The "don't" list.

[callipygian]

Things to avoid when counting cards. Add your favorites.

(1) Don't shuffle your chips or spin them on your fingers or bounce them onto stacks.

(2) Don't stack your chips in easily-countable piles. Uneven stacks with mixed colors is the best; stacks of 9 or 12 also work if you feel compelled to track your winnings while you play.

(3) Don't ever mention any halfway-decent websites or books on blackjack. You learned blackjack from a friend, and you learned basic strategy from a card at the gift shop.

(4) Don't ever prove you're good at math.

(4a) Don't ever correctly correct a dealer's incorrect payout if the payout is complex. If you get $62.50 instead of $67.50 for blackjack on a $45 bet, just say you think you got underpaid, and count it aloud with the dealer.

(4b) Don't ever push exact change at the dealer to get colored up. You might know you've got $357.50, but instead of holding $7.50 back and pushing forward $350, just push the whole stack at the dealer.

[checkmugged]

(1) Don't shuffle your chips or spin them on your fingers or bounce them onto stacks.

While I reailze you're trying to compile a "for dummies" list of sorts, I often find it easiest to lie by telling the truth. I shuffle my chips when I feel like it, do chip tricks, bounce them on top of stacks, etc... during certain trips to Vegas. The main one being the WSOP. I will be staying at the Rio for 3 weeks (or more) and when starting up a conversation that's the reason I'm there, to play poker. I'm killing time inbetween tourneys when I'm playing blackjack and it's obvious I should know how to shuffle chips and any poker player would do just that. I feel at certain times, like the WSOP, this draws no more heat whatsoever and may actually let you off the hook from being watched. They know why you came, they know you're not a complete idiot, and they know you have money. They'll assume they have their rough 1% advantage over you as long as you don't make any big moves to frighten the little fellas. Always worked for me. (it's also a good way to appear bored or spaced out, you've been playing poker 14 hours a day, you're paying attention to your chips ... when in reality you're watching every card that slides off that deck -- it also makes it easier to rathole chips if you're constantly playing with them)

Checkmugged

[bj bob]

Originally Posted by callipygian

Things to avoid when counting cards. Add your favorites.

(3) Don't ever mention any halfway-decent websites or books on blackjack.

Does Davidpom count?

[RenoRenagade]

Originally Posted by checkmugged

(1) Don't shuffle your chips or spin them on your fingers or bounce them onto stacks.

While I reailze you're trying to compile a "for dummies" list of sorts, I often find it easiest to lie by telling the truth. I shuffle my chips when I feel like it, do chip tricks, bounce them on top of stacks, etc... during certain trips to Vegas. The main one being the WSOP. I will be staying at the Rio for 3 weeks (or more) and when starting up a conversation that's the reason I'm there, to play poker. I'm killing time inbetween tourneys when I'm playing blackjack and it's obvious I should know how to shuffle chips and any poker player would do just that. I feel at certain times, like the WSOP, this draws no more heat whatsoever and may actually let you off the hook from being watched. They know why you came, they know you're not a complete idiot, and they know you have money. They'll assume they have their rough 1% advantage over you as long as you don't make any big moves to frighten the little fellas. Always worked for me. (it's also a good way to appear bored or spaced out, you've been playing poker 14 hours a day, you're paying attention to your chips ... when in reality you're watching every card that slides off that deck -- it also makes it easier to rathole chips if you're constantly playing with them)

Checkmugged

Lol yea I do it a lot cuz im a poker player ( it helps me to concentrate better ). And I think that chip shuffling is ok. Chips tricks are a little more dangerous though. I mean there are times I wear my full tilt hats and shirts and WSOP sweaters/ hats when I go and play blackjack. Id rather come off looking like the poker player that I am because most of the time they just try and upsell there establishment by telling you how wonderfull there poker room is . One time I just got done winning a tourney at harrahs in reno then went to sit at there blackjack tables . The dealer saw me wearing poker stuff and was like you play in poker tourneys, and I was like 'ya' and he was like you should go and try out our poker room and proceded to tell me about the tourneys and how one just ended 10 minutes ago, I then looked at him with a funny smile and was like I know I just won it . It was kinda funny.

[EasyRhino]

While I wouldn't necessarily recommend looking like a poker player under any circumstances, I don't think that it would particularly help or hurt your image at the blackjack table.

[shadroch]

Don't make up a bullshit cover if you don't know anything about it.I once had a guy tell my two friends (both retired NYPD) that he was a cop in NYC. Not realizing the guy was bullshitting,they asked what precinct he worked in. The guy came back with a fictional one,the one from NYPD Blue.It could have gotten ugly,but my friends laughed it off.
Max Rubin tells of a guy bragging about being a private pilot and it turned out the pitboss was,as well, and asked him what kind of plane he flew. The guy had no answer.

[sagefr0g]

Originally Posted by shadroch

Don't make up a bullshit cover if you don't know anything about it.I once had a guy tell my two friends (both retired NYPD) that he was a cop in NYC. Not realizing the guy was bullshitting,they asked what precinct he worked in. The guy came back with a fictional one,the one from NYPD Blue.It could have gotten ugly,but my friends laughed it off.
Max Rubin tells of a guy bragging about being a private pilot and it turned out the pitboss was,as well, and asked him what kind of plane he flew. The guy had no answer.

yeah that's a good point. i mean when it comes off phony it's well real phony lol. best i think if you can keep it real in a way that shrouds what your up to.

[EasyRhino]

Or tell people you do accounts receivable at a box manufacturer. Then no one will want to ask any more.

[Automatic Monkey]

Originally Posted by checkmugged

(1) Don't shuffle your chips or spin them on your fingers or bounce them onto stacks.

While I reailze you're trying to compile a "for dummies" list of sorts, I often find it easiest to lie by telling the truth. I shuffle my chips when I feel like it, do chip tricks, bounce them on top of stacks, etc... during certain trips to Vegas. The main one being the WSOP. I will be staying at the Rio for 3 weeks (or more) and when starting up a conversation that's the reason I'm there, to play poker. I'm killing time inbetween tourneys when I'm playing blackjack and it's obvious I should know how to shuffle chips and any poker player would do just that. I feel at certain times, like the WSOP, this draws no more heat whatsoever and may actually let you off the hook from being watched. They know why you came, they know you're not a complete idiot, and they know you have money. They'll assume they have their rough 1% advantage over you as long as you don't make any big moves to frighten the little fellas. Always worked for me. (it's also a good way to appear bored or spaced out, you've been playing poker 14 hours a day, you're paying attention to your chips ... when in reality you're watching every card that slides off that deck -- it also makes it easier to rathole chips if you're constantly playing with them)

Checkmugged

I agree, good ideas. Lots of people at the blackjack table claim to be know-it-alls without being skilled players of any kind. You can talk like a BJ bigshot and you won't appear to be any kind of threat at all.

[checkmugged]

Originally Posted by Automatic Monkey

I agree, good ideas. Lots of people at the blackjack table claim to be know-it-alls without being skilled players of any kind. You can talk like a BJ bigshot and you won't appear to be any kind of threat at all.

Yes, that's exactly what I said. Read much?

Checkmugged