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Green Valley Ranch live Aug. 5-10, or "Vegas: the Return"

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by Llew, Aug 4, 2012.

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  1. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    My Trip Report

    The agony of defeat hasn't completely worn off, and the bankroll hasn't been completely replenished.

    No matter! The housemate wants to take her kids to Las Vegas for the last hurrah before her summer custody of them ends. Despite the less-than-ideal timing, I am not going to say no to a Vegas trip.

    We're staying at Green Valley Ranch 5-8 and some location to be determined (possibly via Hotel Tonight - possibly Red Rock) on the 9th. I could get comped rooms at some MGM properties but would like to try new places.

    My poison will be blackjack and video poker this time around - nice to have some real video poker pay tables for once. I'll stop by the Lion's Share machine at least once, too!

    As far as entertainment goes, I'll probably catch the Tournament of Kings show, since I haven't seen it yet. And my housemate and her girlfriend will probably "drag" me to that new bar in the Neonopolis. And a cabana for poolside lounging at least one day. Everything else will be played by ear.
     
  2. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    P.S. I will also be beating some Luxor and Bellagio ass, as promised.
     
  3. craps1

    craps1 Low-Roller

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    Good Luck. Hit 'em hard.
     
  4. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    Ugggggh up early to catch a 7:30 flight. Southwest, of course!

    Rental car from Hertz was going to run $300 for the week, but I got a promo email from United that let me rebook for around $200. Oddly, when I typed in the United promo deal manually via Hertz' site, it showed up as $300ish, but booking the car on the United site gave the cheaper price. I feel like I pulled one over on Hertz...woohoo!
     
  5. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    The interior of the Oakland airport smells strongly of jet fuel. I should ask for a discount when i'm cremated because i'll burn easy.

    I'm wearing my positive variance shirt today. Deviation is what makes Las Vegas appealing!
     
  6. BlueSkadoo

    BlueSkadoo VMB Sweetheart

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    Didn't they just finish remodeling OAK not that long ago?
     
  7. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    Lunch at the Stratosphere . Butterscotch pancakes and a fruity smoothie. $30 down on $5 blackjack (3:2 rsa das).
     

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  8. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    Couple more pics...
     

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  9. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    First real action of the day: a double deck pitch game (H17 DAS RSA no surrender) betting 25-50 at at $15 min table at GVR. Just your normal up and downs...split 8's against a 10, got another 8 and split it too, lost all 3 hands. Played for about 45 minutes, recovered with a run of dealer busts to finish up $80 after tips. Hit the FPDW 0.25 and got a 5OAK on my first hand. The rest didn't go as well - ended up down a whopping $5. Still not quite confident enough to bet my normal $100-200/hand.

    Running total on gambling: +45.40

    Dinner at Sushi + Sake at GVR. Place was dead on a Sunday night. Tataki and sake sashimi was excellent, and the specialty rolls were good, too. Edamame below average. Service was great. And the sake was very good but a tad pricey.

    Afterwards, we drove to a nearby 24 hr Vons to pick up a few snacks, water, that kind of thing.

    Today definitely felt like warmup. Tomorrow - Tournament of Kings and high-limit revenge on the Luxor.

    And now, I must go play some more blackjack.

    P.S. better pictures coming soon. Posted on my phone and didn't realize how small and crappy they became.
     
  10. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    Oh no! The GVR has no S17 blackjack, even in the high limit area! This will not do.


    Slept in today, was up and out the door at the crack of noon. Blackjacked around for a while on the H17 DD table. Ended up 60, went to video poker and dropped 120 on FPDW 0.25. Still nothing better than a 5OAK to report. Went back to blackjack and dropped $530 after a series of lousy double-decks, betting $25-50.

    Running total on gambling: -604.60.

    Housemate's girlfriend reports that Circus Circus is "hell". Agree - curious to find out what the kids think as well. But not curious enough to go find them at CC and ask.

    Might sneak in some Lion's Share play @MGM before the show, if the S17 blackjack at Luxor/Excalibur isn't open.
     
  11. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    I played quite a bit of craps today after the tournament of kings show. Was doing well, but I crapsed myself by upping my pass line bet from 25 to 50 with full odds. Cleaned me out of my gains and my $1000 buy-in very quickly when 6 shooters in a row 7'd out without making a point.

    Hit the high limit blackjack table with a $2000 buy-in and $100-200 bets and quickly found myself down another $1400. So much for my Luxor revenge. I colored up and was about to leave. Then I decided to sit back down. If I buy in for 2000, i'm betting $2000! I went on a nice roll and made it back to even. Figuring even was good enough, I headed back to get even with craps. Bad move - this time I dropped 400 before calling it quits.

    I headed back to the high limit table that I'd just escaped with my money intact. This time around, I won quickly to the tune of $1000 in about 1/3 of a shoe. Not wanting to test my luck and feeling that I'd given my host enough action for the Tournament of Kings show tickets, I took the money and ran, giving me a total of -300ish at the luxor including some minor craps winnings from before the show. Not exactly revenge, but as close as I am going to get for now.

    Back at GVR, a quick $115 from blackjack. Still a few hundred in the hole there, but plenty of time left...
     
  12. travelfiend

    travelfiend High-Roller

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    Enjoying the report, and glad you made some comeback at Luxor. Sounds like up and down time. Hoping tomorrow you can go on a run! Get em!
     
  13. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    Good stuff, Llew. Nice comeback. Hope the new found luck continues. :thumbsup:
     
  14. kmarcin

    kmarcin Low-Roller

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    Yikes, that sounds like some serious ups and downs with your bankroll.

    Hope the positive mojo gets going and you get on a roll. Good luck the rest of the way.
     
  15. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    After a feverish 3 hours of video poker last night (after my last post), I was down another $200. Still nothing better than a 5OAK, many near misses on the 125-paying royal flush w/deuce, a couple natural 4 to a royals.

    [​IMG]

    Got up this morning and went back to the VP, determined to wring a decent paying hand out of the machine. A couple hours of lots of near misses on the top 3 hands (Royal, 4 2s, Royal w/2) and natural 4OAKs. Maybe I'm playing the wrong kind of VP!

    Finally, I hit this about an hour ago:

    [​IMG]

    Now I'm officially positive overall for the trip!

    Kids really enjoyed the Adventuredome at Circus Circus last night. I skipped it entirely. Apparently they won a whoopie cushion and played some pranks on some couples, hiding behind slot machines and lettingit rip while the couple walked by. The hookers did an amazing job of not even noticing, I am told, while the guys gave their "dates" some funny looks.

    Still on the agenda: Bellagio fountains, Bellagio revenge, Sirens of TI (for the kids), Mac King, Lion's Share, and a cabana day.
     
  16. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    Royals Flush are fuckin' beautiful.

    You must have caught that one while it was still counting up the credits. Nice action shot!!!
     
  17. luckylinda

    luckylinda High-Roller

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    yea a pretty royal
     
  18. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    Yep!I always fast forward the payouts, but I let this one ring loud and proud and snapped the pic toward the end.

    Went to the Mirage today to take the gang to the Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat. I absconded to the S17 $25 min blackjack table, when I went up $250, pressed, and lost the winnings and my $500 buy-in. Bought in for $300 more and after winning $100 or so, went down to around $150 in greens and a bunch of reds and blues ($1) from a large number of surrenders and a small number of blackjacks.

    The gang texted that they would be done soon, so I went all-in with about 40 chips piled on top of each other, with a few half dollars topping it all off.

    I was dealt a 10 and a 4, while the dealer flipped an Ace. Crap! I declined insurance, and the dealer pushes a button on the blackjack detector gizmo. Green light - deal! I hit: 5. Not bad. The dealer flips an 8. Push! The drunk guy from Idaho demands a high 5, and I decline. "A push is a win there!" he claims. I still have to play this out, so I ignore him. I'm not going to celebrate a push and then lose it all the next hand!

    Next hand: 7....10, for 17. Dealer is showing 10. No blackjack. He flips a 2. Then a 3. Then a 7.

    The table goes wild - high fives all around. I push it all towards the dealer and announce that I am, in fact, still leaving. The dealer starts counting it all up. I look for the pit boss' reaction. He is stoic, probably pissed that this couple from Idaho stopped playing about 20 minutes ago and is still sitting here. "500 even," announces the dealer. I white-knuckle the purple and offer a cash tip for the dealer, despite the net losses of $300 - I am ahead on style points.

    I settle in at the sports book and look for the Astros game. My hometown team is abysmal this year, and I've got 100 against 55.55 that they lose. It's 2-2 after 5 - time to go.

    A tour of the Venetian with the gang follows, and I grab an overly large and boozy pina colada-flavored slushie at the Lime Ice Bar. I then go to war with Stall #1 in the food court and emerge victorious - and no amount of flushes (I stopped after 15) can erase the evidence of my victory, wedged triumphantly as it was. They'll need to poke that one with a stick. I blame the cheese steak from the GVR food court.

    Next, it's over to Chipotle by Harrah's for some quick, easy dinner. I check my phone and catch the live updates for the Astros-Nationals. 12th inning - Nats up by 1. Astros get men on 1st and 2nd with 2 out and their best hitter up, but he flies out to end it, and I've won my first sports bet ever. Good food, but it seemingly skips both my short and long intestines, and the restaurant is crowded, hot, and messy. With the Sirens of TI up next, I wong out and drive back to GVR. I think I'll play some craps and blackjack, and maybe the new Aladdin slot if one of the slot lovers in the gang wants to upon their return.

    Running total on gambling: approx -175.
     
  19. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    +50 from a short stint at H17 double deck and then +25 from a $5 H17 shoe (Blackjack With Friends) puts the running total at around -100.

    Tomorrow is cabana day!
     
  20. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    $120 lost in literally about 250 hands of FPDW @ $1.25 each this morning. 1 Straight Flush, 1 Full House, and nothing else better than a straight. This session ended when the gang was ready to head to the cabana.

    The cabana was nice and shady, with a fridge stocked with water and soda, misters, a safe, a couple outdoor sofas, a platter of fruit and nuts, and a few pastries.

    There is a narrow 3.5 ft pool for the people in cabanas - the main pool wasn't very crowded, but the private pool was nice anyway. There are also a couple fully reclining chair/beds in front of each cabana for lounging and tanning.

    The service was friendly and the food was acceptable but on the expensive side. 18% gratuity was charged on both cabana and food/drinks. We had fruity drinks and sat in the sun, the water, and the shade alternately while the kids did their thing.

    After about 3-4 hours, I'd had enough heat and headed back to the tables. I took my $500 up to $900 betting 25-50 and back down to $625 betting 25-100 - not having a lot of luck pressing wins, but at least the wins are coming now.

    The pit boss came to replace the cards about halfway through the session. I asked her if they had any used cards available, and she said they used to in the gift shop and that she would check. She came back later as I was coloring up with a box containing twelve decks of cards! She was very friendly - strikingly so for a pit boss. I thanked her and headed over to settle the cabana bill.

    Once that was taken care of, I sat down at a new FPDW machine in the smoking section, as 5/6 in the non-smoking section were full, and the last wouldn't read my player's card (I need that $0.00075 in free play per dollar spent! And no, that is not a typo.) The first 100 hands or so were uneventful, then suddenly, 5OAK! 4 deuces! 5OAK! all in the space of maybe 40 hands. After the deuces (held 2, drew 2), the lady next to me congratulated me and pointed out that she'd put a lot of money into the machine I was playing before moving because it was cold. I made sure to play one last hand after the final 5OAK to clear it off the screen and avoid making her feel worse about her decision to move.

    I cashed the ticket and went to the craps table, where I won a bit before a cold streaktook me down from $350 to about $100. A new player started shooting and went on a tear, hitting 4 points and some of my come bets as well. I cashed out at $415 after placing a bet on the 11 for the shooter and dealers (failed with a 7 on the come out roll).

    Running total on gambling: +200ish?

    Off to Caesars, Bellagio, and probably Luxor. And maybe Mandalay Bay.
     
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