Apr 3, 2015

2015 Vegas Diary - Part 5

Well, this is the problem with waiting too long to do the diary and not taking good enough notes. I forgot that Wiz was not involved at all in the Friday night/Sat morning gambling; he went upstairs with us after the BLT dinner at 6:30 pm or so and slept - and slept straight through until the next morning. I think it was a 13-hour sleep for Wiz. That has to be a record.

I also didn't blog about my UTH session at 4 in the morning, by myself, with 2 Welsh concrete salesman that were completely plastered. There was a Concrete convention going on at the Mirage this week - these guys flew all the way over from Wales to attend. They hit some nice trips while being at the table with Ruth and I for about 30 minutes.

Anyway, on to Saturday.....

Saturday, Feb 7, 2:00 pm

Got up from my nap/sleep - maybe slept a good 2 hours or so - and found Wiz and Layup at their usual position, the UTH table. Not sure where Don/Mike were (nap? Spa?).

As soon as I arrived at the table, Wiz starts laughing and trying to tell a story about Layup. Our pal Dan, the pit boss, soon joined in.

"You won't believe what happened! Layup got into a fight!"

What? I looked a Layup...he rolled his eyes.

Dan started talking. "Yes! He stared down this Texas guy and made him back down!"

I will get this all wrong, but apparently what happened while I was napping is that Wiz, Layup and this texas guy were playing UTH; Layup folded and was out of the hand...but still was trying to force Wiz into losing. Wiz had a flush with 4 on the board; the Texas guy congratulated him on the winner....until the dealer turned a higher card over and beat him.

Wiz is pissed, but then I think Layup started to mouth off ("that's why you don't celebrate") and the Texas guys said something about the trips; Layup may have said "why don't you leave" and then the Texas guy stood up and went around Wiz to confront Layup.

I guess those two stood eye-to-eye for a few seconds before Dan came over; I'm not sure what exactly happened after that and how the Texas guy backed down....but he did pick up and head over to the other UTH table to play.

I was surprised and a bit in shock. When did this happen?

"20 minutes ago. Cmon, you going to join us?"

Sure. Should I sit here? Is this the Texas guy's seat?

"Yeah - that's where he sit. Sit down!"

I did, and the seat was cursed. A bad session.

Dan made up this "prize" for Layup for winning the Saturday afternoon Prize fight.

We headed over to the Salon - too early, I objected, but was quickly overruled - for some blackjack. It was going fairly well for me and Layup - Wiz was getting hammered - when I got a 2, 2 vs a 4.

of course, we are splitting.

Next card is a 2.....here we go....We've seen this happen on previous trip....

Next card is a 7; do you double 9 vs a 4? "Hell yes, put the money out" said a desperate-for-entertainment Wiz.

I got a face on that. Nice.

The next card - for the second 2 - was another 2. Great.

Eventually, I had 4 hands out there, 2 of which were doubled.

The dealer.....busts! Whew!

Wiz's luck never turned; as Layup and I were both winning, he couldn't catch a hand and had to tap out in the middle of a shoe. Horrible manners.

Layup and I went to baccarat - the luck did not continue there - and then the three of us headed to craps. I think Don & Mike joined us there for some late afternoon rolling. Layup's main side bet is the "All or Nothing at all" - I think I've explained that before. He has not hit one yet on this trip; a $5 wager pays $825.

The table was going very well - we were all making money; Layup still can't roll, by the way - and after the three of us rolled, the dice went to the other side of the table. Layup's eyes were yellow and he had to go. "I'll be right back" he said.......

The new roller - first roll ---- 12... NExt....2 . Wiz and I both looked at each other and laughed.

When Layup came back to the table, 6 or 7 numbers were covered - all I needed was a 3 for an all small; the 9 and 11 were missing. It took Layup about 3-4 rolls to see what was going on. The reaction was classic.

"Hey Eric, you almost have your all small!.......wait.......Where's my $5........oh SHIT"

The roller hits the 3 to win me money..... and hit the 9. Now only the 11 stood in the way of the all or nothing at all...which Layup had no money on. Thankfully, he did not roll the 11. The suspense was useful for about 10 minutes of pure laughter at Layup.

Dinner that night was at Mesa grill, where I had 3 drinks in front of me at all times - a Pepsi to keep me awake, water for hydration, and the great wine that Don/Mike always pick. (or is it just Mike?). I always pick the wrong entrée there - I was happy with my ribeye, but should have chosen the filet. Oh well. And apparently I coughed on my hand at the dinner table to cause some commotion.

The five of us headed back to the Mirage and decided to take over a baccarat table. We were all having fun - choosing sides and such - when Don/Mike/I decided to associate each hand with a golf hole. I double bogeyed the hole I drove and was quickly replaced. After a while, Layup became the handler and got on a birdie train - he was picking winners consistently. Don/Mike/I finished up a course in Cincinnati (Sharon Woods) and quickly changed to Augusta.

"Here's the rookie on the first tee at Augusta" (as Layup looks at his cards while Wiz heckles)

Layup gives us a nod - "oh, it's piped down the fairway!". Now his approach ---- as he turns over his 9-K - "it's stiffed! 2 feet! What a start!"

Layup was on player (we all copied) and won 5, 6, 7 in a row. "He's 3 under at his debut at Augusta!"
Then the bad news. The cut card came out. "Last hand". Really? Now?

Layup picked player, again, and it won again. 8 in a row! But now what? Do you wait for the shuffle to continue the streak? Do you just call it quits as the streak can't continue across shoes? We had no idea what superstitious baccarat players would do. Everyone looked at me. "This never happened in Macau to me!"

I am still puzzled on what the protocol should be. Layup wanted to stay to continue his streak at the table- but then realized it would be 10-15 minutes before another hand was dealt. So we picked up.

Oh! I forgot! All of us were on player - except for one person in our party of German descent - Mike. He went through that streak stubbornly waiting for the banker run to happen - and it never did. Sorry for your luck!

And - one more thing! - Columbus was on back-to-backs; they were at Ottawa after the win vs. St Louis. The Blue Jackets were never in doubt and brought home another winner... a 3-0 streak for America's favorite hockey team during this trip.

After the Salon, I have us finding an empty craps table (with disasterous results), Wiz/Layup/I going back to the Salon (where I was up a bit), and then a Pai Gow session with John the dealer.....Id' say in 20 minutes I played 5 hands. That is not an exaggeration. Of course, the night ended with one more trip to Baccarat, which was a small win.

Overall, a great Saturday at the Mirage - depending on when you defined the gambling day to begin.