What
Are Casino Playing Tactics?
It's a sad fact
of life that casino personnel, especially floor supervisors
and pit bosses do not like card counters playing at their Blackjack
games. They know the game can be beaten by a skilled player,
so depending upon how deep their paranoia runs, their reaction
to a player who wins and is suspected of being a counter may
vary from close scrutiny ('heat') to outright barring of that
player. Consequently, a skillful player must hide his or her
abilities and appear as just another 'loser' while winning at
the game. Proper casino playing tactics help to disguise your
skills, thus allowing you to continue to play.
A
Casino 'Profile' of a Counter
Casino supervisors
believe they have card counters profiled and can spot them by
their actions. While the list is long, here are some of their
prejudices:
- Card counters
are usually young, white males (probably with beards) who
dress too casually for the amount of money they throw around.
- Card counters
'scout' the tables in a pit, looking for a good count before
sitting down.
- A counter will
change $200-300 into chips but then only bet $5 or $10 on
the first hand.
- Counters don't
talk to anyone; they stare at the discard tray and rescan
the table, checking on the count.
- Counters don't
smoke or drink alcohol.
- A counter thinks
a while before placing his bet.
- A counter doesn't
hesitate before playing a 'stiff' hand.
- A counter never
takes insurance with a minimum bet out, but does take insurance
when a big bet is out, regardless of his hand.
- A counter varies
his bet beyond a 'parlay'.
- Counters don't
tip the dealers.
- A counter pulls
back a big bet and lowers it on a 'push' or when the shoe
ends.
- A counter always
makes a minimum bet on the first hand of a newly-shuffled
shoe.
Card
Counter Camouflage
To make money
at Blackjack, you must maintain your welcome at the casinos.
But even though you may feel that there's a big red 'C' on your
forehead the first few times that you play as a counter, it
really isn't there and if you avoid a few of the 'newbie' mistakes,
the casino supervisors probably won't pay any attention to you
at all.
If you are playing
for high stakes, you'll be noticed whether you win OR lose;
high-stakes players are always noticed. But, if you are starting
with the $5 to $60 spread which I recommend, you probably won't
be noticed at all. How often you play at a particular casino
has a lot to do with this. Remember that most casinos have at
least two shifts, so try to spread your play around between
casinos and shifts. AVOID PLAYING FROM ONE SHIFT TO ANOTHER.
Keep your sessions fairly short and it will take them a long
time to even begin to figure out what you're doing.
The real key to
fooling the casino personnel is to appear as though you are
just another gambler. Here are some techniques which I use.
- Dress appropriately
for your betting level. A 'high-roller' should look like a
prosperous person not, as one author put it, "like an out-of-work
substitute school teacher." If you go to a local casino on
the day shift during the week, dress like a business person
who's playing hooky from the office. Do NOT dress like a tourist
(a very effective disguise) if they are going to see you again
next week.
- When you enter
a casino, walk directly to a table where the dealer is shuffling
and sit down. Talk to the dealer, or at least say "hi".
- If you are
playing a $5 minimum bet, buy in for less than $100, but more
than $40. Do not use terms like 'red' or 'green'; 'nickels'
or 'quarters'. Call the chips $5 or $25 chips.
- Do not order
anything from the cocktail servers; they are too slow and
waiting for a drink may cause you to play at a negative deck
while you're waiting. Instead, order non-alcoholic drinks
at the bar (O'Doul's, orange juice, anything with a lime)
and carry it around with you.
- Try to always
have a bet in your betting circle. Remember, only counters
think about how much to bet; gamblers just put something out
there. If you busted your hand or got a Blackjack, place your
next bet as the dealer is playing his hand. With practice,
your bet will be the correct amount, but it won't appear as
though you had to think a lot about how much to put out.
- Gamblers NEVER
leave a table after a win. If the count has dropped below
-1, continue playing at the minimum bet until you lose a hand.
- Hesitate before
hitting a 'stiff' hand. Talking to the cards helps.
- Occasionally,
insure your Blackjack against the dealer's Ace when you have
the minimum bet out. Do not ask for 'even money'; go through
the motions like you don't know how it all works. This will
also make the dealer slow down on her insurance calls in the
future which will give you extra time to calculate the true
count. It's best to do this 'minimum' insurance bet when a
floor supervisor is looking.
- If you are
going to tip the dealer (something which you should do sparingly),
wait until the count is high and you have a big bet out. Placing
a bet for the dealer at that time will make it look like you
want her to help you win.
- Once or twice
in each session, start off a new shoe with a bet of 2 or 3
times the minimum.
- Do not vary
from proper basic strategy as a form of camouflage; most casino
personnel wouldn't know good play anyway. In fact, perfect
basic strategy players look like idiots -- hitting a 12 against
a 2 or 3 or doubling an A-7 against a 4 is nuts! (To them.)
- Do not talk
to others at the table about your abilities; do not help others
to play their hands properly. Never admit that you've understood
a book about Blackjack. Do not appear confident, but don't
act like a loser when you're obviously winning -- gamblers
love to win!
- I can't bring
myself to wear one, but a 'fanny pack' has got to be one of
the most disarming items a counter can wear. With that and
a pair of glasses on, damn few supervisors will ever think
you're this cold-blooded, card counting, steely-eyed destroyer
of casinos. But I guess if my usual act ever starts to wear
thin, I'll get one and put it on. I'd rather be rich than
cool.
Good Online Casinos
Homework
Here are the
answers for last week's assignment.
Calculate the
casino's starting advantage for the following games:
Single deck, double
only 10 or 11, dealer hits A-6. Answer: .33%
Six decks, double
on any first two cards, dealer stands on A-6, resplit pairs,
incl. Aces, double after split allowed. Answer: .33%
Two decks, double
on any first two cards, no resplit of pairs, no double after
split, dealer stands on A-6, late surrender. Answer: .30% (I
didn't specify if the dealer stands or hits on A-6; this figure
is for a game where s/he stands.)
As always, if you have any questions, e-mail me at
aceten1@mindspring.com
and Ill get back to you ASAP.
