cover in a five dollar game

[xxrenegadexx]

I was playing a very beatable five dollar game the other day. The running count gets up to 6 so I make the $25 bet. Sure enough the count goes through the roof positve 18 (using hi-lo) so I push out the rest of my stack ( around 90). I ended up losing but the count remained great so I bought in for 200. The next hand I hit a blackjack but the count took a beating b/c only face cards and aces came out that round. I drop my bet down to 25 then to 5 the rest of the shoe. All along all the ploppies at the table had only 5 bucks out there. To me it would seem very obvious that I was counting cards, anyone have any advice as to some cover? Before I sat down I played the craps table using my player card for one bet hoping to look like just another gambler. thank you in advance

[Sonny]

You probably don't need any cover. A decent act and good timing should be all that you need. Keep an eye on the situation and take a break if you need to cool the place down. Keep you sessions reasonably short and don't get too familiar to any particular floorman. At the $5 level you probably can't afford too much cover anyway.

-Sonny-

[ihate17]

Originally Posted by xxrenegadexx

I was playing a very beatable five dollar game the other day. The running count gets up to 6 so I make the $25 bet. Sure enough the count goes through the roof positve 18 (using hi-lo) so I push out the rest of my stack ( around 90). I ended up losing but the count remained great so I bought in for 200. The next hand I hit a blackjack but the count took a beating b/c only face cards and aces came out that round. I drop my bet down to 25 then to 5 the rest of the shoe. All along all the ploppies at the table had only 5 bucks out there. To me it would seem very obvious that I was counting cards, anyone have any advice as to some cover? Before I sat down I played the craps table using my player card for one bet hoping to look like just another gambler. thank you in advance

First: Remember that the pit and eye are not watching everyone all the time, so no one may have even noticed except the dealer and most dealers either do not care or do not know. Sometimes, someone will tell the eye to review your play later and you might have a problem upon your return to that casino.

Second: Much depends upon the kind of casino you are playing at. If it a casino that gets a lot of larger action, has many higher limit tables and only a few $5 tables, no one may be rating or even watching the players at your table unless something happens to wake them up. It is like comparing the MGM on the strip to the Western downtown. At the MGM if you are playing at anything less than a $25 table, they not only will not ask you for your players card but refuse to take it because they will not rate you. While at the Western a bet of $25 will get a checks play call from the dealer and a pit or two breathing down your neck. This also makes sense from the casinos point of view. The amount of money a guy spreading $10-$100 can make at the MGM will never effect their bottom line in the least, so why bother dedicating salaries to watch him and perhaps cause an incident that would disturb other customers if they toss him. At the Western, everything effects their bottom line and their average customer is seriously disturbed anyway.

Add a third thing: At your betting level, cover should not be anything that costs you money. Your EV per hour is just not high enough to really afford bad plays or lack of spread for cover. Cover should be mainly in your act.

ihate17

[xxrenegadexx]

1-20 bet spread is actually a pretty good ev at least in my eyes. Add to that wonging out on all negative 8 rc or lower. I just hope to be around enough in order to see that ev.

[shadroch]

Where did you find a very beatable $5 game? Certainly not on the East Coast?

[EasyRhino]

Really depends on where you're at. Is $90 considered a big bet? Are you in Reno?

I've been backed off for smaller bets, and been at other places where $90 probably wouldn't even be considered a significant minimum bet.

Sonny's right that cover plays don't really make much sense since your edge is so small anyway (in dollar terms). At the red-chip level, one approach might be to say "F- this sweatshop, if they back me off, they aren't worthy of my action" and just go for it, and play your game strictly according to the count. Reasons you might not take this Rambo approach would be if it's the only decent game near you, or if there's good opportunities available at the higher stakes level that you don't want to burn out.

The good news is that going "all in" can look like a very natural move for a steaming gambler.

If you really really wanted to implement some cover, my first recommendation might be to not reduce bets after wins (or not reduce them precipitously), even if the count tanks or if a shuffle comes. To me, a dramatic bet drop would seem to be the most unnatural move.

[xxrenegadexx]

well rhino i only have a bankroll of 13k.... for me to have an exceptable ror my unit bet would be 5 with a 1-20 spread ...... so i dont really want to have a f- this outlook

[xxrenegadexx]

i have also thought about just backcounting higher limit tables and hopping from one table to another........two things..... to me it would seem very obvious what im doing and im not going to be earning any comps for my play

[EasyRhino]

How big of a bet is $100 at this place, and how precious is it to you?

[Kasi]

Of course I don't know what game u r playing but I was wondering why u keep referring to running count if u r using hi-lo.