Aruba, Part 7

My final Aruba update... the last night we were there we stopped at the Alhambra Casino which was just a short walk from the resort. They offered $3 blackjack from 6pm to 7pm, although that went to almost 8. The $3 tables in Aruba attract some unconventional players, to say the least. To start, there were two kids in the middle of the table who did such things as;

-stay on 12 against a 20
-not hit an 8
-try to double a 13 against a 19

All in all, they were definitely not a fan of basic strategy. Later, some drunk dude with a beard sat in the middle. He proceeded to not hit a 14 against a 20. Two hands later, I had an 11 against the dealer's ace and took a hit. He told me I should have doubled. I wanted to pull out a gun and shoot him in the mouth for even attempting to tell another player how to play... especially after not hitting a 14. But such is life. I didn't take any chips from the table because earlier in the stay I got them from the cage. Since they don't offer blackjack until 6pm and I walked in at 11am to collect them, this was a slight problem. I had to tell the cashier I was leaving that day, and before 6pm, so she could call a supervisor over to unlock the super secret chip room. She did hip me to not just the house chip, but also a 25th anniversary chip that features Rerun on it. If anyone knows the true identity of who this is... let me know. I'm dying to find out. And if it is Rerun... I'd kill for a Jimmy Walker chip.

Aruba, Part 6

The very first night in Aruba, I got the house chip to the Crystal Casino at the Renaissance Resort downtown. This resort has a mall attached, too... and they actually boat people from the inside of the mall to a private beach. Pretty cool. The second-to-last day in Aruba, we played there and I actually found they had two older chips in play, so I was able to collect those... and experience my most profitable table stay. So I kind of like the place.

Aruba, Part 5

On the night of my birthday, I played at the Casablanca Casino at the Westin. I came out exactly even. Which is kind of a waste, I guess.

Aruba, Part 4

Next I played at the Riu Palace. This was easily the nicest, fanciest, newest resort on the island. And what did they name their casino? Cool Casino. Seriously. It was pretty fricking cool though. Nice plasma TVs all over the pits (tuned to soccer of course). Didn't have much luck at blackjack here, but at least I didn't spill any beer.

Aruba, Part 3

On to the places I actually sat at a table and played some cards. First up, the Casablanca Casino at the Hyatt.
This chip was in the early running for nicest looking, but I must have collected the ugly ones first. Very Vegas-y look to it. Table was okay, but the beer service was pretty good. They even brought me a Balashi after I cashed out and was sitting at a slot machine.
But seriously, try the Balashi. It's muy bueno.

Aruba, Part 2

More from Aruba and the places I did not play at. First, The Occidental Grand. Conveniently located across the street from Tomato Charlie's Pizza. Which, has extremely slow service.
Then there's Excelsior, which was at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort. A good place to find tips on art galleries, but not to play blackjack apparently.
And finally, The Casino at the Radisson. Not exactly the most creative name. Not the best looking chip either.

Aruba, Part 1

Fourteen new chips collected while on vacation in Aruba. I visited all 9 of the current casinos. Two have recently closed so I'll have to scour eBay to find those chips and complete the island set. First, the Stellaris. Located at the Marriott, it was roughly 29 miles away from our condo. Which is impressive on an island 18 miles in length. It took us a long time to walk out there and find it, but once we did I found two chips. One house and one... I'm not sure. One with monkeys, but I'm not sure why. Didn't play at all at this place, way too tired from walking.

The Eagle

This Soaring Eagle chip with the "Swan Creek Black River Saginaw" stamp on the back was picked up in December when I saw Jim Gaffigan perform. It's dated 2004, and I have no idea why I hadn't seen one before. It's in pretty rough shape and I have no idea the significance of the stamp on the back, but here it is. (Picture coming).


UPDATE!! Picture Done!!

Excalibur

Been a while since I've updated but that doesn't mean I haven't collected any chips. It just means I've been to lazy to lug the scanner home. I had my brother's friend pick me up these (pictures coming) special edition chips from the Excalibur. When I was there in September I saw a big banner hanging over the cage promoting the new chips. So, I went up to the cashier and asked for them only to be told they wouldn't be out for another month. Which is why i had to "order" them. Still not sure that the Excalibur is the casino that should be marketing the "party pit" but what do I know? So, thanks to Murray for picking these up and getting them to me.


UPDATE!!! Now with pictures!!!

Updated Photos

This past week I've taken the time to re-do the photos of my 200 chips. Instead of taking a picture of each one, or a set and photo-shopping each one out, I used a scanner to scan each chip. I think the difference is amazingly noticeable. No more washed-out chips from the flash, or chips that get super blurry when you enlarge them. Much better. So, I've started the process of swapping out the old pictures for the new ones. Got 62.5% of the blog posts fixed. Eventually, they will all be done. Compare the difference... the new ones have a light-color background, the old ones have a black background. w00t! Scanner! Not since the days of visiting the old slot house has this piece of technology proved to be so handy.

Vegas '09

Added two new chips on my most recent trip to Vegas. Was supposed to be three, but I somehow lost one. Someone on the monorail ended their day with 5 more dollars than they thought. Anyhoos. Got a new Casino Royale house chip and a Tropicana chip commemorating the 11th annual Preserving Gaming History Annual International Convention. Did you even know they have that? Well, they do. Or did. This is from 2003. So, they'd be up to 17th annual if they are still having them. Eventhough it was organized in 1988. My math is bad, or annual doesn't mean every year anymore.

Firekeepers

A hearty blog welcome to Michigan's newest casino, Firekeepers in Battle Creek. It opened in the summer and is actually pretty nice. Bunch of restaurants, a sports bar, plenty of tables and slots. I was impressed. Lost a little bit at their tables, but not as much as I would have had we went the night before following a raucous game of Death Card.


What's the name of the game? Death Card. Why do we play? To get fucked up.

Circus Circus

Added this spiffy new Circus Circus house chip over the summer. My parents brought it back for me. They were in Vegas to help my brother move. Lucky them. Or him, I guess, if you think poorly of Saginaw. Haven't been in the ol' CC in quite a while and this will save me the trouble of getting down there on my next trip(s). Also, the front of the new chip looks just like the old one, but the back is different. Probably should have taken a picture of that instead. Oh well.

Greektown Christmas 2004

Opening Day 2009... known more for the Tigers 15-2 win over Texas, but also as the day I collected this Greektown Christmas 2004 chip. After Rob, Eric, Kapp and I went to the game, the DBC and a few other bars, three of us went to the casino. Kapp went to another bar (surprise!). Rob did fairly well, as I watched him play and Eric played in another portion of the casino. Then we met Kapp at the bar and for dinner (Right off the street!). To escape further shenanigans, the three of us once again went to the casino whilst Kapp once again went to the bar. In fact, Kapp was in pursuit of more shenanigans. After watching Rob and Eric do well, I finally sat down in third base and the three of us played in a row at the same table. Normally I don't play continuous shuffle machines, especially for $25 a hand, but I was drunk. 45 minutes later, I was up about $150 and the guys were ready to go, so I cashed in and in the process picked up this sweet reminder of what Christmas in a casino, in Detroit, 5 years ago, must have been like.

Earlier in the day, in an episode totally unrelated to the casino, I had to worst $5 cab ride of all time. Kapp and I got a cab at the Ren Cen and were hoping to get to Centar via some back roads, due to the gameday/Good Friday traffic. We get in the cab and in the course of two blocks, this was what was said:

Me: Can you take us to the Centar? It's at Montcalm and Park.
Cabbie: Montcalm and Park.
Me: It's really busy around the stadium, so if you know any back roads... that'd be awesome.
Cabbie: Centar.
Me: Yep.
Cabbie: Going to baseball game?
Me: Well, yes... in 3 hours... it's only 10am. Let's just get to the bar.
Cabbie: Where it is?
Me: What?
Cabbie: I take you to game?
Me: No. The Centar.
Cabbie: I'm new here, I don't know that.
Me: Montcalm and Park.
Cabbie: No.
Me: It's across from the Town Pump. Hockeytown. It's got a giant freaking puck rotating 50 feet in the sky. You don't know where that is?
Cabbie: I take you to Greektown?
Me: That's awesome... we're in Greektown. We want Hockeytown.
Cabbie: Baseball game.
Me: Fine. Take us to Comerica, that's close enough.
Cabbie: I know Ford Field. Go there?
Me: What? Comerica is across the goddamn street. How can you not know where Comerica is?
Cabbie: I'm new.
Me: Just stop, we'll get out and walk from here. Fuck me.

Gotta love April in the D.

Pictures! Finally!!

Update - Last sans camera edition

Three more chips added to the collection, bringing the number I still need to take a picture of and catalog to 17. I think this will be the final update/addition with no camera. So there's that. The newest three:

- Kewadin (Sault Ste. Marie) $5 Limited Edition ARCA Racing, Summer '98
- Great Canadian Casinos $5 house, Victoria, British Columbia
- M Resort $5 House, Las Vegas

Update - Birthday Edition

Received a total of 11 new chips for my collection for my birthday. I now have enough chips for my third frame. Still no camera, that's coming soon, so here's just a brief rundown of what's been added until then:

- Ojibwa Casino - Marquette. Exact same as the Baraga one except for the city listed.
- Aliante Grand Opening 2008 - North Las Vegas
- Aliante House Chip
- Silverton House Chip - LV
- Silverton 10th Anniversary ('97-'07)
- Texas Station House Chip - North LV
- Sunset Station House Chip - Henderson
- Jerry's Nugget House Chip - North LV
- Palms 7-7-07
- Fiesta House Chip - North LV
- Cannery 5th Anniversary

Another New Chip

The newest chip to join my collection is the $5 house chip from the Ameristar Casino in St. Charles, MO (near St. Louis). The casino is a "riverboat" situated on the mighty Missouri River. The riverboat doesn't even pretend to act as a boat, the casino is attached to the parking garage/hotel on land. Inside, it's bright and shiny and new looking (being 5 or so years old will do that), but it's nothing special. There is a metric ton of penny slots on both levels. Yes, penny slots. I witnessed a guy hit a 'jackpot' on one of them. Whilst wandering around, I noticed a group of people standing behind a guy, as his slot machine was running through a pay-out. Everyone was amazed at his massive winnings, a solid 10,000 units. Until you realized that on a penny machine, that's $100. Woo-hoo. I wonder if that old guy will get to retire now? Which reminds me, the casino itself was pretty empty. Sure it was a Monday night (President's Day to be exact), but it was empty. Pretty standard collection of old people, oxygen tanks and old people with oxygen tanks. Only a handful of blackjack tables ($15 min.) and other assorted table games. Not the worst I've ever seen, but I would definitely check out the other 3 St. Louis-area casinos before going back to the Ameristar. Which, by the way, wins the award for lamest casino name ever. So they at least have that going for them.

New Chip

Still no new camera, so no picture right now of my newest addition - the $5 house chip from the Odawa Casino Resort in Petoskey, MI. Opened in 2007, it was a really nice place. Pretty clean, and not beaten down by years of chain-smoking. Yet. They had a decent amount of blackjack tables, and they've yet fallen victim to the devious automated shuffle machines, so they've got that going for them. I think I won $20 playing for about 15 minutes. We were eager to leave and get to the bar after Monika won $1500 on the Wheel of Fortune progressive machines.

The Odawa did have a "dance club" located inside, called the 'O-Zone.' I was fairly certain we'd spend some time there and it would provide us with a lot of unintentional humor, but once Monika won her big prize, I kind of forgot about suggesting we go there. Next time, I will definitely have a report on the 'O-Zone.' And hopefully a new camera by then.

New Chips

You'll have to wait a while to see pictures of the 4 new chips I got. I have not yet replaced my camera that was stolen about 6 weeks ago. But these four chips are all from my most recent trip to Vegas, December 9-11.

1. Green Valley Ranch house chip. Some of you may remember Green Valley Ranch from the hit Discovery Channel show American Casino. No? Well, read all about it here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414718/fullcredits#cast. Too bad they didn't have Tata or Nina chips. Those would have been fun to collect. The casino itself was fairly nice. Out in Henderson, which was about a 15 minute ride from the Strip on the highway. Had lunch there, the prime rib sandwich.

2. Monte Carlo "Brand" chip. Brand is the new steakhouse at the Carlo and to commemorate, they put 5,000 chips into circulation. The steakhouse is right behind the blackjack pit, opposite of the cage. It actually looks fairly nice. Not sure if Lance Burton eats there or anything, but I would definitely give it a go at some point. And for the life of me, I can't remember what used to be in that space. Which is odd, because I'm usually so sober, coherent and cognizant whilst playing blackjack at the Carlo. I just hope Brand is open for a long, long time and that it doesn't accidentally start fire to the Carlo. Again.

3. Palazzo "Jersey Boys" chip. Jersey Boys is a show about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. I can not imagine a circumstance under which I would go see this show. Maybe if they were handing out $1,000 bills at the door. Maybe. The only reason I saved this chip was because I was playing blackjack at the Venetian, waiting for the Davidson-West Virginia game to start, and got this one and the next chip whilst playing. As for the game, I won. The next night, I lost both games. Including Butler, who was a "lock." I even watched the game with a couple of Las Vegas sharps, and they thought the same thing. So, I guess I'm as dumb as a sharp.

4. The Venetian "Wayne Brady" chip. Yes! Finally. A Wayne Brady chip. He'll look nice in a frame with the Lance Burton's, Dennis Miller's, Seigfried and Roy's and Jerry Tarkanian's of the chip world. Is Wayne Brady going to have to choke a bitch? I have no idea. But now his smiling face will be present in my bedroom 24/7. The name of his show is apparently "Making %@it Up." That's exactly how it's spelled. Wayne Brady... so edgy.

So, those are the newest four. Look for pictures to be up sometime after the new year when I finally get a new camera. I might even have some more chips by then. I think I'm about 11 away from my third full frame.

Recently Added Nevada Chips