Bojack1 said:
. I mean would a magic trick be a trick at all if everyone knew how to do it.
Actually, you CAN find out every magic trick there is-it's all in a number, 793. Called the library. Sure, you may not know a specific patter or style might throw you off, but the mechanics are all the same. (Been a magician for MANY years, please don't call me stupid). Just have to read for yourself. Not to mention the many who have gone before exposing how tricks were done (INCLUDING Houdini). And yet, no-one remembers the Masked Magician.
I guess I'm curious about one thing-if these advantage plays are really that hard to learn-and I must accept what everyone tells me-that they are-is it really going to make a hill of beans to the Casino's if people published them? How many people will actually take the time to learn them? Heck, i've just told you how to learn every magic trick there is, but how many people REALLY go to the library and learn a trick-and put in the time and effort to make it successful?
Or is it all so much hype by the casino's- "Oooh, we MUST protect ourselves from the nasty AP's 'cause if the truth were known ANYONE could take us to the cleaners we're soooo delicate and fragile poor poor pity us etc. etc. etc..."
I want to learn some AP as well-and after I have satisfied myself to learning the basics of BS, counting and such in actual play, I'll seek more advance plays out as well. Just wish I knew the 'number' for THAT section!
A good magician friend of mine closes most of his shows by telling people where to find the answers. Then he closes by saying: "The best way to keep a secret is in a book. 6 months after it's published, no-one knows it's there!"