Friday, February 17, 1978 Weekender 3
Spring break in Vegas for Carolina gamblers
Going for the big one; luck, wit against cards
By CHIP PEARSALL
Staff Writer
When the great migration from Chapel Hill to
southern climes begins in March, Dee Mudd and
Sandy Finch won't be going along.
Instead of joining that sun-starved caravan, the
UNC sophomore and junior will be headed out to
where the deer, the antelope and the one-armed
bandits play Las Vegas to bask under the artifical
glare of crystal chandeliers and settle down to the
business of blackjack.
Their vacation is in the cards.
"We're not making a big deal out of this," Mudd said
Tuesday as he and his roommate relaxed in their
apartment and talked about their upcoming trip. "We
just wanted to do something different."
They are not professional gamblers, or even local
hustlers. Neither had played seriously before a
Christmas excursion took them to the green felt
covered tables of Paradise Island, Bahamas. There,
amid the stoic dealers, free drinks and mahogany
roulette wheels, their spring vacation plans were born.
"When we got back from the Bahamas, we knew we
wanted to go to Las Vegas," Finch said. "Dee and I
aren't addicted to gambling, but we might not have a
chance to do this after we get out of school."
They are practicing now, hoping to better their
chances of winning in America's gambling heaven. In
the Bahamas, they walked into the Paradise Casino
after reading some gambling literature and learning
rules and odds. Still, the plush emporium was
intimidating.
"The first time you go in is nerve-wracking," Finch
said, laughing. "I was petrified I'd never seen so
many cards flying so fast at one time."
Bellying up to one of the blackjack tables, the pair
was introduced to the central figure in the frantic
activity surrounding them: the dealer.
"Everybody that works there is great to you, except
the dealers," Mudd recalled. Rarely speaking to the
gamblers, the dealers whip cards out to them at a
legendary rate. With eight players (including the
dealer) at a table, he can dole out the cards (two to each
player) in 12 to 15 seconds, Mudd said.
"They never smile. I heard one lady ask a dealer if he
ever smiled.
"He told her, 'Lady, do you smile when you wash
clothes?' "
After the initial shock wore off the duo settled down
to the business at hand. The atmosphere was tense.
"A lot of the time, nobody talks," Finch said. "They
use hand signs to show the dealer whether they want a
hit or not."
But on the other hand, the players at a table often get
to know each other as the evening wears on, and talk
among themselves between hands and while the dealer
is paying off or (more likely) collecting.
"The other players become your friends," Finch
said. "It's everybody against the dealer, and you really
feel that."
Typically, their luck ran from dismal to fairly good.
Finch said he lost heavily the first night, recouped his
losses the next day and finally ended the five-day spree
losing a little more than he initially put down.
With Mudd, things were different. He was
substantially ahead until the last couple of nights,
when free drinks took their toll. He wouldn't say how
much he lost, but smiled ruefully and admitted he came
home without a nickel in his pocket.
Although they stayed around the $5-per-hand
minimum bet, Mudd and Finch had glimpses of the
wheeler-dealer world of high-stakes poker. One man
sat with what Finch estimated to be $3,000 worth of the
casino's heavy chips in front of him. Another bet $250
each on two hands for one-and-a-half hours about
80 hands. When they saw him, he was winning.
"Whenever there was big money, there was a big
crowd," Mudd said.
Regardless of who was paying what though, the
action in the casino was continuous and the
atmosphere was reminiscent of a James Bond movie.
Casino Royale.
"Everything there was first-class." Finch said. "The
chips had special club markings on them, the roulette
wheels were solid mahogany and everything on the
tables was marked out on the green felt. It was really
nice."
Perhaps the crowning touch was that there were no
clocks anywhere. "You could play for 20 minutes and
feel like you had been in there for an hour it was that
tense," Finch said.
Both agreed that the trip was a "damn good time"
and expect the same in Las Vegas, where expenses will
be lower and more outside activities will be available.
"You've got to go with the attitude that you're going
to lose some, but you're going to have a good time,"
Mudd said. "It's a challenge, and it's entertaining."
They offered some advice for their peers who will
visit gambling spots during break.
"Know the rules before you go," Mudd said. "Set
your limit and walk away when you get to it. It's easy to
keep on playing when you're winning, but when you're
down, it's impossible to walk away."
"If you come out ahead, fine," Finch said. "If you
lose some, just chalk it up to a good time and remember
you're just there for the fun of it."
Dance marathon
will benefit MS
Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority will
sponsor a Dance-a-Thon from noon until
midnight Saturday. Shafcazz and
Crosswind will provide live band music for
the event, which will be in Great Hall,
Carolina Union.
Individuals over 16 years of age and
organizations wishing to participate in the
Dance-a-Thon are to solicit sponsors who
may pledge any amount desired for each
hour danced. Forty percent of the proceeds
will go to the UNC undergraduate library,
whil': 60 percent will go to the multiple
sclerosis foundation.
Sponsor cards may be obtained at the
union, the Franklin Street post office and
the Campus Y from noon to 5 p.m. today
and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
Prizes will be awarded to the individual
and the organization raising the most
money, the individual with the most
sponsors and the winner of the dance
contest Saturday night. There also will be
door prizes awarded throughout the day.
During a supper break from 6 to 7 p.m.,
food will be available for the dancers.
Fifteen minute breaks will be provided
each hour during the dance. Participants
also may ask to have partners assigned.
Admission to watch the event will be 50
cents per person and 75 cents per couple.
Hurricanes for happier holidays
From time to time, people ask me
whether I've heard of this or that drink.
Quite often I answer "No." Because
there are so many bars in the United
States, it is impossible for me (without
the aid of a teletype), to keep up with the
number of mixed drinks being created
and served. Many of these drinks are
"house specials," which start with a
basic recipe and end with the secret
addition of other liquors, fruit juices
and sweeteners. This is the reason why
some of the recipes you find in a
bartender's guide don't taste exactly like
those you might have had in Las Vegas
or New Orleans.
People visiting Atlanta are likely to
visit the bars of The Underground for
from the standard. I hope that you will
enjoy it.
Ingredients for the Drink of the
Week: The H urricane: 2 ozs. light rum; 2
ozs. gold rum; 1 oz. lime juice; 2 ozs.
pineapple juice; 4 ozs. orange juice; 2-3
ozs. passion-fruit syrup; oz. 151 rum.
Combine all ingredients, except 151
rum, in a shaker with a few cubes of ice
and shake until ice cold. Strain into a
tall cooler or Hurricane glass with a few
cubes of ice. Float 151 on top. Sit down
and enjoy it; standing may be hazardous
to your health.
NOTE: Be sure to use passion-fruit
syrup. Passion-fruit juice will NOT do.
Fowler's is about the only place it is
available in Chapel Hill.
-weekend-bartender
By CARL R. FOX
- Drink of the Week:
The Hurricane
some of the city's liquid delicacies. The
one most often tried, which differs so
much from the standard recipe, is The
Hurricane. I'm going to give you what
I've found to be one pleasing variation
v.
GOT TO GET BACK TO
"JAMAICA
SPRING BREAK
$299.-
PRICES START
AS LOW AS:
MARCH 6 II, 1978
The Ideal Travel Bag
for your
Spring Break Trip
at
Andromeda
Carolina Kennedy bought the Danish schoolbag. So did Mrs.
Leonard Bernstein. So should you, if youYe the kind of person
whose pockets or purses never are roomy enough to hold all
your important "junk." A natural accessory for
photographers, models, students and travelers, the
schoolbag has more pockets and compartments than a dog
has fleas. It comes in machine washable canvas and with an
adjustable shoulder strap, and can be converted into a back
pack.
The Super Bag is available in grey, chocolate brown, black,
and blue, h expands to a spacious 15" by IT by 8", $29.95.
Medium size bag in grey, blue, and flax $21.95. Small bag in
blue, mauve, and green $16.95.
r W j
Take a break from school and
exams for a week at the Beech
Beech Alpen Inn. We have special
weekday and group rates at the
Beech Alpen Inn, where you'll
enjoy comfort while skiing at
Beech Mountain. Our lounge
features warm hospitality and a
friendly atmosphere after an
afternoon downhill run.
Our rooms are comfortable and
relaxing. Some are available with
sauna, fireplace and balcony. A
great place for spring get
togethers.
Enjoy a week at the Beech Alpen
Inn, Banner Elk, N.C. 28604.
Phone (704) 387-2261.
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9195498134
129 E. Franklin St.