(read part I here or Part 2 here or Part 3 here or here for part 4 for here for part5 or here for part 6 or here for part 7 or here for part 8 or here for part 9 or here for part 10 or here for part 11 or here for part 12)
| Q: | MP, why so much info on Vegas? I’ve never been there and I’m perfectly satisfied with playing in the Northwest, and I don’t see what the big deal about it is. Las Vegas sounds like a place of excess and over-indulgence, if you ask me. Why not do some articles about Washington State or Oregon? |
| A: | One of the big deals about Vegas is that you have over 80 casinos to choose from for your craps-playing adventures. There are more than 400 craps tables, and for a Precision-Shooter, that is a wet-dream of opportunity. |
In Vegas, having that many tables in such as small area, gives the skillful player a ton of profit-prospects without increasing the likelihood of wearing out his welcome at any one casino.
If you are satisfied with the skill-level and profit-generation of your current game in the Pacific Northwest, then I can certainly understand your contentment in staying there. It is a beautiful area that I do not spend nearly enough time in.
I get a lot of e-mail asking “Vegas-type” questions. I certainly don’t mind answering them for our readers, because I understand that Precision-Shooting is only ONE of many activities when people visit Mecca-West in the desert.
I try to stick to what I know best. I play in Las Vegas for about 200 days each year. I know the tables, the playing conditions, the comp situation and many of the other idiosyncrasies of the town, and I am happy to share my knowledge and experiences with Irishsetters readers.
I think it was Hunter S. Thompson (Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas) that said, “Las Vegas is what the world will look like right before it ends.” I agree that it is like Disneyland for adults, and it has all the hedonistic excesses of a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah. Perhaps that is why I like it so much!
I try to remind readers that ALL good things in moderation can provide sustainable satisfaction and pleasure. I think it is important to enjoy the total experience and to keep things in proper perspective in going to Vegasville or any other gaming-destination for that matter. I’ll be discussing moderation and sustainable shooting performance further in an upcoming article entitled, “Avoiding the Vegas Flu”.
| Q: | I generally do quite well on a table by myself, but when all the chicken feeders hit the table, that’s when I get into trouble. I know that I’ve got to limit my betting action on random rollers, but I still enjoy the thrill of the chase, but my bankroll gets shot down quite often. MP, is that how you keep your losing sessions to a minimum; by betting only or mostly on yourself and other qualified shooters? |
| A: | Yes. |
| Q: | There are a lot of posts on some other Message Boards about the truth or effectiveness of dicesetting. I notice that you haven’t posted anything in support of the Precision-Shooting community on other boards. Why not? |
| A: | That’s a fair question. First, I only post here on Irishsetter’s website, and not on any others. Second, I have no needs, wants, nor desires to convert all of the pagans, skeptics and infidels into Precision-Shooting “believers”. The more non-believers there are, the longer I can continue to profitably milk the craps tables throughout North America. |
My “support” of the dice-setting community is to share my knowledge and experience about Precision-Shooting with other like-minded individuals here on Irishsetter’s site.
I am mildly amused by those who flame the Boards with their “this-can’t-possibly-work” mentality. With that kind of mindset, very few things in life will work out for them, especially Precision-Shooting. All the better for us.
| Q: | On my next trip to Vegas I want to stay at the Hard Rock Casino, especially for the pool and Baby’s Nightclub. Last time I was in Las Vegas, they wouldn’t let us into that club, so can you tell me how to get in and what it’s like? How exciting are the HR craps tables on the weekend, are they expensive, and will we be able to get a spot to play? We’d like to try one of their restaurants too. |
| A: | If you go to the Circle of Cool itself, the Hard Rock Casino-Hotel, from mid-October to mid-March, the pool will be closed, as will their Palapa outdoor gaming pavilion and swim-up gaming tables. You could check out their newly expanded RockSpa Health Club, but there won’t be the unlimited numbers of nubile, young pelts parading what God and California’s finest plastic-surgeons have created. For that you’ll have to visit Baby’s Nightclub, which is located in the basement beneath the casino floor. |
As you know, the stairwell to Baby’s is behind some unmarked doors in an inconspicuous location near the main bathrooms in the casino. Just look for the long line of young people which starts to form about 10:30 pm. and usually winds around the raised perimeter of the casino floor.
A lot of people like to party at the Circle Bar at Hard Rock before they go in. There is an amazing amount of energy, estrogen, testosterone, and match-making pheromones in the air around that round bar area.
Expect huge lines for Baby’s on the weekends, and sweltering heat once you get in. If you go to the Baby’s page on the Hardrock website, you should be able to print yourself an entry ticket and a Line Pass. Pit Bosses and Casino Hosts are another excellent source of free admission and priority-entry past the long, thronging line.
There are two distinct sections once you are inside. One plays “techno” music and the other plays “hip hop”. There is limited standing-room, and they tend to use the same house-music play-list night after night. The DJ’s I’ve seen are fairly good, but their mediocre sound system is baffed-out after way too much high-volume abuse.
If you can, try to make your way into the “VIP” section where you get better seating on couches. You can ensconce yourself in this glass-enclosed section that sits above the dance floor, and is usually filled with minor celebs, hangers-on and moneyed wanna-be’s. You can also request one of the booths that surround the dance floor. You can expect higher levels of security and exclusivity in both of those areas. Again, a Casino Host could be helpful in securing free, unhassled access for you in this endeavor as well.
I’ll be doing a feature article about the LV club scene from a Precision-Shooters perspective in the very near future.
The Hard Rock craps tables are VERY crowded with the microfiber-shirt and tiny-goatee crowd on any given weekend. However, on the upside, there is no shortage of voluptuous eye-candy for you to look at while all the Eminem look-alike, “I’m-a-gangsta” L.A.-types are heaving the dice off the table at warp-speed for the umpteenth time.
Lighting is low and music is LOUD, so you have to carefully monitor the placement and payout of each bet that you make on the layout. A lot of the dealers are much more interested in the social aspect of the game than they are in the accurate payout of winnings. Sometimes that falls in your favor, and sometimes you have to correct their oversight. It’s all part of the Hard Rock “experience”. For more about this joint, I wrote an extensive article entitled, Home at the Hard Rock Casino – Hotel.
If your play (or winnings) warrant it, you might want to check out the recently opened Simon Kitchen & Bar. For an app to start off with, you might try the blue-fin tuna tartar. I’ve also taken a liking to their tandoori salmon with black bean salad and roasted spicy mango on the side.
| Q: | How do you write your articles? Where do you get your ideas from? Are you going to be publishing a book or doing any seminars? How long does it take you to write, and where do you find the time? |
| A: | The ideas for articles come from a variety of places: |
| — Playing 25 to 35 hours each week in a casino, I get to see quite a few things that reinforce what I already know and that I think may benefit other Precision-Shooters. In that case I write about them.1 — Sometimes I’ll get e-mail from readers like you who have a question or two. — Sometimes I’ll read a Message Board posting that requires a bit more than a short Discussion Forum response. How I write my articles is interesting: — I actually dictate them into a tiny digital-recorder. — Then I transfer it using voice-recognition software which translates it into the written word. — I then edit it manually with a keyboard. About books and seminars: — I then edit it manually with a keyboard. About books and seminars: — Books can definitely be useful to players, and many people also find it beneficial to attend various seminars. — There are a few great publications out there that are absolutely worth reading. — I personally have no plans on writing any books nor holding any seminars or workshops now or in the future. — I personally have no plans on writing any books nor holding any seminars or workshops now or in the future. — I am extremely happy earning a very handsome living strictly by playing craps. |
Okay, that’s enough talk…now get back to your practice table.
Until next time,
Good Luck & Good Skill at the Tables…and in Life.
The Mad Professor
