Musical Dice -- My Craps Blog

     My wife and I had only planned to come out to Lake Charles from Tuesday the 22nd to Thursday the 24th to celebrate my birthday (Wednesday the 23rd). But the weather report has been predicting severe thunderstorms going through Houston and points east on Monday and Tuesday (the latter day would be when we'd be traveling). So we decided to travel to Lake Charles on Sunday the 20th, and stay until Thursday the 24th.

     There are two reasons why I gave this day the title that I did, and neither have anything to do with gambling. As the bus driver was pulling into the driveway of the L'Auberge casino, a driver shot clear across the road right in front of our bus, to make a left turn--not even looking! The bus driver had to jam on brakes to avoid hitting this damn fool! The second reason came when we were getting off the bus. My wife and I, as usual, sat in the second row. I stepped into the aisle, and thought my wife would be right behind me. But instead, a bunch of people pushed in behind me, not letting my wife get in the aisle behind me (some courtesy, please?). Unfortunately, there are people on this bus, who are pushy, rude, and seem to be in a rush, but they were especially so today, so when I got off the bus, and was waiting for my wife, I got my raz game on, calling after them "Hurry up! The casino's running away! It's about to set sail!" When my wife did get off the bus, my wife and another woman were talking about how rude these people are. My wife and I said that we are not in any hurry. I even added "Let the damn fools go first!" That, by the way, was something my dad taught me when I became old enough to drive. Anyway, we checked into our room without further incident. We even have a view of the pool, and it's predicted to be 78° today in Lake Charles. Hmmm...

     Anyway, the gambling started at the craps table at L'Auberge. It was a $25 table, and I played the 6 and the 8 on another shooter for 30 each. On the third hit, I placed the 5 for a quarter, but then the shooter crapped out. I ended up $20 ahead. I decided to stop there, being content to just get my feet wet at that point.

     From there, we walked over to Golden Nugget, where I first got into a craps game. It was a $15 table, and I got to shoot from Stick Left 1. The first time around, I used the Hardway dice set, placing the dice in the same starting spot as I would at the tables at L'Auberge. For some reason, that angle for my arm felt uncomfortable, and sure enough, I crapped out on the third roll. When I got the dice again, after falling further behind, I was about to re-buy for another $200 (my initial buy-in was $500), but I decided that I was only going to do that if I didn't do well on my second shoot. This time, I used the same dice set, but set the dice on the felt at an angle that felt more comfortable for my arm to make the the toss. The second roll ended up going 19 times, making points of 6 and 8, even rolling a hard 6 in the process. I just did get my money back plus $40. I did add $127.50 at the blackjack table, but then lost $155 after four hours at the poker table. I did manage to salvage a $12.50 casino win.

     Apparently, there came a third reason why I called Day 1 what I did. While my wife and I waited to get a Lift from Golden Nugget to the Texas Roadhouse steakhouse to have dinner, we saw this guy getting arrested, for what others told us was drunk and disorderly conduct. But this guy was seriously resisting the other officers, to the point that we heard him screaming like a banshee, and we also heard a lot of banging from within the paddy wagon, like he was struggling fiercely against the officers, like maybe the guy was seriously hopped up on some drugs. My wife even said that she'd seen him in the poker room at a different table from me. We have no idea what all that carrying on was all about, but I remembered my dad's advice to me, and we just left it at that, as we went to a very delicious dinner.

     One final gambling session took place, once we returned to L'Auberge. I won $200 at the blackjack table. I finished Day 1 up $232.50. Hopefully, I can add to this tomorrow.

     Again, the title to this day has nothing to do with gambling. I'll explain. You see, I'm about to start a new remote contract software development job, and I also need to be on site for the first week (up in Rice Lake Wisconsin, no less!), and I spent a good part of the day getting the paperwork, as well as coordinating with the folks at the client site, on how the hell me and my wife are supposed to make it out there. In between all of that, I did do some gambling, however.

     After breakfast, before I started to tackle the paperwork, I did play blackjack, after failing to get on a craps table. I did get a nice win there--$525 to be exact. Sweet!

     After getting the process for the background check started, and starting to get the ball rolling on travel arrangements, my wife and I walked over to Golden Nugget. It was very cloudy in Lake Charles on this day, and we decided that after this session, we'll remain at L'Auberge until the storm passes. In the meantime, I did get onto a craps table, where I shot a 10 from Stich Left 1, barely making up for other shooters crapping out early, when I was playing 6 and 8. I made $10 at that table before trying poker again. There, I played for 2 hours, while my wife went shopping. I was ahead for most of the session, but two bad beats before my wife came back, left me down $246 for my poker session, making that Golden Nugget session, my first loss of the trip, losing $236. Fortunately, I'm still ahead for the trip.

     I had an epic struggle some hours later at the craps table, after my wife and I had lunch, and I got some more business taken care of. I played at a $25 table at L'Auberge, getting my Stick Left 1 position again. I stuck to the Hardway dice set. I got to shoot the dice five different times. On my first three shoots, I shot a 5, a 6, and an 8. I think I was paying more attention to my landing zone and how I was releasing the dice on my last two shoots, and that, I think, is why I did much better on them. I shot a 19 on the fourth shoot (336 221 11), and I shot a 15 on the last shoot (114 122 31). It was a major struggle, for my money was going up and down (mostly the latter, betting on other shooters), so I had to buy in for a second round of $500. But on that last roll, I did something I hadn't done in ten years. I bet the ATS, and I hit the tall, winning $175 (I bet it 5,5,5). That helped get all my money back, when I did crap out. I was happy to win just $58 and get the hell out of there, for that was an exhausting experience! Rememberin what Bryan (from Hawaii Craps Shooters) said about his last Vegas experience, I feel you, man!

     By the time we had dinner, which was late because we had a late lunch, it was about 10:30 at night. Afterwards, I tried to get onto a craps table, but it was too crowded. It was no better at the blackjack tables, so we both decided to call it a night. Even with the loss today, I still won $347 for a trip total profit of $579.50. Hopefully, I can add to that tomorrow.

     I was initially thinking of calling this day either "Through The Storm" or "Breezin'" (of course, two songs--the latter of which is done by George Benson, whose birthday is today), but the big thunderstorm that rolled through Lake Charles, really didn't last that long. And I wasn't exactly breezing through these gambling sessions. But the actual title is a reference to one of the sessions I had today, coupled with the fact that all my craps sessions so far on this trip, resulted in wins less than $100.

     Before brunch, I played blackjack, and ended up going into a Round 2 buy-in before I got my money back plus $75.

     We initially weren't planning to walk over to Golden Nugget, given the storm and all. But after the storm was over, and the skies were clearing up, we decided to take that walk after all. But after failing to get into a craps game or a blackjack game, I got into a poker game. I played for two hours, during which I had to re-buy for an additional $500, but then I slowly got my money back plus $160. Made up for one of the poker losses earlier on the trip.

     After having dinner at the Olive Garden, my wife and I returned to L'Auberge. I was able to get onto a $25 craps table at Stick Left 1. But this time, I point-sevened out, falling behing. Fortunately, I was betting on another dice setter who was on a hot roll. I was slowly getting my money back, and I was very mindful of how much I had. This was because I was focused on getting some green ink--that is, winning at least $100 playing craps. I took my Place bets down the moment I reached that goal. I probably would hand reached 500 Club status, if I'd kept those bets on longer. But was making sure I got the green win, winning $105 at the table.

     I did add another $100 to that win, by playing blackjack at a very drama-filled table. That $205 win pushed me over the grand mark for profits on this trip.

     From there, we were planning to walk over to Golden Nugget, since it wasn't raining. But as soon as we opened the door to step outside, we felt how windy and cold it was, and we instantly changed our minds. We walked back into the casino at L'Auberge. I tried to get back on the craps table, but it was full. So I played blackjack one more time tonight. I was very soon reminded why I don't like playing blackjack in prime time. Without getting into too much detail, since this is a craps blog, I'll just say that I tend to run into more players who don't know how to play, and it messes things up, and that's what happened at this blackjack table. Once I realized that, I got off the table as soon as I was back in the positive. I left the table $25 ahead.

     We went back to our room, and called it a night. I ended up $465 ahead for the day, and so far, I'm ahead $1044.50 ahead for the trip. Hopefully, I can add to that on my birthday...

     Today is my birthday, and I was hoping things would go my way, as far as gambling goes. It started off good after we had breakfast. We first went into the casino at L'Auberge, where I played blackjack. I ended up winning $275 at the table.

     The big story of the day was what happened next in the session. I next went to the craps table. It was a $25 table. I got to shoot the dice from the end. I got off to a rocky start at first, shooting only a 3, using the Yo-Yo dice set. Then for my next shoot, I adjusted my stance at the table. For some reason, I felt good about the new stance, so much so that I decided to try a risky regression strategy, as well as bet the ATS for 5-5-5. I figured I might as well try it, since I'm still a grand ahead. I bought in for an additional $500, and after establishing a point of 10, I went for 330 inside (instead of my Two-Hit Blackout strategy, which would mean 440 inside for two hits). I kept the bets out for two hits, which I got, then regressed the bets down to 136 across (including the buy on the 4). I soon made the point of 10, then later made a point of 5. I ended up shooting 16 times, and got to press some of the Place bets up, and they hit. And what's more, much to my surprise, I hit the Tall again! A $175 bonus came my way. By the time I crapped out, I knew I'd gotten my money back, plus a little--so I thought. When I subsequently colored up, it shocked the hell out of me when the dealer announced that I had $1352 in chips. I'd only bought in for 1000 total! I made $352 at the craps table. Add that to the $275, and I ended up with a 500 Club on my birthday, winning a total of $627 for the session! This was the first time in 14 years that I'd gotten a 500 Club on my birthday! (the other time was when Easter Sunday fell on my birthday, and I was in a casino in Bartlesville Oklahoma, when I won $734 at the poker table). At any rate, that made for an excellent birthday present!

     From there, after some down time, we went to Golden Nugget. I first played blackjack there, and won $62.50. Then I spent 2¼ hours playing poker. I got off to a rocky start, but fortunately, another bonus bailed me out. Without getting into too much detail, I made a steel wheel, which paid me a $100 bonus for the straight flush. That helped me get my poker money back plus $13. A total win at Golden Nugget of $75.50.

     We had a nice romantic birthday dinner at the Ember Steakhouse at L'Auberge. The steak and the salad were both very delicious. Afterwards, we ventured into the casino to try to play some more. But even before I saw that the craps table and the blackjack tables were full, I was already thinking, maybe I should just lock up the birthday win for today, and untimately, that's what I did, even though a blackjack table was about to open. I decided to conclude the gambling for today $702.50 ahead for the day, and $1747 ahead so far for the trip. One more day...

     I had one final goal to make before I left today. I wanted to make at least $2000 for the trip. I am presently $253 shy of that goal. Will I able to make that goal? Let's find out...

     After my wife and I checked out, we went down to the casino at L'Auberge. The craps table was full, so I played blackjack. The dealer had a bad attitude, and as soon as I got my money back, I left the table, $75 ahead. We then went to Golden Nugget, and basically, the same thing happened--another bad-attitude blackjack dealer, and the same dollar amount for a win, $75. And of course, the craps table was full. At that point, I was up $1897 for the trip.

     Try as I might, I couldn't avoid red ink at the craps table. When my wife and I returned to L'Auberge, the craps table was open, and I even got my favorite spot at the table, Stick Left 1. But dammit, the dice were REALLY not nice! NOTHING went right at that table, and when I lost $569 at the craps table, I decided, enough was enough. I took my remaining $431, and went to the blackjack table. FORTUNATELY, I was able to parlay that to $1006, salvaging a $6 win at the casino.

     We went to Golden Nugget, and there, was my final assault on my goal. No space at the craps table, where I'd feel comfortable shooting the dice. I played blackjack, and this time, I got onto a decent table, and after three or four rounds, made $100. Everybody else was surprised that I'd leave so quickly, but I had made my goal. I ended up $256 ahead for the day, and $2003 ahead for the trip. I declared myself all gambled out at this point. Very nice to book a win on a trip for once!