Why do other players yell at me?

"Are you blind? Why are you hitting that 12? Can't you see the dealer has a 2?"
"Why are you splitting those nines against a dealers 2? That's a very stupid move!"
"You hit a soft 18 against the dealer's 10? You idiot! You have 18! Why do you want to mess with that. Learn how to play the game!"

Players are always yelling at me for the way I play. Why do they do that? How in the world could it affect their odds if the remainding cards are in a random order? I have never yelled at another player, and I have never believe that the way another player plays affects my odds. What is going though their minds?

The short answer: "They are idiots."

We've addressed these myths numerous times in the forum here. Basically, these players just don't understand the game. Unfortunately, it's not unusual.

I almost never have others at the table questioning my play. That is partly because I'm a decent sized guy, and partly because I am often playing for more than they are (and often winning). But when someone does that, I just ignore them. I have always been prepared, however, to explain to someone who wants to push the issue that I am playing with my own money; and that when they are ready to bankroll me, I'll play their way.

I did have a situation recently where a dealer kept trying to help me with the other players at the table who were upset at some of my decisions, particularly surrendering. I was the only one tipping, so he tried to explain what would have happened had I played my hand differently. Only rarely would someone else have had a different result. More frequently than that, I'd have had a different result.

To me, the first sign of a true idiot at the tables is someone who starts in with crap about the dealer's "bust card" and the "anchorman" at the table.

It's just part of the game. Last time I was in Vegas, I had a very large "gentleman" sitting two spots to my right (I was on 3rd and I'm NOT a large gentleman!). I hit the dreaded soft-18 against a 10 and he basically stated that there was no strategy card ever printed that advised that. I pulled out a set and gave them to him without saying a word other than to ask him if he knew how to read a strategy card. He left the table pretty shortly after that.

Get used to it. You're going to have to deal with it as long as you play at a table with other players.

Actually, I've already gotten used to it. I'm just wondering what's going on in their minds. And if they're not going to take the time to learn the correct strategies, why think think they know the correct strategies.

"there was no strategy card ever printed that advised that."

Now that one's funny. I had something similar to that. I split nines against a two, and this guy tells me that it was a very stupid play. I said that's what the book says to do. He says "I don't know what book you're reading. There is no book that says to do that." His wife/girlfriend told him to leave me alone, and that was the end of it. This was at a $50 table.

Another time, I split nines agains a dealer three, this woman yells "don't do that you'll take the dealer's bust card. I'll give you five dollars if you don't split." I declined her offer and split anyway. I forgot what I got, but the dealer ended up busting. The dealer then took it upon himself to review the cards and found he would have had a nineteen had I not split, and everyone at the table would have lost.

I don't believe in the "bust card" crap; but I had a situation once where I was playing at second base; and the guy at third was a complete newbie. I had been winning a lot; and he had started asking my advice on some hands. I had $500 riding on one hand with a shaky chance of beating the dealer's ten with my eighteen. He asked for advice on his hard sixteen; and I told him to hit it. He did. He busted with a six. The dealer flipped a five and drew a nine to bust and pay me $500. The guy at third had lost $10 on the hand; but his hit had saved my hand. I tossed him a green chip and told him "thanks".

No one knows more than me what it is like to get criticized for playing cards a certain way. I am only 20 years old and look more like I am 17 - in ADDITION to being a mere 5'7''. At first, other people's comments intimidated me and made me feel rather uncomfortable. However, as time went on and I became more and more comfortable with making the 'correct plays' (such as hitting soft 18 vs. a 10 and hitting 12 vs. a 2 or 3), other people comments became rather amussing. This is mostly because they would criticize ME for my play but I would be winning more money overall while keeping blissfully silent. Being an apt but also YOUNG card counter actually seems to play in my favor. Pit bosses for the most part ignore me even though I can consistently win. They probably have the mentality that a 'stupid teenager' doesnt have a chance in the game of blackjack. Little do they know I have been studying blackjack RIGOROUSLY for the past 2 years and have all the tools to make quite a bit of money off of blackjack.

It gets really bad, however, when other people are at the table and I deviate from basic strategy because of the running count. I've had people look at me like I was the stupidest person to ever walk through the doors of the casino - ESPECIALLY if my 'unordodox' play causes me to lose. But hey, these people often leave the table, which is actually good because I much prefer to play head on with the dealer.

Act cool.

I always do.
I dun even smile when i have a blackjack.
well, i chat n laugh with dealers n other players a bit
but I seem indifferent with my hands.
and after a few rounds, they'd noe u do play pretty good
usually no one really bugs me about how i play
except when I split my 20s..

I don't get bothered too much about my play. Most people seem to know that hitting a 12 against a 2 or 3 is the right move. Hitting the S18 against a 10 is less known, but rarely comes up. If anyone says anything I whip out a strategy card and tell them to read Stanford Wong's Basic Blackjack. I will admit that others' poor play annoys me. Not because I think it will cost me in the long run, but just because stupid people annoy me.