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Hail to the Chief

Take one look at the title of this little missive, and one may think I'm about to sing the praises of our current administration in the White House. It's a safe bet I won't be doing that in my lifetime, so the reader can relax--no political diatribes on my agenda. The great leader I want to hail is The President--a small casino here on the Mississippi Gulf coast. "The Prez"--as many locals refer to it--has something going on that many gaming establishments and other businesses would benefit from emulating, and it doesn't involve a major marketing overhaul or a big bankroll to achieve. It's something we all have instructions in doing from the day we first packed our lunch boxes and headed out to meet the other first graders--"be nice".

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm far from naive about what a casino as a business is all about. They want my money, I want theirs. The fact remains, however, that if I (or any gambler) took all the casino's money, or God forbid, the casino took all the customer's money, then gaming could not exist for long. . . no more fun. It's a fine line the casino as a business must walk. They have the advantage always, no doubt about that either. Their advantage comes from a big bankroll, the house edge in all the games, and the very real advantage some customers give them by playing the games poorly, or not executing self control, or both. Gaming establishments spend much time, effort and money to attract players to their particular casino, often making it sound like they are in the business just to dump millions in your lap the second you walk in the door. I don't think so.

However, I do go willingly and often into casinos, and I try to go with knowledge and forethought about what my chances are, which bets need the least amount of luck to win, a reasonable bankroll, and a willingness to go the distance in the fight for the boodle. I'm selective about where I go into the ring, however. My attitude on gaming does not fit into the "if they build it, I will come" mentality, and I don't think I'm alone.

Keeping all that in mind though, I am prepared to compliment a gaming establishment when they give the customer a fair fight and don't whack them over the head with seemingly unfair advantage. The place that gets my vote is The President, and I'm going to tell you why, though my purpose is not to promote that casino above all others. Rather, it is a means to promote their attitude, and to have the reader think about what they want in a gaming experience and seek that out.

One of the things I notice when I walk into the President Casino is all the smiling personnel interacting with the players. From the security guard at the entrance to the pit bosses at the table games, it seems everyone is happy to be working there. Even the people sitting box, usually so reticent, are smiling and joining in the chatter with the players. Those folks are usually so busy watching the payouts and looking stern, they appear to be robots who point and speak in numbers--but not at the President. All the dealers ask your name, and use it often. Thanks are profuse and sincere for the most meager of tokes, and big wins for the dealers are announced and often applauded by the players. Best of all, though, is the relaxed attitude about winning. The players don't just get a desultory "good luck" at "the Prez", they get folks willing to participate in a positive gaming experience. I've never seen any harassment of winning players or interruptions of long rolls at the dice table. One day while playing craps, my husband was having an exquisite roll, and it came time for the stickman to go on break. He sent his relief to another dealer, because he didn't want to interrupt the shooter's "rhythm". Now I don't know if that has anything to do with a good dice roll, or not, but it was still a classy thing to do, in my book.

I've overheard pit bosses and hosts telling big players to "be careful" at new games with a big house edge. I see crew members helping new players and advising them not to press their bets too aggressively. While playing blackjack, one of the dealers actually stopped the action to advise an imbibing player not to hit his hard 19 against a dealer upcard of 6.

When I go to a casino, I'm hoping to win, of course, but I also want a fun experience and an atmosphere where I feel even the smallest action is welcome and treated with respect. I've found that at The President on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. If you are planning a trip to this area, by all means, give the President a try. It's one of the most relaxed, fun and truly enjoyable casinos I've ever been in--and Heaven knows I've been in a bunch of them. If you come by, say hello to Jimbo--the smilingest boxman/supervisor I've ever seen, who may start up an Indian war chant at the craps table to bring good omens on the players. Play craps with Richard and get treated to some fun chatter. Place your bets with Claude at the roulette wheel and laugh all the way to the cashier's cage. Go to the craps area just to look at Lynn--the most gorgeous games supervisor on the coast. Don't forget "Big John" at the craps table either, who can figure out your betting scheme in two seconds and makes sure you never miss a beat. By all means, don't pass up the poker room, where Sheree' and Joey may deal a jackpot hand any day now. Wherever you go to gamble, however, be sure it's a place where they treat you well--you deserve it.

This article is provided by the Frank Scoblete Network. Melissa A. Kaplan is the network's managing editor. If you would like to use this article on your website, please contact Casino City Press, the exclusive web syndication outlet for the Frank Scoblete Network. To contact Frank, please e-mail him at fscobe@optonline.net.

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