Thanks and dealing with Morons

[mrbill]

First off I would like to thank Ken Smith for providing this site. I've learned a lot just reading the posts.

One of the things I was helped with was dealing with morons. I used to get very frustrated when someone would do something that I thought was stupid. Now, I just say to myself that's not what I would've done but it is there money. An example of something that would've driven me from the table before happened this last weekend.

There were 6 people at a $5 table. I was 3rd base. The dealer had a 5 up, I had 9-2 and the moron in the middle had A-4. He wouldn't hit even though the dealer made a point of telling him he only had 5. I of course doubled down and got the moron's 6. 17 isn't bad with a 5 up until the dealer turned up the down card and had a 6. The dealers next card was a 10. I paid attention to the first cards dealt the next hand. They were a 4 and a 7. So in this case if the moron would've taken the hit he would've had 21, I would've had 21 on my DD and the dealer would've busted. As it was the dealer beat the table.

Then 5 minutes later the moron had A-5 with a dealer 6 up. Didn't hit it but this time it turned out to be a good play, because the dealer got a 10 and busted.

Normally I would've left the table after the first time. But since reading posts here, I decided to stick it out since in the long run the mistakes will even out.

Good thing too, over the next 6 hours I picked up $500.00.

So, thanks again to the people on this board. You convinced me that while morons have an immediate impact, you can't know the long term impact which could go either way, just like the dealers hands.

[Mikeaber]

MrBill,

Wait until you're on the OTHER end of the stick. Happened to me a couple of weekends ago. One other player at the table and I was on Third just like you were. It was a double deck game and for two deals, I had gotten nothing but 15's and 16's and every time the dealer had a 7-10, I hit just like the Basic Strategy card tells us to do....and would bust. Nearly every time, it seemed like the dealer had a bust card down. I don't remember what the other dude was doing on the stiffs. But not a loosing hand of mine went by that this creep would say "Your're playing it all wrong...every one of them. You're taking the dealer's bust card!" I finally told him to shut the hell up or find another table. The Pit Boss came over finally and told him to pipe down or leave...he left. I ended up heads up with the dealer and got on a hot streak. Now maybe this guy was counting and knew more than I did. If so, he sure had a tactless way of letting me know and it truely offended me....no, that's too mild...he pissed me off! Back in the 1860's, I'm quite sure a gun battle would have ensued! I guess the lesson here is that Basic Strategy does not insure that you'll win; it just maximizes your chances of winning or not loosing as much most of the time by leading you down the path of percentages!

[mrbill]

I've had similar happen to me. A while back I was at a $5 table with 5 other people. One guy was telling everyone what they should do, most of the time before you did it. Then I had a 9-2 while the dealer had a 7. He said I should hit and and not double in case I got a bad card. I of course doubled and got an A. Right away he said "See, I told you so!", I looked at him and said "Put your chip in my spot, then you have the right to play my hand, till then it's my money and I'll do what I want." The rest of the table cheered at that and he left in a huff. Best part was the dealer had a 9 down and drew a 10, giving me the win with my 12.

Myself, no matter how much I want to, I won't tell people what to do unless they ask, Then I respond with "I would do ..., but it's your money and you have to play it the way you think is best."

[Mikeaber]

Good policy in not offering unsolicited advise. After newbies watch your play for a while, they'll be asking advise and I don't mind giving them basic strategy calls.

However, there have been several times, especially on soft hands, that I've wanted to stop the dealer and tell the person next to me that I'll buy their double down if they aren't going to risk it <LOL>.

[Dealerhastoomany]

Mike, If your playing at $5, $10 table you will get a lot of so called "morons". Many are just learning... so you can't blow up.....

Go to a 25, 50 table.... most people know at least the big mistakes... they may not get all the DD, or scerw up the spliting, but they will most likely know when to take a card.

Just my 2 cents... good luck,

and remember... MAKE THE DEALER BUST!

[Mikeaber]

DH2Many

I VERY seldom let anyone's play impact me. Oh, it's happened a couple of times but that is a very rare occurance. I do understand that there are a lot of new players just learning the game at the low limit tables. In fact, I sort of enjoy trudging along, lending a hand when asked and generally having a low keyed blast as I enjoy the action without risking a huge bankroll in the process.

I've both observed and played at higher limit tables and, since I'm not an "advantage player", do not see that playing there just to weed out the number of mistakes made by my tablemates is a prudent move on my part. It's just a way to loose to the house a little more money at the higher stakes (it IS negative expection with just Basic Strategy and that's how I play.)

I don't really like to employ the term "moron" when talking about someone learning to play. Granted, I didn't sit down to a table before I learned Basic Strategy, but there are a lot of folks who do go in blind. If they loose enough and still want to play the game, then they are "morons" only if they do not learn some Strategy that is proven <grin.> But it is not something that I can determine (newbie or "moron") just from sitting at the table with them <LOL>

Oh....one more thing....how do you make the dealer bust? That's what just about got me into a fight the last outing <LOL>

Originally Posted by Dealerhastoomany

Mike, If your playing at $5, $10 table you will get a lot of so called "morons". Many are just learning... so you can't blow up.....

Go to a 25, 50 table.... most people know at least the big mistakes... they may not get all the DD, or scerw up the spliting, but they will most likely know when to take a card.

Just my 2 cents... good luck,

and remember... MAKE THE DEALER BUST!

[mrbill]

I didn't particularly mean moron in a negative sense. It just popped into my head at the time I was posting.

Whatever you call them, they used to bother me, but thanks to Ken and everyone else on this board, it doesn't really bother me that much anymore. I haven't kept track of course but I would bet that about half the time it helps in the long run.

I also realize that the frequency of questionable play is higher on the $5 table, but when I play BJ my goal is to play as long as I can with as little as I can while enjoying myself. Sometimes the players at the higher limit tables are too serious for my tastes.

[richard57]

Is a nice looking dealer, and nice looking cocktail server, with a couple nice looking ladies at the table. Makes loosing alot easier. And I hope for the day I can sit at the $100.00 table, till then, just hang with the low end crowd, and try to have gas money to get home. And I must also say this is a great site, great message board, and a nice bunch of posters.

[Dealerhastoomany]

Hey guys, sorry my last post I wrote Mike when I should have wrote Mr.Bill...
I guess i was the moron!!! LOL

Anyways I wasn't trying to make a dig or anything guys... I hope it didn't come out that way.

I spend a lot of time at casinos.. and time and time again I see people blowing up at newbies taking a card when they dealer should bust and staying on 16's. It all works out in the end... they help u and hurt u but you know what.... its their money and doing the math overtime it should make no impact on your game. I guess what i am trying to say is I hate when guys (or girls for that matter) are betting 100 a hand at a 5 dollar table then getting mad when buddy beside them is betting 5 bucks and dosent play Basic S.

Anyways, I wont't ramble on and on... LOL Good luck... shane.

Oh and how to make the dealer bust?? Easy... TIP HIM LOL

[Mikeaber]

No harm, no foul. I didn't take it that way DlrHs2Mny. Actualy, I usually get a pretty good kick out of it when I see someone flamed because of a questionable play.

I confess....I got hot one night and have related the story either in another thread or maybe over on another forum. Won't bore you with it here. Basically, a guy split 10's in front of me when I had a 4-unit bet out on a pair of 8's. The dealer had a 6. The guy with the tens split either 3 or 4 times and ended up with 5 tens on the table i think. I drew crap for my 8's though one was an 11 doubledown that made to a 13 or something like that. The dealer small carded until she made a hand and beat the table.

If you play at $5 tables, you have to expect that.

I'm off to Kansas City and another marathon of BJ at AmeriStar. Y'all have fun this weekend....I certainly plan to <LOL>