Professional Blackjack Player

[Coach R]

Originally Posted by metronome

Thanksgiving holiday my wife and I are playing in Shreveport LA. This one dude was playing Black and Purple chips with his son also playing. It is a $5.00 table for cryin' out loud. During a reshuffle (6D) the dealer is asking the obligatory "where you from", "what do you do". She asks this guy and he says he doesn't do anything. She presses. He then announces he plays Blackjack for a living. Wife and I 'bout fell out of our chairs.
The pit had been watching him every time black and purple hit the felt.
Funny thing is he flat bets red then all of a sudden throws out 5 black or 2 purple. I'm counting and there's absolutely no correlation to these big bets and shoe composition. Meanwhile his son splits sixes against a dealer nine, dad says nothing. Of course the guy has to keep reaching into his pocket for more dough. For him and his son. Then he starts criticizing others play. And I'm wonging at the table and it is really drivin' him crazy. Some crap about "ya can't win no money if you won't play". I was ready for the "flow of the cards comment".
Eventually the pit just ignored him and his Blacks and Purples. He had to be down five or six thousand easy. Friggan' Hilarious

Lot of the posters in here think there might be a reason for some of his play.
If I were a betting man, I would bet he was just a dumb-ass, with a little money, trying to impress someone. (more dollars than cents)

[kewljason]

It's just possible....the guy was a professional blackjack player.

By announcing it, he chose the time that he would be evaluated and made his cover plays accordingly, (Splitting 6's vs 9 and hitting 17 vs 10). He was quickly dismissed as a ploppy, non threat at a cost of 6 grand, which betting purple is not that much. He then was 'free' to ply his trade for quite a while, maybe the rest of the weekend with no heat. Perhaps he walked with 50 or a hundred grand!

Your quick assessment of the situation based on a few minutes of action, without knowing the final outcome could make you as gullible as the pit person he pulled one over on.

[flyingwind]

Strange how the times have changed. How I used to wish I'd be able to play perfect strategy, and now I wish to look like a complete idiot. Is there an emoticon for "sigh?" Close enough.

[Coach R]

Originally Posted by kewljason

It's just possible....the guy was a professional blackjack player.

By announcing it, he chose the time that he would be evaluated and made his cover plays accordingly, (Splitting 6's vs 9 and hitting 17 vs 10). He was quickly dismissed as a ploppy, non threat at a cost of 6 grand, which betting purple is not that much. He then was 'free' to ply his trade for quite a while, maybe the rest of the weekend with no heat. Perhaps he walked with 50 or a hundred grand!

Your quick assessment of the situation based on a few minutes of action, without knowing the final outcome could make you as gullible as the pit person he pulled one over on.

I'm stickin with the "Dumb-Ass" guy theory

[aslan]

Originally Posted by metronome

I don't believe I would tell any dealer that I "play BJ for a living".

I don't mean to bust your chops, but Earl Shriver, pool hustler extraordinaire, (now deceased) told me that the truth was the best con.

[BrianCP]

Originally Posted by aslan

I don't mean to bust your chops, but Earl Shriver, pool hustler extraordinaire, (now deceased) told me that the truth was the best con.

Telling people the truth when most wouldn't is the best cover story ever. Think about it, ask someone what they do for fun. Would you really think they were serious if they casually replied, "Cook Meth."

[Friendo]

I have performed a few of experiments in look-at-me stupidity. They didn't work well. That is: I won most of them.

I'm pondering the theory that a 1-2 real howlers are way better than a few mildly-stupid, but not particularly costly plays. The reason? You are more likely to win mildly stupid plays, and the average pit boss is more suspicious of winning than he is aware of stupidity. Doubling 12 for less, splitting 4s against a 4, etc. have won me so much money that I'm looking for near-certain loser plays.

You're buying an image as an idiot. Why pay less for an uncertain outcome, when you can get a sure thing for a bit more?

[aslan]

Originally Posted by BrianCP

Telling people the truth when most wouldn't is the best cover story ever. Think about it, ask someone what they do for fun. Would you really think they were serious if they casually replied, "Cook Meth."

That's what I'm saying. Earl once told a millionaire pigeon that he was a champion pool player.... and he was! Of course, the mark thought he was just another player with an inflated ego. As he told it to me, it cost the fellow $100,000. That was a lot of money 60 or 70 years ago.

[wickss]

Maybe he was a shuffle tracker.

[aslan]

Actually, he was partners with metronome who was counting 8s and 9s (hence, splitting 6s), while the father was counting KO and the son was counting fives plus steering aces to the father. I don't know why metro is pretending not to know them-- I guess he's testing the strength of his cover, but I saw through it instantly.