California playing conditions needed

[Automatic Monkey]

In about a month, I'm going to be in California and driving from the Bay Area to San Diego along I-5. I'll have about 10 free hours in addition to the drive time, and I'd like to hit some casinos. I'd like to know which ones have the most playable games, and what the rules are. Thanks for the help.

 

[Hinoon]

Re: California playing conditions needed *LINK*

California games seem to range from the happily playable to outright scams. I know that the Los Angeles area games are almost entirely to be avoided. There seems ot be a law of somesort that restricts casinos from standard rules.

Here's what I "know" about Los Angeles area casinos. It's by no means a complete perspective:

Some casinos aren't allowed to actually take a winning from the table games. Instead, they charge a flat fee per hand and the dealer rotates amongst the players. This means that you're winning other player's money...and there have been instances of team-play by hustlers (though more typically on majong) so, watch yourself. The casinos watch the play for cheaters, but since their take isn't effected by the teams...well, it's probably wise to avoid the games.

Many casinos advertise BLACKJACK!!!! on huge billboards with busty girls that distract you while you sit in traffic. (The Hustler Casino and The Bicycle, for instance). See the catch? of course not. But if you look very carfully, in TEENY letters above the B on BLACKJACK are the words "No Bust", meaning they play a game called "22" which is not Blackjack at all.

I've heard tell of good playing opportunities Both North and Souh of Los Angeles, but can't comment on them as I haven't played them. But be aware that not all CA casinos are operating under the same standards/regulations.

Cheers,
HiNoon

 

[Hinoon]

phantom link, subversive Fox advertisement?

or maybe I need to clear my browser cache. Anyway, I don't know why that article is there. It's interesting, but not relevant to my reply.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

Yeah, I stopped in at Bay 101 which is a big poker room that advertises blackjack, but it turned out to be the "no bust" variety. Suckers were lined up to play it too. How is Barona down in the San Diego area?

 

[Sonny]

Here's the scoop on the LA/Palm Springsarea: The Chumash Casino has a fairly playable game (H17 DAS NS), but better games exist at Fantasy Springs and Soboba. The Spa casino used to have a trackable shuffle, but that was quite a while ago. Many of the casinos that offer "standard" blackjack games (like Morongo) also charge a "commision" on each hand which makes them unplayable. Still other casinos (like Harah's) just don't offer anything remotely playable (8D H17 NS).

As far as the San Diego area, I don't know of any playable games. I made a run there about a year ago and could only find "no bust" blackjack everywhere.

I hope this helps.

-Sonny-

 

[deZerTomB]

Aqua Caliente in Rancho Mirage in Palm Springs area has a decent double deck game on ONE table for $25 minimum. When I scouted it, the pen looked fairly decent. Many, many shoe games. Pretty good buffet, hehe.

Trump29 in Coachella, Palm Springs area also has double deck for $10 minimum, but the pen is generally poor. Dealer places cut card, so it varies slightly. They closed the party pit. Also a few shoe games. You might find a $5 DD game there during off hours. In the off-season they always had a $5 and $10 double deck table. Dealers are generally new or bad since the good ones go to Aqua(from what they tell me). Table limits are $5-100 and $10-300. Dealer stands on soft 17, DAS, No surrender of course. Rules are pretty good. When you cash out for more than $500, cashier has to get ok, though(at least for me). They also try to hide the cards from you, some dealers won't even turn the cards over if some idiot busts and throws his hole cards in face down. FWIW.

deZerTomB.

 

[Victoria]

The Soboba Casino in San Jacinto is the only one I know of with S17, DAS, DA,LS, split to four, on their 6D game. Penetration is all over the place so pick your dealer. I have seen 50% (time to leave) to 80% in my only visit there. They have a DD game, S17 but double on 10, 11 only and no double after split. Penetration goes from 50-70% but they will switch dealers in the middle of a two decker and re shuffle. Do not remember if they had surrender on the DD. Very few tables and crowded, friendly staff but in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Cyrano]

2 types of casinos in CA

CA has a law that prevents its "card-rooms" from wagering directly against the players. This means that the establishments under CA's jurisdiction can't receive revenues from winning bets. Instead, they collect a fee for you to play. Usually, this is $1 for every $100 wagered. I don't know why, but to make things more interesting, they also decided to introduce a bastardized form of blackjack called "California No-bust 21" or "21st Century Blackjack"--perhaps to make the bankers feel a little more secure that the game is "uncheatable" and the effects of counting is minimized. Stay away from these, unless you have a huge bankroll (you can call CA's department of gaming to receive reports on all their table games and figure out a way to beat them, but they've hidden the reports well under massive layers of beaurocracy).

Indian casinos, being that each reservation is considered its own sovereign nation, are not under CA's jurisdiction, hence they usually offer the kind us counters are used to. If you want to play, these are your best chance for good games. As a side note, seeing that you are in fact in another nation, you can also be killed in the casino and the indians won't need to "extradite" the killer.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

Re: 2 types of casinos in CA

"Indian casinos, being that each reservation is considered its own sovereign nation, are not under CA's jurisdiction, hence they usually offer the kind us counters are used to. If you want to play, these are your best chance for good games. As a side note, seeing that you are in fact in another nation, you can also be killed in the casino and the indians won't need to "extradite" the killer."

Thanks for the information about the Indian games. Think I'm headed for Barona from what I see so far. I played there a long time ago before I learned to count and all I remember is the Vegas quality buffet!

But I do want to correct the statement about laws on a reservation- the Indians sign away nearly all of their special privileges as Indians in order to get a casino, that's why they have to obey liquor laws. There are situations where Indians are not tried in United States courts but that only applies in certain circumstances when an Indian commits a crime against another Indian. A non-Indian who visits the Indian casino is perfectly safe, and I've seen the CT state police patrolling the parking lots in the Indian casinos in CT.

 

[Sonny]

My mistake...

> Many of the casinos that offer "standard" blackjack games (like Morongo)
> also charge a "commision" on each hand which makes them unplayable.

I just saw a TV commercial lastnight that announces that Casino Morongo no longer takes collections at their table games. They also claim to offer special payouts for "bonus hands", but they don't say exactly what that means.

-Sonny-

 

[Cyrano]

Re: 2 types of casinos in CA

Thanks for clarifying... learn something new everyday! ;-)

 

[J1]

Re: 2 types of casinos in CA

For liability purposes, on casino and hotel properties at Foxwoods (CT), the management wants all arrests made by the State Police details they pay for, although the casino properties are patrolled by both the Tribal Police Department and the State Police (uniformed and plain-clothes). There are fewer problems with the local and state courts and fewer 'rights violations' claims, if State Police officers make the arrests.

Unlike NV police, however, the casino is not always right and the patron wrong with the CT State Police. The CT troopers only make arrests warrented by violations of the laws, not by violations of a policy that a casino always wins or always has the correct point-of-view.

The internal security team at Foxwoods (the 'green-jackets')are all 'miked', call-in situations, try to use non-physically threatening tactics to detain individuals to redress situations. If those tactics do not work, the 'green-jackets' call-in the situation and bird-dog the suspects until State Police or Tribal Police officers arrive to resolve the impass.

All-in-all, an intelligent way for the casino to provide security for itself and its patrons.