Counting dealers

zoomie

Well-Known Member
#1
Recently at the store named after a stone the color of blood (no, not ruby), I found two dealers who shuffled before the cut card even though my bet hadn't moved. Everyone else at these tables was a serious ploppy, so the dealers must have been counting. I left quietly . . . :cool:
 

21forme

Well-Known Member
#2
Very unusual. Most dealers learn how to play (poorly) by watching ploppies. Was this shoe or DD? While it's possible they were counting, maybe they were told to shuffle if they saw a table-full of low cards.

I've taken advantage of the "shuffle if he raises his bet past $xxx instruction" by raising my bet past the threshold in a negative count. You can do very well by having the dealer wong out for you.

BTW, never heard of the Garnet casino, either :)
 
#3
zoomie said:
Recently at the store named after a stone the color of blood (no, not ruby), I found two dealers who shuffled before the cut card even though my bet hadn't moved. Everyone else at these tables was a serious ploppy, so the dealers must have been counting. I left quietly . . . :cool:
Preferential shuffle- get the hell out of there.
 

Sucker

Well-Known Member
#5
zoomie said:
I found two dealers who shuffled before the cut card even though my bet hadn't moved.
Red Rock does not normally instruct or even ALLOW their dealers to do this unless someone at the table is suspected of being a counter. You may have been flat betting on THAT occasion, but perhaps Linda recognized you from a previous session in her pit (or worse YET, from a flyer :eek: ). I hate to say it; but good call on HER part!
 

lucifer

Well-Known Member
#6
I posted a long time ago that when I dealt single deck, I pref shuffled a guy because he kept blowing smoke in my face.I hate smokers and enjoyed every minute of it.Yes, It can happen because I did it. Don't piss off the deaer in a hand held game because you might have a pro card counter dealing to you. I quit dealing awhile back, but I have fond memories of that day.That being said...It isnt easy to count cards and deal at the same time. SD is fairly easy but DD is pretty hard.
 
Last edited:

kewljason

Well-Known Member
#7
I haven't notice that many counting dealers during my time here in Vegas. Or at least they didn't make it known to me. A couple yes. make some sort of remark or action that lets you know. seems like they are searching for a tip. Like maybe you will tip so they won't rat you out. :rolleyes:

For the most part I just find most of the dealers in this town to be working men and women. A spouse, 2.3 kids and a dog at home and they can't wait to finish their shift and hit the bar for a drink, crash in front of the TV and watch the game or go shopping at the mall after work. :rolleyes::laugh:

I do remember reading in somebody's book, maybe revere or stanford's or one of the books from the 80's or 70's about how most of the dealers at the time where counters who had come to Vegas to count cards and failed or it wasn't going as well as they hoped so they had to put time in on the other side of the tables. That must have been a real hoot! :laugh: But I just don't see that being the case today. Most are just family people working a job.
 
#8
Lucifer, I smoke about one cigarette an hour and consciously try to blow my smoke away from people. Why would you "HATE" me just because I smoke cigarettes? Jesus, man - that's pretty rough.

And WHY would you ever want employment in one of the few workplaces where people smoke heavily all around you if you truly "hate" smokers. I don't get it.

"Hate" is such a strong word - I can't believe how people just toss it around.
 
#9
Have to agree with KJ. I've encountered no dealers in Vegas that I could definitely say were counting while they were dealing (although i know several that are capable, and do, count while not dealing and only one floor person, now a shift manager, who can count, but he has become a personal friend now:) .

Cobbson
 
#10
kewljason said:
I haven't notice that many counting dealers during my time here in Vegas. Or at least they didn't make it known to me. A couple yes. make some sort of remark or action that lets you know. seems like they are searching for a tip. Like maybe you will tip so they won't rat you out. :rolleyes:
One time when I backcounted a table and wonged in, a dealer said to me, "Count's good?" And when I wonged out, he said, "Count no good?" Do you ignore him and play on or quit the session and avoid his shift altogether?

Also, one time every time I raised my bet, a ploppy would say to her friend, "He's been watching the cards." Luckily, the floorperson was not at the table. I left and found a new table and avoided that ploppy for the rest of the session. The funny thing was she just sat there with chips in front of her but didn't play.
 
#11
nicetrades200303 said:
One time when I backcounted a table and wonged in, a dealer said to me, "Count's good?" And when I wonged out, he said, "Count no good?" Do you ignore him and play on or quit the session and avoid his shift altogether?

Also, one time every time I raised my bet, a ploppy would say to her friend, "He's been watching the cards." Luckily, the floorperson was not at the table. I left and found a new table and avoided that ploppy for the rest of the session. The funny thing was she just sat there with chips in front of her but didn't play.
Throw the dealer a dollar chip and thank her for the tip on the count when you got there and request a heads up on the no good count before you leave the table next time. All the dealer wants is some tips. You may even find nice cuts if you only tip when you win.

Tell the ploppy you forgot your talking seeing eye dog that tells you what your hand is so you decided to play by actually looking at your cards.
 
#12
tthree, thanks for the tips. Yeah, it’s not easy to interpret a dealer’s intentions when he says such things as “count’s good” or “count no good” out loud in front of a full table. Does he want a tip? Is he showing off that he can pick out a counter? Is he taking an interest in the casino’s money and thereby warning you by saying those things?

tthree said:
All the dealer wants is some tips. You may even find nice cuts if you only tip when you win.
Say you’re playing heads up with him, does anyone ask outright for a good cut? I would tip more often if I could get a good cut. The problem is we run into a gray area…does giving tips in return for good cuts fall somewhere in the collusion area?
 

AC232323

Well-Known Member
#13
nicetrades200303 said:
Say you’re playing heads up with him, does anyone ask outright for a good cut? I would tip more often if I could get a good cut. The problem is we run into a gray area…does giving tips in return for good cuts fall somewhere in the collusion area?
There is a fairly large range for the placement of the cut card that is still valid. When I'm at a table all I'm trying for is to have the dealer place the cut card in that range as possible. I have occasionally tipped and made a comment such as "man, it feels like we are always shuffling" when we get the cut card. I don't think this falls anywhere close to collusion.
 
#14
AC232323 said:
There is a fairly large range for the placement of the cut card that is still valid. When I'm at a table all I'm trying for is to have the dealer place the cut card in that range as possible. I have occasionally tipped and made a comment such as "man, it feels like we are always shuffling" when we get the cut card. I don't think this falls anywhere close to collusion.
I saw a guy tip as the dealer finished shuffling and say, "Give me some love. You know what I mean." as he tipped the dealer. We got a sweet cut. I guess he knew what he meant.
 
Top