Things started badly in my first session as I lost $150 at the Sunset Station DD game; my first stop after driving up from Southern California for the Green Chip weekend. I had planned to stop first at the Reserve as usual but a detour on Lake Mead Drive diverted me south on Pecos. I wanted to check the sd game at Reserve to see if the reports I had heard were true, that the rules had changed yet again to D10, H17. During this 8 day LV trip I never made it back to Reserve and was unable to confirm this report.

Caught some Z's at my buddy Stu's house then we headed to Landry's Seafood Restaurant on Sahara for the Rat Pack lunch.

I started with a 3K bankroll for a planned 30 hours of BJ play for the week. According to data generated by online friends using BJRM, I should play $5 and $10 tables in pitch games with good rules and pen. Data recommended that I spread 1-4 in sd and 1-6 on $10 dd games and 1-8 at $5 dd tables. I use the Silver Fox [Ita] count, a balanced level one with TC conversion and 40-50 indices similar to Hi-Lo.

Since I am what you might term a serious recreational player, my bankroll is not exclusively for BJ. I use it to pay expenses like hotel bills, gas, food and books and software at GBC. I generally know how much of the BR will go toward non-BJ expenses during a week's vacation and my overall goal was to try to win enough at the tables to cover expenses and return home with the same amount of cash I left with - in effect a free vacation.

That evening I met up with some of the other Green Chippers at a dinner party at Papa Mio's in Sam's Town. Found myself sitting across from Frank B who I've met before and is a very savvy local player. Frank's advice is always totally reliable and commands a lot of respect. His wife, whose name I forgot, is a real sharp cookie too. Others I met included Bootlegger, adhoc, Lounge Lizard, General Pershing, TAM, Queen High and Metari.

Afterwards we caravanned over to the Showboat where I found myself in a foursome with Stanford Wong. The highlight of the one game we got to bowl before Showboat bumped us off the lanes, was a 4,6,10 split made by Stanford on a gutter ball he threw so hard he fell down during the follow-thru to much good natured laughter and comments on his "technique".

Next morning Stu and I were cruising in his truck when he had an urge to stop and play at Barleys, a local Henderson casino with 6 BJ tables and bad pen. Unable to dissuade him by quoting CBJN pen numbers and as I was a prisoner in his vehicle,

Later that afternoon I played at Palace Station again and noticed only 65% pen on the $5 dd game. I spread $5-$30 and won $45 in 40 minutes.

Headed up to the main Green Chip party at Northwest's house, high above LV north of Summerlin. Northwest has a beautiful house with an indoor pool and a great view of the city from his backyard. We watched cheating videos that were meant only for the eyes of casino personnel that Northwest had somehow acquired [don't ask!]. Also the 60 minutes Ken Uston interview and Steve Forte cheating videos were shown. The dinner spread was delicious. I met Saint, a real character. Smoked a cigar with Canoehead, Packrat, McBain, sargon, dvbj and others. Stole a kiss or two from the beautiful flirtatious Lisa and flirted with Queenie. Had a good conversation with Stanford about a new college football betting technique he had discovered.

Afterwards many of the party guests were seen in the Santa Fe [the closest casino]. Sat at a sd table with Yellowjacket as he went in for hundred after hundred. He told me the next day he'd recovered for a $500 win. As for me, I spread $5-$30, playing for 1.5 hours and lost $95. Pen was Rule of 6, and I found myself getting tired and losing the count so I quit with a coffee shop comp for a late snack.

Next morning I drove to Railroad Pass to check out their well regarded sd game. There is only one sd table and I had been reluctant to drive all the way out there for fear the one table I wanted to play would be full. However I got a seat with 3 other players on this Sunday morning. Our gal dealer was giving 3 rounds to 4, going quite deep in the deck. When her male relief came on we got only 2rds/4. When a hi-rollin' gal player joined the table and bet 2 spots at table max [$300 in this low roller joint]there were now 5 spots being bet and our smug male dealer gave us the "one round and shuffle" routine so I left. Three hours had slipped by though and I had lost $160. Plus the comped lunch I ate was my worst meal of the week. Usually the food tastes better when it's free, but not this time.

Later that afternoon we had a cocktail party at Gordon Bierschs on Paradise with Bill Zender. Present were Sam and Becky Richfield, Jimmy B, adhoc, Yellowjacket, cold steel, Packrat and a few others. Bill's an entertaining guy with a lot of great stories. We got some good information on tell-tale signs of heat, how to disguise betting spreads, what the pit really looks for, tolerance levels, etc. Basically he told me, "Barfy, at your level, don't use betting or playing cover. Just go for it and if you get backed off or barred, so what? There's plenty of places to play and with your spread you can't afford to give any EV away".

Then came the last Green Chip event of the weekend - the drinks and buffet dinner at Club Monaco on Flamingo. Over many beers and Long Island Iced Teas, we talked and told stories and compared notes. The Bootlegger picked up his Gibson and let fly. Boot is a strummer like me, but he can really belt out a song or twelve. I can't sing at all and I really envy his ability. He entertained us for a few hours until it was time to say goodnight. I thanked everyone for their hard work in planning and contributing to the scheduled events, especially adhoc who did a great job of co-ordinating the various gatherings.

Stay tuned for Part 2. Coming soon to a theater near you.