The Dice Institute

Clubsodakenny calls and says its time we check out all the boat rehabbing going on at the lake front and cash in some coupons. It has been about a month since Laser910 and I had made the dice scene. This trip we gave Laser the night off to attend to some family business.

With Clubsodakenny at the wheel, we had no trouble finding a place to park at the Majestic Star. It wasn’t crowded and there wasn’t that mass of humanity moving back and forth among the slot machines. The two fourteen foot crap tables were packed. Both were $5 minimum tables. Clubsoda spotted a crap table set off to the side, which I swear was a ten footer. If they put that table into play, we will have to check it out in the future.
It looks like they were making an effort to clean the place up and were moving things around.

We cash our coupons and headed over to Ameristar. Ameristar was more active than MS and had more renovations in progress. When Harrahs owned it, it was fair but had bouncy tables. Resorts took over and made some improvements and there seemed to be less smoke. We also became adjusted to one of their tables and had many good Saturday nights on it. Ameristar now owns it and has made more improvements. They moved the crap tables to the rear of the boat where there is more room and you are not back up against the cashier’s cage rubbing butts with the winners.

Our positions at the tables were all filled with Randies and our favorite table was a $15 minimum and no openings. We decided to head over to the new Horseshoe.

Clubsoda noted that we were $70 ahead and hadn’t even thrown the dice yet. I said that we would have to test the water at the Horseshoe.

We ended up parking on the sixth floor. The place was packed. Now I knew why our first two stops were lacking the usually big Saturday night crowds. They were all at the Horseshoe. Boy! Is the place big. The casino area is bigger than anything I’ve ever seen in Vegas. I tried comparing it with Wynn, Venetian and others. The Horseshoe is bigger and just as classy.

I remarked to Clubsoda that there were only four crap tables. He said, look again. They are six more over there. They actually had two crap pits. I thought I was in Crap heaven, ten tables. They were all staffed and working. Most of the tables were $10 minimum. There was a $15 and $25 table.

We got position and jumped in a $10 table. A Randy was on a roll and I watched him make a couple points after buying in. How did we know he was going to stay hot? We were the new kids on the block and didn’t want to get caught with our hand in the cookie jar. There were some quick seven-outs and I finally got the dice. I got nine for my point and came right back and made the nine and then went point seven out. It was the only time I got to throw the dice.

It was very noticeable that every one else was throwing the dice off the table but I will reserve any conclusions about the tables till I can play on them more.

The crew was OK but the Box Guy was super. A real friendly person and talked with everybody. It was a boat trip that needs further investigation.

Charlie009
Copyright 2008

Thursday Afternoon at the Boat…. August 11, 2008

Laser910 and I spent an afternoon at the New Horseshoe boat to see if we could play under good conditions for a change. We found six of the ten tables manned of which two were reserved for those invisible fleas with the big bankrolls.

The $10 table we were standing by had only one player shooting from straight out, so we joined him. He must not of liked us because took off after a seven showed up. Laser asked if it was something we said. The dealer said no, the table has been ice cold. Laser said, “Lets see if we can warm it up.”

We took up our positions on each side of the stick and Laser led off. We had the table all to our selves and had planned on playing tight and see which way the wind was blowing. No “fire bet”, no C&E bet. Just a plain Pass Line bet with single odds! Laser set and threw a five for the point. Two tosses later he made the five. He then threw three nines in a row before making the point of six and then established nine as his point.

I remarked that nine should be a piece of cake for him. Playing tight went right out the window. Ever time laser threw a box number I pressed up my odds on that nine with some of the winnings. He finally made it and before we knew it there were four fire bet numbers covered and we were not on it. I told Laser to forget it and make some numbers. He did and we were now into a monster run for sure.

The numbers kept coming and I had the “Iron Cross” set up with chips coming in on every roll. It was then that I noticed Laser was tossing the hardway set. Oh well, there goes the neighborhood! Laser was into the best roll I ever saw him throw. He was pushing fifty minutes and the toss count was approaching fifty.

By now the fleas were crawling out from everywhere and there goes our private table. After big red showed up, Laser says let’s go. We were up a big bunch and I said let me throw once. He relented and we gave back a little trying to catch a flea. I finally got the dice and did my C&E thing. I came out with back to back elevens that I pressed. Quick $126 in the rack. Got ten for the point and came right back with it. The flea next to me had the gall to ask me if it was hard. Back to back fives followed! It was a mini run at best when big red ended it.

We colored up and went over and paid our dues at the video poker machines. Laser, my hat’s off to you. You were in the zone and I have never seen you throw better. It was fun riding shot gun for you.

Charlie009
Copyright 2008

Saturday Night at the Boat, New Horseshoe Revisited Sept. 17, 2008

Laser910 and I arrived on the forth floor of the parking garage around 6:15 pm and found a parking spot not to far from the elevator. Laser910 remarked that this could be a lucky night. The casino was nowhere as crowded as last weekend. There were plenty of people there but the place is so big they were lost in the hugeness of the place.

There were plenty of slot machines available for play (3200). The over 100 table games were pretty much filled up. Their restaurants were just like Vegas, wait in line.

Eventually we found the ten crap tables which were all manned and we settled into a table that had our spots open. It was the same table I played on last week. Next to it was the same reserved table as last week, with one player at it. Our table was a $10 minimum, 12 footer with100Xodds.

The Suits were friendly with one exception when the one Suit fired our player’s cards back across the table. I ended up with Target’s card and he with mine. Target and Clubsodakenny had just joined us at the table and we now had murders row set up with two of us on each side of the stick person.

The table was choppy and according to Clubsoda we were averaging 12 to14 tosses each on our rolls. It wasn’t enough to compensate for the Randies wild tosses. One Randy threw the dice off the table five straight times and then went seven out. All of us were approaching our stop loss figure when Laser and Target decided to hit the video poker machines. Clubsoda and I decided to throw the dice one more time and then take a break.

We where walking around admirering the casino when we spotted Analomyst at a 14 foot table in the second crap pit. He had his book and pen out and was busy at work at SL1. He had a serious amount of chips in front of him and we didn’t want to disturb him while a happy go lucky Randy was having a hot roll from SO. SR1 opened up for about twenty seconds and I hesitated jumping in. You snooze, you lose! I didn’t want to upset the flow of the game with a buy in the middle of the run, which lasted a good twenty-five minutes.

Target and Laser found us watching the action. Now the whole crew was standing behind Analomyst watching the action. Finally there was a break in the action and we all got to meet and shack hands with Analomyst. We told him we were going to get something to eat and try to get back to his table.

After filling our stomachs we decide to go to our home base, Ameristar and try to recoup our losses. We had a short meeting in the washroom, washed our hands and headed to our favorite table ($10, 12 footer). Laser and Clubsoda jumped into their spots, SL1and 2 and Target and I were at SR2 and 3.

The guy next to Target had the dice was having a little run. Target jump in fast to get a bet down on the pass line because he was to get the dice next. I used Target’s move to buy in also. Target and I had mini rolls and then Laser got serious and had the best run of the night. All four of us at one time or another threw come out elevens. We recouped a good part of our previous losses.

Charlie009
Copyright 2008

Thursday Evening at the New Horseshoe Boat Sept. 23, 2008

Well, they call it a boat! This was my forth visit and I still haven’t seen any boat. They have this building built on six barges that look’s like a parking garage. Don’t get me wrong. What they have built on barges and attached to land is an engineering feat to rival any Las Vegas casino.

The parking garage is a scary experience in itself. The steepness of the inclines going to the higher floors to park can make the Pikes Peak hill climb a walk in the park.

When you enter the casino you are hit with the vastness of the place. Big is not the word for it. The place is huge and beautifully decorated. It has the appearance of class.

The Suits go out of their way to make you feel at home. When you buy in they will come around to where you are playing and tell you to enjoy your visit and let them know if you need anything. I bought in at three different tables and had three different Suits say the very same thing. One female Suit walking by stopped and said how are you doing today, Charles? I didn’t recall every seeing her before.

The table crews where just as polite. It seems the Horseshoe management has gone out their way to see that their personal went to customer relations charm school.

Before I forget, Bewalter, the number of that table is 20-301. I have played on four of the ten tables and can honestly say that I can throw a seven on them all. Laser910 and I played on the table in question and found the bounce and recoil much the same as last week. The only difference was that we couldn’t get more than eight or nine tosses per turn without throwing a seven.

Laser910 looked like he was about to bust loose again on that sane table when he came out with back to back elevens, a couple sevens and two three’s before establishing a point. The best I could do on that table was back to back nines, three times in a row.

Comparing the four tables, two twelve and two fourteen footers, I would say that as far as bounce and recoil is concerned, they were all about the same. It boils back down to the toss. Slow and low is a must. The high flyers where going off the table 45% of the time. The rest of the fleas were throwing too hard and any old way resulting in the dice leaving the table. If you judge a table by what the fleas are doing or tossing, you are going to have a problem.

On one of the twelve foot tables, the flea next to me remarked that the last seven shooters all went seven-out by throwing a six and one. This got my interest and I started keeping track of the seven-out configuration. Six more seven-outs, of which one was mine, brought the total to thirteen in a row with a configuration of six and one. There were numbers being made in between, but when anybody went seven-out, it was with a six and one. During my turn I even changed dice to no avail. When I went down it was a six and one, big red.

My friendly flea who was counting sevens, asked if I would trade positions with him. I told him I liked the position too but I would step back when he tossed. When it was his turn he carefully set the dice by throwing them against the wall in front of him, picking out two numbers, brings the dice up to his ear and shakes them and fires them down the table at top speed. I saw enough. It was time to look for Laser.

I had all I could do to keep from asking the flea if the dice told him anything. If it makes any difference I did throw a five-two on the come out before I left.

I found Laser hiding behind a two cent slot machine. He suggested that we test the food at the Village Square Buffet, on the house. After a couple escalator rides we found it. There was a long line, but Laser charmed his way to the front of the line with his platinum card. The buffet was great.

With a full stomach and our pockets a little lighter, I suggest we go home and watch the White Sox lose. Laser agreed and said, we can’t win all the time, but we do want to get our turn.

Charlie009
Copyright

Thursday Morning Annoyances at the Boat… October 9, 2008

Superstitions, bad etiquette and other surprises ran rapid during our recent session at the Horseshoe Casino. The morning started out simple enough when Laser910 and I found only two of the ten tables working and loaded with fleas. Laser spotted a Suit by one of the empty tables and asked her if they were going to open another table. She said, yes, in about twenty minutes. As we headed towards the poker machines I said, save us two seats.

Twenty minutes later we went back and found the newly open table full of fleas except for SR1 and 2 which had white towels on the chip rack. Laser and I approached the table and the Suit says, jump in gentlemen and hand me those towels. The dice were at SL1 since they opened the table. The flea was setting the V3 but his toss was going all over the place. He already had three numbers for the fire bet.

Being the gentlemen that we are, we were waiting for an opportune time to buy in. The guy was throwing numbers like crazy. Laser couldn’t take it any more and threw his buy-in on the table. This was one of those times if you snooze, you lose. While they were chasing the same dice that exited the table, we both bought in and went up on the six and eight. Laser yells out ten on the hard six. The next toss, Mr. Flea gives Laser his hard six.

Mr. Flea had the dice for twenty-five minutes while we were on him and must have lest had another ten minutes before we got there. Here’s a question! When they open a new table why do they always start the dice out at SL1? I’m getting tired of batting last all the time. We hadn’t even tossed the dice yet and Laser says, let’s go. Were up a bunch! We stayed and hit a few points. Laser then went to the poker machines and I wanted one more crack at the dice. While waiting for the dice to come around, they got waylaid by a flea with a heavy tan. He put on an exhibition of throwing the dice off the table two out of every three tosses. He finally stops calling same dice, to speed up the game.

This off the board flea throws four points of the fire bet and plenty of repeat numbers. He hit so many inside numbers that I didn’t even bother to set up the Iron Cross. He would set the same thing for all his high arching throws from SO. He had the two/three on top and I couldn’t see anything else.

By now I had a chair and when two fleas passed the dice and the Box made the next shooter passed them because he butted in next to the hot shooter. Well what do you know? Justice is served. I’m finally getting the dice for the second time. At this point things went crazy. I was picking up the dice when a red chip came out of nowhere and landed in my chip rack. Some flea was yelling hard six. The Stick guy says where’s the chip? The Box gal says, it’s in Charlie’s rack. Now, nobody is going to touch my rack. Finally I picked up the chip and threw it on the table towards the guy who threw it and said, I thought it was money from heaven. That got a laugh, but now the chip is leaning against a third party’s PL bet. Nobody wants to touch it. I suggested they leave it for a bet for the crew. Everybody started yelling, leave it for the crew. The flea who threw it said, what about my hardway? He was ignored. The crew won the bet ($10). The Suit watching the action asked me if I wanted another chair and smiled.

After all that, I got into a mini run and was picking up the dice when two more fleas bought in throwing their money right in my landing zone. I set the dice down and sat down. I waited till they racked their chips and nobody said a word, including the stick gal who stopped saying dice out. She did say, no more bets! She also was giving me the dice with threes up and told her replacement to do the same.

It seem like I had the dice a long time but there were so many distractions with late bets, buy-in’s, slow payoffs, stick changes and too many prop bets. My mini run ended with a controversial call. The dealer said six. The stick called for a second opinion. The box said seven and ruled. I could see from my spot it was a seven and said no need for the instant replay upstairs.

This was the fifth different table we have played on out of the ten and they all seem about the same as for bounce. They are tough but I think we are adjusting to them and starting to make ourselves at home. This was the most profitable visit so far. As Laser said, “We came, we conquered, and we went home.”

Charlie009
Copyright 2008

Tuesday Morning, "Ye-Oh-Eleven" at the "U" Boat. October 28,2008

Tuesday morning “ye-oh-eleven” at the “U” Boat….

It seems our fortune has changed since we got off the Saturday night kick and started going to the boat during the week. The big difference is on Saturday night we would get two turns with the dice and now during the week we get five or six turns during a two hour session.

When we arrived on the scene, there were three tables in play and were all full. Laser cornered a Suit and asks when they would open another table. He said in a half hour.
Laser asks them if they would save both sides of the Stick and we headed to the poker machines. Half hour later we were back and found them opening the table with four other players on board. For some odd reason I went to SL and Laser went to SR. I asked Laser what’s up. I don’t know, lets switch. I said to the box guy, “He’s lost”.

Laser and I have now played on six of the ten tables at the Horseshoe and I see very little difference in the six. They all produce a lively bounce and most players have a hard time keeping the cubes on the table. The Suit once remarked to no one in general, “keep them low to go.” It fell on deaf ears. The flingers were flinging them and the lobbers were lobbing them off the table on first bounce.

After Friday’s practice session at Clubsodakenny’s, my toss fell in place from the get go. It was a fourteen foot table and I was shooting from SR1. I was launching two inches off the layout and topping out about twelve inches and landing six to eight inches from the wall with a soft kick into the wall and bouncing back six to twelve inches and stopping two to six inches apart. My worst throw resulted in both dice coming up a foot short of the wall and came up a hard six, to Laser’s delight. All I said was “oops.” The Suit smiled and walked away.

The morning started slow while four random shooters did their thing, throwing the dice off the table and then point seven-out. My turn with the cubes! $10 PL. $1 for the crew, $6 C&E and $5 Fire Bet. The come out result was; 12, 11, 11, 3, 11, 6, 6 hard. Come out 11, 5 x x x x seven out.

Laser’s turn with the dice. He comes out with an 11, makes two points and some box numbers. The table was now full but it didn’t take long for them to thin out. All the randies went down in flames. Laser left the table to help the economy by spreading his wealth around the poker machines.

I stayed and played. The dice felt good in my grip and I was hitting the LZ pretty good. The strange thing was the other end of the table was keeping my LZ clear of chips. I did not know anybody at that end of the table and couldn’t see who was doing me a favor. It might have been the dealer who rotated in down there. The crew was very attentive and reminded me of the Fire Bet and C&E bets when it was Laser or my turn. They knew we were only making those bets on ourselves and each other.

One stick guy keep trying to give me the dice with what number he thought I wanted on top, but I was rotating them so often he gave up. When I got four or ten for a point he saw I was working off the V-2 and gave them back to me with the two’s up. When I had four for a point, I threw a bunch of tens and when ten was the point I kept hitting the four. I didn’t care because I was betting both. A tall dude who just arrived at the table asked how it was going and the dealer said you only have to know one thing. When that guy with the dice has four or ten for a point bet the hell out of both numbers. Next thing I know, he buys the four and ten for $100 each. I didn’t disappoint him.

Oh yes! We had a jerk at the table and of course he was on my right at SR2. He spoke broken English and was grumbling about every seven-out. For openers he was betting $100 on the pass line and no odds at a $10 table. He sometimes would bet $100 on the World Bet during a hand in progress. His bets were always at the last minute. The only good thing he did was pass the dice to me every time they came around. He probably didn’t know how or where to throw them. He would say, “No, no, I don’t throw dice.” The jerk was so stupid, I almost felt sorry for him.

To sum up, the crew was very attentive. They knew when I wanted the same bet and when I wanted to raise or spread out. The box person was personality plus and never missed a thank you for the bets. The Suit that got me a chair asked why I didn’t ask sooner. I told him I was good for an hour but after that I need a chair to out last some of your accomplished players. He laughed. The other Suit was kept busy chasing down the wayward tosses.

One last point! They did have a $5 table of which was packed the two hours I was there. It took the heat off our $10 table.

Charlie009
Copyright 2008

Saturday Night Dinner at the U-Boat November 2,2008

The phone rings and Fiftyroller said the wives were talking about going out for dinner after they close the shop. What do you think? I responded with let’s take them to the Horseshoe boat. They agreed and they were impressed on how vast it was.

Soon as we arrived, the girls headed for the five cent slots. Fiftyroller and I headed for the crap pits. There were six $10 tables in play and were all loaded to the hilt including the reserved table. For 7 p.m. I would have thought they would have had all the tables open. We circled the tables for a half hour looking for a spot to play. We thought if one of us got our position we could squeeze the other in. Not to be.

Finally we went over by the reserve table that had both sides of the stick open with two reserve signs on the rail. We stood behind the stick and watched for awhile. I told Fiftyroller I was going to try something. I kept staring at the suit over looking the game. Our eyes finally locked and I point to the two open spots. The suit came around by where we were standing and said he could put us at each end of the table. I said no, it was too awkward to shoot from there. He said he had to hold those spots for any high rollers who come in. I said how about we low rollers, a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. He said to hold on a minute and went over to converse with another suit.

When he came back he said they were going to open another table across the way. I said great, there even is a chair in my spot. He said you got it. There was only one other person waiting for that table and he wanted SL2. Fiftyroller indicated he was OK with SR2.

The only crew member there was the stick guy. Then came a surprise. One suit sits down at the box and two other suits take off their coats, roll up their sleeves and jumped in as dealers. I said it must be due to the economy. The suit says you got the cream of the crop tonight. I ask if that was why this was a $15 table.

They give the dice to Fiftyroller and he immediately sets nine as his point. I said nine is easy. Just throw the dice to the other end. He did and it was a nine. He came right back with a five for the point. I said anybody that can make a nine can make a five. Three rolls later he made the five. The roll continued with six and eights all over the place and he made another point of five. He went out on a run-a-way die. It was a tough act to follow.

I had the dice and automatically put down a $6 C&E along with my $15 pass line bet. Naughty, naughty 009. I was told that it was a $15 table and I would have to put $10 on the C&E. Maybe MP can clear this up for me. They were allowing $5 bets on hard ways, paying $45. Why wouldn’t they allow a $6 C&E paying $42 on an eleven?

I matched Fiftyroller’s three points and threw lot of numbers. Then the unexpected happen. One die dug in and never made it to the wall. Down, short and out. With all the suits working the game I thought for sure someone would say something. Not a word.

The dice went over to the gentleman at SL1 who came out with a ten for the point. Was he fast! We hardly had time to put bets down and he was slinging the dice. I had a hunch about him and put down a $15 pass line bet and automatically put $10 odds behind the line. Another mistake! I was told I had to put $15 behind the line for odds. I asked what the maximum odds I could put there were. The suit dealing my end pointed to the sign that said $50,000. I said will you take a check? The suit was about to say something funning but I came back with we better not bet that much because we might have to buy gas on the way home.

Mr. Speedy had the best roll of everybody. So much for dice setting! The table was filling up but not over crowded. While the dice was working it’s was back to us, I got to thinking. Where was the logic in betting $30, ($15 on the pass line and $15 single odds) on a random roller? You would be better off betting two place numbers of your choice instead of getting stuck with a four or ten or even losing your PL if craps shows.

We only threw the dice twice in the hour we played. I thought I had it going the second time around. Some young kid was talked into playing at the far end. He bought in for $15 and set up his land mine right in the middle of my landing zone. His buddies did the same thing. I stayed out of trouble for awhile by dropping the dice behind their mine field. I knew I was on borrowed time. Finally I hit the biggest stack and seven reigns. It was time to go eat.

Everybody enjoyed the buffet and said it was better than a lot places in Vegas. After eating we decided to leave. We checked out the crap pit on our way out and saw that all the tables were now $15 and packed. We were all ahead except for my wife. She lost $20. So much for the bad economy.

Charlie009
Copyright 2008