I am returning to Las vegas for 3 days next month. Being a nickel player, playing Hi-Lo, back in the 1980 s' I used to stay at the Horse Shoe and primarily play downtown or at the Station casinos.
Now, with just $1500 bank, what are the best places for 1-2 deck games and places to stay (under $50 per night)?
Are there any 2 deck games on the strip for me? Any comments about the 2 deck at Monte Carlo?
My suggestion would be to stay downtown at the Plaza. Maybe it is just me, but the rooms seem cleaner and cheaper than many of the other locations down there.
As far as the game goes, most of that area offers playable games for the stake that you will be playing with. I would suggest a cycle of hit and runs. When I was there last month, the only casinos that seemed like a waste were the Plaza (part of the reason to stay here) and Golden Nugget, otherwise, with a planned attack it makes for a fruitful stop in the low limit sector.
Stay downtown and play single deck. The only strip alternative for you is the Stardust $10 DD, but even there it is very dealer dependent on pen. You may try Casino Royale for either $5 or $10 DD, but most of the time it is very crowded, making the game almost unplayable. Add in the "Wheel of Idiocy" sidebet, and you are lucky to get 60 hands an hour.
Forget Monte Carlo. It is a dressed up sweat joint. I have never seen DD there with anything better than 50% pen.
Every other good Strip DD game is $25 miniumum during off-peak hours. Most of time, beginning in early afternoon, the DD at Bellagio, Mirage, NY, NY and Mandalay Bay go to $50. All hawk these games close anyway.
Plaza and Las Vegas Club are the cheapest places to stay that I've found.
There were lots of single and double deck games downtown. Penetration depended completely on the dealer. You won't find any nickle single or double decks on the strip.
Watch out for "Super Fun 21". This was pretty common but has a much bigger house edge than the regular 1D, H17, DOA, No DAS game available elsewhere.
-Dug
