th el cortez/single deck

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On their website, the el cortez doesn't seem to list much in the way of carnival games; can those of you confirm what table games they offer beyond blackjack, poker, baccarat, roulette, and craps, please?

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

Yes you can. They're dealt out of a shoe and slid to you.

Double deck or single?

I can't speak for the single deck game, but the double deck game is dealt face up from a shoe.

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Quote: Ibeatyouraces

SD

I just noticed the thread title 'single deck.' Don't know why I'm talking about the DD game there? Sorry.

Quote: KeyserSoze

I just noticed the thread title 'single deck.' Don't know why I'm talking about the DD game there? Sorry.

That's okay. We're still talking about El Cortez blackjack.

The double deck game didn't have great penetration the last time I was there. Ibeatyouraces, what did you see? The house edge is over twice that of the best MGM double deck games. Of course, we're talking $3 minimums versus $50 and $100 minimums.

Single deck, double deck, very confusing,
I was at the El Cortez a few days ago playing blackjack.
They put 2 decks together, an automated shuffler shuffles, dealer pulls the shuffled double deck out and let player cut the deck with a plastic cut card.
Dealer puts the double deck in the shoe and deals till 1 deck is done (half the double deck.)
Cards are slid out of the shoe and slid to placed upright, player can touch cards.

What's funny is I'm primarily a poker player. When its my turn, all my action is verbal.
In BJ, seems dealers prefer hand signals instead of verbal.

That's not enough penetration to bother counting unless you can employ a huge betting spread. I think most of us know there's a better chance of four feet of snow falling on the strip.

The camera can't hear you therefore hand signals are a must to settle any disputes that may arise. There are lots of shot takers out there.

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Didn't want to start a whole new thread for this, but I just got backed off for a whopping 2.5 : 1 spread (!) I'm not even anything more than a recreational player -- even my basic strategy is a little rusty, esp as it pertains to the variations for 2-deck, 6-deck, S17 vs. H17, etc. I just wanted to check out the EC for a little low-stakes action, which is perhaps why I found this all so insulting.

I'd never set foot in the EC, but wanted to check it out, so I sat down at their $10 DD game. I played around 40 hands betting the $10 minimum. I then upped my bet to $20 for two hands, then to $25 on the third hand. Pit Boss (who'd been idly eyeying the table) loudly proclaims "Seems like you know enough to raise your bet when the count goes positive, huh?" I'm somewhat shocked...$10 to $25 even registers at all!?? He continues "Come onnnnnnnnnn, buddy -- i see you, betting $10, $10, $10 all the time, then all of a sudden $25 when the count goes positive! Who do you think you're fooling?" I continue to feign ignorance, but I'm still really just in shock (I was up around $150 at the time, but only from running insanely hot with my $10 min bets.) "How about you just keep it at $10; that works best for us." He then calls upstairs (not sure if it was about me, or unrelated), then walks by the dealer and taps her, quietly saying to her: "Ten dollars". He then gleefully starts making loud prop bets with the other pit boss about how long I'll stick around only being able to flat bet $10. I played another 20 mins breaking even, then colored up and left.

Quote: borophil

Didn't want to start a whole new thread for this, but I just got backed off for a whopping 2.5 : 1 spread (!) I'm not even anything more than a recreational player -- even my basic strategy is a little rusty, esp as it pertains to the variations for 2-deck, 6-deck, S17 vs. H17, etc. I just wanted to check out the EC for a little low-stakes action, which is perhaps why I found this all so insulting.

I'd never set foot in the EC, but wanted to check it out, so I sat down at their $10 DD game. I played around 40 hands betting the $10 minimum. I then upped my bet to $20 for two hands, then to $25 on the third hand. Pit Boss (who'd been idly eyeying the table) loudly proclaims "Seems like you know enough to raise your bet when the count goes positive, huh?" I'm somewhat shocked...$10 to $25 even registers at all!?? He continues "Come onnnnnnnnnn, buddy -- i see you, betting $10, $10, $10 all the time, then all of a sudden $25 when the count goes positive! Who do you think you're fooling?" I continue to feign ignorance, but I'm still really just in shock (I was up around $150 at the time, but only from running insanely hot with my $10 min bets.) "How about you just keep it at $10; that works best for us." He then calls upstairs (not sure if it was about me, or unrelated), then walks by the dealer and taps her, quietly saying to her: "Ten dollars". He then gleefully starts making loud prop bets with the other pit boss about how long I'll stick around only being able to flat bet $10. I played another 20 mins breaking even, then colored up and left.

I'm glad that you posted this. What some don't realize is that not only counters are backed off but winners as well as this place continues to shoot itself in the foot. Equally strange is the fact that I have counted there unmolested while obvious non counters have been backed off.

Quote: 1BB

I'm glad that you posted this. What some don't realize is that not only counters are backed off but winners as well as this place continues to shoot itself in the foot. Equally strange is the fact that I have counted there unmolested while obvious non counters have been backed off.

Same here. In the South Point thread I wrote I spread 1-40, and also do a 1-10 spread at EC and never got the boot.

Quote: borophil

Didn't want to start a whole new thread for this, but I just got backed off for a whopping 2.5 : 1 spread (!) I'm not even anything more than a recreational player -- even my basic strategy is a little rusty, esp as it pertains to the variations for 2-deck, 6-deck, S17 vs. H17, etc. I just wanted to check out the EC for a little low-stakes action, which is perhaps why I found this all so insulting.

I'd never set foot in the EC, but wanted to check it out, so I sat down at their $10 DD game. I played around 40 hands betting the $10 minimum. I then upped my bet to $20 for two hands, then to $25 on the third hand. Pit Boss (who'd been idly eyeying the table) loudly proclaims "Seems like you know enough to raise your bet when the count goes positive, huh?" I'm somewhat shocked...$10 to $25 even registers at all!?? He continues "Come onnnnnnnnnn, buddy -- i see you, betting $10, $10, $10 all the time, then all of a sudden $25 when the count goes positive! Who do you think you're fooling?" I continue to feign ignorance, but I'm still really just in shock (I was up around $150 at the time, but only from running insanely hot with my $10 min bets.) "How about you just keep it at $10; that works best for us." He then calls upstairs (not sure if it was about me, or unrelated), then walks by the dealer and taps her, quietly saying to her: "Ten dollars". He then gleefully starts making loud prop bets with the other pit boss about how long I'll stick around only being able to flat bet $10. I played another 20 mins breaking even, then colored up and left.

Makes me sick. Casinos trumpet winners in their marketing, but really they should post signs saying "We want only suckers, losers, and squares!"

Stopped by the El cortez to play some single deck BJ.
Just playing for fun. Counting but a low roller 5 to 15 spread. Just bought in for a 100.
That was the fastest 100 I had ever lost at BJ. It was rediculous. Count was meaningless because I couldn't catch a break. Dealer was just lucky in every situation.
Never got a BJ. The 100 went to 5 in like 20 min. Just tossed the 5 to the dealer and walked out. Uggh. Even with perfect strategy and counting, still need luck.

Quote: terapined

Stopped by the El cortez to play some single deck BJ.
Just playing for fun. Counting but a low roller 5 to 15 spread. Just bought in for a 100.
That was the fastest 100 I had ever lost at BJ. It was rediculous. Count was meaningless because I couldn't catch a break. Dealer was just lucky in every situation.
Never got a BJ. The 100 went to 5 in like 20 min. Just tossed the 5 to the dealer and walked out. Uggh. Even with perfect strategy and counting, still need luck.

You have you been on this forum for a long time, and yet, it is very obvious you still haven't learned the most important part of winning in casinos.

Quote: terapined

Stopped by the El cortez to play some single deck BJ.
Just playing for fun. Counting but a low roller 5 to 15 spread. Just bought in for a 100.
That was the fastest 100 I had ever lost at BJ. It was rediculous. Count was meaningless because I couldn't catch a break. Dealer was just lucky in every situation.
Never got a BJ. The 100 went to 5 in like 20 min. Just tossed the 5 to the dealer and walked out. Uggh. Even with perfect strategy and counting, still need luck.

How can this even surprise you one little bit? Obviously you're still a blackjack babe in the woods.

Did you at least go around and look at their video poker? Make yourself useful. Go have some biscuits and gravy.