Musical Dice -- My Craps Blog

     With the beginning of the New Year, it made me think of my two cardinal rules of gambling: (1) Never gamble with what you can't afford to lose, and (2) Always come back with something. The second one is one I've developed over the years. These two rules made me think, wouldn't these make great New Year's Resolutions? So I'm advising all my readers who gamble, to adopt these cardinal rules as New Year's Resolutions. Happy New Year! ☺

     After successfully achieving my goal of at least one 500 Club in each calendar month of last year, I'd decided that I didn't need to try to do that again. For that reason, that's why this trip is called No Pressure.

     This time, we're staying at L'Auberge for two nights. I admit to not getting a lot of sleep the night before, so coming into Lake Charles, and especially checking into our room, I was rather winded. In addition, it was a very windy day in Lake Charles, Louisiana, as there was a very strong cold front coming through. It got up to 75° for a high, but the overnight low was predicted to be around 30°. Plus, it was predicted to be thunderstorming later in the day. Fortunately, Mrs. MusicalDice and I made it to Lake Charles before that happened.

     After a considerable time to rest, we decided to play downstairs. I first got into a blackjack game, getting off to a rocky start, having to go to a Round 2 buy-in (meaning I bought in for a second round of $500) before finally getting my money back, plus $50. Then I went to the craps table. Today, being a Sunday, meant that they only had $25 tables available. And I got off to a rocky start here too. For one thing, I shot from my favorite spot, Stick Left 1, and I thought I was happy with my toss, my grip, and all. But I PSO'ed, using the Hardway dice set. I even had to go into a Round 2 buy-in here too! Fortunately, there were a few decent shooters which slowly helped me get my money back, plus an additional $50. A $100 session win to start off the new year. Not bad.

     After a very delicious steak and salad dinner at the Ember Steakhouse, surprisingly, Mrs. MusicalDice wanted to play some more. I had given her a healthy amount of Christmas money, and she chose to use a portion of it here at the casinos. I was reluctant to play more that evening, for I was still a bit winded. But I decided to play once more this evening.

     While Mrs. MusicalDice played the slot machines, I went to a craps table. Fortunately, one of the shooters that helped get my money back earlier, was there once again shooting. I waited until he made a point before I bought in, and I was able to cash in on a few of his rolls, enough to make $100 before he crapped out. Contrary to the earlier session, this was a nice easy low-drama session, and I decided that would be the last session of the day. $200 ahead for the day is still not bad.

     A few side notes: While I wasn't able to get a 500 Club the first day, my wife did on the slot machine! Also, by the time we got back to our room, the temperature had dropped from 70° when we left for our dinner reservation, down to 55°. And by the time we finished watching the football game between the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings (my wife is a huge Lions fan, being originally from Flint MI), the temperature had plummeted down to 41°. As I'm typing this at about 5:00 in the morning, it is now 31°. Yikes! Hopefully the dice won't be as cold as the weather. We'll see...

     The first gambling session of this day didn't occur until about mid-day, after my wife and I had brunch. Unfortunately, the dice were as frigid at this table as the weather. At first, I was standing at Stick Right 1, but I quickly crapped out. I moved to Right End, using the Yo-Yo dice set. I didn't do much better, crapping out just before the third roll of my Takedown/Re-Distribution strategy. I decided to just take the hit and leave the table $625 down.

     Afterwards, my wife and I played at Golden Nugget, for the first time on the trip. First, I played blackjack, and after a long battle of trying to get my money back, I finally did, winning $12.50. From there, I played poker for two hours. I got off t a rocky start, but gradually started getting my money back, winning $177. I have to say, I played some pretty solid poker, making only a mis-step early on. I ended up $189.50 ahear.

     By the time I finished at the poker room, it was time for dinner. We ate dinner off-property at the Olive Garden. After that, we returned to L'Auberge. I first played blackjack, and quickly won $175.

     From there, I went to the craps table. This time, I was standing at Stick Left 1, my favorite position, but I, once again, got off to a rocky start. I, once again, had to go to a Round 2 buy-in. It was a long long battle clawing my way back. On other shooters, I would either place very little money on their shoots after the point is established, or if I happened to make money on the come-out, via my Whirl bet, I'd use that money for the Place bets. But the big thing that got my money back was my own shooting, when I switched from the Hardway dice set to the Yo-Yo dice set, and tossed the dice very low to the table. I ended up shooting 21 times, enough to make my Craps Shoots Hall Of Fame, for the first time in months. When I crapped out, I just barely got my money back, winning $23, but I was mentally exhausted by that time, and I didn't feel like waiting until it was my turn to shoot again. I finished the session $198 ahead.

     Overall, I lost $237.50 for the second day, and $37.50 for the whole trip, thus far. Maybe tomorrow, I can get the rest of the money back.

     This title, as it turns out, has two different origins. The first one stemmed from yesterday, as I left the poker room. One of the craps dealers saw me, and said that he likes my music trivia, quizzing me on a song that was playing at the time ("Come Dancing" by the Kinks), and asked if I was going to play craps, where he was about to go dealing. I said not at that time, but leter. Today would be that later time. Also, poker vlogger Ben Deach mentioned me (as the Music Trivia King) and my wife on his most current vlog. For both these reasons, I'm calling this day "For My Fans."

     And yes, the dealer in question was dealing at the craps table when I got there. However, that didn't help my craps results. For despite an 11-roller on my part (rolling from the end, using the Yo-Yo dice set, tossing low), I lost $348. Reason being, unlike the previous night where there were some decent rollers to sustain me until my roll, there were no decent rollers. I should have just not bet on hardly any of them. Oh well.

     I went back to L'Auberge to play blackjack. One last shot to get back into the black. But after things got off to a very rocky start at the table, I knew it wasn't to be. I did end up with a $50 win, but declared myself all gambled out, with an overall loss for the trip of $335.50. If I'd only played blackjack today, I would have been in the black! But I can't be too unhappy for what happened, as I wasn't that far behind. Besides, my wife and I are already making plans to come back to Lake Charles later on this month. Stay tuned for those results!

     To say the least, the weather has been unusually cold in Houston. And the climate is not much different in Lake Charles, Louisiana. In fact, freezing temperatures were predicted for the vast majority of the time in Lake Charles. We had planned this trip prior to the weather forecast, and were determined to go, anyway.

     Our initial intention was to come out to Lake Charles on Monday the 20th. But after seeing the forecast that the early morning temperature would be well below freezing, and the roads, especially the several bridges the tour bus would be crossing, might be icy, we decided to go to Lake Charles a day early, as a precautionary measure.

     The initial intention was to stay at Golden Nugget for two nights. But for this addition to the trip, our first night would be at the L'Auberge casino.

     After checking into our room and chilling out for a while, we went downstairs to the casino. I first played blackjack, and I won $150 there. Then, I went to the craps table, a $25 table. Here, I did the Pro Craps strategy of the Ladder Come betting strategy. I would first place a Come bet of 25, then the next Come bet would be 50, and finally, a third Come bet for 100. These Come bets were precautionary measures against the 7. There were several early seven-outs, which benefitted me. Sometimes, the Come bets would travel to a certain number, which would hit, at which point, I'd place some of the proceeds on other Place bets. This led to a $155 win at the craps table, and a $305 total session win.

     After the win, I was tempted to try for a 500 Club. But I decided to make sure my first session remain a win. It turned out, Mrs. MusicalDice had a 500 Club instead, winning over $1000 on the slot machines.

     After a wonderful dinner at Ember Steakhouse (in L'Auberge), we decided to go back into the casino. This time, I went to the craps table first. I used the same Come Ladder strategy as last time. This time, one of the other shooters had a decent roll, and as the Come bets hit on the numbers, I put Place bets on the other numbers, and eventually, I had Place bets on all the numbers. When the shooter crapped out, I left the table $334 ahead.

     I added $200 to the win at the blackjack table, for a total session win of $534. I got the 500 Club this time, my first of the new year, and my 13th straight month of having at least one 500 Club. My winnings for this first day totalled $839. Not bad! ☺

     After breakfast, Mrs. MusicalDice and I checked out a bit early, and went over to Golden Nugget. Our room wasn't reasy, and in fact, the poker room wasn't open yet. I signed up on the sign-up sheet sixth on the list, intending to play poker when the room opened up. I decided to play some until our room was ready.

     I just managed to get into a craps game, standing in the corner on the left side. I did my same Ladder Come betting strategy, but at first, it wasn't working--the seven coming after all three Come bets traveled to numbers, and the big one not hitting. When I got to shoot (for the first time on this trip), I used my Yo-Yo dice set. That worked for 13 rolls, which was just enough to get my money back, plus $16. No, it's not much, but it's a win, at any rate. Besides, it was getting close to time for the poker room to open up, so that's why left (admittedly, maybe that was for the wrong reason).

     Boy was I in for a shock when I got to the poker room, and it opened! For there were six people who signed up after me, who have these high priority player's cards (I don't play enough to qualify for that!), and at the Golden Nugget, that also meand that they get seated first at the poker table. So as a result, I DIDN'T get at seat at the poker table, when I should have gotten one of the first nine seats, since I was the sixth one on the sign-up sheet! Okay, just REMIND me of why for quite some time last year, I refused to play poker at the Golden Nugget! I didn't get to play poker at that time for all the wrong reasons! ARGH!! Fortunately, around the same time, the room was ready, so me and Mrs. MusicalDice checked in, and went upstairs.

     My next gambling session didn't occur until the mid-afternoon. This was because given the frigid weather forecast here in Lake Charkes (as well as Houston and points east for hundreds of miles), which included 6-8 inches of snow, something rarely seen in Lake Charles Louisiana, we decided to stock up on water and snacks, just in case the power went out (we experienced a particularly nasty winter storm in Houston, just a few months before I started this blog, where we were hit with snow, freezing rain, and ice, and the temperature dropped to 13°, and the power was out for 2½ days. A very miserable experience, but we were prepared).

     When we returned to the Golden Nugget, and put our supplies away, we went downstairs to play. While Mrs. MusicalDice played slots, I got into a craps game. This time, I was standing on the right outer hook. I, once again was using my Ladder Come betting strategy. I also did a Whirl bet on my shoot, on the come-out. The first two rolls were a 3 and a 2, both netting me some money, especially the second roll, when I yelled out "Snaaake!" Then the point was established, and I placed a $50 Come bet, and I then crapped out. I made $131, most of which came on my roll. I even told the dealers that that worked out for all the wrong reasons.

     I then went to the poker room, where I finally got to play poker, after waiting for an hour or so to play. For most of the hour that I was actually playing, I was either slightly behind, or slightly ahead. Then I picked up a hand that had two aces in it. An ace came out on the flop, and I made a full house on the river. Now I wasn't aware that the poker room was running a promotion for among other things, the first person who hit Aces Full, and it paid $300 (both cards had to play). At that point, I was $133 ahead, plus I'd also won the promotion. I left the table after I got the money, $433 ahead, for a total session win of $564. Talk about getting a 500 Club for all the wrong reasons!!

     After dinner, Mrs. MusicalDice and I played one more time, still at the Golden Nugget (it was too cold to consider going anywhere else). I, once again got into a craps game (note, the blackjack tables always seemed to be full here on this trip). I got off to an even rockier start here than I did this morning. Not only did my Ladder Come betting strategy fail at first, with all three Come bets traveling to numbers, and NONE of them hitting before the 7, my first shoot, from Stick Right 1, ended up in a Point-Seven-Out. I even had to buy-in for an additional $500, something I didn't have to do, up until this point. Fortunately, things turned around for the better, for after I moved to the Right End, and it became my turn to shoot again, I stuck with the Yo-Yo dice set, and went on a good run, shooting 20 time, enough to make my Best Craps Shoots Hall Of Fame. I even hit the Small for a $175 payout (on a 5-5-5 bonus bet). It was all just enough to get my money back plus $53. One could even argue that this win came for the wrong reason--only because I hit the small. I'll take the win, just the same.

     I didn't play any further, for by the time I left the craps table, I was mentally exhausted. But for all my wrong-reasons talk, I still managed to end up $633 ahead for the day, and $1472 for the whole trip thus far. Who can compain about that?

     One final thought for the day, and it has to do with the weather: A normal winter's day in Lake Charles Louisiana would be a high in the low 60's, and a low in the mid-40's. Today, it got up to a HIGH of 38°. And just before midnight, it started to snow. As of this writing, at 6:37 a.m., it is only 25°, and still snowing. This is going to be a long day coming up. but i already have the title to Day 3, and those who are halfway familiar with me and this blog, can already guess what the title to Day 3 is going to be!

     Honestly, what I was thinking was going to happen was I'd be able to play craps today, and I'd put a little more emphasis on betting the Hard 10, being that if that would hit, I'd yell out "Snowflakes!" But with all the heavy snow that fell throughout the morning, and the icy roads, and especially all the dealers that called in saying that they can't make it down to the casinos to work, as a result, NOT ONE craps table was open, the poker room was closed, and the only blackjack tables open were six-deck games, which are not so good (I usually play only on two-deck games). As a result, I didn't gamble at all today. Mrs. MusicalDice played on the slot machines for a little bit, booking a small loss. Sorry, but that's all for Day 3.

     What was intended as a two-day trip to Lake Charles, ended up being a four-day trip. First of all, we left a day early, due to predicted icy roads in Houston and Lake Charles, ahead of the snowstorm. The same concerns my wife and I had about icy roads, especially in Lake Charles, after the snowstorm and the subsequent frigid temperatures, led us to add another night to our stay at Golden Nugget. Fortunately, this night was comped as well.

     For most of the day, the casino was just as dead as it was yesterday. Fortunately, there was a suitable blackjack table open this time, which I took advantage of just enough to break even, and profit $52.50. At least I finally got to play blackjack at Golden Nugget on this trip.

     My next gambling session also began as a blackjack session, this one just before my wife and I had dinner at Saugrass (inside the Golden Nugget). I won $175 at that table.

     After having a great dinner at Saugrass (after a long wait to be seated), I was kind of tired by the time my wife went back through the casino, intending to go back to our room. But then, surprise, surprise! Mrs. MusicalDice noticed that there was finally a craps table open. So of course, I went there to play. I was barely able to get in, on the left corner. I used the Yo-Yo dice set when it was my turn to shoot, which happened soon after I'd bought in. I used my Ladder Come betting strategy, plus I did a Whirl bet to hedge my Pass Line bet. These two things made me some money, which I used to place a couple of additional bets. But on the 8th roll, I crapped out. I would have stayed longer, but I was pretty tired, so I left the table $33 ahead, for a total session win of $208.

     Overall, I won $260.50 for the day, and my profit margin for the trip thus far was $1732.50. Will this win streak continue for the last day? Stay tuned! ☺

     This was a phrase Mrs. MusicalDice kept using regarding the casinos resuming normal operations today, so I thought I'd use it as the title of this, the last day of our Lake Charles trio.

     Before checking out of Golden Nugget, I played blackjack one more time there. Ended up winning $100 as a quickie win.

     After checking out of Golden Nugget, my wife and I went back to L'Auberge, which is where the tour bus is going to pick us up to go home to Houston.

     I then played craps. I was at Stick Left 1, shooting the Hardway dice set. I rolled 8 times, enough to win $48, using my Ladder Come betting strategy. Nine casino session wins in a row. Wow!

     I stepped out of the casino building, then soon stepped back in. Why I decided to do another session is beyond me. Anyway, I played from the Right End, and let's just say, the bubble finally burst. My Ladder Come bets were losers most of the time, and my shooting wasn't gppd either. I think I was just mentally tired. I left the craps table $700 down. I did get $75 of that, for a session loss of $625. It had to happen at some point, huh? Back to normalcy, huh?

     I declared myself all gambled out at this point. I ended up $1255.50 ahead. Not surprisingly, I was the furthest ahead playing bleckjack, winning a total of $752.50 for this trip. I was $433 ahead playing poker. And surprise, surprise, I even ended up ahead for this trip playing craps--$70, even with the loss! Despite the loss, I am still pretty proud of myself on this trip. Besides that, so far this year, I'm actually ahead $920. Hopefully, that will maintain for the rest of the year (ha ha!). Anyway, that's all for this trip, and most likely, my next trip won't be until next month. Hope you enjoyed reading this! ☺