Hi all. Back from my Chicago weekend. Forgive me in advance as I am not as adept at these trips reports as our pal Heavy!
We began our play at the Grand Vic in Elgin. BTW, many setters I know in that area told me to avoid the Grand Vic — unfriendly staff, heat to setters, etc…– WRONG! Big Way Wrong. Any one tells you not to go, doubt their sanity. These folks were great! No heat, no trouble and lots of fun. Maybe because we are George’s and Georgettes?
We stumbled onto the sweetest table I have been at in two years of setting the dice. My friend begins at right end straight away, using the PARR Hardway set and the crossed sixes (depending on his point) and throws a hand of seventeen paying numbers and a handful of craps. Dice come to the Doc (ME!) at stick right and I toss a 15 number hand making three points along the way. Next shooter, dice setter at SL, using the set of twos on top and ones facing him (go figure) he tosses a 20 plus hand. Unfortunately I lost count at around 20 rolls due to a bit of over zealous celebration after he hits the hard four for like the sixth time. I did not parlay the hits, only pressed a unit but still a very happy crapper! Now we have two more of his friends lined up behind him at SLL (lady) and SLLL (gentleman). Same set and delivery by all three players. At this point, we now have had five setters in a row all have advantage hands. All three of them went over 20 rolls, with the lady at around thirty rolls. I’m thinking, how long can it last? Should I don’t the next guy standing straight out at table left end. He’s a young fellow, drinking like a fish out of water (it’s only the middle of the day) and smoking up a storm. Doesn’t look like a setter. (Sheesh, Doc, when will you stop sizing up a player based on his outfit. Must be a girl thang). But, lets stay with a hot table, tread lightly, and see if it keeps going. It did! This kid held the dice for over another hour. Dumped the entire table of it’s chips. Still NO HEAT! No chip fill. No chastizing. Nothing but smiles and fun for everyone. Of course, all of us setters are toking the dealers on the line WITH ODDS, hardways, point numbers, the works. And saying “please and thank you”. I’m wondering: where are the security folks with all the chips and other sillliness the casino will try to rattle a player.
Thing is this young man sees the other folks using the twos ups and ones facing him. Asks the guy before him to show him. So this whole time he is throwing the dice with the fives up and sixes down the table (basically same set as the other folks). But he is tossing them into the mirror on the table wall in front of me at SR. The dice hit the mirror and fly around the bowl of the table end ending up in the corner at deep hook.
Un-be-f–king-lievable!
He throws for over an hour. Never once did the pit get upset or try to thwart any of us. And we are to the point where we can see the dust rings and back wall behind the boxmans chipstacks. Still no refill. Boxman is asking folks to colour up so they can get some red and green chips back! Woo Hoo.
But folks, it goes on! Next shooter, WWII vet (101 Airborne – we saw him at the valet coming in and chatted with him since he is a vet), picks up the dice and lets the old blanket toss fly. Yes, he made three straight points. Not as long as the others but a money hand no less.
What a day. Over two and a half hours and the dice still have not circled the table. Time to colour up. I am a red chip player. My friend is a green and black chip player. I coloured up at 2200.00 and he coloured up at 6800.00 profit. My buy in was $250.00.
We went back to the Grand Vic for a session every morning. Had one session at Hollywood in
Aurora but we gave them a few hundred of our winnings from Grand Vic. Nothing is working. We decide to have dinner in their VIP lounge and get out before it gets really ugly. I am up about 85.00 from my 250.00 buy in but my friend, the high roller gets whacked for a grand.
On the entire weekend I am up 2300.00. My friend goes back west with about 4500 to 5000.00 profit.
I was using the 6/3…3/2 set with good results.
Since Elgin is half hour closer to Milwaukee than the other boats, I will definately be going back there. I like the casino, the crews are friendly and DO NOT have a problem with setters. Like any place we go, all they ask is that it is a legal toss and both die hit the end wall. No problems with that at all. Be friendly and polite. Treat them like you would any other person in the service industry and you will be fine.
In fact, the third morning there, the pit supervisor came up to us and said: “You two are the most positive players we have ever met. Everyone here loves having you at the table.” I just like for everyone to get along and have fun. Even the crew. If I win, I make sure that they win too. If I lose, i apologize for the meager tips but give it anyway. Looking forward to returning to Chicagoland next weekend. But I’ll probably hit the East Chicago and Hammond boats. I grew up in Gary and I gotta visit the family sometime! 😉
Have a great week everyone.
DiceDoctor
