Heading to Reno next week. Where is the best single deck game?
Any tips will be deeply appreciated. Thanx
I don't know the *best* single deck games in Reno, but these are *my* favorite Casinos (I only play SDs).
* Boomtown: Technically, it's not in Reno. It's located several miles west of Reno/Sparks area (closer to California). The Boomtown is one of the fastest growing casinos in this area. There are usually about 10~15 SD tables, and for majority of tables, the rule is: H17. NDAS. DOA.
* JA's Nugget: It's in Sparks. The last time I was there (a few months ago), they didn't have any SD tables for some reason. I was told it was just temporary by some dealers, but I haven't had the chance to visit the Nugget since then. The rule was H17. NDAS. DOA for low-limit tables and the rules varied for high-limit tables (green and above). You can find similar games in the Silverclub just across the street.
* Peppermill: The Peppermill has a LOT of single deck tables, but only a few tables in one section (closer to the Buffet restaurant) uses H17. NDAS. DOA. The rule for the rest varies slightly from table to table, but mostly, it's H17. NDAS. D10.
* Atlantis: The rule varis. Sometimes (depending on the day of the week and the time of the day), you can find tables with better rules, but it's safe to assume H17. NDAS. D10. (The peppermill is just a couple of blocks away, and I no longer play in the Atlantis. The rule might have changed, however, since my last visit several months ago.)
* You can find H17. NDAS. D9 in some downtown Casinos: The Sands. The Cal-Neva. etc. But, you should try and avoid downtown if possible. Some of the casinos use CSMs and they have a lot of these ridiculous "SuperFun 21s" and "SingleDeck 21s", which have less than 3/2 payoff for Blackjacks. Last time I was there for "scouting mission", I just ended up wasting a lot of time, and I decided "no more downtown for me!".
BTW, I don't know about HEAT conditions (if you count) in these casinos. I use no/very little bet spreads, and I don't care about heat.
HTH,
~Black Jack in the Box.
I forgot to mention the Reno Hilton, which is a few minute drive from the Airport (or from downtown). Avoid this joint at all cost. It's not even in the downtown area and the rule is comparable to some of the worst you can find in downtown Reno. The rules are slightly better in high-limit tables, but, take my word for it. It's not worth driving to Reno Hilton!
~BJ in the B.
As far as the "best" casinos go, it would depend on your action. There are several grinder joints in Sparks with excellent rules and $2 minimums. I've sat there with a lot of greyish RV folks who just could not understand why I did not place continuous Royal Match bets (snicker). If you're red to light green, head to B-town or one of those flashy joints on South Virginia (Atlantis or the P-Mill).
The Atlantis has three pits. The one nearest to the Waterfall bar is always open (at least a few tables) and is DOA. $5, $25, $100 minimums, or $3 if for some reason you like playing with a continuous shuffler machine. The other two pits are D10 and are open on the weekend or sometimes weekday evenings. This place seems popular with the convention circuit and out-of-towners in general. It's usually quite crowded (PMill, too).
As far as heat goes, I've spread $2-$20 for years with no problems anywhere in town, other than a few nasty looks by some bosses and dealers (no tips for them!). This isn't hyper-counter-sensitive Vegas. Just keep the playing sessions fairly short and infrequent.
Thank you all!!!
Silver CLub and Western Village in Sparks each have DOA SD games. Baldinis recently converted from DOA to D10, so there is no reason to go there.
I haven't been to Rail City recently, but I imagine that is also DOA. Be aware though that each of these are low limit, local places and a 5-25 spread will stand out.
Cheers,
Mr. Bill
