grade. He came swimming here at the Tuscany, made friends immediately, and behaved himself. His mom makes sure he does. He also had a good time picking his favorite Chinese restaurant eating pot stickers and chow mein.
Jan's choice I think was a Mexican place with a mariachi band, and I am a bit sorry to have missed that, but perhaps I'll see them again and we can go there.
GAMBLING
Current losses for the trip $2147
I played a wheel of fortune quarter slot in the morning at Tuscany and lost money, but perhaps that will be a catalyst for offers. Sometimes it happens even with small amounts played for just one day. Tuscany poker room seemed short of players, and I won't play the short tables anymore. They have a tournament at ten that is $25 but has rebuys. I won't want to play if those are unlimited.
I played some no limit at the Hard Rock and did not feel very comfortable. In less than half an hour there were three sets of quads, and the last one took out my king high spade flush, but it was my own fault because for complicated reasons I gave a free card.
They do have an interesting promotion. They pay for all high hands as long as one card in your hand plays (not counting the kicker on a flopped board quad)
Once it confused play. A fellow with trip aces slow played just a bit too long I thought hoping for a river ace. With two aces on board, this meant he was giving free cards toward full houses rather than taking the pot with his trips.
So in the evening, feeling defeated and very low bankrolled, I played that 1-5 spread limit game at O'Shea's. It was just fine. Most of the players were more used to no limit, so there were not many manics. One maniac kept talking about being in Vegas where we need to “gambol” and betting his bets to drive people out. He was to my right which I liked except I needed to surrender most of my dollar blinds.
One maniac, one drunk. That was enough. It is three maniacs capping every preflop that make for an impossible game.
For a long, long while I played nothing. I just got very poor cards and threw everything away.
It is important to throw away in this game because everyone will draw to the river.
I managed one pot early on that kept me in dollars for blinds. And then the cards changed.
Of course, I had a tight table image, but I was not totally ignored. I did not get in any monster pots, but I was called by players who had not woken up to the fact that I had not been in many pots because I only played when I had good hands.
The largest I was in I lost, having capped my pocket kings preflop to another's pocket aces only to see an ace come on the river. I layed down the kings and saved a little money.
Along with the maniac there was a drunk. Once on the blind I had 3-4 of spades and decided to add the raised dollar just for fun. The flop came 6-2-4-3 and I decided to test my table image. A three dollar bet got all but a couple callers out. My next three dollar bet took out all but the resident drunk. I checked the river as my hand had not improved, and won with the deuces to this fellow's A-J. I laughed and laughed and said, “I thought I could bet all of you out” and that changed my table image as after then none wanted to be showed up again.
So pocket queens called my pocket aces, so confidently that I checked the turn. An ace came on the river for my trips and she called me then as well.
Finally, here is a game I feel in charge of that requires a low bankroll to play.
I had flirted with trying to get a flight home early. I had just had enough of getting beat up. Playing this game with some sense of control and with my nephew as fun company restored my spirit of adventure.
O'shea's is fun too because the cash tables are just a few feet from the open access to the strip and when not playing, I can entertain myself with watching the crowds full of pretty girls and characters. Folks at the table were friendly too once they got over the idea that I was not going to show my cards when I folded.
I had fun, won over a hundred, and enjoyed a game with my nephew who could play with a small bankroll. Mike played very well and lost $8, three of them were tips for drinks.
I had some time to talk to the dealer about my dilemma as we waited for a table to fill. I told him my disappointment at the end of the machines at Excalibur, my not knowing where to find a small no limit game, and he suggested Bill's, so I may try that place again. It is a fifty cent/ dollar blind and there my hundred buy in would sometimes put me in a top chip position. Certainly I'll go back to O'Shea's, and more importantly I think I'll try to arrange my future stays on Flamingo for access to everywhere I want to go by bus without the Deuce.
I don't think I would be so far down if I had played poker at O'Shea's and skipped the video poker and the Laughlin 2-6.
I don't think O'Shea's gave comps before, but now you can give them a Harrah's card and they put $1 an hour on it. I like Harrah's poker comps because whereever I am I can use them. My last were used for the Paula Deene buffet in Tunica and had been earned in the Horseshoe in Indiana. You have to come with a card or go to the Imperial Palace or Flamingo to have one cut. You give the dealer the card and he holds it. When you leave, you take it to the back where they run the touranments and swipe out. It is an awkward process.
POOL
I swam here and I liked the pool. I thought it would be smaller, but it is just fine with nice jacuzzi's around it. In the evening it was very pleasant to sit out there and chat.
WIFI
I had no trouble finding a nice table to get on the internet at the little cafe and the two times I went there, I was the only one. I saw a fellow on his computer in the pool area as well, so that would be a good option. It is good to see some of these places offer central locations for free internet. It was easy enough to connect. “Conventions” was the name of the service.
Today I am here at almost noon and the place is almost filled.
BUS STOP
I was a bit worried about early morning returns to the Tuscany if the bus stop was far from the casino. It is right in front of the hotel. My room is in B near the elevator, so it is a really short walk from bus to room. I did not need that bus access last night as Mike drove me, but it excites me as it makes this a great location. Lots of construction just now on Flamingo and some traffic hold ups, but by the time I come back again they will be cleared.
BEER
I have been an opponent of Bud for years and wished they did not so dominate the market. In many spots in Florida, Bud and Bud lite and its clones is all that is available. Then they decided to brew American Ale. Well, it was about freaking time!
O'Shea's serves it on tap in a cup. It is not St Pauli Girl of the Edgewater, and it is not the distinctive and wonderfully rich taste of Saranac India Pale Ale, but at least it does not remind me of watered down urine.
They also serve Guiness. One single dollar blind and they serve Guiness. That is a cheap way to drink.
No comments:
Post a Comment