Page 5 - March 2002 • Southern California Gaming Guide

The Unknown Gamer Hits the Decks
So what’s the big deal about Blackjack? It’s the savvy gamer’s game. It’s the game with the best odds to win consistently, and that’s why there’s much ado about Blackjack! I play everything, and of course I play Blackjack. My favorite place to play? The single-deck play at Barona Casino without a doubt! Not only have I had many a great afternoon’s play and won—but the
dealers are aces, and the people at the tables are the most consistently interesting and fun groups! Barona’s dealers are friendly, fun and even helpful.
Barona runs a “dealer school” headed up by a past Foxwoods (the huge Native American casino in the Connecticut woods) executive that offers dealer train- ing during a six-week program. The school is free to any Barona employee who
details about great San Diego Blackjack plays. And Max Rubin’s piece on page 16.
My rst tip about playing Blackjack in San Diego: Before you play in any casino, walk around the table games area and look at each table’s game. Read the signs! There are overt signs and the not-so obvious ones. Before you place your bet, nd out the table limits (there’s always a small sign on the table) and
San Diego Casinos Reach New “Highs”
The keyword for casino news this month is “high,” as in “high-limit” and “high-tech.”
SAN DIEGO GAMING GUIDE
wants to become a dealer
(non-employees pay a low
fee). But not everyone who
goes through the training
becomes a Barona dealer.
The training is intense and
dealers have to pass an audi-
tion to get hired. Experienced dealers have to know the game, be affable and friendly, and be aware of everything and anything going on at their table. A good dealer will verify a player’s silly action to get the player to think twice about what he’s doing. A good dealer does this because everyone’s play affects the game!
For more Blackjack play, take a drive north to Casino Pauma. There are great odds on their 6-and 4-deck plays. Read the “Blackjack Bonanza” article on page 7 for more
ask about the casino’s Black- jack rules. Do not assume rules are the same from one casino to the next. The house may not let you double down when you think. And when you’re ready to choose a table, look for “tips and chips.” Have the players at the table won? Do they have chips in front of them? Is the
table lively? Is the dealer getting tips?
And when you win, remember your dealer. A good
dealer will make the game fun and interesting with just the right amount of verbal patter and customer care.
Either making a bet for her, or giving him a tip directly is always appreciated and goes a long way. Dealers work for tips and deserve them if the play is lively and fun. How much you tip is up to you, but remember, “what goes around, comes around.” OK, my last two Blackjack tips: Take no insurance and don’t split tens.
Apart from my hitting the decks (of cards, that is), I do like those spinning slots. And for those of you like me, don’t miss the April issue of the SDGG. Find out what’s new— what’s coming and where you can play the newest slots in town.
are displayed inside the slot machine’s custom vault, and awarded directly from the machine. Raining Diamonds is featured in The San Diego Gaming Guide’s rst “Slot Spotlight” on page 9. Play Raining Diamonds at Barona Casino and Rincon Casino.
Barona Invests $1 Million in High-Tech Communications
Barona Casino soon will be wired for the most advanced voice, video and data tech- nologies available today—and those antici- pated to come online in the next decade. Paci c ComTel of Escondido will design and install a gigabyte infrastructure that bun- dles all communication services, including broadband Internet access, local and long- distance telephone, security and surveillance systems, and satellite television all into one cable.
During the next nine months, miles of advanced twisted copper and ber optic cable will be installed throughout the exist- ing casino, of ce buildings, and the recently opened 18-hole championship Barona Creek Golf Club. Ultimately, the cable will con- nect with the $260-million resort and casino project now under construction and slated for completion in early 2003.
“A good dealer will make the game fun and interesting with just the right amount of verbal patter and customer care.”
Sycuan Casino’s High-Limit Area and High-Tech Theater
Sycuan Casino & Resort’s High Limit area is now open. Located on the rst oor of the casino between Off- Track-Betting and Pai Gow, the exclusive room offers guests the excitement of high stakes gaming action. Enjoy Blackjack, pai gow, big baccarat, mini-baccarat, slots and video poker in the elegant surroundings. Slots and video poker are open 24-hours a day, and table games open daily at 6:00 p.m.
The eagerly-anticipated grand opening of Sycuan’s Showcase Theater more than lived up to its billing on Jan- uary 25, as the Doobie Brothers rocked before a capacity, VIP, invitation-only crowd. Sycuan’s Showcase Theater is the most technologically advanced multi-purpose venue in San Diego County. The facility rivals any other in the United States in terms of sound quality, stage and production elements, while maintaining an intimate atmo- sphere where every seat is a good seat.
Gaming Awards “Rain Down” on High-Tech Diamond Slot
Sierra Design Group’s (SDG) Raining Diamonds game was voted “The Most Innovative Gaming Product of the Year” by the attendees of the American Gaming Summit on February 12, 2002. Selected from a group of 20 nominees culled by Casino Journal, Raining Diamonds was voted most innovative by gaming executives, casino managers, and Wall Street analysts attending the confer- ence. “Our competition was some of the best products in gaming,” said SDG’s Vice President of Creative Devel- opment, Rich Fiore. “I’m proud of our whole team for winning this prestigious award.”
“The Raining Diamonds game is a new and totally unique concept in casino entertainment,” said Fiore. Rain- ing Diamonds players can win their pick of a wide array of certi ed diamond jewelry, from solitaire rings and tennis bracelets to popular heart-shaped pendants. “There are even great prizes for the guys,” commented Fiore. Prizes
MARCH 2002 Page 5
Column: The Unknown Gamer San Diego Gaming News