The Adventures of MDawg II

Yes, my Vegas wins pale in significance to long term stock (and BTC) gains, but winning at the tables supplies a certain instant gratification.

The deal with ADs (not APs, ADs - Authorized Dealers), is they will not currently sell the more in demand Rolex models to other than customers who have a prior buy history. It is something like trying to buy a brand new Ferrari.

At different times in Rolex history, some, all or none of Rolex models have been available for walk in purchase. Currently only Datejusts and most two-tone models are available for easy purchase - for the rest, especially the all stainless Sports models like the Daytona, you need a good AD relationship to get one, and even then, after putting your name down and waiting for "The Call."

I do have a good buy history with a few ADs but I don't buy any watch unless I am getting a great deal. From ADs I have bought models that are in high demand and worth more than what I paid from the getgo (some Rolex models are sold for higher than MSRP in the gray market).

However, almost all of my watches were purchased from gray dealers - meaning not authorized dealers. And while I have many Rolexes, Rolexes are by no means the most valuable watches I own any longer, I have gone beyond Rolex to the realm of the tourbillon. Next step would be something like minute repeaters - Patek Grand Complications, I am not quite there yet, although I do own a few Pateks including a perpetual calendar and a platinum annual calendar.

Day 9 play

Four sessions. First, + 2000. Second, +5200. Third, -30000. Fourth, just shy of +30000

+7100

Note: Lately, for security reasons, session reports are not necessarily presented in real time corresponding directly to the day played.

And this is the MDawg challenge.

Day 10 play

Pretty quick session.

+24200

Note: Lately, for security reasons, session reports are not necessarily presented in real time corresponding directly to the day played.

And this is the MDawg challenge.

Day 11 play

I played on and off all day long. I got up +13000 almost immediately then eventually was even then kept getting stuck at -20000 then even again.

I kept making bigger and bigger bets all good but mostly at periods when they didn’t really get me much ahead then hit this period where was losing lots and lots of hands in a row.

I considered playing onwards but was ready to do other things by then. Also after a brief pause I considered the big picture of the win so far this trip.

-59000

Note: Lately, for security reasons, session reports are not necessarily presented in real time corresponding directly to the day played.

And this is the MDawg challenge.

Day 12 play

Medium length session down as much as -48000 at the low stopped after a series of advantage hands.

+12500

Note: Lately, for security reasons, session reports are not necessarily presented in real time corresponding directly to the day played.

And this is the MDawg challenge.

Someone who has taken up Baccarat is...Dana White. He actually played in one of the casino's private lounges right next to me one day, he's allowed to bet up to $400,000. a hand. Was supposed to be out of state that day, and was! but flew in on a private jet and hit the table they had been reserving for him all day.

He obviously doesn't bother with any of the special set ups I request, just has them machine shuffle, allow a single player cut and deal! I should have a talk with him.



Then again, as long as there are players like him, there may be players like me.

BTW although Fontainebleau may still be in the dumps, it appears that Resorts World Vegas has found its niche, at least at the moment.

They host the rodeo crowd every year around this time and are 100% sold out as far as rooms.

Dana has been asked about his blackjack play, which he claims he was banned for being too good on. IIRC he plays two deck, no special accommodations, doesn't count, doesn't AP at all. I naturally assume he is lying about having been such a significant winner but will no doubt be entertained with any tales about his time betting on Banker. TBH I think Vegas Matt teaching people that the ideal play is the easiest thing ever is a major part of the explosion of interest I'm seeing in it.

I have not seen White play Blackjack in person, however if you watch this video he does seem to jump in and out at at least presumed more advantageous times, and he definitely does better than Ross.

Quote: MDawg

In this one Dana White joins in, but only on select hands. I did not watch the video long or closely enough to count the deck down, but I assume White is jumping in when the count is higher.

Adin keeps more or less flat betting - and losing, prodigiously.

White has a row of bottled waters next to him, while Adin is powering down White Russians.
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White is not banned from Blackjack at the casino where I have seen him playing Baccarat, but it's not a public salon.

If he's keeping his actual abilities close to the chest, that's pretty impressive given his other pursuits and time commitments. Having said that, believing a fight promoter is like believing the devil. If Dana (or Don King, or Bob Arum, or anyone else in the fight game) told me the sky was blue, I'd need to check for myself.

Friend of yours?

Looks like this Oz "remake" made the cut. Actually got produced.




And what about this?



Did they steal your concept?

Actually, you'll have to explain this to me. Was your novel



something like the James Blish Star Trek books,



where he precisely wrote short stories based on each Star Trek episode, or more like the books that went further, like Spock Must Die!

Putting aside this masturbatory sudden interest if you truly want to know I will respond.

As all these cal kicking cowboys currently in Vegas for the rodeo (pronounced ROD (as in Sterling) EE-O) might say, Yes, I mean business.

Oz is different than the other traditional fantasy lands (Narnia, Wonderland, Middle Earth) in that the author L. frank Baum envisioned it to be an open brand.

The others were written including sequels only by their respective authors. However with Oz, there were 40 canon books by about four different authors including 13 sequels by Baum himself.

Baum felt Oz should be like the real world with new stories being told in an ever growing quilt of storytelling.

In 1990 the first book entered public domain and "unauthorized" sequels became legal to pursue. One of the first was by Oz fans Ralph Griffith and Stuart Kerr who already had success with their comics"Deadworld" and "The Realm". They began producing a comic called "Oz" and then later renamed "Dark Oz". It was a huge success running for around 8 years.

It was heavily influenced by the 40 canon books but an original Oz story nonetheless.

In 2003 I was working regularly in Hollywood as a negative cutter (big films you certainly heard of) and shopping scripts. To get my hands on a recognized property I optioned "Oz" and "Dark Oz" from Griffith and Kerr.

I adapted the comics into a script and attached a few major name producers. I wasn't the only one pursuing an Oz film. There were 8 or so simultaneous projects. There was one winner. And it all came down to one person. But I will discuss that in a different post.

It wasn't my film project that was made obviously so I took the script I had been shopping around and reworked it into a novel.

The story is original to me with heavy basis on.the comics which had heavy emphasis on the original novels.

And that's pretty closely the same story as Wicked. A movie heavily based on a Broadway musical which changed much of its source, a novel by Gregory Macguire who based his original novel heavily on the original canon 40.

There are plenty of new Oz books beyond the canon now. Baums own grandson wrote a new Oz book a few years ago.

Oz is a continually growing world with contributions by many authors...and that's how L. frank Baum wanted it to be

Although he envisioned it as an open brand, the characters and such didn't enter the public domain until the copyrights expired, correct?

The copyright status of characters from L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and related works varies depending on the work:
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: Published in 1900, this book entered the public domain in 1956.
The Marvelous Land of Oz: Published in 1904, this book entered the public domain in 1960.
The Royal Book of Oz: Published in 1921, this book by Ruth Plumly Thompson entered the public domain in 1997.
Kabumpo in Oz: Published in 1922, this book by Ruth Plumly Thompson entered the public domain in 1998.
The Hidden Valley of Oz: Published in 1951, this book by Rachel Cosgrove will enter the public domain in 2047.
The 1939 film adaptation: The film is owned by Warner Bros. and is scheduled to enter the public domain in 2035

In any case, you optioned those Dark Oz comics for your work.

Quote: MDawg

Although he envisioned it as an open brand, the characters and such didn't enter the public domain until the copyrights expired, correct?

The copyright status of characters from L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and related works varies depending on the work:
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: Published in 1900, this book entered the public domain in 1956.
The Marvelous Land of Oz: Published in 1904, this book entered the public domain in 1960.
The Royal Book of Oz: Published in 1921, this book by Ruth Plumly Thompson entered the public domain in 1997.
Kabumpo in Oz: Published in 1922, this book by Ruth Plumly Thompson entered the public domain in 1998.
The Hidden Valley of Oz: Published in 1951, this book by Rachel Cosgrove will enter the public domain in 2047.
The 1939 film adaptation: The film is owned by Warner Bros. and is scheduled to enter the public domain in 2035

In any case, you optioned those Dark Oz comics for your work.
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That's correct.

As far as F1 this year, as Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President and CEO Steve Hill said, "It turns what is one of the slowest weeks of the year into one of the best weeks of the year." Beyond that however, it was clearly less of a draw than last year.

The initial sticker shock from the first year has stuck around psychologically for me (I'm a long time F1 fan going back to my childhood in the 80s) and I have yet to see the value proposition for the event tilt in a direction I favor. An event like that is what takes precedence and importance for me over the "being in Vegas" component. If Caesars wants to comp me a room at Flamingo, Linq, or Horseshoe (even if I think all three are junk), that would be a good start. Don't think that's coming any time soon.

I actually managed this year to pull down multiple free rooms at multiple resorts over F1 weekend, and was surprised that for example Caesars was offering a promo type offer that weekend where I had to take the free rooms (even though didn't need them) to take advantage of the promo. I didn't even play much at Caesars this year, some up in Tahoe, still got the free rooms.

I let friends stay in the free rooms, and we stayed in our designated suite where we had originally planned.

We also had tickets to the Neiman Marcus pit and paddock viewing events, obviously those came from a casino where I gave them a lot of action, plus for T-Mobile grandstands at the Sphere.

Obviously you play at a dramatically different level than my wife and I and that's even with me charting out a course for Seven Stars status in 2025. When it comes to the offers for an event like this for someone in your position, do your hosts reach out to you and go through the details or is it just an email that comes through letting you know you got free rooms and passes?

Ultimately I can't be mad at them for not giving me all the things I want. They want to get what they can from me too. I'm certainly not entitled to rooms and tickets while I'm also actively seeking ways to beat them.

Quote: VirtualBalboa

Obviously you play at a dramatically different level than my wife and I and that's even with me charting out a course for Seven Stars status in 2025. When it comes to the offers for an event like this for someone in your position, do your hosts reach out to you and go through the details or is it just an email that comes through letting you know you got free rooms and passes?

Ultimately I can't be mad at them for not giving me all the things I want. They want to get what they can from me too. I'm certainly not entitled to rooms and tickets while I'm also actively seeking ways to beat them.
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It doesn't matter if you are entitled or not, demand them anyway. This is America. Grab it all, while you can.

Depending on the casino, I have either an in house host or an independent host.

The advantage to the independent is that with that host I may ask any question at all and get an answer, make any sort of request, he is completely partisan on my side. But, the disadvantage is that sometimes there is a delay in getting things done, so for smaller things if staying in house I might want to just deal with an in house host versus my independent for that specific timely request.

Independent hosts, by the way, do get a % of total loss but they make a lot more off longer play via theo loss, so their incentive is for you to play and win or at least play and keep your head above water versus flat out lose.

As far as "comp hustling" I have learned most all there is to learn about this over the years.

You probably already know this (the basics):

https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/questions-and-answers/gambling/36459-perpetual-comp-machine/

but beyond that of course are the ways to maximize comps. For example, if you get to the point of getting airfare reimbursement it's not that hard to get that from multiple casinos each trip. And then as far as "in general," I always play at multiple casinos each trip whether staying in house or not. If I have a big loss one session at one casino, what I might do is leave that loss intact at that casino and not bother to try to win it back there, just win it back at some other casino. The next trip we might check in to that casino where I lost and did not even stay the prior trip, and have good comps coming. I'll then win that trip, evaporating the prior loss, but now it's a new trip and they have to comp me based on theo loss. But most of the time, the way I play, the 10% actual loss comps, even for the brief period they are there (trip to trip), pale in comparison to the 35-40% theo based comps. This is why the guy who goes in and plays at a good level for hours and doesn't win or lose generally gets a lot more comps than the player who goes in and flat loses.

Getting comp'ed has to be based on theo loss, not actual. Not just because it doesn't make sense to get comps and then lose money, but because high level comps such as I get are simply not sustainable based on actual losses, I'd have to be dumping millions per year in Vegas to get the comps we get based on actual loss.

My entire understanding of independent hosts comes from watching the Steve Cyr interview that LVA did earlier this year and as such I can only picture him as the lone man doing it, lol.

Good thought re: making sure to play alternate places. At a substantially lower level, I have seen something to that in terms of the offer sheets I'm getting downtown now and it's made me reconsider who I give business to there. Caesars for us has a major benefit - they have at least 7 Class III facilities within 6 hours drive of me, more than any other operator except maybe Penn. That said, I recognize the casinos will do everything they can to "get me before I get them" and I don't desire to have brand loyalty in the long term.

From what I understand, the indie hosts get a lot back from the regional casinos (I don't play any of them, just Vegas, occasionally Tahoe), so you might be able to find a good one that suits what you are trying to do.

An indie will scour the promos and find something good for you, which will work quite well with Caesars.

Quote: VirtualBalboa

My entire understanding of independent hosts comes from watching the Steve Cyr interview that LVA did earlier this year and as such I can only picture him as the lone man doing it, lol.

Is Cyr still working at Ellis Island? I haven't seen him in probably close to 10 years. I had dinner with him and his wife at Smith & Wollensky's about 15 years ago.

Quote: DRich

Quote: VirtualBalboa

My entire understanding of independent hosts comes from watching the Steve Cyr interview that LVA did earlier this year and as such I can only picture him as the lone man doing it, lol.

Is Cyr still working at Ellis Island? I haven't seen him in probably close to 10 years. I had dinner with him and his wife at Smith & Wollensky's about 15 years ago.
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Independent but Ellis Island is one of the entities he works with (he also mentions NCL, Baha Mar, etc). Tried to time stamp the part but it's around the 7 minute mark.

Quote: VirtualBalboa

Independent but Ellis Island is one of the entities he works with (he also mentions NCL, Baha Mar, etc). Tried to time stamp the part but it's around the 7 minute mark.

I may be mistaken but I thought for a while he was actually employed by Gary Ellis but was still acting as a host on the side.

I didn't realize Curt at Las Vegas Advisor was doing videos. I am glad to see it, his publishing company has done a lot for gaming. My wife used to work for Curt at the publishing company.

Especially at the regional properties (not Vegas) independent hosts will probably take smaller players too as clients.,

This Vegas trip ended sometime this week.

Will be back before you can say blueberry pie.

Okay, maybe not that fast.

But pretty fast, all right?

Quote: DRich

Quote: VirtualBalboa

Independent but Ellis Island is one of the entities he works with (he also mentions NCL, Baha Mar, etc). Tried to time stamp the part but it's around the 7 minute mark.

I may be mistaken but I thought for a while he was actually employed by Gary Ellis but was still acting as a host on the side.

I didn't realize Curt at Las Vegas Advisor was doing videos. I am glad to see it, his publishing company has done a lot for gaming. My wife used to work for Curt at the publishing company.
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how long has Anthony Curtis looked this bad?

Big tournaments coming up soon.

Quote: MDawg

Big tournaments coming up soon.
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I have more "big" tournaments coming up than I can shake a stick at. Tables, slots, poker. What "Big" tournament are you talking about?

I normally want 1k worth of EV whenever I accept a B&M tournament.

Sure you do.

Quote: MDawg

Some hosts were let go too.

Venetian hotel-casino lays off some top-level employees

Less than 50 laid off - among those known to be affected by the layoffs are executives and senior-level employees in multiple departments, including hotel operations, marketing, celebrations/banquets, group meetings and casino hosts.
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Speaking of layoffs, a Woman said that there were talks of layoffs coming to her job. She said she wasn't worried for HER job because her Boss was her Boyfriend and she was thinking,"No way is my Boyfriend going to let his Girlfriend get laid off " She was one of the first people laid off. She was shocked but acknowledged her thinking was naive. 💡

Quote: Nathan

Speaking of layoffs, a Woman said that there were talks of layoffs coming to her job. She said she wasn't worried for HER job because her Boss was her Boyfriend and she was thinking,"No way is my Boyfriend going to let his Girlfriend get laid off " She was one of the first people laid off. She was shocked but acknowledged her thinking was naive. 💡

She was naive. Men want their women at home having babies and cooking delicious meals every day.

And meeting them in a cocktail dress with a martini when they come home?



But how does that gibe with the new reality of working from home? Should they be dressed up (or, just, naked) at all times?

As far as tournaments, frequently I am advanced up front to the quarter finals such that passing just one round puts me in the money. The ones I am in tend to have a half million or more aggregate prize money (promo chips most of the time, but sometimes cash), and as few as 25 participants although sometimes more like a couple hundred. The big MGM wide ones have a million winner takes all but have hundreds of entrants, I play in those if I am around but don't seek them actively, I prefer the tournaments with less participants.

What do I get for entering? In all cases at least free entry, obviously, but sometimes there are gifts associated with the event. I've placed these on something like OfferUp and run to the porte cochere to sell them within hours of receipt, or given them away to friends or family.

Most promos or tournaments have a stay requirement in the hotel which is obviously comp'ed. If we don't need the room we give it to friends or family. Some of the casinos have eased up on this requirement but most still require at least a one night minimum stay.

I have participated in as many as three big tournaments simultaneously over the same weekend. At least once I was in a position where I had to bail on one and run to another where I was in a position where I would almost definitely win something (worked out well), but most of the time somehow it works out where nothing overlaps.

As far as strategy, I have followed the Wizard's suggested strategy,

Quote: MDawg

Wizard and I have gone over strategies before

Quote: MDawg

Thanks to the Wizard for giving tournament strategy advice pursuant to my question at his 8/5/2021 Live Stream.

What was discussed more specifically was Blackjack tournament strategy and:
Essentially, betting small for most of the initial rounds - bide your time, and then powering up perhaps in the last 5 hands of a round, mostly on the basis of what your enemies are doing:
-Keep in mind that the dealer is not the enemy - the other players are. If the dealer is running hot, that's bad for everyone not just for you.
-If behind bet opposite of your enemy, if your enemy bets big, you bet small, if your enemy bets small, you bet big.
If you are in the lead, mimic your enemies, bet the same way as the people trying to catch you.
-Sometimes will need to bet big. Don't be afraid to throw out some big wagers.
-Don't wait until the very last hand to catch up. Make the move when there are about 5 hands left.

The Wizard considers tournament play advantage play for a player betting according to the tournament strategy of playing the other players versus playing the dealer - if apply skill should have a 3X better chance of winning than the average player, which means that if say, 10K of play is needed to gain entrance into the tournament, that a skilled tournament player should have a 3X better chance of winning than the average player, which increases the value of his 10K play to effectively 30K.

If I didn't summarize what the Wizard said correctly, I invite him to correct me.

I am also wondering - in a Baccarat tournament the dealer really isn't your enemy. I mean, there is a winning hand available on each deal versus blackjack where if the dealer turns over a 20 or 21, everyone might lose. I have been in a couple Bacc tournaments recently and actually won! one of them recently, a pretty big win actually, and in that tournament for the most part my strategy was betting opposite of what the other players were betting, and hoping that the shoe would go contrary to what was expected by the others. For the tournament where I won, that worked. For the tournament where I lost, the shoe actually did what was expected, and my contrarian bets didn't advance me past the second round.
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but these strategies didn't work this time around.

One of the tournaments was a combination roulette, blackjack and baccarat where there was no "advancing" but rather 1st 2nd 3rd places for each individual game, and overall, based on chip count. Start with 10K chips each game, record what is left at end.

Those who won simply "went for it" and got lucky, and that strategy left most busted. In a tournament where over all chip count and not advancing is what matters, getting lucky with some kind of big run might be all that is going to matter.

In a traditional tournament where 2 or so at each table "advance" the "go for it" strategy probably isn't the best, but I saw it work for some lucky bastards at all the tournaments I was in this time.
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I have not gotten this book yet that UnJon and DRich recommended

Quote: unJon

MDawg, I recommend you get Stanford Wong’s book on casino tournament strategy. There is good info on there that will help you think through bet sizing in different situations.

https://www.amazon.com/Casino-Tournament-Strategy-Stanford-Wong/dp/0935926224
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if it were available in a bookstore in Vegas I would have already, but if it is online only, I don't usually peruse titles online.

Just opened, eh?



And so long to THEhotel and Delano.

Quote: MDawg

But how does that gibe with the new reality of working from home? Should they be dressed up (or, just, naked) at all times?

I have become so bad since I started working at home. i rarely shower and rarely get out of my pajamas. The only good thing is the wife works from home also and understands my complacency.