9/13 Shreveport--my first Dark Side experience

I had a day off last Tuesday, so I decided to make a run to Shreveport,
which is about 3 hours from DFW. I play maybe once or twice a year,
usually a 3 point molly system. I have never played the Don't, until
this day.

First stop, the Horseshoe. Got a players card, scouted out a $5 table
and bought in for $500 at about 3:15pm. (plan is to have a loss limit
of $350, but figured I might get better rating for comps if I buy in
bigger). 35mins later and I've lost $276. Ouch.

It was ugly. The table was choppy. Could not get 3 points set up, or
the moment I did, the 7 would show up. People bailed left and right.
Finally it was just me and a guy playing the don't pass. I even
resorted to trying the Don't Pass once or twice, but I didn't feel good
about it. The only good thing was that I was smart enough not to piss
it all away. I colored up with $224 left. I thought about asking for a
meal, but I had read that you shouldn't ask for something every time.
But if you don't ask, they're not gonna offer. Whatever, I was just
ready to get out of that place.

I was pretty bummed about this quick setback. Stupid Shreveport. I've
never won there. I thought about just going home. But nothing sucks
more than driving 3 hours, pissing away lots of money in a short time,
and driving 3 hours home. I've done that once before.

I still had $224 left. I thought about playing some slots or blackjack
just to change things up. Instead, I decided I needed a change of
scenery.

I went to the Isle of Capri and signed up for their players card. At
about 4:30, only 2 tables were open. One only had 2 people and closed
shortly after I joined the other. I asked the dealer how it was and she
gave me a bad look. I looked around the table. There was one old guy
playing the Don't Pass. He had a few hundred in chips in front of him.
Nobody else had more than $100. Hrm.

This time I decided I would only work 2 points at a time with single
odds due to my now limited bankroll. I bought in for $200 and started
betting the passline. I quickly went down $75 or $100 and then spent
the next hour or two hovering around the $100 mark.

During this time I ask the pit person if I can get a buffet, since a few
other people did. A few mins later, she gives me a printout for one.
Small consolation. A $15 meal, and it only cost me $100

I decided that if I got down to my last $50, that I would just leave. I
only had around $80 left. But then I came to realize that I was sinking
and so was everyone else. People were leaving all the time. New people
would cash in, load up all kinds of crazy bets and seven out. Everyone
that is... except for the old guy playing the dark side. And he was
just playing $10 DP bets. No laying odds, no DCs. Hrm.

It was at this point that I decided if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Me and the guy next to me started betting the don't with the old man.
And we started winning. I would bet a Don't pass and then a don't come.
and then I would lay single odds on them.

I noticed that I was back to $150 or so, then a while later, back to the
$200 I started with. Not bad. Then, I started upping my odds on them.
$5 DP with $12 odds, then $15, then $30, then 40. An hour or two later,
and I've got lots of red chips. I'm up $100. Then up walks The
Shooter.

The old man had left, and now me and my neighber had been trying to
contain our giddiness at our winnings, so as not to piss off the
passline folks. Then this new guy buys in and shoots for the first
time. He arranges the dice carefully and throws them. 8. Then he
rolls a couple other numbers and makes the 8 and I lose my DP bet. Hrm.
Put another chip out. Another 8. He makes that one too! 3 8s in a
row! Awooga! Time to switch back to the passline. He rolls for like
30 mins. Now I've got green chips coming in and am using them for more
crazy odds. Finally his reign comes to an end. I switch back to the DP
for the shooters after him.

Then I do my best roll of the day (I still bet the passline when I
shoot), but I don't win much off it. My neighbor leaves and he cashes
in $500. He started with $200. I look and I've got like $400. I
switch back to the Don't Pass for everyone else. I win a few more, so I
can't leave. Plus, I want that guy to shoot again. Finally he does,
and he hits another series of good numbers. I've got over $500, barely.

I decided it was time to make like a tree and get out of there. I
colored up: $507 Awwwww yeah.

7 + the 24 I had after the horseshoe that I didn't cash in this session.
$31 up for the day. It maybe covered the gas to get out there and back,
but hey, I got 5 hours of craps playing, gas money, and a free buffet
when I almost went home $500 poorer.

And I finally overcame my fear of the Dark Side.

Brian
.

Relevant Pages

  • iTunes 5.0.1 - Nasty library corruption bug
    ... Start playing a track ... Pause the track ... Switch to your library ... This will set the track time of the song that you paused to the ...
    (comp.sys.mac.apps)
  • Re: Observations on shooting craps, Strip vs. Downtown
    ... down a $10 passline bet with NO FREAKIN ODDS bet, ... I enjoy playing to the best of my ability. ... someone plays at the table I am playing and doesn't play the way I do, ... Its their money and they can do with it as they wish. ...
    (alt.vacation.las-vegas)
  • Re: 7 String guitar
    ... I have since sold all my 6-strings, ... Over time I actually find myself playing more 6-string although I ... transition period passes you will be able to switch back and forth easily. ... The main frustrations are amplifying the 7th string in an electric format as ...
    (rec.music.makers.guitar.jazz)
  • Re: Enlightenment about Schubert
    ... switch on the radio and there's a piece of music ... playing and you try and guess the piece as quickly as ... she'd made several recordings with Sir Adrian Boult, ...
    (rec.arts.sf.fandom)
  • Re: Top 5 Favorite Jazz Pianists - Why?
    ... stretching, playing the Monk, but it's a good stretch and that's his ... then b) switch to view of pulsating lava ... lamp, then c) switch to view of cheerleaders apparently masturbating, ... then d) back to hands & lava lamp, ...
    (rec.music.bluenote)
Loading