steveyz
09-14-2004, 05:20 PM
I was in Vegas from Saturday morning (9/11) to Monday morning (9/13). Instead of posting a long trip report, I will just post about The Hand.
Being that this is a poker forum, you'd probably expect that this is about some wild and crazy hold'em hand. But you'd be wrong.
The Hand occured on Sunday around 1pm. Saturday had not been the best luck-wise (I lost more playing an hour of BJ and goofing off at the 4/8 than I won in 7 hrs at the 30/60), but it had been fun. Saturday night's action had been curtailed by a phone call from the significant other that her apartment had been broken into and her laptop stolen. That put me in a more somber mood come Sunday morning. Not only that, but I had to get up at around 7am to call some people and take care of some things for her.
After the rest of my friends got up around 10:30, we went for some breakfast at the Carrow's next to Monte Carlo. By 12:30 or so, we were at the Monte Carlo at a $5 minimum blackjack table. After an hour or so, after cashing in $200 and betting anywhere from $5 to $50 a hand, I busted, going 0/5 on hands where I had $40 or more at risk. I told my friends that we should go hit the poker room soon. As my friends finish their last few hands, I decide I'm down for 1 more hand of blackjack, for a single black chip.
As I took the $100 bill out of my money clip and handed it to the dealer, she was about to give me 4 green chips before I said "one black please". She hands me the black chip and I put it in the betting circle. The first card I get is a 7. Not great, but not terrible. The next card I get is another 7. At that point I knew there was a slightly less than 50% chance that the proper basic strategy play would be to split (against dealer 2 through 7). Dealer flips up a 6 for her upcard and I feel a bit better. I do not hesistate as I pull out another $100, get another black chip, and signal to split. The first 7 gets a 3, a definite double down oppurtunity. I hesistate slightly before pulling out another $100 bill and catching a 7 for 17 on my first hand. My second hand catches another 7, calling for another split, which I do with less hesistance. Now I have $400 at risk on a single hand of blackjack. That's not all though. After the split, my first hand catches a Ace for soft 18, another double down oppurtunity. I think long and hard, and decided that I could not live with myself if I didn't make the mathematically correct play of doubling down. I catch another Ace for 19. A solid hand, especially against a dealer 6 showing. My final hand, I get a 2, making a total of 9, yet another double down oppurtunity. At this point, I have my wad of $100s in my hand as I got tired of having to take it out of the pocket with every split and double down. That last hand catches a 5, making 14. In summary, I have 3 hands, all of them double downed to $200, with a 17, a 19, and a 14, against a dealer 6 upcard. Also, at this point, my friends had been hooting and hollering and we managed to attract the attention of both the neighbooring tables and the pit boss. Everyone was waiting for the conclusion.
The dealer flips over her downcard which was a 5, and I knew I was doomed. The next card was a J, making her 21, and setting me $600 lighter. My gin & tonic had just been delivered so I quickly chugged it and we were off to the poker room.
The story does have a happier ending though, as in the next 14 hours or so, I manage to make 40+ BBs at the 30/60 to more than make up for The Hand. I was turned or rivered out of many $600+ pots, but nothing really matched the feeling after The Hand.
Next trip, I'm keeping a small and seperate blackjack bankroll.
Being that this is a poker forum, you'd probably expect that this is about some wild and crazy hold'em hand. But you'd be wrong.
The Hand occured on Sunday around 1pm. Saturday had not been the best luck-wise (I lost more playing an hour of BJ and goofing off at the 4/8 than I won in 7 hrs at the 30/60), but it had been fun. Saturday night's action had been curtailed by a phone call from the significant other that her apartment had been broken into and her laptop stolen. That put me in a more somber mood come Sunday morning. Not only that, but I had to get up at around 7am to call some people and take care of some things for her.
After the rest of my friends got up around 10:30, we went for some breakfast at the Carrow's next to Monte Carlo. By 12:30 or so, we were at the Monte Carlo at a $5 minimum blackjack table. After an hour or so, after cashing in $200 and betting anywhere from $5 to $50 a hand, I busted, going 0/5 on hands where I had $40 or more at risk. I told my friends that we should go hit the poker room soon. As my friends finish their last few hands, I decide I'm down for 1 more hand of blackjack, for a single black chip.
As I took the $100 bill out of my money clip and handed it to the dealer, she was about to give me 4 green chips before I said "one black please". She hands me the black chip and I put it in the betting circle. The first card I get is a 7. Not great, but not terrible. The next card I get is another 7. At that point I knew there was a slightly less than 50% chance that the proper basic strategy play would be to split (against dealer 2 through 7). Dealer flips up a 6 for her upcard and I feel a bit better. I do not hesistate as I pull out another $100, get another black chip, and signal to split. The first 7 gets a 3, a definite double down oppurtunity. I hesistate slightly before pulling out another $100 bill and catching a 7 for 17 on my first hand. My second hand catches another 7, calling for another split, which I do with less hesistance. Now I have $400 at risk on a single hand of blackjack. That's not all though. After the split, my first hand catches a Ace for soft 18, another double down oppurtunity. I think long and hard, and decided that I could not live with myself if I didn't make the mathematically correct play of doubling down. I catch another Ace for 19. A solid hand, especially against a dealer 6 showing. My final hand, I get a 2, making a total of 9, yet another double down oppurtunity. At this point, I have my wad of $100s in my hand as I got tired of having to take it out of the pocket with every split and double down. That last hand catches a 5, making 14. In summary, I have 3 hands, all of them double downed to $200, with a 17, a 19, and a 14, against a dealer 6 upcard. Also, at this point, my friends had been hooting and hollering and we managed to attract the attention of both the neighbooring tables and the pit boss. Everyone was waiting for the conclusion.
The dealer flips over her downcard which was a 5, and I knew I was doomed. The next card was a J, making her 21, and setting me $600 lighter. My gin & tonic had just been delivered so I quickly chugged it and we were off to the poker room.
The story does have a happier ending though, as in the next 14 hours or so, I manage to make 40+ BBs at the 30/60 to more than make up for The Hand. I was turned or rivered out of many $600+ pots, but nothing really matched the feeling after The Hand.
Next trip, I'm keeping a small and seperate blackjack bankroll.