www.CostaRicaTicas.com

(Am coying this from another thread so future searches on the subject might more easily find craps information...)

Have played a lot (too much?) craps in San Jose. The following are the tables I know of and how I rate the dealing and play factors:

Colonial Casino...next door to Hotel Delrey side entrance. This is the largest most elegant casino in downtown San Jose in my opinion. Mostly Ticos playing here. Large parking lot for easy parking if you are driving. Nice big craps table. Minumum play now in colones is 1000 colones ($2)...used to be 500. Only in Panama can you play craps cheaper of anywhere I have been ($1 minumum tables are standard at Panama casinos). Minimum in dollars is $5...max USUALLY $200 unless you ask for special limits. They will probably allow $25-500 limit spread if you want that. The tico regulars usually start play here in early-mid afternoon, so it is the most likely table in town to have early action. While its nice that they play in both colones and dollars, the dealing team is really subpar. Some of these dealers have been dealing 3+ years that I have been playing there...and still dont know how to count or pay off correctly. Especially if you are the unusual guy like me or Circus who play the DONT quite often. You have to really watch your payouts because Ticos miscount all the time. Dont know if it's genetic...or trying to get an extra edge sometimes . If you play often here, you will see many arguments between players and staff/management on correct payouts. Ah...Costa Rica...

Horseshoe Casino... The Horseshoe is probably the most "gringo friendly" casino in the gulch. Small and hard to move around in, but always has action. The craps table is smaller, but has the most professional dealing team. They only take dollar action with $5-$300 normal spread. They will also do big stakes spread on request...I have seen $50-$2000 on this table before. Definitely where the high roller craps players play. Usually play is only at night here though on the weekends you will find some daytime play. Again, because of location and dealing quality, this is the preferred place to play craps.

Casino Aurora...top of the Holiday Inn at Morazan Park. They have one of the nicest tables...and usually a pretty good team that deals there. Problem is, very limited play. Most times you go up there are very few players and hardly ever a craps game. Go figure. Guess its Location, Location, Location. This casino is same owners as the Colonial. One thing I dont like here is the payout process. When you finish playing they have to call over a manager who watches the count. Then they write you a piece of paper with the amount. All this while other players sit around idly waiting for play to resume. Then you take the paper over to the cashier for payout. This extra step can take an extra 5 minutes waiting...even in an empty casino.

Fiesta Casino...the new casino by the airport with Dennys Restaurant attached. They have a nice new table there that sees some consistant action at night. Dollars only last time I was there, $5 minumum. Problem is, the dealer team is newer than the Casino...and seem to have the typical problem of counting odds and pushing chips fast enough. Can be a long night helping them count and waiting on the chips to be pushed around the table. It is definitely the largest and newest Vegas style casino in town and plenty of eye candy...especially at night and on weekends.

Tryp Coribici Hotel Casino...business hotel located next to Parque Sabana on the highway headed out to the airport. This large casino is primarily geared to locals and guests. They have a large antiquated craps table...one of the largest I've ever seen. Not much play here, and the table upkeep is terrible. The felt hadnt been changed in 10 years it looked like...can hardly see the numbers. And the table is like concrete for a table. The dice dont bounce on this surface. The dealers seem to be adequate, but last time I played there they started playing games with what was or wasnt a qualified roll...so I left stating I would never play there again.

These are the main tables in town. Casino Paradiso at Amon Plaza Hotel used to have a craps table, but have put it in storage. They didnt have enough dealers, or play to invest in dealers it seems. Personally I think they should reinstate and promote a quality craps game there as they have the friendliest, most attractive and quality dealers in town in general.
Just need ways to promote their location better...

Watch for the upcoming Tmans report on Craps Panama style . Hope to see you at a craps table near you .

Thanks Tman.

Hey, are we going to see you in September?

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Stories still out on that Calif. I'm living in Panama now. Depends on business and variety of other circumstances. Will keep you posted...and hope to see you all there.

Good info and hits close to what's important to me...

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Pass the dice. new shooter coming out...

YO Tman:
Good report on craps. I think you and me are about the only "Don't" players in this group.....at least regular ones. Yep the Don't player, the man who nobody loves.

I might add a tip to you crap players. If you visit the Colonial and the craps table......and happen to see one of two regular Asian players.....grab your chips and move on. For some reason everytime they come up to play my game goes down hill....fast. Tman and one of our former regular CRS members, Dino, can certainly attest to this. Yea, superstitious maybe but they also have a shitty attitude.

BTW, Tman, I played don't on the local cruise ship a few weeks ago using the 31 system I showed you and never went past the 9th ($230) step in the system. $10 was my unit amount. Also hit on five hardways (insurance bets when I had over $70. on a bet with 4, 6 or 8 as the come out) two of which were successively. A lot of winning at steps 3, 4 & 5....mostly a cold table except for one thrower who was betting green chips on all the spread and was quite annoyed with me....har, har. It was sweet to kick the casino's butts. Yea, does not always go that way but it's worked to the advantage with me if I stick to it and not get wild with don't come bets....which I did not play any this time. Made my flight, hotel, chica, mini vodka and mad money for a Panama trip whenever I can get the shit out of the Pits of Jax.

Circus rides again.

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Damn if I'm going to repeat this shit again. I need a drink.
I've been drinking vodka every day for 45 years and I have certainly never found it to be habit forming.

That a boy Circus. Panama awaits you...with much better craps dealers than Costa Rica

You and those Asian guys...craps players in general ARE the most superstitious gamblers in the house. Since you and I are both somewhat contrarian individuals to the norms Circus, it is no wonder we like the DONTS...even if we also slyly know that we are playing WITH the house that always in the long run WINS. Plus, it is an interesting social game to play where the superstitious COME players take it personal and feel like they are competing with US. Hell, we arent getting THEIR money...we're all playing against the house...and I truly like those rare games where both sides are getting the best of the house. Rollers are hitting lots of numbers and hardways, but not too many points. In this scenario BOTH sides win. It also is interesting where sometimes a player asks about the DONT systems and start learning and winning on that strategy also. I have seen it where the whole table ends up shifting to the DONTS and all winning against the house. That can be fun.

I dont think of myself as a superstitious player, but there is one table here in Panama where the last 2 times in a row I have gone through the whole 31 system and lost within 20-30 minutes. So I wont hurry back to THAT table any time soon ...

Just fyi, got in yesterday and hit the craps table last night at the Shoe.
It was pretty good, well run, and the dice were hot. I walked away up a couple hundred. The game at the Colonial was okay, but the crew was slower, didn't seem that experienced. I will be here all week at the SL and will probably be stopping at the tables every night. I want to head out to the Fiesta out by the airport as well. I heard it was nice, even if it is a bit of a trip to get there.
Rainman