TR SNIPPET LIVE POKER

ORLEANS

I have been avoiding the Orleans limit games since a trip two trips ago, but it was logistically wise to take my sons there from the Gold Coast, some for the live poker and others for the nickle 3 play.

We could then all go back to our Gold Coast beds or easily cab back to the Bellagio at different times based on our comfort.

I was still at the poker table with my local son Peter, sitting next to him, at almost 2 AM.

The Orleans game has changed.

They rake a maximum of $3 for the house. They take $2 for the bonuses and promotions. While we were there, the two high poker hands for that hour were paid a bonus. Of course, I caught my jack high straight flush at midnight. The promotion ran 9 am to 11 pm. Probably I was counterfeited on the river by a queen so that both my cards would not have played.

Both my sons made a pile of chips and then lost it back. It was a great game. Plenty of players paid off good cards. I made $82. Very nice.

Only one dealer was out of it. He did not know what current promotions were running. He did not answer me when I asked to slide down a seat until I said, “Hey, you with me?” and then he managed to say, “Yes, Okay,”

I still tipped him. But I wish now I had not.

All the rest of the dealers were just grand. They paid attention to questions. They called the game. They held up folks who were might bet out of turn.

One old woman would lean with her chips well over the line and seem to be betting out of turn. The dealer kept reminding her that the action was a long way in front of her. She took an attitude, annoyed at the dealer, and said she would lean like that everytime.

I told her that if she was going to signal her intention to bet, the dealer would be forced to remind her it was not yet her time. That was the dealer's job. The dealer looked directly into my eyes and her eyes said, “Thank you and , What part of, “Don't look like you are going to bet out of turn,” did this old bitty not understand?

But I think my comment changed her behavior. She restrained her impatience.

Son Cory joined the table and knowing nothing of that exchange, sat next to the old bitty, and he chatted her up and kidded with her and got her smiling.

That was nice.

One fellow with a heavy accent (maybe Greek) felt we all needed to be lectured in detail after every hand he won from us.

He caught a huge run of full houses and flushes on the river. Some of them took my son's money when his trips were beat.

Each one he felt he needed to recap the action, and if possible highlight his superior play.

I was not in very many hands, but I had my trips beat by him. The old guy had skillfully let me bet first, and then raised. It was good poker.

But lecturing about it was very poor etiquette. My answer,

“I know what happened. I was here for that hand.”

A few at the table laughed.

He was one of those guys who, after he has decided to fold, studies the cards a while, and talks to himself or to the cards or shows them to the dealerand shakes his head, all the while holding up the game.

Remember, this is 2-4 limit, so he is not playing to gather information on those acting behind him. He just thinks the game revolves around him.

He lost at first, but then he got good reinforcement on his ego by catching great hands.

A young Black man joined the table and verbally took the old guy on in friendly but intense banter.

He was just wonderfully entertaining.

He was a good player; he was doing mind games with the old guy, and rattling him, and I was enjoying it. He was funny and had us laughing while he took our money with good hits that he disguised with the banter.

Some players who do that are annoying, and some are entertaining.

He was pure stand up comedy.

My son Peter should have quit a hundred or so ahead as the table did change to very different and better players and when he bet into perceived weakness, he was trapped.

The first set of players could easily be read and showed weakness. The second set were not so easy to intimidate. They sometimes waited for him.

He plays once a week at our home game and takes money almost every week with aggressive betting. In fact, he brought money earned in one game to Vegas as his bankroll. He lost most of it, but he had a good time.

I had a grand time playing with two sons on the live poker and two more on the nickle three play.

Say, here is an Orleans question. If I let the casino know I am there in the poker room on days I don't bet VP, would that poker room play unbalance my daily average? Would it kill my two nights comped every six months?

I did not give my card, but they do pay some comps per hour. It is not a big sacrifice because I generally have more B Connected points than I can use on my solo adventures, but had I been sure I would not lose my free night offers, I'd have given my Player's Card at the poker.

I know not to go to the Orleans buffet on a day I am not gambling and use my Player's Card to save the price. That makes me look like a lower roller than I am.

Does earned poker comps on nights with no VP play affect free room offers.

I took the boys to play on a Sunday when the Orleans offered a grand promotion, high hands that paid very well each hour. I like playing when there is that bonus.

Contrast the bad beat jackpot. A hand that qualifies must be flopped. How absurd!

There are then local promotions, but they don't affect me. The Orleans takes $2 for promotions, but caps the rake at $3. They will tell you that they rake 10%, but if you just count money out of the pot, a $10 pot is raked $2 or 20%, a $20 pot is raked $3 or 15% and then the full money taken away goes down closer to 10%. So, playing 2-4 with local rocks and small pots tends to be a tough game to beat. And when the $2 is raked with a bad beat that must be flopped and no other bonus pays, it is just a rip off.

Of course, some casinos take a full $5 as the rake, and then a buck or two for the promotions. So, the Orleans can be a great place to play, especially on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday when the high hand awards are given.

The high hand awards stop at eleven. I hit a straight flush to the jack an hour later. However, the river counterfeited me with a queen, making my seven not part of both cards playing. So I would not have been paid a bonus anyway. Two cards in my hand had to play.

TUESDAY'S GAME

I had comped nights at the Orleans for Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I decided to keep my VP bankroll for just Wednesday because I would get a point multiplier that day. I was also tired after having family all week and wanted to just relax at a slow poker game for the first of my solo trip.

I played 7 hours and lost $1. So actually, I was a winner because I used my Player's card this session.

I was up and down. I lost $25 at the 2-4 game and realized that it was not giving large enough pots. I did meet a great fellow there who was into the boxing profession and very talkative.

I also pissed off an Asian fellow.

Here is how that happened.

I flopped trip sevens in early position with two in my hand and two diamonds on the board.

I checked.

The turn came another diamond and Asian guy's wife caught the Ace high flush and bet. I called. The river paired the board with a second 10.

I check raised my opponent and she reraised me my last $5.

It was such a surprise to her that she could lose that hand. She was mad. She quit and went over to sit behind her husband.

I engaged an older good natured fellow who looked Cuban to me and we talked about a few things, none of them poker.

Three hands went by that I folded.

The Asians were still steaming mad and Asian guy could not let it rest. He stared at me and said, “You Win!” I was confused and asked, “What?”

“Are you deaf,” he barbed. “I said, “You win!”

“I have not played the last three hands,” I said, “ And while I may be a little deaf, at least I am not rude.”

And so the exchanges started until the dealer said, “Enough,” and the Cuban fellow lectured the table on taking good care of the tourists because they fund the city.

I assured him that I was not offended.

I might have said, since it was the verb tense of the attack that had confused me, “I also am not inarticulate; I can speak English in more than just the present tense.” or, “You can't really expect success at this game if you reraise on fifth best hand or are surprised that a paired board might give your opponent a boat. “

It had been a large pot and part of a half kill so it was a 3-6 hand.

And still I left that table down money.

The 4-8 I next played was a grand game. There was good reason to raise to push out because folks would fold.

They would also bet into perceived weakness.

I check raised often.

Sometimes I did that on the turn when it might have been better for me to wait until the river.

I also did well on the button when I raised to see free cards. Folks would call the button raise, then defer to me on the on the flop or turn. I'd get a free card. So I did it when I had Ace little suited.

Once I even did it with K-9 suited and caught the flush. That was a poor play. I just got lucky.

As well as giving me free cards, that strategy misrepresents to the table my hand as a high pair or high cards. I did it with middle suited connectors.

That misrepresentation sometimes made it possible for me to bluff even when I had missed the draw. These folks remembered my raise, and if they checked to me on the river, after we had checked the turn, then I generally bet my pretend high pair. I was only once caught stealing the pot.

Even that was not a bad thing because it mixed the message that I was a tight player, and I got more callers when I had the goods.

We had one bulldog on the table and I can see how he did well with the strategy of continuing to bet once he was in the hand. I'm just not good at playing that way, and it could destroy a bankroll.

The bulldog did not always have a grand hand, but the confident intensity of his betting sent the message he had something wonderful, so he dominated this table where players would fold.

4-8 is often less a no foldem holdem.

PALACE STATION

This is a local's game especially at football time. Both the 2-4 with kill and the 2-6 spread were full of folks who all knew the dealers, the brush, and each other. At times the 2-4 was tight and small pots.

I basically lost money overall. This game is not a draw to get me back into the casino. Even the Orleans was easier.

The Golden Nugget downtown is much softer and a much better 2-4, perhaps the best in Vegas. Certainly it is the best from 2 AM until breakfast.

I had my Aces cracked and missed a good pot my first night with one fellow who persisted and caught the river. I thought I would lose my second night, but on the river I caught the nut diamond flush and took down a really large pot for this table.

My other wins were not great.

Some of the players are very surly. This is not the place to look to find people on vacation having fun and bantering. This is the place where folks face the randomness of life with disgruntled victim whines. They don't like it when the odds don't predetermine the individual outcomes. Truthfully, they don't like much of anything at all. It is an extreme contrast to the, “It's only money” folks at tourist games.

There was one old guy who chuckled because he had put a lit cigarette just outside the door of the casino and he would sneak out for a few puffs between hands.

A bit of the smell of it would waft into the poker room and there were complaints. He just kept quiet.

I'm not a fan of smoke, but I was enjoying the game of it.

Finally, someone heading out the bathroom noticed the cigarette.

“Who's cigarette is out here?” he asked.

But the old gent kept very still.

“They are not supposed to do that,” one woman remarked.

“Well, I'm putting it out.” the fellow said with annoyance.

And the old guy just smiled.

On his key fop he had a plastic piece that said, “Jesus is my driver.”

Now, I thought that was pretty ironic.

GOLDEN NUGGET

Drunk guy see notes

Morning guy from San Antonio. Had been stationed in Iceland. Another guy used to live in Saratoga years ago. His sister just packed up a car and drove to Vegas. They both have been there ever since.

Texas was an aeronautical engineer. Good fellow. Friendly. Not much in common. The rest were locals and all had to beat. I left a bit early because all the loose players were gone.

My raises for high hand did not work. On woman to my left bet into me after I raised preflop on the button.

Thursday night

I played a few ours and was up quite a bit and then I lost a few very good hands. So my profit was just $24 when I quit. No high hands. I did play a 2-3 of diamonds and caught the wheel straight. That made me some money. I check raised once on queens.

Gravel voiced guy sat next to me. He was very loose. We bet eight preflop and he had Q-10 and I had K-K. I'd have won but one player stayed and caught a straight.

Very friendly and nice Hawaiian woman played next to me. Not much conversation anywhere.

I quit at 3 when the table broke. I needed to get some sleep anyway

Friday night

Played poker all night and did not do so well. I started with $100 from the VP and bought in for $200 more. I cashed out for $155.

Had one talkative guy at the table who just would not shut up. A drunk came and he kept helping him play his hand by saying he should call or fold or whatever.

He started swearing and was 86ed from the table, but he was back in a couple hours.

I also sat next to a great Asian fellow and we hit it off quite well. I ended up giving him my Silver Strike ring for a coin protector. I did not bring so many rings this trip. He was delighted as he has a coin that will fit in the ring.

This was the most chaotic game I have played. When they let the motor mouth guy back in again, I left. I'd had more than enough. A couple grumpy men too playing just $20 and going home in a huff.

PLAZA

I played with two of my sons at the ProPoker electronic tables.

We were attracted to the low stakes tournaments at the Plaza, but when we arrived they had canceled the seven oclock tournament and the next was in an hour.

We played some video poker while we waited.

No one won much money. Dana and Frank passed on playing the tournament and walked down to play JOB at Main Street Station. They had a grand time with an old guy they met down there who ended up being a bit of a racist, especially where Asians were concerned. They enjoyed him as a character, however.

They then were hungry and went for a bite at the Brew place. Frank was disappointed in his hot dog, but Dana liked the pot stickers.

A bit after eleven we headed home. It was to be a very confusing and frustrating drive. I kept missing the turns.

The first part was great, full of amazing raucous banter. When three brothers get together, they are great fun. It is amazing how a blended family like this could so fully bond with each other, enjoy each other, support each other. There are very few tensions between these men and I think they will age together joyfully, although they seldom manage a reunion.

This was special too because there were no women with us and no children. The birthday boy was missing, off playing 2-5 no limit poker. That was a shame, but he does not like low stakes.

I went to the Plaza for the $40 poker tournament on my solo part. They got enough to guarantee $500 for the winner. There were just ten of us in the tournament. Each person had a $5 bounty. It is the most frugal poker in town.

And folks play poker. They don't come and and because it is cheap play a game that is more like bingo. It is nicely run.

I see the same people there.

Two of the managers of the room played with us and a very pleasant young Black man I've seen before and like very much. One of the dealer's blond girlfriend was there as she was before when I played. They gave us two free drinks this time.

I took one bounty, so I lost $35

ARIA

I don't play no limit poker because I don't have the bankroll to sustain bluffing. I'd be playing with scared money.

I have always wanted to play at Aria and on this trip I had just enough time for a short game, low chipped, quitting broke or a bit ahead.

I played very tight and felt that my opponents were very good. I had Mr. Loose guy two to my right.

There were few free flops. Someone generally tossed in a $15 bet to take the blinds and see the flop.

Another reason to play tight.

I did limp in once with 10-Q and then bet a bit when the flop was 10-small-small. I checked and folded on the turn when the A came and was called. Of course, the Q showed on the river. Both other players had A-8 and just the Aces. I'd have won.

My second playable hand was just before I needed to leave for my buffet and show. I had 5-6 on the large blind suited clubs. The guy to my left bet the $15 and there were some callers. I could see the flop for $13 more, so I did.

J-7-8. Now would have been a good time for me to push in early position. Playing low chipped gives early position an advantage for semi bluffing.

I did not and it was checked around.

The turn was a 9.

I go all-in on my small straight.

My opponent calls with his Q-10 and higher straight caught inside.

Q-10 was not good to me no matter who held those cards.

TR SNIPPET COMPS AND COUPONS

THE RIO SEAFOOD BUFFET

Nine of us gathered for this birthday meal. Two American casino guides and just two Harrah's cards gave us an eighty dollar discount. The ninth fellow had a ten dollar coupon as well.

MY VEGAS :

Elizabeth does not play, but I played a bit for her just before we left. She used a 2 for 1 at Aria. You don't have to stay in an Mlife hotel for a 2 for 1.

I love that buffet and we had a fine meal, just the two of us, and some good talk.

She tried to use a 2 for 1 at Bellagio with son Dana, but it was not honored because it was Mexican Independence Day. I guess we have to call and see for every buffet. That is a ridiculous blackout day!

She also bought some Hexx candy and used the free pound coupon. It was overpriced candy, so in the end we were not sure about the real value. $16 is what she “saved.”

My Rewards

In my solo section, I stayed one night at Excalibur for the $22 resort fee and found the room fine. That qualified me to use a free evening buffet voucher at Aria. Yummy. I used my third Mlife to see the show Fantasy at Luxor. I did not need to stay at Excalibur for that, but it was very handy to walk down to Aria for my supper and then grab a bus back to Excalibur and the free shuttle to Luxor and back. It was a crowded in that area of the strip that night.

I also had three free nights at the Palace Station, tower rooms and no resort fee. I thought that gave me space to redeem a meal a day as well. Nope. The first day I redeemed all three nights and that counted as two redemptions for that day and one for the next. Even on the next day, at first they were not giving me a second redemption.

Finally, I got one on the third day and I called my wife and had her buy me a shirt voucher and got that as well.

They don't let us pay to get a better shirt anymore, but they did have a XXL with just “Vegas” on it that was good for my son.

What is nice is we just have to redeem the points and go to the Player's Club. It is not like Eastside Cannery where we have to have a printed voucher.

I took my nieces and nephews out for a meal at the buffet. The Palace Station sent up someone to sign up the others for Player's cards. Otherwise the cost of the buffet goes up about $7. Two people can be on one Player's Card. I was not alert enough to remember to use my American Casino Guide coupon that night.

By the way, the ACG coupon can be used for 50% when going solo.

The Player's Club said this was not true of the 2 for 1 My Vegas vouchers, but the buffet folks said they do it all the time. So who knows??

I got a really bad clerk twice at the Player's Club. Finally, I got Tim who knew how to override and give me my second reward. The next clerk would not override anything. So, the My Vegas system at Palace Station is a bit rusty. And I'll ask for Tim and wait until he is on duty.

Now that we can only get one room per trip in each Station casino, that snafu probably will not happen because the one night will be just one redemption.

This also tells me that in November, when I go to Red Rock, my first day there will count as two redemptions just for my room. After than perhaps I'll have a voucher for food.

It is not a huge issue. These Station casinos have inexpensive buffets.

YOUNG AT HEART

Elizabeth and I were at the Gold Coast on Young at Heart day, so she got a card and played enough for a free lunch buffet and I did also. She went to bed, but I went back for a free supper buffet and a $10 voucher for the next morning.

I don't think I swiped at the right time, nor do I think I deposited my tickets. I did not handle that well. Elizabeth was not interested in the ticket drawing. We were swimming and I just stepped in from the pool and watched the drawing. I probably had no chance.

My first two solo nights were at the Orleans on a mailed comp. No resort fees. My second day was Wednesday and I caught just 5 X multiplier, but got the free breakfast buffet, went to hear my name not called in the drawing, heard a couple sets of the Nite Kings, and got a free supper buffet. I did not see the movie. No dancing this time. I love Wednesday at the Orleans.

A few hints for the Orleans. I you want breakfast, get in the line early, before they open. The line gets huge later on. I don't know about supper, but I suspect that is true as well. If I have breakfast, I don't go to supper until about 8:15 PM and the supper lines are down then.

Also, if you have played and created drawing tickets, go the the kiosk and put them in the drum a good while before the deadline. You can go back again and try to get a few more in. I did, but the line was long and the drum was closed. I was glad to get in most of my tickets, well, until they did not call my name.

The promotion is much better now. They pull one name for $500 ( 3 minutes to get there) and then they pull ten names for $100 each. If no one claims the prize in 3 minutes, another name is drawn. It is all electronic and quick. I like being right there because I can't hear the announcements on the scratchy PA.

Finally, be certain to swipe BEFORE you play and swipe again for the evening session. Otherwise there is no multiplier applied to the play.

EASTSIDE CANNERY

I took a ride out to Eastside Cannery with a whole handful of freebie vouchers from their Webpass site. Well, now we can redeem only one voucher a day. So the rest were a waste of points.

Since vouchers must be redeemed within seven days of printing, this means that for every trip I can use just one voucher.

It is now just a local's deal.

Well, I got my free buffet, but I never used it because it must be used in 7 days, and I never got back in time.

However, I stopped at the Bankof America across the street for money and Walmarts for a few things, including the shower shoes that would be so important later when I once again developed blisters, so the trip was not wasted.

If I run into a trip where I actually start my stay at the Eastside Cannery (say on a Monday to see Claudine Castro) then I may be able to upgrade using a voucher from the Webpass program.

Otherwise, I won't bother much with it. It is geared to locals.

Next trip for example, I am downtown on Halloween and then on a road trip for almost a week. So, no Eastside Cannery deals will work for me.

Or perhaps if I meet up with my relatives at their houses, I can print a voucher there.

I played a bit of live poker, won a $25 freeplay by catching quads in the live poker game for two tickets and then getting my name drawn. I could not use my freeplay for full pay, so I played Double Double Bonus and hit four Kings. I left with a profit of $46.

When I went to see the Claudine Castro lounge show, I did not play. I did spend about $17 on drinks (with tips). But the Eastside Cannery lost on me this trip even if they did get cheesy cheap on the coupons.

AMERICAN CASINO GUIDE

I actually misplaced my ID and so I missed opportunities to use the coupons. I have it now. I'll be able to use them in November. One I'll use to book the Fremont for three days at the price of two.

In some cases they don't ask, but in others they do.

Sometimes the table guys will send us to the Player's Club with matchplays. Other times they will just let us play it at the table.

I did lose a $5 matchplay at the Longhorn. It was the only blackjack hand I played all trip and I played it wrong. I stayed with Ace-three-three. However, it would not have mattered in the long run anyway as the cards that came would have busted me.

My points add up very quickly when I play the Boyd machines, especially if I have a 5X or more multiplier. I have a few buffets there for my next trip in November.

I try to use up my points each trip because I never know if I'll be back in a year.

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I pumped plenty in the Orleans machines, so my two free nights for next year should be set. I am almost Saphire level and may turn Saphire in November, but then by November 2016 my points will have been dropped.

Still, I am hoping to get a Saphire card that I can flash around. Sometimes it is helpful. Some Player's Card person took the last one I had when I asked for a duplicate card. I won't flash it there again. And once I make that level, I'll get a few extra cards.

***********************************************

Every once in a while the Gold Coast sends me an offer out of the blue for free nights, and they generally always send me casino rate offers. That helped save me money this past trip as I had booked six nights at a B Connected rate that was higher than the mailed offer by $100, and they adjusted my booking for a great savings.

I might also get an offer from Sam's Town because my Toast of the Town visit this trip was the same day as my play. Usually, I end up going out there for the show on a day I am not playing there. I have had scattered free days before from them, but generally when I add up the cost of the other days and the resort fee, I can beat their price. And if the cost ends up being anywhere near the Eastside Cannery cost, I'll pick the Cannery because the rooms are nicer.

 

Golden Nugget  has a new comp policy for live poker.  We now play on a Player's card and we get $2 an hour for our time that can be used anywhere in the casino.  There was some debate about whether those points remain indefinitely or not.  However, since the owner of the GN also owns Lawry's restaurants, the comps can be used across the county in those restaurants, a comp like no other I know of in Vegas.

Room comps are discussed in the various sections.  The hardest decision I have is what to do about the Four Queens.  Comp policy seems to be more generous for November than it was before.

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TR SNIPPET EAST SIDE CANNERY

I took a ride out to Eastside Cannery with a whole handful of freebie vouchers from their Webpass site. Well, now we can redeem only one voucher a day.

Since vouchers must be redeemed within seven days of printing, this means that for every trip I can use just one voucher.

It is now just a local's deal.

Well, I got my buffet, but I never used it.

However, I stopped at the Bank for money and Walmarts for some things, so the trip was not wasted.

I also decided to play just a half hour of poker.

I hit four of a kind twice and this put me in a drawing for $25 in freeplay. I won the drawing, played the freeplay and hit quad kings on a double double bonus game. I had lost money on the poker (too tight a game) and this brought me up to a profit of $46. So the ride wasn't wasted.

I like this 2-4-6 poker, but not when it is just the old regulars. I had to leave when two loose players joined the table.

I did enjoy taking one of the old regulars. I had a K-4 in the blind and the flop came 4-4-4. I checked and this one old fellow bet his Ace. The turn game him the full house. I just kept checking and calling until the river when I checked raised. He called the $6 but he was fairly sure I had the 4. I felt good. I'd played him well.

The other quad came on the river to complete my losing trips. That opponent did not have the money to pay much on the river.

It is a hard game to win. The rake just eats up the profits. Folks do tip a quarter or a half dollar on smaller hands, but until some loose players join, the rake I hard to overcome.

I played well. I stole two hands because the river $6 can be enough to bluff with especially after they saw me slow play a flopped quad.

I was lucky too.

However, I don't think I'll be moving my play to this place.

I have a love/hate relationship with the Eastside Cannery.

They also have ruled out using freeplay on the full pay video poker. Once places do that I'm pretty much done with them for any play.

It does open this place up for a couple paid nights or for a 2 for 1 if I get one in the mail, however. I noticed that one of the benefits in the Webpass is a voucher for a room upgrade. I'd use that as my one freebie, and if I started a Vegas trip at Eastside Cannery, and was staying there, I'd get most of the voucher benefits. I sure like those corner rooms.

However, that won't happen in November because I am downtown for Halloween and then on a rental car road trip to Red Rock and Laughlin and Oatman and Chloride and the Dam for six days.

TR SNIPPET THE SWIMMING POOLS

I like the Gold Coast pool in November because it has a heated pool. We did not need that this trip because every day it was 100 degrees.

Generally, I am okay in that kind of weather if there is no humidity, but this time the heat got to me for the first two days. After that I seemed to adjust pretty well.

Still, the dry air means that coming out of the pool wet and not using a towel will cool off the body quickly, and there was shade when we swam and where we sat along edge of the pool.

One day the whole pool was Germans speaking German. I enjoyed the sounds. In college I might have followed the drift of the conversation but now I only catch a word or two. There were some pretty bikinis, however, and somehow they communicate well across all languages.

The next day there was a luscious young blond rubbing herself with suntan lotion. No, I did not offer to do her back for her.

In the pool there was some good conversation with folks who are old and migrate North or South based on the season. So we shared lake stories and boat and dock frustrations that come with aging.

Another woman thought she was an expert on video poker and on the local casinos. She lived not far away. However, her information was just wrong. If you don't start with the premise that VP is played using a virtual 52 card deck and that the random number generator creates a pretty good randomness, then I can't really learn much from you. She was all about the change of machines. They took out the ones she won on. And luck. And she kept telling us that many years ago her mother had taught her how to play. Well, when I was first learning I listened to my buddy's mother who told me that I should watch and see what a machine was dealing and if there were a lot of jacks, that would be the luckier card to hold. I'm very thankful that these folks exist and that they are local as they give enough to the casinos for them to still want to attract players.

She also told me that all Emerald card holders have their resort fees on any paid nights waived. If that is true, I learned that from her.

And she had good experience with hosts at the Orleans and talked about one who is a comp nazi. She regularly plays at the Fremont but she does not play pickem poker. She was a double double, triple double player but she had nothing much to say about strategy. She was very annoyed with Bob Dancer because he is arrogant. Well, what else is new. He also has some good points to make. I did not bother her with Grochowski, Paymar, or Linda Boyd. Why bother? I just don't get how someone can have video poker as their passion and not actually study the game enough to check pay tables. I'm not an expert and I don't have a good mind for learning the games, but I still understand that the EV is in the mathematics of the game and the comps added. And I have Dancer's tutor right here on my Vegas computer to check questions. And I have a strategy card in my pocket. Although I have to admit, I don't look up as much as I should.

On another visit we found the pool area much more comfortable in spite of the temperature being 106. I had a nice conversation with a young Latino mother while her husband swam with their cute 8 year old boy. She was delightful.

We swam and talked and joked and napped. I think we have tomorrow planned out with Red Rock in the morning and then a trip to the Orleans in the afternoon for both some live poker and some video poker and a meal at the Irish Pub behind the Orleans.

****************

BINION'S POOL

The pool at Binion's is nice except for two things:

It is hard to locate.

The music is piped in radio, including commercials.

I went only one day while I stayed at the Four Queens. There were a few sun bathers, but no one was in the water. It was a bit cool, but fine. Hot weather dominated September so even unheated pools were very comfortable.

I tolerated the music. Actually, this time the 97.5 station was not that modern nasal whine crap but a Black soul and R and B selection and most of it was not too bad. There were a few frantic raps, but there were some songs I liked.

What kills the mood, that drifting off while breast stroking in circles, was the loud and in you brain commercials where people shout out their product. Is there some market analysis that shows folks buy more if they hear about a product in a dramatic, in your face, shout? Why Binions can't get some sort of a tape of decent background music is a mystery. I think the radio station is the pick of the attendant.

There was a nice water fountain with cool water, one of the few working in Vegas. There were bathrooms. And the view is very nice although it can't be seen from the pool.

It is a fine place for sun. There is no shade.

It is generally uncrowded. Ask at the Four Queens desk before venturing over.

Finding it inside Binions can be a chore. Generally, I walk around the building and go in the back door by the place where they now have a blowout sale on shirts. However, this time I had to pass through five homeless and one ugly woman with really bad beaded hair apparently did not like my simple hello. She tossed a plastic water bottle so that I almost tripped and when I looked back she was doing a nine year old like mock of my walk.

Street people are more aggressive these days downtown. From that door and the shirt sale it is easier to find the right elevator to the Pool Deck, but I'll go through the casino next time. I came back through the casino. Remember that the Binion's is a horseshoe inside so go to the North part of the shoe.

***************************

AIR B AND B POOL

I rented a bed and bathroom near Maryland and Flamingo as a way to do laundry. The pool was adjacent to the laundromat, so all the while it washed and dried I swam. I was alone and it was cool but very nice. There was not music. There were no people. I hate waiting for laundry. This worked just great.

*****************************************

PALACE STATION POOLS

I really liked these pools. There are two right near one another but separated by rooms. Each has a jazuzzi. One will be heated in November.

The only downside was there was no bathroom.

I used the one in the fitness center, but it was a bit stange walking in there dripping.

In spite of the bad reviews of Courtyard rooms, I may book some if I don't get better offers. That would put me close to my own room for a bathroom break.

The pool opened very early in the morning. Good hours.

THE ORLEANS POOL

I always enjoy the Orleans pool, and this was no exception. However, one day it did not open until 10 AM because the cleaner had not finished getting out the leaves and the chemical guys needed time to do their jobs.

It was frustrating that I had to wait.

However, there was compensation. They did a photo shoot for one of the Ms. Olympia women. I don't know here name, but she was very attractive, more so than most. Here she is in 2012, the one on the far left.

http://www.vegasnews.com/wp-content/uploads/Ms-Olympia-Weekend-2012-570.jpg

That morning she was dressed in a sparkle outfit with very attractive black anklets which matched her long black hair. She took these off and did poses around the pool in her ivory bikini. It was nice entertainment for a morning swim.

http://www.vegasnews.com/wp-content/uploads/Ms-Olympia-Weekend-2012-570.jpg

TR SNIPPET THE CLARK COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM

Picked up Josh's father, Carl, and we all went to the Clark County Museum out in Henderson. It was a grand place! Outside were displays of heavy equipment, all real artifacts, and some furnished houses from different eras. Inside were Indian exhibits, rocks, and other interesting collections.

The senior price was just a dollar.

I did not take too many photos because I was just pretty tired, but I did take these of a slot machine that was named after Admiral Dewey.

All the pieces of history collected outside are authentic. Very few are replicas. We saw Paiute shelters for summer and for both seasons, the winter one clearly made tighter to resist snow.

There was a prisoner cage similar to those we see in the old Western shows. It was terrible really to think of someone imprisoned in that heavy metal barred box with cement floor.

In one exterior building was a cast iron stove made in Albany NY. Rathborn and Company Black Giant 44.

http://antiquestoves.net/dir/other-stove-services/100-research/founders-foundries/65-rathbone-and-sard-acorn-stoves

There was a small and fading cemetery set up and one piece in it was an old wooden coffin.

We were all fascinated by the large grind stones and Carl remarked that he used to sharpen his knife on one.

There was something called a Toll Cabin and many old wagons, including a Conestoga Wagon. One 1917 wagon had steel hoops for wheels supported with large bolts for spindles.

Farm equipment pulled by horses included one of the first John Deere and one McCormick Derring.

There was a great Western Union building with an electric morse code machine clicking away.

We saw a collection of rails and plenty of train memorabilia, including one car that we could enter and then hear the sound of the old steam engine.

Particularly interesting was the collection of dated railroad spikes from the early 1900's on. The dates indicated when the rail had been installed or last serviced. I like that a lot.

Then we toured the houses. There was a great house with 1920's furnishing. One had old photos of the folks who lived there and was located not far from the Four Queens. Beckly House 120 S 4^th Street.

There was an old camper and plenty of interesting vehicles, including a really old Rambler.

Inside there was an Anasazi dwelling that was much different than the simple Paiute places made of branches. The Anastazi used a clay to make actual walls. Their songs played while we toured.

The wolf exhibit did nothing to dispel the idea that wolves can be vicious. It was snarling with its big teeth, protecting cubs who snarled a bit behind the mother.

There was a slot machine that had been made to celebrate Admiral Dewey. It was very ornate. My father was named Dewey after the Admiral in 1897, and so he is important in the history of my name.



'''

Afterward we went to a very funky locals diner. It was a fine place for lunch. I was hungry and tired. I'd been up most nights playing poker.

I'll see that museum again on one of my visits.

TR SNIPPET TOAST OF THE TOWN

I passed these old slot machines on my way to the show.

 

 

I went once to the Toast of the Town show, my favorited in Vegas, and free. The theme was Vintage Vegas music, so it was exactly what I love best, old songs performed with the great live band of Bill Paine?? in the background.

The hosts were Laura Shaffer and Art Vargas. Here is a sense of their sounds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySWAz5wZu2U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySWAz5wZu2U

Also performing was Gary Columbo. Here is a sense of his singing and tap dancing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeufEjqKq20

Songs in this show:

“I Love Being Here with you”

“She loves me not”

“The Way you Look Tonight”

“Pennies from Heaven”

“Straighten up and Fly Right”

Gary Columbo sang:

“Jump n Jive”

and after telling us about being a Gondola singer, he gave us a sample:

“Santa Lucia”

“Dream the Impossible Dream”

“Street Where you Live”

Then the hosts returned with:

“You Got What it Takes”

“How Do You Mend a Broken Heart”

“Islands in the Stream”

and Art did a song he wrote called

“Greatest One Street Town Around”

“Lay your money down”

“Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets”

“Shark Bite”

“Got You Under My Skin”

“Route 66”

They also talked about Ron DeCarr's Event Center which I will watch before my next trip.

http://rondecarseventcenter.com/swingin-sundays.html

It was a great show and not as crowded as it used to be on Thursdays. The old guy behind me insisted on singing along off key, but I just moved up a table and it was much better. I had great seats. They had large round tables set out, so it was much more comfortable without those long rows. Very easy to change seats or go to the bathroom. I don't know if that will be the pattern in the future, but I like it.

TR SNIPPET CLAUDINE CASTRO SHOW AT EASTSIDE CANNERY

I went up to Eastside Cannery on the BHX from downtown to see Claudine Castro. I got there early enough to secured a small table right in front, the best seat in the house. By the end of the night, as generally happens, that table was connected to another with five friendly Latinos and although the conversation was limited, we managed to say “Salud” and click glasses.

I drank three beers.

One fellow was dressed in a dark hat and very white dress shirt. He had a great look.

This is unusual because I have avoided beer since the diabetes. Modelo seemed to fit the night. Since they did not have the Negra I had the Especial on tap.

Since I had seen her last, Claudine had trimmed down quite a bit and looked very appealing. She had many new songs to sing, especially in the first set. She dropped the “Hotel California” so all the songs were in Spanish. She retained the groups dance about coming from Havana to Miami.

I am not really up for dancing. My feet are blistered. I don't meet anyone to dance with although Seigfried would have probably hooked me up with a partner had I asked.

I met Seigfried in the Men's room on a break. He opened conversation with whether I had won that day or not and we were soon chatting away, in English. He is just my age, turning 69 this month, and he lost his wife three months ago. However, he is not giving himself over to grief, but out looking for a “lady” preferably one with a good degree and a sense of world travel.

Seigfried was educated in philosophy, best liking the existentialists. He liked Neitche, Satra. With his wife he ran a private school in Europe for a while where his wife taught English, French, and Spanish. He lived in France, Spain, and Italy, best liking Italy. However, he is happy to be here for the comfort of the US and he loved Vegas. He thought he might like retiring in the Carribean, but it was too primitive. He just got back. He told me there were 8 million ladies in our age group looking for love. “Are you going to date all of them?” I joked.

There were some very attractive women dancing. I remember in particular one tall, long legged woman who was perhaps Cuban. Also, there was a couple dancing right in front of me in slow and sultry movements with plenty of body contact. There dance was really making love, his face in her dyed red hair. Cuban motion is just so sexy. I will see this girl in my daydreams for a while.

And old women are grand to watch. They know still how to move. Their bodies somehow stay very young to the beat and the sound.

They have signs that there is now a two drink minimum, but I guess that is for the night. I bought a beer and water, but they came around often to ask if I wanted more. Then each set I had a beer. It was nice to be going home on the BHX because it runs from right in front of the Eastside Cannery for 24 hours. I usually only catch two sets and take the 202 back to The Gold Coast, but I liked being downtown. The BHX can be a bit seedy, but it also generally has security guards and since the conversion from SDX like buses, the driver is available should any difficulty arise.

My Spanish is very basic. I did not really get much of the songs. I should. The words are repeated usually over and over. I wrote down bits and pieces, but there are so many similar songs that I can't really find the ones I heard. I wish she had a CD.

“Si tu te vas

te vas, te vas” was one I understood, but searching it produced too many songs about leaving.

It was a grand last night in Vegas.

TR SNIPPET FANTASY AT LUXOR

I read no reviews of this show. I did not expect much. I got it as my third MyVegas award. It was a $55 value.

I was surprised to find out it has been playing for 15 years and won some awards.

It started at ten PM

I knew it would be a night of watching pretty girls dance, and I thought I'd like that. And I did.

The girls were lovely and good dancers. Part of the show was topless. All of it was raunchy, including a Black comic dancer who gave the girls a break while he did the usual bit of pulling someone from the audience up on stage, dressing him as Elvis and bringing him out. He also teased the audience in a playful sexual way.

Some folks walked out early. I see how it could offend the socially conservative.

The music never is my pick in these shows. They seem to pick songs that make the acts more loud than sultry. I think quiet music offers a gentler kind of seductive fantasy. This was in-our-face dance music.

It did seem to fit the acts. I liked it enough.

One special star, who did not dance, climbed some rope like fabric and did some amazing acrobatics at the top just by winding the fabric in some correct knot. She was fantastic and actually more erotic than the loud rock dances. Her music was a Nina Simone song, but done by another artist. I can't remember which. Sultry, slow and delightful.

I did not rise much to the woman who was the Announcer. Something about her did not seem sexy.

I also don't like too much, “put your hands together” or “make noise.”

It just seems that they ought to trust us to do that when we are moved rather than when we are prompted and obligated.

I also did not like the pre-show entertainment. They played what must have been interviews of the girls or television performances, but all that was behind a distorting curtain and done to loud music without the sound track. So there would be one of the stars talking to us about the group and the experience of performing, but we heard nothing and what we saw was distorted.

All the rest I liked and was glad I went.

I picked it because there were tickets left on MyVegas and it was right in the area of the Excalibur. That was a good idea too, because it was an easy free tram back at midnight.

TR SNIPPET SHOWGIRLS, THE MUSICAL

Staying at the B and B gave me great bus location for the Onyx Theater and “Showgirls the Musical” was playing. I did not really follow the “Showgirls” movie from 1995 that got panned by the critics, and this is a parody of that movie, so I am sure I missed a great deal of the humor, but there was so much of it that it was a grand time. I liked it better than Fantasy at the Luxor.

Although it is community theater, the actors were all great as far as I was concerned. I understand some of the are Vegas showgirls, and the lead was absolutely beautiful and sexy.

It was a very raunchy show. The comic here is an obese woman dressed as a showgirl who makes really crude jokes. I liked it. All were jokes making fun of such jokes.

I won't repeat them here.

This theater is a bit strange. It is on Sahara just West of Maryland, but there is no door on Sahara. The door is around the back and a good long walk on streets I did not want to walk. I arranged to be let out the Sahara emergency door at the end of the concert. For those coming in cars, the back entrance makes sense as that is where the parking lot is.

It is a very small theater. It seats about 60 which they can expand to 90 if they need to. It was well attended, but I was able by coming early to be the first in and to actually change my seat three times to get a spot where I would have the best view. Heads get in the way of this old style theater. The seats actually can recline a bit.

There is also a small venue with couches and comfortable chairs for small performances. That was quite an unusual room.

Prices were $25 for the first row (sold out) of less than a dozen and $20 everywhere else. Gold star had them for $10 and I suppose a service charge. I decided last minute. They sold cheap popcorn, dollar drinks and coffee and other snacks at a movie like counter.

Folks were friendly and many were part of the larger acting community. One high school boy was dressed as a pirate because if you showed up at a doughnut place today dressed like a pirate, you got a free dozen doughnuts and he and his techy girlfriend were going after the show.

Next to me sat a very pretty blond. That was nice as well.

I had a great time. I'll go again if I am in town and out this way. It would be easy too to go from the Palace Station.