Heat at El Cortez

Tom007

Well-Known Member
Does anyone know if El Cortez sweats low stakes $5-$50 I am staying there in May, and read people call them EScortez. Also do they have $5 single deck? Is it 3-2 or 6-5 for BJ?

Thanks in advance

Tom
 

Sonny

Well-Known Member
Tom007 said:
Does anyone know if El Cortez sweats low stakes $5-$50
They’ll sweat a $5-$50 spread at a SD game! :eek: If you use a reasonable spread (1-6 or so, maybe more with a little camo) you should be fine. You’ll get some attention, maybe a lot, but probably not too much heat if you play it cool. They have a good game for low stakes players as long as you don’t get too greedy.

And if they 86 you it's no big deal. In fact, it's almost a right of passage.

Tom007 said:
Also do they have $5 single deck? Is it 3-2 or 6-5 for BJ?
All of their BJ is 3:2. I believe most of their tables are still $5 minimums with one $10 minimum for “high rollers.” I haven’t been there in a few months so maybe someone else can give an update.

-Sonny-
 

Thunder

Well-Known Member
I was there a month ago and if you start winning any amount over like $200, they will give you a lot of heat. They took the unusual step of inserting a new deck of cards and taking out the old one when I was playing. The place is a dump though.
 

bj bob

Well-Known Member
Thunder said:
They took the unusual step of inserting a new deck of cards and taking out the old one when I was playing. QUOTE]

Why of cousre! That changes their mojo.
 

EasyRhino

Well-Known Member
Yes Bob, I learned my lesson from the Siena in Reno: A 10x spread in a quality SD game for 1.5 hours = 86. I'm still aggrieved by that (It was only $50!)

That's why when I was at El Cortez I spread from 2x$10 to 2x$80 (for only an hour). The floor supervisor was watching my game about 50% of the time... I was the "whale" at that particular moment. Actually won about $700. My nod to cover was that I was being pretty religious about using my "system" of parlaying bets on wins, only dropping on losses, and leaving big bets out after shuffles.

Now, Tom, you're staying there? One thing to bear in mind is that I hear it's awfully awkward to be 86'd from a place where all your stuff is stored. I haven't had the privilege myself, but some advice would be to take it really easy.

But man, they have some great games. Mainly $5 tables, some even lower. It's a legitimate SD game (3:2, double on anything). The 2D game is also good, exactly 75% penetration, and dealt face up.

I wonder what the rooms or like. On the casino floor, I can't decide if the place is a really nice dump, or a really dumpy nice joint. But I kind of like it.
 
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Preston

Well-Known Member
I did a 10 hour session there in Janurary. I stuck with double deck since it allowed me to be heads up with the dealer.

After taking a bath when I first got there my stack slowly regenerated with a 1-4 spread (with pit critter watching) or a 1-6 when they weren't watching.

I don't know if I really got heat, but I was paid closer attention to than the average player, mainly because they couldn't break me like they broke everyone else who sat down at the table.

If you get kicked out of Cortez, there are plenty of decent games nearby that are easy pickin'.
 

Tom007

Well-Known Member
If you get kicked out of Cortez, there are plenty of decent games nearby that are easy pickin'.
Reply With Quote
Hey Preston can you give me the names of the easy pickins?

Thanks

Tom
 

ihate17

Well-Known Member
The proper name of the El Cortez

Known for years as "The Sweaty Spaniard" because the name was earned.

ihate17
 

Preston

Well-Known Member
Tom007 said:
If you get kicked out of Cortez, there are plenty of decent games nearby that are easy pickin'.
Reply With Quote
Hey Preston can you give me the names of the easy pickins?

Thanks

Tom
Just stay in the general downtown area and you will find the better games. I don't remember specific casinos, but I remember downtown was MUCH better than the strip.

I kicked Four Queens ass, I remember that :)
 

shadroch

Well-Known Member
You'll be hard-pressed to find a better DD game then the EC unless you want to bet much higher stakes. On DD you can get away with a $3-$25 spread no problem,and I've even let a winning $25 bet ride. On the SD,its a bit hotter.Going $5-$25 with bring heat,or just winning a lot of green chip bets.
Stick to the DD,its a better game for quite a few reasons.Being dealt up,you get to interact with other players hands much more,and much less heat.
The rooms are okay. I stay in the vintage rooms above the casino,no kids,no elevator(so no walkers or scooters).Some of the rooms are much nicer. The third floor rooms are great,but its a hike every time to walk three flights of stairs.
Robertas Steakhouse is a fantastic bargin,great food at better prices.

Once you stay there and get a members card,you'll get free rooms,free slot play and food comps every quarter,as long as you play and stay once a year.

I wouldn't bring the wife and kids but its a great place to stay with the guys.
 

shadroch

Well-Known Member
Thunder said:
I was there a month ago and if you start winning any amount over like $200, they will give you a lot of heat. They took the unusual step of inserting a new deck of cards and taking out the old one when I was playing. The place is a dump though.
When do they usually change the cards where you play?Being at the table when they change cards or do the bank thing with new chips is a great time to be at a table if you know how to count comps.

Believe it or not,its improved over the last year or two.You should have seen it around 2001.But its got a great history- Its Bugsie Segals old place,one of the oldest casinos in Vegas,and its owner is the last of the old time owners.You can catch him playing Hold-em most days,and speaking of the old days,when him and Benny and the Boys ruled the universe.
 

Tom007

Well-Known Member
Hey Shadroch, What are the rules for the single deck and double deck? I guess I'm probably going to play mostly DD considering your able to spread 3-25 with no heat. But it would be good to know about the rules for SD as well just in case I get the urge to give it a try. Right now I only play at my home casino 10 minutes away, so always the same rules 6d 75%-85% pen NLS h17 das no dealer hole card. So I'm not quite sure what adjustments I will have to make. But If I know in advance the rules and adjustments I can practice before hand.The DD also looks great because its face up and I have never played a pitch game.

Thanks to all for your input on this thread.

Tom
 

EasyRhino

Well-Known Member
I believe Cortez's single deck is H17, no surrender, double on anything, no DAS. Dealer peeks. Pitch game. I don't know what the "rule of X" rule is for penetration (edit: that's a good game. I'm only aware of two single deck games that are better, Alamo truckstop in Sparks, and Barona in San Diego... that's why they sweat it.)

The basic strategy is a little wonky in single deck, but you can generate a chart from the site. And counting singledeck is pretty weird if you're used to shoes. Lots of fluctuations.
 
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shadroch

Well-Known Member
DD is h17,doa,das,no surrender.
If you buy an American Casino Guide,there are coupons in there that will get you $15 in matchplay,S15 food comps and $5 in free slot play,plus I believe they give $10 free slot play for signing up for a card. The book costs about $15 but you can find them cheaper on-line. It contains hundreds of other coupons nationwide,including quite a few matchplay and 2-4-1 food coupons for Vegas. I highly recommend it.
 

Tom007

Well-Known Member
Ok, with a $6000 br would I be better off spreading $5-$60 on 6d or $3-$25 on the dd at cortez? Also Ya I already got the American casino guide, it may even have been you that told me to get it on another thread Shadroch. The book already has paid for itself as I used the free night coupon when I booked cortez. Great advice! I noticed that a lot of the match play coupons state that you need your players club card to use them. Can any one join these clubs? Or do you have to be staying there?
If anyone can join is it worth the time to join?

Thanks

Tom
 

shadroch

Well-Known Member
Anyone can join a players club.Join as many as possible. During slow periods,casinos have been known to send a free night or two to everyone on the players club list. plus you can get sin-up bonuses,discounts on food,ect,ect.
Look in the ACG for a page on values in Vegas. It has an email address that if you write them they'll send you two more Cortez funbooks.
El Cortez doesn't have six deck shoes. Their only shoe games are two decks.
They get antsy when they see multiple greens out on a bet,so I wouldn't try going $5-60 too often. 5-30 and letting a winning $30 would possibly work.
 
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