2-Deck games

Aloha, where are the best 2-deck games on the strip? Are there any $10 or even any $5 games available? The Stratussphere used to have a good game, how about now? By chance any single deck on the strip?

As far as SD goes on the strip, forget it. There are only a few tables in all of Vegas worth playing when it comes to SD, and the majority of them are downtown.

Since you will be downtown anyway, I also suggest that you look there for your DD games.

HJ

I will be staying at the Flamingo but $25 minimum's are too steep for me at this time. Any thought on single deck or double deck conditions at Casino Royale, Stratosphere or Ellis Island? What about Arizona Charlies East and Sam's Town on Boulder Hwy? Neko, where you from, brah? A Hui Hou !!

Imperial Palace has 2D games in their "Champagne Pit" which have $10-$15 minimums depending on the day of the week. They hit soft seventeen and you can double after split. Penetration varies, but generally speaking it's about 60%.

Last time I stayed in Vegas I had the unfortunate experience of having to stay at the IP (it wasn't my choice). Since I was with the wife and another 2 couples it was more of a tourist visit for me than a playing trip. Anyway since we were staying at the IP I got to play in their Champaign Pit quite a bit. You know those times where you are waiting for your wife to get ready so you can go out to dinner, so you have 40 minutes to kill which is not enough time to go anywhere good but you don't want to watch TV, so I would waste it in the Champaign pit.

At first it was horrible. I don't even think their penetration was 60%. Plus while I don't think they were preferential shuffling, the dealer were uptight about even green action so they would reduce penetration even more whenever someone was betting green or above. After playing there selectively for a bit though the dealers seemed to loosen up (actually, I think they loosened up when the pit loosened up towards me once I got a players card). The games were by no means great, or even very good, but they were at least playable. I managed to spread $25 to 2x$90 easily and many times I was able to get out 2x$100 quite often. I also sometimes dropped my minimum bet to $10 or $15 but this was rare. I think what really helped was that I often opened with a $50 bet off the top and reduce if necessary. I know this increases variance but it seemed to help the dealers relax since it looked like I was only doubling my bet to $100. I also had to be really selective about dealers there were quite a few on the graveyard shift who offered good or even great penetration, but poor was the norm. Heavy wonging (not pure wonging, but making sure to enter and positive sounts and leave on negative counts) and moving around the pit quite a bit also helped.

I wouldn't recommend the place to anyone looking for a good game at all. If I wasn't staying there I never would have played there, but it wasn't really as bad as many have made it out to be.

Besides, look at the bright side. These were low limit ($5 and $10 )double deck games. Sure the game was fairly poor, but any other place on the strip and these would have been 6:5 games. I was glad to see a casino trying to comete for the low limit ploppies by offering real 2D games rather than the crappy 6:5 game. I my mind it was worth supporting the casino for offering real BJ rather than the shortpay junk. Besides, it was either waste my time at the DD games or watch Sportcenter for the 5th time each day........

Bond Trader:
You write,
"Many folks will here will tell you that many of these DD games with good rules and pen exist only to aid the casino in identifying skilled players. "

I recently observed the Bellagio face-up 2Deck conditions, and was
practically drooling. Are you suggesting that these actually are
counter traps, or are you suggesting that the posts to that effect
are overly paranoid?

and that certainly would have killed more than 5 minutes. :)

I stayed there once. That's it. Until they raze the place, it'll be the only time that I will have stayed there. That said, I agree that they, at times, at least attempt to provide an alternative to the crap around the corner..

I also find myself stopping in at least once every time I'm in vegas. as you never now....not in the champaign pit, but at their regular DD tables - they vary pen.. sweat a little, but not like the barbaric.

One other point... It's easy to disappear in there. Helps if you're paranoid and think some goon from Caesars, Mirage, Flamingo, or Harrahs is following you. Nah, they'd never do that would they?

cheers
bfb

that were thought to be traps last year are all gone, e.g.; The Palms DD, Mandalay Bay.....are all 50,55 -60% pen at best. Some, are still good (at other places), so be careful.

cheers
bfb