My first Time at Binion’s

By 1luckydame

A couple years ago, Barb and I were in Las Vegas for a couple days in between visiting her friends and family in Arizona and California. On the second night we headed to Fremont Street, since I hadn’t been there since they had put up the huge awning and light show. We found ourselves in front of Binions, having followed the world series on ESPN this was the one place I wanted to play at. The room was packed, open seats were scarce. I put my name on both the 1/2 NL and the 2/4 Limit lists. The 2/4 opened up first; I bought $40 in chips and found my seat. Barb was still too intimidated by the whole place to sit and play. Turns out my table was right along the infamous rail, within eye shot of the wall of fame, talk about history. The game it self was as most 2/4 tables go, friendly, and loose. I’d win a pot, then loose a pot. I went up and down for the longest time. This entire time Barb had been content to just stand and watch. A seat opened up next to mine, and encouraged by the fact I was holding my own she opted to join us. The two guys who were sitting on either side of us were friends, and started making small talk, the more they talked the more I won, and slowly my stack was moving in the right direction. Barb slowly lost her chips and was about to get up when one of the two guys, who was doing very well and hitting cards like crazy would not let her get up, he opens up his wallet and tosses her another $40 and tells her she is his good luck charm and must stay. So she did, after all it wasn’t her money anymore. We played for another couple hours, Then the two guys had leave, just before cashing out their chips they insisted on giving both barb and I more of their money. Of course we objected, but they were insistent. I did point out that they stood no chance of picking either one of us up lol. We left shortly after that, with Barb breaking even, partly due because of the donated money, and I left $120 up. I have since then been at many many tables, have yet to meet anyone who just insists on giving me money, I usually have to take it from them lol. It was the oddest time I have ever had at a table. I don’t remember much of the actual play for that night, simply that the entire table was having a good time; there were no jerks, no crabby players, even the dealer where laughing and joking around. The fact I was playing in a place steeped in history made it even better.